8 from Kirsty & Harry, an Old Kent Barn Wedding

Isn’t it strange how it seems to be “the norm” to write the girls name then the guys? Yet for some reason I feel inclined to always say Harry and Kirsty. Yes, THIS is the kind of thought that goes through my mind when I’m writing these blogs!!

Anyway, onto the day. They got married at the Old Kent Barn, one of THE top venues in Kent, and a favourite of mine because… they have coffee on tap, the food is awesome and it’s reet pretty.

The girls were a good laugh in the morning, and the playlist was musicales with a hint of 80’s - judge me all you want but I’m all over that. Harry and the boys turned up looking dapper, and the day went ahead with everyone saying the right names, winner!!

Truth is that these guys were just having a great day with their friends and family. Kirsty couldn’t have been more chilled in the morning, and they just looked so at ease with each other, it really was a pleasure to witness .

Kirsty, Harry…. Harold, Kirsty…. this 8 from is for you!

8 from Andy & Jess, a Dubai Wedding

So I’m sat in the airport 2 days after the most incredible, fun, beautiful and all round awesome day in Dubai!

Ok so this is my first visit to Dubai, and what a fascinating, unique place. It feels a bit like the dropped Manhatten in the desert tbh. And this is winter, so the temperature is a bearable 28 degrees.

Now, back to the wedding. Where do I even start?? I dunno. I actually don’t. Ok, let’s start with Andy and Jess. You see, for a wedding to be awesome what you really really need is a couple that just want to have a great time. Because that dictates the day. No stress, no drama, just smile, laugh, and enjoy the …. out of if! And that they did. 100%. (Ok, so it helps that they had Andys sister Amanda on planning duties!)

The ceremony itself took place in a local church, with the highlight being Andy’s dad singing like an absolute legend! And then we went back to the Marina for the reception/party. Hopefully the pictures will give you a great idea of what we’re dealing with here.

Oh, and there was a cheeky stop on the way back for a photo. That if I do say so is pretty cool.

I took too many photos. And some how have whittled it down to this first look.

Andy and Jess, these 8 are for you!

8 from Annie & Drew, a Suffolk Wedding

So I could start this with some tenuous link to the fact that it happened the same day as the Harry and Megan..... ooops, just did!

I'm so funny.... anyway, Annie and Drew! Good Lord did they look fine or what!?! Married in the lovely town of Haughley, not even a ridiculous local wondering into the church WHILE THEY WERE SAYING THEIR VOWS and asking for someone to move their car (no joke!) could stop the magic.

These days are an awesome thing. So relaxed, so damn good! 

Congrats Annie & Drew, thank you for being you on the day and making me a very happy photographer! This one's for you x

8 from Nat and Cook, the Dreys Wedding

Ooooooh The Dreys is cool. Luckily so are Nat and Cook!

Add those two together, some decent weather and a bunch of guests having a great time and you've got one happy photographer!

So yeah, this day was pretty awesome. A quiet civil ceremony in front of family followed by a humanist ceremony in the woods, so much emotion. I loved every minute.

Nat and Cook have been together for a fare few years and had the day they fully deserved. Hopefully these pics do them justice and I can't wait to show you more when they're fully edited!

Nat and Cook, this ones for you!

8 from Hannah & Ben, a Cambridgeshire Wedding

A Trinity College Wedding

Hey hey, so it is that the seasons change, and with the memories of a wedding during the beast from the east still fresh in my mind, I suddenly find myself in the incredible grandeur of Trinity College in Cambridgeshire on a blazing hot day for the wedding of Hannah and Ben! Us photographers certainly have to learn how to adapt!

And while it may seem cliche to say that this was an awesome wedding, it REALLY was. So you know me, I'm not one for too much fluffy, I just love shooting people, it's that simple. Hannah and Ben were awesome, incredibly relaxed, a pleasure to be around. And yeah, that's what matters to me. No stress, no drama, just a whole load of people enjoying a genuinely lush day of celebration.

Oh, and before I sign off, I have to mention the choir. Now I'm not one for choir music as my "go to" on Spotify, but seriously, it was hairs standing up on the back of your neck stuff. Incredible.

Hannah and Ben, this one's for you!

8 from Jody and Harry, a South Farm Wedding

So Jody and Harry got married didn't they! A very relaxed day at South Farm, one of the coolest venues ever, mainly because their are really really cute farm animals everywhere!! But anyway, back to the wedding.... oh, and there was also a REALLY cool Dodge!! Oh, but back to the wedding..... :D 

Jody and Harry are just so incredibly lovely and spent the day looking just so happy and content - there's not much more I could ask for tbh.

Massive congrats to them, and here's their 8 from!

