RESOURCES
WEDDING PLANNING
When it comes to planning your wedding, make it utterly and completely yours. Don’t worry about traditions or the latest trends if they don’t fit with who you are as a couple.
This wedding planning resource page is here to help you do just that. I want you to own your day and to help take away any and all of the stress that can come with planning a shindig of wedding proportions. Because as a wedding photographer, I’ve got one simple philosophy, a happy couple makes for happy pictures and happy memories.
I started this page by writing down all the lessons I’ve learned from attending hundred of people’s weddings and being in the industry. I hope you find these resources useful and that your wedding is all you ever hoped for and more.
GET YOUR guide to aN EFFortlessly fabulous wedding day
As a photographer, I have witnessed it all, and I’ve learned a thing or two about what makes a wedding epic.
This blog has many of the tips and advice found in my PDF I send my couples. So if you are one of my couples, make sure you read the version in your client portal! It’s got way better advice and information. Plus, it looks so pretty!
This is guide is well and truly the best resource for planning your day and ensuring it’s an incredible celebration of your marriage.
What to Pack in Your Emergency Kit
I guarantee at least one of these items will come in handy on your wedding day. Most likely baby wipes. That item alone has saved the day more times than I can count. But my babies aren’t so little and I don’t always have spares on me!
That and a sewing kit. Because yes, even the really expensive, bespoke wedding dress had a button that broke.
Making Your Grand Entrance Memorable
I guarantee at least one of these items will come in handy on your wedding day. Most likely baby wipes. That item alone has saved the day more times than I can count. But my babies aren’t so little and I don’t always have spares on me!
That and a sewing kit. Because yes, even the really expensive, bespoke wedding dress had a button that broke.
Should you have a second photographer?
It’s an added luxury, but there are some great benefits to having a second. Mostly this decision is based on limitations of your ceremony location and if you both want getting ready coverage, but there are other reasons too.
Because the service can actually pay for itself when you find you’ve got gorgeous gifts for loved ones.
The Best Supplier recomendations
It takes teamwork to make the dream work. And that couldn’t be more true for your wedding day.
I’ve reached out to suppliers to see if they could potentially have the ceremony ready by a certain time because I’ve got a tight timeline, or seen if it’s possible to decorate a space for family photographs.
Some suppliers are incredible “team players” and some are there to do their job and get out. It is truly the little things can have a huge impact on your day, so I’ve collated a list of some of my favourite humans.
But if you’re one of my couples, I’ve actually got a huge little black book and I’m happy to share more names should you require!
The Best Songs For Your Ceremony
Even the funnest of songs can sound beautiful with a string quartet. This list of songs covers it all, from the instrumental to edgy and classic. And even after you listen to every song, don’t forget you can search for different renditions to find something unique!
Best Songs For Your First Dance
Don’t have a song? Want something different than the same song you heard at the last 6 weddings you went to? This playlist is a great starting point. And don’t forget, if you’re having a band than always do an epic rendition to customise the song for you!
Top Reasons For An Uplugged Ceremony
The people you love most are often the ones with their faces hidden behind their cameras and phones. And instead of photos of them to look back on, you have a sea of technology.
Encourage them to be present.
Why taking engagement pictures matters
This blog post gives several reasons for why I think an engagement session is a great idea.
Have a read and see if any of the reasons resonates with you. The reason you decide to get them taken probably won’t be for the reason you think! For my couples that really want great, candid photographs of their guests, I always say an engagement session is the best way to achieve that!
Have a read to find out why! And discover all the ways you can use these photographs to help celebrate your day.
What To Consider When Deciding On A Location
There are 7 things you need to think about when choosing a location, as well as time of day and season of the year.
This blog post will help guide you to get the most out of. your session.
20+ Of The Very Best Locations For Your Engagement Shoot
We are well and truly spoilt for incredible locations.
To help you decide, there are some things to think about when choosing a location. From sentimental to home decor!
