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What a fantastic day!

The weather forecast predicted dark clouds and lots of wet stuff for October 23rd, but instead, the day started brightly with a few patches of cloud and the odd shower, but also plenty of dazzling sunshine!

Autumn is a wonderfully colourful season, but there is always an element of luck in regards to the weather, but Ron and Tina were blessed with a mainly bright and sunny day with just one or two showers to keep us on our toes.

The day started early for Tina with a trip to Paignton and a visit to the hairdressers, a quick coffee and then on to the beauticians. She then had to make a whirlwind trip to Totnes to pick up parents and then back to Torquay to get ready. I arrived in Torquay to find everyone standing outside the house ………… it seemed no one had a key and no one was home …… not a promising start. However, a quick phone call and it turned out there was life after all, they were just so busy getting ready they didn’t hear the gathering outside or the doorbell it seems.

Tina was attended by three bridesmaids, her niece Emma and Ron’s daughters Rita and Ann.  Also in attendance were three adorable flower girls, Emmas daughter May and Rons  grandchildren Stacey and Jasmine.  The bridesmaids red dresses were stunning and all three ladies looked gorgeous in them. The flower girls wore white and looked lovely too.

Tina and Bridesmaids

So whilst all the girls got themselves sorted, had their photos taken and headed off to the church, what was the groom up to? Well Ron had decided the most suitable place to get himself ready and meet the best man and the ushers was …………………. you guessed it, the pub!  The pub in question, The Coach House Inn, was actually far too conveniently situated only 50 yards from the church. The end result of this was that most of the photos of guests arriving, Best Man imparting words of wisdom etc. were captured in the pub!

The Ceremony

The service was a traditional marriage service  and took place at Paignton Parish Church, just off the town centre. The couple had chosen something  very different for their entrance  music in a nice break from tradition. The bride was accompanied into the church by her Father to an Elvis classic, Can’t Help Falling in Love; at the end of the service, the happy couple walked back down the aisle to the sounds of Gerry and the Pacemakers and Walking Hand in Hand.

The planned photographs of the family groups outside the church after the service,  were unfortunately interrupted by a very badly timed shower of rain. It may have been me, but I could have sworn I heard a few cheers as everyone ran for cover …………………back into the pub!

Outside the Church

Mr and Mrs Tunkin

Undeterred, Ron and Tina stayed with me and my colleague under the Lych Gate until the rain eased. It was then we got some of our best shots, although it would have been nice to have had some with the bridesmaids and best man as well.

With the rain still trying its hardest, umbrellas at the ready, Ron and Tina had a fun few minutes “singing in the rain”………….a great opportunity for more photos.

Singing in the Rain

The planned photo shoot on the common at Churston was abandoned due to the wet weather and the undoubtedly muddy conditions that we would encounter there. Instead, we headed straight to the reception at the Hookhills Community Centre and our trump card, a photo shoot in the kids play park right behind the centre.

Well what can I say? It was brilliant. Ron attempted to do a full 360 on the swings and then Tina did her best to show off more than just her gaiter as she went for it as well. It was a fantastic 20 minutes of escapism and not only did we get some great pictures, we also had a right laugh doing it. The kids in the park were as good as gold and shouts of encouragement for the swings and congratulations as Ron and Tina posed really added to the fun of it.

So, with the sun now shining brightly once more, there was just time for a bit of socialising with the guests before food was served, and what a spread it was. I’ve never seen a salad bowl quite as big as the one taking centre stage for this magnificent spread. Plenty of pasties too ………… cheers Ron.

In case anyone wasn’t completely stuffed after that banquet, several cakes and puddings were then unveiled just to make sure no one could move during the forthcoming speeches!

A Veritable Feast

The speeches were excellent. The brides father started off the proceedings and kept his contribution short, sweet and to the point. Ron followed up with an eloquent and well presented speech leaving just his Best Man John to say a few words. Well quite a lot of words actually, but he was both funny and poignant and really did manage to balance the two extremely well. I felt he had managed a perfect balance as he spoke about the shared optimism of Ron and Tina for their future together, but was also able to touch on the sadness that existed in both of their pasts. Of particular note was the prepared speech allegedly written by Tina ………….. brilliant idea and very funny.

Only Have Eyes for You

Once the speeches were concluded and thank you gifts were handed out, Ron and Tina cut their cake. The cake was beautifully presented and was made by relations from Birmingham who had transported it all the way down the M5 without incident. Very tasty it was too.

Due to the earlier rain showers at the church, the confetti had somehow not happened, but not to be deprived, one keen guest threw their

contribution during the first dance instead. Music was laid on by a local DJ and it was good to see so many people dancing.

