I knew things were going to run smoothly on the photographic front for Helen & Daniel’s wedding day as, the evening prior, I marvelled at the beauty of a London skyline sunset from the roof garden of my friends’, Sarah and Ben’s Bethnal Green apartment.
I ran through the next morning’s schedule in my mind. Bridal preparations commencing at 11, less than half a hour down the road so I’ll leave at 10 to be safe. Get plenty of sleep, rise at 8, prime myself for the day with a good breakfast, re-check my camera kit, polish my appearance, give myself a relaxed 20 minutes to put on my suit which… is… hanging on the back of my bedroom door… in Bournemouth.
Nothing to worry about. Much.
A simple change of schedule found me with my face pressed up against the doors of John Lewis on Oxford Street at 9.20 on the Saturday morning. London of course offers abundant choice in the best that global suit manufacture has to offer but something as close as possible to guaranteed speed was of the essence on this particular day. At 9.30 on the nose the pressure on my face was released and I marched straight for the suit department where I quickly addressed my plight to Mostafa who measured me by eye, rapidly selected a jacket and matching trousers that both fitted perfectly, picked out a tie and shirt, hand steamed the latter for me and had me out the door fully suited and booted (I had remembered to pack my shoes) exactly 30 minutes after I’d first walked in.
Mostafa. My suit vending hero. I salute you.
I perhaps should add that I’d checked all the camera kit in the boot of my car before setting off from Dorset. Three times. Never a problem there! The first time I photographed a wedding outside of Dorset I checked my kit a total of nine times before deciding that this was not just bordering on neurosis but adopting fully fledged citizenship of that particular psychological territory. I stopped the car a mile down the road and checked the contents of the boot a tenth time.
Forget my suit packing and purchasing adventures.
Helen & Daniel. A wedding day well worth getting up early for. Just my cup of tea not least for the manner in which they truly did it all their way.
Two people came together and married. Family and friends joined them. They celebrated. You pretty much only need the former to constitute a wedding and the latter two elevate the day to peak potential. There was no ‘traditional’ wedding day structure beyond that. No sit down wedding breakfast nor cutting of the cake, though there was food and cake and exceptionally delicious they were too. No speeches, though Daniel did speak, a rhetorical tour de force if ever I witnessed one. No first dance, though there was a point at which Helen & Daniel did actually first dance together and a great deal of energy and flair permeated the dance floor throughout that night. They married in the presence of loved ones and celebrated with poise and gusto in equal measure.
A friend of Helen's provided his flat, right next door to the church, for her bridal preparations. In that room, an oasis of calm, she remained for most of the duration as the hustle and bustle of broader preparations ebbed and flowed in rooms around her.
As the church was practically out of one door and into another Helen asked if I could document something of the choir rehearsal that would be taking place early that afternoon. Both she and Daniel are enthusiastic choristers and the choir at their wedding would be composed of a mixture of friends, both keen amateurs and professional singers.
A few minutes walk up the road, Daniel was making his preparations. Helen had also requested an insight into this aspect of the day. The single image I took does, I believe, render an appropriate narrative note.
I’m certainly no believer in engineering visual drama. There’s always plenty to be found that occurs naturally.
Daniel prepares his calm space.
Helen's father, Michael, whom generously provided me with a fine lunch-time sandwich and made for an especially dapper Jeeves when circumstances demanded.
Tiziana draws her masterpiece of hair design to completion.
The crescendo of bridal preparations approached and there was still abundant time remaining at this stage. Helen, always concerned with the well-being and comfort of others, had no intention to be particularly if even noticeably late. Earlier we'd discussed what the norms were for such things. I hadn't noticed a bride being more than a handful of minutes late throughout all of my commissions to that point this year (though I'd concede to the possibility of that not in itself being any kind of norm!) However I'd not yet encountered those buttons, those beautifully crafted buttons, those beautifully crafted buttons that would take any mere mortal an average of two minutes each to fasten (a figure arrived at with statistical precision based on the number of buttons, Helen's arrival time at the church and a similar chronologically underscored encounter with a button up dress at a Devon wedding soon after).
The World can wait when it's something worth waiting for though (whereas for me, it was time to hurtle out one door and into another to await Helen's arrival at the church).
That wouldn't be Best Man Nicholas checking his watch now, would it?
Helen's delectable bouquet was fashioned to her requirements by Rebel Rebel.