What To Wear For Engagement Pictures
There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to looking your very best and confident for your engagement pictures.
To take the stress away, I’ve collated everything you need in one post to ensure you both look incredible! I promise it’s surprisingly easy as you’re in good hands with me!
What to do if it rains on your Wedding Day
I’m not so sure if it’s good luck, but a little old lady once called rain God’s confetti, and I thought it was the sweetest thing I ever heard. And it is a fact that the wet knot is hard to untie.
Sometimes, it’s all about perspective.
And it’s also important to remember that it rarely rains from sunup to sundown in England. We often have bouts of rain followed by gorgeous sunshine – and then maybe a mix of those two extremes for the rest of the day.
So even if your weather apps says there is a 100% chance of rain, that chance might just be for an hour at 11 PM when everyone is drunk on the dance floor anyways. So take a deep breath, plan for rain unless we are in a dry spell and be pleasantly surprised when you get gorgeous sunshine.
45+ Of The Very Best Ceremony Readings
Because there are no set rules when it comes to ceremony readings, you could spend hours searching for the perfect reading to celebrate your day.
So I have (hopefully) saved you a ton of time and collated the absolute best of the best for your ceremony. The post also has some top tips if you want something unique for your special day.
How To Have The Best Confetti Toss
From the best sizes and materials to unique times of days, there are so many ways you can up your confetti game and have incredible photographs.
Just make sure you look at each other to avoid getting some in your eye! That’s the best tip I can give you and you can thank me later!
Where to Host Your Engagement Party
If you’re local to Brighton, I have collated the best places to host your engagement party!
And don’t forget you can book me to cover the event! It’s a great opportunity to get everyone familar with my friendly face and can be opted for in lieu of an engagement shoot for a small addition.
Is having two photographers ideal for your wedding?
My goal as your wedding photographer isn’t just to document this amazing moment for you, but to also provide you with the best experience possible. To answer questions you haven’t yet asked or might not even think of asking - and to give professional advice in an...
How to make the your walk down the aisle epic
I recently saw a viral video where the doors are pulled open to reveal the bride standing there on her own. After a moment, her father joins her and they stand together before walking down the aisle. It was really well executed where it felt natural and in time with...
The best songs for your wedding ceremony
If you're looking for songs to walk down the aisle or some tones to entertain your guests while you sign the registry or exist, I've got you covered! The two most traditional songs for the grand entrance are Bridal Chorus by Wagner (Here Comes the Bride) and Canon in...
The Best Wedding Ceremony Readings
Your wedding ceremony readings can come from traditional blessings, books, poems, and movies - to name a few. And if you want readings truly unique you can either search "wedding ceremony readings for (insert football fans, travel-loving couples -- you get the idea!)"...
Best places for engagement photography in Brighton
Where are the best places for engagement photography in Brighton? That's a question I get asked a lot as a Brighton engagement photographer - especially as some of my wedding collections include an engagement session. Thankfully we are spoilt for choice in Brighton...
The top 19 Private Hire and Engagement Party Venues in Brighton
The number of engagement party venues in Brighton feels limitless. From dedicated function venues to private hire options at restaurant and clubs, there is a huge range of choice. This list highlights the best spaces if you want a truly epic celebration.If you’re...
Recommended wedding suppliers in Sussex
As a wedding photographer for over a decade, I've come into contact with some of the most amazing suppliers in the industry. I want you to have a chance to meet these wonderful humans for yourself and support you as you plan your special day. Because let's face it,...
7 Ways to Celebrate Your Original Wedding Date If You’ve Had to Postpone
Celebrating your original wedding date isn’t for everyone, but when you’re on lockdown, I can’t think of a better way to take a break from the monotony of staying home day in and day out than to make this day special. While your wedding is postponed, you can’t cancel...
The best wedding first dance songs
The perfect song for the first dance isn’t always an easy choice. You might be one of those couples that has THE song that has been playing in your head on repeat since your first year together, but you might have also grown out of “our song”. Maybe it just doesn’t...
