Bournemouth Wedding : Anne & Arran

A wedding day brings to the surface much that runs deep in the people at its centre, when inner nature comes to the fore as it has nowhere to hide itself. I develop a sense of aspects of this inner nature when I meet with a couple prior to their getting married. Invariably I see it clarified and magnified come the big day. In this case I found strength, humour, thoughtfulness and a care for others. It’s a thoroughly enriching process to witness, experience and get under the surface of.

Anne & Arran booked me way back in 2009 to photograph their wedding. These things come around quickly alright. I’d only just started to put together plans to set up my business when Arran first spoke to me of his plans, his and Anne’s. Their wedding day certainly magnified all I’d learnt in speaking with them previously, magnificently so. I really enjoyed being there for it all.

Anne was nervous. Perfectly natural, doesn’t need saying, but it was the case. It turns out she was nervous about tripping on her way up the aisle (a common worry amongst brides, she didn’t, they never do, not when I’ve been there at least, I almost did as she came up the aisle, though not due to clumsiness on my behalf but more of that come the time in this story). Amidst all the nerves though her inner nature shone through, strong with a hearty reserve of good humour about things…

Having dropped in on the ladies as they set about preparing for the day, I popped up the road to where the gents were getting ready and found the groomsmen in a state of panicked disarray…

… or maybe that was just the cushions they were reclined on. Arran showed that aforementioned inner nature in practice; he’d bought each of his groomsmen a set of cuff-links suited to each individual, a thoughtful and very well received act…

… though the ring wasn’t actually for Paul, his best man. Not to wear anyway…

Watch and learn…

Back to the ladies…

All very relaxed. Kind of…

A new leaf in my book, the most sensible application of a button-hole I’ve ever seen…

Anne & Arran chose the Connaught Hotel to marry at and to celebrate their wedding. They’d made the choice based almost purely on the attitude of its staff on their first visit there, when searching for a venue. Everything else followed on as it naturally might from good attitude; excellent service, food and hospitality from beginning to end…

There are two broad approaches to conversational gesticulation whilst drinking, using both hands or just the one. The amount of drink lost in the process can vary significantly between the two…

Anne initially refused to get out of the car. It wasn’t that she was nervous (or at least not because she was nervous) and ne’er a doubt in her mind. She wasn’t going to budge until she was certain all the guests were inside the ceremony room so that nobody would see her dress until it was her time to head on up the aisle…

Proud Mum…

My first encounter with Bournemouth’s infamous ‘Riot Act’ registrar. A profound experience all in all. The ceremony itself though was a great deal more profound again; they always are…

The processional is consistently that part of a wedding day where I always find myself hoping I’ve got a story-telling image in the can, so to speak (in film-making parlance, not an Americanised term that involves plumbing at the point of exit). It takes place relatively quickly and there’s no repeating it for the camera. Every other key aspect of a wedding day I can think of has enough of a duration about it to afford plenty of opportunities to build a picture of what it represents. The pressure is rather enjoyable in its own way. On this occasion it was all the more fun again trying to ensure the narrative turning point was framed whilst having my left elbow tugged at repeatedly by the registrar whom seemed to be keen to get me into a better position to take it all in. Fun, fun, fun. The ceremony was fun though, thoroughly enjoyable, Anne & Arran did it all with great spirit.

I was under strict instructions that I was only allowed to photograph during the processional and the exchange of rings because flash (which I never use during ceremonies) and rattling away on the shutter like a machine gun (which I don’t do) and moving around all over the place getting in the way of everything (which… well you get the message) would distract from the focus of the ceremony. Any lingering concern I harbour is more about prejudice than it is to do with my professional pride. Dozens of meaningful looks passed before my eyes, many moments of mirth and happiness; I was glad there was someone there to video it all. I made what I felt to be a mature, professional, considered and well informed decision during the reading however and took a photograph during that as well…

Here’s one I made earlier (a little bit of contextual editing is acceptable in the right places)…

The registrar certainly had a knack for lining people up for posed register signing shots though…

Pull my finger…

Anne was having a few issues with confetti…

I think he got that finger pulling shot too…

I’m always learning. An approach that would come in handy on the dance floor later…

Not always to scale…

I rather wished I’d had one myself. It was a scorcher of a day…

My camera’s auto-focus must have got drunk on the vibrancy of it all. Delightfully colourful!..

Sam is the creative director for a major US brewery, reason enough to take a keen professional interest in the labels on other people’s beer bottles…

My luck wasn’t in on the scratch-card front at least but I did luck out on the food front and my thanks to Anne & Arran for seating me for a great meal…

I could see this table being a barrel of fun as events progressed…

I loved the cake topper that Anne & Arran had found themselves…

What was it I said about that table?..

Sign of the times…

Still the commensurate Englishman after all those years stateside…

The time was approaching that best man Paul had been looking forward to with great relish the whole day…

Anne’s Dad commenced oratorical proceedings with the most important announcement of the day (to some at least, specifically the groomsmen, none of who had actually passed out despite the heat of the day). Cravats could be untied…

So yes, Paul was a tad nervous about his speech. No need though. He aced it…

Anne and her bridesmaids adjourned to the bridal suite for a spot of post-wedding breakfast pampering. The places I gain access to on wedding days!..

Anne’s Dad, decorated for bravery…

I am the groom. I am tall. Welcome to my evening party oh not so tall guest. Or words to that effect. Just the welcoming part really, and effusively so. I’m left with a lingering impression of what great hosts Anne & Arran made…

The Connaught’s famous disco ceiling…

I get everywhere. No use crying over spilt beer…

You’ve got to suffer for your art…

I sensed a trap, a lure at least…

Yes, it had my name on it alright!..

And into the night…

Congratulations Anne & Arran and many thanks for having me along to photograph your wedding day. Brilliant hosts, brilliant company, brilliant everything!

Contact Bournemouth Wedding Photographer Phillip Allen : phill@misterphill.com : 07870 696248