A vintage London taxi cab more accustomed in recent years to appearing in films and period television dramas than at weddings was on hand to transport Helen & Daniel from location to location, though it was a nice day for walking much of the time.
Onto nearby Lloyd Square Garden for an enjoyable disarray of group photographs.
Helen & Daniel's good friend Celia led us off to her nearby home where tea and cake would be served. Celia's husband James, an architect, had designed the interior of their home and in doing so had created the most fantastic channelling of natural light I have yet come across in a domestic abode. A dream for me as a photographer, as was the slice of cake I enjoyed. The lady in lilac later told me that my Web site had been seen by everyone in Germany. I'm bracing myself for a spike in visitor traffic of 82,110,097* once this feature is published (*World Bank, 2008).
Clerkenwell to the South Bank. Additional fold down seats, it transpires, have been a feature of black cabs since time immemorial. Helen & Daniel celebrated with family and friends, in to the night, in the Weston Roof Pavilion at the Royal Festival Hall.
This week's answer to the existential crisis of wedding photography. I missed my regular suit, but Mostafa had done me proud none-the-less.
Daniel's speech. Completely unscripted. A rhetorical tour de force that was deeply touching and highly humorous in equal measure.
A wealth of proud looks on the visual record of the day from Daniel's mother, Lesley.
Oh Danny Boy, to borrow a lyric, joined Paul Brennan's Irish band for a turn.
A quite phenomenal night on the dance floor to a highly energetic play-list selected by Helen. At times I wondered if much of the floor was populated by professional dancers, or casual dancers trained by professionals, or simply casual dancers with a natural capacity for stylish motion.
On the one hand. On the other hand.
Night and the City.
A fantastic wedding day. My heartfelt thanks to Helen & Daniel for having me along for the ride, both metaphorically as a day and literally in the black cab. If you were a guest at the wedding and would like to receive notification when the full gallery is available do drop me a line.
- Dress: Morgan Davies
- Flowers: Rebel Rebel
- Hair: Tiziana Napoletano
- Catering: Mange on the Move
- Band: Paul Brennan
Contact Bournemouth wedding photographer Phillip Allen : phill@misterphill.com : 07870 696248
by Phillip Allen
show hide 17 comments
Emma Davenport - Gorgeous! I love the mix of home comforts, cake, classic beauty and city chic, beautifully captured throughout the day (I expect the cake helped lots with the photographer’s energy levels). A top tip for future brides who may have to tackle those teeny buttons, though – a crochet needle makes it a lot easier and quicker to fasten each one!
Eliza Claire - Such gorgeous images, Phill. I completely adore your black and white conversions, and your composition. Inspiring work.
ps the suit story made me laugh! And reminded me of my wedding day when the best man had turned up with no shoes (only trainers – and scruffy building-site ones at that)
Peter Lawson - A feast for the eyes! I don’t think you’ve missed a single moment of the wonderful wedding. I’m feeling rather daft now as I’ve only just realised how each section of your blog posts are arranged according to a particular visual element – you’ve been doing this for months now and my poor brain hasn’t realised! I like it!
Brad Ross Photography - Wow! What a story. This is some amazing work.
Laurie Peacock - The detail shots are so lovely. Great wedding.
Jessica - Love the way you captured this day! I really love all the getting ready shots in that flat… amazing!
Avelaine Scyrup - I’m glad you made it out of that ordeal! Wonderful images you captured :)
Erin Lassahn - Wonderful capture of all the intricate moments of their day, your black and whites really pop out the moments. I also love your detail shots!
Photographer Jen deVos - Wonderful lighting and so many great moments captured. :)
Cynthia Marie - Ooo! Lovely wedding! I love these pictures! Great details! All around fantastic job!!
Alicia Kennison - Lovely story telling in words and pictures. It looks like a great day.
Greg Thurtle (TP Photography) - Lovely images – really tells the story of the day with such clarity. Love the preparation images. Calm before the storm… then the london vista in the backdrop. awesome stuff.
Nessa K - Wow! The bride looked absolutely timeless. =) What a lovely wedding!
Rebecca Pettigrew - Gorgeous! Looks like a fun wedding! Love the view!
Tobiah Tayo - Great shots Mr Phil. Love the car shot!
Claire (English Wedding) - Gorgeous. Love all the light in the photos, and the happy and relaxed feel of the whole day. Your comments made me laugh out loud as well.
Keith - Fanastic images – Love the getting ready shots in different rooms
Keith