With the start of a new decade I thought it could be fun to dig back through old archives and do a ten year post! Strictly speaking, I shot my first wedding in 2011 not 2010, but I registered my business at the end of 2010 so I guess it sort of counts?

It’s time for my 2019 highlights! Every year I dig back through folders and hard drives and pick out some favourites from the year and do a bit of a ‘review’.. this year was my busiest *ever* and it took a while to narrow it down to this set but here you go! Big love and happy 2020 you lot!

I was over the moon to be asked to write an advice article about how to make the most of your wedding photography for the Telegraph online this month!

To be completely honest, it's been a little while since I shot an engagement shoot. I love doing them, but recently I've been much more used to wedding days and family sessions.. so when Phillippa and Toby greeted me with "We're a bit nervous!" I replied with "Me too!"

Oh finally! Spring has arrived! And thank goodness, it's about time! I met up with Holly and Jamie for a pre-wedding shoot at Yorkshire Sculpture Park in West Yorkshire ahead of their York wedding in June. The sun came out, it was warm, and we had a lovely hour or so exploring all of the amazing areas of the park, looking for exciting spots for some photos. 

Something I chat to my couples a lot between them booking and their wedding is their timings. I routinely send out timings forms (as most photographers do) ahead of the wedding to check and confirm locations, ceremony time, meal time, when the speeches will be.. you get the idea. The weddings I cover each year are really varied in that a lot of my couples are having weddings at venues with co-ordinators, and a lot are organising a lot of their own timings and their days have a more 'DIY' approach. Some of the weddings I cover are structured, and some aren't. Every wedding is different.

Hopefully this blog post will help cover any questions and give some advice that I've picked up along the way over my years shooting weddings. 

For my Magic Seven post today I'm looking all the way back to one of my favourite ever shoots with What Katy Did Next for her collection Reign. We shot at Mayfield Studio in Newcastle with an amazing team (credits at the bottom). I loved this collection of bridal headwear so much.. together with Katy's amazing styling it was a joy to photograph.

Mark and Mark had a beautiful Newton Hall wedding in Northumberland on a bright Wintery February day. Their styling was eclectic, personal, a little quirky and suited the amazing details in Newton Hall perfectly.

I've decided to transform my blog this year and put a little bit more consideration into how I'm posting out into the world through it; I'd say it's a 'New Year's Resolution' but it just feels that declaring that adds more pressure than I'd like..

Behind The Curtain is going to be a new series of blog posts to showcase personal work, talk a little about what's been going on in my everyday life, and what work-related projects I'm working on and what's coming up. You may be aware, or not, that I keep a family blog too called Our Little Gang - so this is going to tie in with that blog and its posts too..

2017 was another busy, exciting and special year for so many reasons.. My work has taken me all over the UK and abroad, I've met and worked with truly wonderful couples, laughed and cried through speeches and unscripted moments, tried to push myself creatively more than ever, charged and packed my kit, shot, then charged and packed again (ad infinitum), and really tried to push and bring myself and my own approach to my work more than ever before..

Oh I love an intimate wedding! Alex and Andy married then celebrated with only their closest family for a perfect small Winter wedding in Country Durham. They hired a farm house in Wolsingham for a few nights, everyone came and stayed, they hired a caterer, champagne was flowing, the sun set, the sparklers came out and as their evening celebrations began so did the cocktail making. It was so relaxed - everyone was just hanging out and celebrating together in the best way. Here are their previews - a beautifully small Winter wedding.

I've known Jen for years from wedding supplier circles - she and her family run Butterflies Florists in Middlesbrough. When she enquired about hers and Neil's The Morritt at Greta Bridge wedding I was so excited - I knew it would be amazing, fun and full of beautiful blooms and it definitely didn't disappoint.. It was so much fun to put their Morris Hotel wedding video and photography together for them. Elvis himself even showed up later on too.. Pictures to follow but here is their stop motion wedding video for now - switch on the HD and have a watch!

A Whinstone View wedding is always *even* more special when there are three of you celebrating - is becomes a full family celebration when there is a little one watching parents tie the knot too. Sophie and Chris married with little Nolah as a flower girl - a beautiful Whinstone View wedding near Great Ayton, North Yorkshire. I love a North Yorkshire/Teesside barn wedding! The sun shone, vows were said, tears were shed, drinks were had, games were played and shapes were thrown. Here are their preview pictures from their perfect Summer Wray's Barn at Whinstone View wedding..

I really love shooting in the Lake District - I always come away from the Lakes feeling 'I *have* to go back soon. It's such a beautiful place that just feels so soothing. I was excited to be back for Ella and Rob's wedding at quirky and colourful venue The Swan Hotel and Spa. These two said their vows in front of family and friends and their two beautiful little ones, Sissy and Barney - it was a day to celebrate these two and it was a relaxing day with everyone hanging out on the river bank before dancing the night away. I can't wait to work on this wedding and put their stop motion video together but, for now, here is a little selection of preview pictures from heir day - meet Ella and Rob <3

Ruth and Matt tied the knot in beautiful Yorkshire - a beautiful Yorebridge House Hotel wedding - one beautiful Spring day in May. It was elegant, full of personal touches, bridesmaids in pink, pom pom wedding shoes and we went wandering into sunlit fields for pictures.. absolutely glorious. Here are their preview picture from their wedding at Yorebridge House Hotel.

One of my favourite wedding venues without a doubt has got to be Newton Hall up the coast in Northumberland. Sophie and Will’s wedding there last September was an absolute blast. A cycling and travel theme, tandem cycling in the grounds, photos on the beach, and a real knees-up on the evening..

SPRING IS HERE! Adelle and David married in wonderfully sunny York on 1st April - the sun shone, the skies were blue.. it was a dream. They had a The Hospitium wedding in the centre of York and ended up with the beautiful surrounding gardens all to themselves for the evening too. Here is a little preview of what they got up to.. I loved shooting their Hospitium Wedding in York - what a day!

As much as I love exploring different parts of the country for weddings, it’s always lovely to closer to home too, and Mark & Katie’s August Hunley Hall wedding in Saltburn-by-the-Sea was an absolute dream. The big day kicked off in St Francis of Assisi, a church which held many memories for both Mark & Katie’s family, and then it was off for the rest of the wedding at Hunley Hall for ridiculously amazing clifftop views, fizz to celebrate, magic, and dancing into the early hours..

It's always so hard to know what to write at this point in the year.. it feels like only a few weeks since I sat down to write 2015's end-of-year post.