I took the opportunity of setting up a backdrop and studio light in the room adjacent to the party and was able to take a few group and couple portraits before packing up ready to head home for a marathon editing session …………… at least I would have been if Ron hadn’t informed me there was now a curry where the buffet had been.

Playing on the Swings

Never one to turn down a curry, I just had to stay and have a “small” helping before finally heading off for home!

It was a genuinely brilliant day, a whole load of fun and working with Ron and Tina has been an absolute delight. They are friendly and relaxed and really do know how to laugh and enjoy their time.  I’m sure that their future together will be one of continued joy and laughter, for both themselves and all of their children, grandchildren and the rest of

their families as well. I wish them both every happiness.

Many congratulations to the happy couple and what a superb day it was!

Adam and Emma were married at St. Mary’s Church in Kingskerswell, Devon on 10th July 2010. The weather was fabulous and the church is an absolutely wonderful venue for a wedding, with a ruins at the rear in which you can take photos and sip a glass of bubbly, surrounded by fields and trees ……………… bliss!

Anyway, I started my days photography at Adams parents house in Chudleigh Knighton where Emma and her bridesmaids had spent the previous evening “chillin’ out”. Adam was staying elsewhere……………….

Make up and hair was done by beautician, Melissa Head and her colleagues. Melissa owns and runs the local beauty salon, not surprisingly named “Melissa’s”. As usual, Melisa and her team did the girls proud and they all looked absolutely stunning ……………… and this was before they’d got their striking red dresses on!

The atmosphere in the house was relatively calm, although the arrival of the limo 30 minutes too early did ring a few alarm bells! When the driver asked how to get to the wrong church (he thought he was going to Kingsteignton) then a few more rang in my head!!

But despite this minor worry, all went smoothly and we actually arrived close to the church 10 minutes too early. So what to do with a stretch limo when you need to park up for a few minutes? What else than stop in a housing estate, let the girls out for five minutes and give them all a chance to have a smoke and stretch their legs before the ceremony!

The service was a relaxed and happy affair and included two readings; one read by Adams Mum and one by Emmas sister. After the service, the signing of the registers was conducted in the church and after a final hymn everybody applauded and cameras were poised as the happy couple made their way back down the aisle.

with such a fantastic setting for photographs, despite a dirty great gazebo (more like a marquee!) being in the way, I would have been disappointed had I  failed to get some great pictures. The surprise gift of two white doves for Adam and Emma to release just added to the potential. Now we all anticipated Emma opening the box and the doves flying gracefully out as I captured the whole thing on camera. The reality was somewhat different but very funny. The lid of the box opened as planned …………………………… and that was it! The birds just sat there. With much encouragement from young Aaron, eventually one flew off and the other just flew onto the grass. However, the look on Hollies face when it did finally fly off is priceless……. if you can’t see it in this small picture, look at it in the gallery on my website, it’s well worth the visit.

Anyway, having spent a pleasant half hour taking a few formal group shots and just having everybody relax and enjoy the wine, it was time for confetti before departing to the Imperial Hotel in Torquay for the wedding breakfast.

Whilst the guests headed there though, Adam and Emma headed for a short stop at Daddyhole Plain, overlooking Thatchers Rock, in Torquay. She had specifically requested some shots at this superb location and we’d even been there for a little practice run prior to the wedding day. The weather didn’t disappoint and I think we could all have easily spent another hour or so there, but guests (and food) were waiting down the road.

Once at the Imperial Hotel and having received the red carpet welcome, there was just time for the formal meet and greet before tucking into a delicious meal ……… and some more wine! The speeches were excellent with a bonus speech from Adams brother Andy who was acting as MC for the day. The two lasting impressions from all those speeches for me have to be the vision of a young Emma micro waving the baked beans ……………… still in their tin and also the vision I now have of a group of lads, lost on the motorway, following a brewery lorry to the wrong city!! Priceless! Adams speech was also very memorable and moving with both Mum’s having a tear in their eye by the end of it.

After the meal, the plan was to take a few more pictures in the cliff garden at the hotel. Sadly, some idiot had set fire to some scrub on the cliff face, so the smoke meant that we had to postpone that shoot for a while. The plus side is that I got a great impromptu picture of two of Emma’s bridesmaids posing with a group of firemen who had attended the cliff fire.

In the end, we did get to take some pictures in the cliff garden and I have some cracking portraits of several couples who braved the never ending steps to come down and have their picture taken. You can see all the pictures in Emma’s wedding gallery.

At around 9pm it was time to cut the cake and then party time! But not before the all important first dance ………………… and a second ……………. and a third ………………… and at this point I had to say farewell and get home to process the pictures from the day.

Just wanted to summarise by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this special day, it was a privilege and a pleasure to take the pictures for them. Emma and Adam are a lovely couple and I wish them both every happiness and best wishes for their future together.