8 from Paris & Rick, a Houchins Wedding

There was so much to love about this day. Where to start? Paris & Rick: basically perfect. Relaxed and just had a tonne of fun with the day. Houchins: damn, what a venue!! Awesome weather, awesome bridesmaids, awesome ushers, awesome food, awesome photos!

As per usual the day started at 10 with me joining the girls for a few photos, eating their breakfast snacks and drinking coffee! Priorities right? Thing is, it was such a lush friendly atmosphere to arrive to I just immediately felt comfortable enough to be me. And here's the thing: me turning up at 10 isn't just about taking endless photos of mascara being applied (who exactly wants that??). It's about me becoming part of the day. Because the only way you get documentary wedding photography is by making people feel comfortable with having you around. So I just turn up and be me.

The girls were getting ready at Houchins which meant a nice day for me: just turn up at the venue and you're set for the day. I'd never been to Houchins before so I had a quick scout about, sussed out the winning photo spots and then joined the girls.

After a few hours the guys turned up and I get the opportunity to make Rick sweat a little! To be honest, Rick was rock solid, no signs of nerves (hidden well?) and just happy to get things started!

At this point I feel it important to mention the award winning moment Paris almost stacked it. Fair play to her, she styled it out well and dad saved her from making a complete arse of herself! 

From here on in I think it best to let the photos do the rest. 

Sun, venue, couple... NO LISTS: just an awesome day for me to turn up and shoot. I couldn't ask for more as a photographer. Literally perfect!

Paris and Rick, this one's for you!

8 from, Gemma & Dan, Long Furlong Barn

So it's early morning and I'm driving to see the boys getting ready at a near by hotel in West Sussex, and as I do so I suddenly drive through this pretty damn awesome valley.

2 hours later, to my immense joy, we return to that exact same valley and Long Furlong Barn, set smack bang in the middle of it! A beaut of a venue, surrounded by fields that rise up and away. Perfect.

And so began a genuinely beautiful and fun day! I've had so many great days this year and this was definitely one of them. Gemma and Dan enjoyed every moment, and I had some decent "banter" (hate that word!)... hi Jake!

Gemma and Dan, this one's for you!

Gav

8 from Carolyn & Terry, a Swarling Manor Wedding

Good morning! Thought I'd get my backside in gear and drop you all some sexy photos from Carolyn and Terry's quite beautiful day at Swarling Manor! Because what is the point of all this if we're not gonna show you what we created (between my camera abilities and the Roses combined beauty!). 

So, t'was a gorgeous day in August when it all happened, in the grounds of Swarling Manor (location: somewhere in the countryside around Canterbury!). An outdoors ceremony, blazing sun (this was about 5 weeks ago but it seems like forever ago), garden games, lovely ciders and some fine looking people. I've definitely had worse days!

Carolyn & Terry, this one's for you.

Gav

8 from Arielle & Richard, Marleybrook Wedding

American girl meets English guy, they make an awesome team and a few years later you have this perfect mix that makes for an amazing day at one of the most fun places to get married in Kent: Marleybrook House.

Seriously, this was a day that a guy like me lives for - just a fun and crazy cool day in the sun, victorian fairground rides, drink, food, music, and dancing!

Above all this, what makes a wedding is the attitude you have towards the day. Arielle and Richard wanted to have fun. Fun was priority number one. Nothing else will do. And by going into the day with this attitude the day became what they wanted it to be. And by doing that it means I  can easily mix in and do my thing. 

And here is the first look 8 from!

8 from Katie & Dan, a Pegwell Bay Wedding

Ever since I was a kid I can remember seeing this quirky looking hotel seemingly built into the cliffs at Ramsgate. Yet many years later, and despite shooting quite a few weddings, I'd never been there. That was until a windy day in August 2017. 

Such a cool day with Katie and Dan, I loved it! So much genuine joy to be seen and a lively dancefloor at the end.

Happiness

8 from Sally & Dan, a Manton Wedding

Broccoli Bottom Wedding

This year has been pretty cool so far, with weddings in Hong Kong & Italy. Well, in your face global travels, because this weekend I finally got to shoot in Leicestershire!! Not just in Leicestershire, but at a place called Broccoli Bottom!!

Ok, so the weather sucked. Massively. But guess what? It didn't matter! Because Dan is Jesus Christ Superstar, and Sally has a Hollywood smile!! I'm not even joking. Literally the perfect smile!! 

So here's their 8 from. In your face weather!

8 from Sonal & Tom, a Bradbourne House Wedding

When you're editing a wedding, and you're smiling. Constantly. Yeah, that.

