They must have eaten all the cupcakes by the time I arrived at Eleanor’s family home on the day of her marriage to Mark. Certainly there were no cupcakes in sight and indeed all seemed particularly calm. There were lots of flowers though, and fresh home baked bread that gave off the most fantastic aroma when sliced into.
I could easily have spent the whole day just photographing that home, imbued as it was with a myriad touches of life, colour and artistic beauty. It was the people that brought me there though. Calm, happy people.
Eleanor, having some calm time…
Mark’s Dad, Martin, popped over mid-morning to deliver an opulent basket of champagne, roses, strawberries, chocolates and no cupcakes, thus happy calmness gave way to happy excitement…
F.O.B. Eric retired to the summer house to rehearse his speech (and what a speech it turned out to be!)…
The sheer magnitude of the heels dawned on Elizabeth…
Get excited and drink Champagne!..
Time for the dress. Hand made by Eleanor’s Mum, Chris, rather a talented artist, maker of things and baker too…
Still in heel induced shock…
Get me to the church on… well, it all looks somewhat action packed but Eleanor was several minutes early…
Triangulation. Groom Mark screen-right; Best Man (and also Eleanor’s brother) Jonathan screen left; F.O.G. Martin screen left of centre mid-ground…
Cue processional (I take an almost entirely non-directorial approach to photographing weddings, I hasten to add)…
Eleanor is a star in my books, for a great many reasons. Photographically speaking one of those is her ability to cry and still look perfectly photogenic…
Essential reading…
I’m glad I brought a camera with me because how else would there be a visual record of this marvellous occasion? (Those that were there may detect an apparent continuity error)…
This week’s answer to the existential crisis of wedding photography…
On to the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Southport for an afternoon, evening and night of fun and games, Eleanor & Mark had everything planned out perfectly for the comfort and enjoyment of their guests (all planned very much from afar I should mention, with the help of family and friends back home and many a conference via Skype as Eleanor & Mark live and work in Australia, in and out of Australia as is often the case for Eleanor). Celebrations commenced with high tea and speeches (and my heartfelt thanks to Eleanor & Mark for seating me with their guests for both this aspect of the day and the later wedding breakfast; a nourished photographer is an alert photographer and subsequently being booked to photograph the forthcoming wedding of my table neighbour directly to my right was the icing on the cake, so to speak, a piece of which I enjoyed later that evening. The real cake that is, not the metaphorical cake, Eleanor & Mark’s wedding cake which was truly delicious. Having made her wedding dress, Eleanor’s Mum made the cake too, no end of creative talent!) I found this rather an effective means to get people to their tables…
Eleanor’s father, Eric, a man of great erudition, wit and mirthful spirit, delivered his speech fully in rhyming couplet. Certainly a first in my experience it was hilarious, engrossing and touching in equal measures. It spoke of his pride in Eleanor’s virtues and achievements; deserved pride indeed…
Mark opened his speech with the disclaimer that he was unaccustomed to public speaking. He then proceeded to contradict the inferred sentiment by delivering one of the most mature and meaningful wedding speeches I’ve yet had the pleasure of listening to, delivering it poignantly at that. I’m not in the habit of reporting the specifics of speeches but Mark mentioned that long before marriage had been discussed, he and Eleanor had agreed to conduct their relationship on the key principles of fun and honesty, in tandem. This struck me as rather profound and has resonated in my mind since. I think that makes for a great mission statement in life…
Shaken not stirred. Best Man Jonathan. His middle name is James. His surname isn’t Bond though. For a second I imagined it was…
This week’s re-assertion of the existential crisis of wedding photography. Either that or my new suit fabricated from wood panelling is doing the trick nicely…
Likewise a resounding speech from Jonathan. It underscored just how truly Mark had become part of the family…
Eleanor rounded off the speeches by introducing the guests to her – and clearly enunciated this was – bags of fun, deposited at each guest seat, containing the key to the next phase of the day’s celebrations…
Across the road to Funland for an hour or two of amusement…
I wasn’t allowed to take photographs in the amusement arcade, I was informed, a little too late (I did however desist once I’d been informed. Much as I’ll climb mountains and lay under tables to tell the story, getting arrested, however temporarily, wasn’t exactly going to aid my ability to continue with said telling). I’m assuming this was a wedding guest though!*..
*I did ask first. It was.
Full of win (and surrounded by wind; a lovely sunny day it was though rather blustery)…
I never knew how much fun it could be riding backwards on a carousel horse…
Then back across the road we all went for pre-dinner drinks and the wedding breakfast…
Not perfectly framed I admit, but I wasn’t going to be staring at the thing through a telephoto lens!…
Not to be upstaged by the previous day’s warm up act…
The cake that Eleanor’s mother made…
Cutlery, many an amusing moment it has inspired…
Guilty pleasure…
Spotted…
Alerted…
Really, I’ve no idea…
Congratulations Eleanor & Mark and thank you for having me along to experience your wedding day in such depth. It was truly inspiring.
Contact Southport Wedding Photographer Phillip Allen : phill@misterphill.com : 07870 696248
by Phillip Allen
show hide 5 comments
Emma Davenport - On TOP form. The crazy mirror shot of the Groom wins the award for best Groom portrait, ever and it looks like such a fun wedding – I wish I had been invited. A big boo to Funland for its funless attitude. Maybe they thought you were plotting an elaborate heist?
Helen Thornber - I have been known to unashamedly gush about your wedding photography, and seeing the photographs of my best friends on their wedding day is just going to increase the gushing no end! Amazing photographs of an amazing day!
Antony Turner - This wedding was documented so beautifully. Love the speech with the mirror in the BG & the kid touching the wall is always fun to see :-) good work
Jason Lloyd - Amazing cake, beautiful sunset portrait, looks like a great day! Awesome as always Phill. :)
Phillip Allen - Thanks all :~) Oceans 2 (and a third) Emma!