Why you should have an unplugged wedding (and why you shouldn’t)
Nothing dates your professional wedding photography more than the latest iPhones lining the aisle at your ceremony. And my heart kind of breaks when I have to compromise an epic angle to document the moment because someone steps into my frame. Or worse, miss it all...
7 things to consider when choosing a location for your engagement photography
We're pretty spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing a place for your engagement photography in Brighton and in the beautiful surrounding countryside. But where is right for you? How to choose the best location for your engagement photography session We live in a...
What to wear for your engagement photography session
Engagement photography is one of my favourite sessions to photograph. So much so, I heavily discount them in my wedding collections and even wrote a blog post highlighting the reasons why an engagement session matters and why you should have one. For many couples, an...
Why having an engagement photography session matters
Engagement photography is a must from where I'm from, so when I immigrated to the UK from my Midwest American hometown in 2014, I was a bit surprised to discover they weren't a given here. In the UK, there is somewhat of a cultural element that we need a good excuse...
What should you do if it rains on your wedding day?
I once overheard someone say to the bride: "Look! God's confetti." Everyone smiled, and everything was as right as rain. And that my friend, is what you should do on your wedding day if it rains: embrace it. Dance in it, laugh in it, and love in it. If it rains on...
Best wedding venues in West Sussex
What are the top wedding venues in West Sussex? Seeing as how I recently published a blog post with the top 15 wedding venues in Brighton and Hove, I thought I'd write up another list of the best venues that are a bit further afield - and to start, I went west (Like...
Pinterest wedding day inspiration boards to follow
Pinterest is the go-to when brainstorming ideas and creating a vision for your wedding day. I'm a firm believer that most ideas are never completely original and is usually sparked by seeing something. Pinterest is that idea-generator and a great place to pull...
What to pack in your bride wedding day emergency kit
Bride wedding day emergency kits are the lifesavers you might just overlook in the lead up to your wedding day. It's cliche but what could go wrong on your wedding day? They are famous last words - don't let them define yours by packing a little lifesaving wedding...
The best barn wedding venues in West Sussex
From a Brookfield Barn wedding in Horsham to Southend Barns on the outskirts of Chichester, here are the best barn wedding venues in West Sussex. As you are just beginning your journey into planning your big day, I want to pass along to you my best advice for an...
Best wedding venues in Lewes
The best wedding venues are in Lewes. You're honestly pretty spoilt for choice if you are looking to get married here. If you can't tell already, I love Lewes. When I first visited my husband's family before moving over here from the US, Lewes was the first place we...
Best barn wedding venues in Horsham
Looking for a barn wedding venue in Horsham? I've collated a list of the best barn wedding venues within 30 minutes of Horsham's town centre. There is something magical about a barn wedding. The old beams, tall ceilings, and surrounding countryside always make for the...
How to create a wedding timeline (and why every wedding needs one)
Want to know how to create a wedding timeline? Just plain curious why your super relaxed and fun-filled day needs one? I promise even if you hate logistics, wedding timelines are easy and single handedly the best thing you can do for your sanity - and the sanctity of...
Best wedding venues in East Sussex
Looking for the best wedding venues in East Sussex? I've got a list of the top 15 wedding venue locations for you right here. But here's a bit of advice. At the end of the day, there is no such thing as the best wedding venue. Finding the top wedding venue for your...
Best wedding venues in Brighton and Hove
Finding the best wedding venue in Brighton and Hove - or anywhere for that matter - is probably the most time consuming and potentially stressful part of wedding planning. It sets the whole atmosphere and vibe for the day, and sometimes it's hard to know what exactly...
Your guide to an effortless and fabulous wedding
This guide is full of top tips for great photographs and happy memories from over a decade of photographing weddings. But a quick disclaimer and my first top top: this is a guide, not a manual. If anything doesn't vibe with you, don't do it. Listen to yourself and...