I can't say enough good things about Sonal and Toms wedding, it was basically perfect! From the minute I got there and feeling 100% welcome to the most unbelievably glorious sunset at Bradbourne House. Us photographers (I've said before) are at the mercy of 2 things on a wedding day - the people, and the weather. When the people are all having a great time and the skies are delivering, it's just the perfect combo to allow me to shoot the kind of photography that I love to deliver. 

I could of course tell you about how awesome Sonal and Tom looked, but you can see that in the photos! (sorry Sonal, you looked amazing but I have to comment on Toms hair - literally perfect!!) 

I could also tell you about Bradbourne House, which once again provided the most beautiful backdrop to a wedding. The sunset we were gifted was next level orange magnificence! I was literally like a kid in a sweet shop!! But again, hopefully the photos tell that story better.

Oh, and yes, Sonal threw her bouquet over a Ferrari. 

It was a genuine pleasure to be there, I cant say enough good things about this day! Now look at the photos please 

8 from Amy & Will, a Hayne House Wedding

Lucky ol' me got to to Hayne House again! This time to be part of Amy & Wills beer fuelled day (Shepherd Neame of course, no other refreshment will do!) 

And I loved it. The wedding that is. Not the beer.... tho I may have had one. It was hot ok! Honestly, Hayne is the perfect place for a chilled Saturday in the sun. One of my highlights was actually the unplanned moment when the speeches moved outside to finish due to a slight overrun in the schedule! But you see, it was a lovely evening, and made for a perfect moment. Personally I'd have all speeches outside on a summers evening.

Ok, I'm rambling. I loved it. Will and Amy are a beautiful thing. And here is their 8 from!

8 from Hayley & James, a Creeksea Place Wedding

Hayley & James, a Creeksea Place Barns wedding

Saturday saw me take a drive to Southend(ish!) for the wedding of Hayley & James, which took place at Creeksea Place Barns. And from the minute I got to Hayleys parents as was instantly offered a cuppa I knew it would be a cool day. It's the little things that make us photographers happy bunnies! 

Massive congrats to you both, and here's your first "8 from..."

8 from Karen & Dan @ Marleybrook House

A Kent Wedding at Marleybrook House

I have sooooo much love for Karen and Dan's day, it really was immense! Totally relaxed, a beautiful venue (if you haven't heard of or seen Marleybrooks then where have you been???), old school fairground rides and pastries on tap in the morning. Doesn't get better than that. 

Karen got ready at the most gorgeous local barn with all of her family, and an amazing view too! I was greeted with coffee and pastries, which always makes a photographer feel happy! Even the music was on point. 

Luckily the guests were well looked after with drinks on the day, as it was a scorcher. Obviously I had to have one beer. Would've been rude not to right?

Then there was the Victorian fairground, which was ruddy awesome! Karen made me go on the big spinny one, which I thought would have me throwing up! But I was ok, and laughed my arse off!!

Oh, one final point - Karen & Dan scrubbed up ok. Genuinely lovely humans and it was a privilege to be there!

Here's 8, many more to come...

Stacey + Dean, an Italian Wedding

Villa Baroncino, Tuscany: a Destination Wedding in Italy

I happily admit that Italy is one of my favourite places. I went there in 1998, loved the place. The language, the architecture, the food, the football! It's just a beautiful place to be.

So getting the chance to finally shoot a wedding there, and return after 19 years, was a dream come true. And it didn't disappoint. I had an amazing time shooting Stacey and Deans wedding, and would do it all over again if I could! 

In the morning, a little bit of paddle boarding...

Then back to Villa Baroncino for the main event!

Bridal quite view

The view from the bridal suite at Villa Baroncino was something else, so pretty on such a beautiful day!

Laughing bride

Stacey was super relaxed ahead of the big day at Villa Baroncino

Emotional father of the bride

Martin couldn't hold the tears back when he saw Stacey. Genuine moment of love. I stood back, grabbed a shot then let them have their moment. So beautiful at Villa Baroncino. Photography by uk photographer gavinphotography

The ceremony at Villa Baroncino

So much laughter and smiles: perfect at Villa Baroncino in Italy

Amazing sky in Tuscany

The sky seemed to go on forever. I love this ceremony shot at Villa baroncino. It's one they will cherish forever

View fullsize

And then the final day of chillin. Such an awesome week!

8 from Chloe & Charlie, an Old Kent Barn Wedding

Chloe + Charlie, an Old Kent Barn wedding

Such a lush day at Old Kent Barn for Chloe & Charlie, an awesome day for them and there friends and family!

I was there from 10am to capture the girls getting ready and basically having a lot of fun! Chloe has some great friends who helped make the morning extra special. I genuinely love being involved and having fun, it helps make people relax around me, and I end up getting some pretty cool photos!

The day was perfect, they Chloe and Charlie got married outside and eveyone had a blast!!

Congratulations guys, here's a little "8 from" your day!

Gav