Wed-Fest: Ready For The Afterglow?

Sun is in short supply this summer, so I thought I'd revisit a wedding from earlier this year.  Even with the most meticulous forward planning,  no one can control the weather gods and that's perhaps one of the few things that is left completely to chance on such a momentous day, but fortune favoured Matt and Laura on their April wedding day.  

That said, don't let our temperamental climate compromise your plans.  If you want to get married in the open air, go for it!  There are some incredible all weather wedding venues in the UK that will have you covered, metaphorically and literally.  Tipi wedding venues are often family run with the nicest of wedding co-ordinators and they usually offer a choice of locations to tie the knot; from woodland glades to characterful barns, with the party continuing late into the night under cover of canvas beneath the stars.

Back in April, I was fortunate enough to capture this incredible festival wedding at The Firs Wedding Venue near Bromsgrove in Worcestershire.

As is my way, my booking confirmation was accompanied by a questionnaire designed to get to know my couples better.  I always offer to meet couples in person or at least have an initial conversation on the phone, but I also like to allow couples the time to absorb and consider my questionnaire.  It's nothing scary I hasten to add, but in addition to the sensible questions about colour schemes and family politics, I might as them a few randoms.  An example might include which actor they would choose to play them in a film.  It's an ever-evolving document, but intended to be fun.  No one wants to work their way through reams of paperwork.  However, I'm a genuinely curious person and love to get to know my clients, whilst respecting the fact that we're in a business relationship, so the questions are designed to give me a clearer picture of clients' style and taste.

With Laura and Matt, it was established early on that their wedding was going to be unique and deeply personal; a festival style wedding or "wedfest" with celebrations stretching over a full weekend.  Guests stayed in bell tents erected on site and feaster on pizza and noodles.

By the time of their wedding, I was familiar with some of their favourite music/bands (drum and bass in this instance), had a good idea of their personal style, was in possession of the day's itinerary (not carved in stone but still handy) and knew that we gelled - in terms of their expectations of me and my preferred way of working - e.g. documentary style photography.  Plus, I was chuffed to discover that they are cat people, but more on that later.

After abysmal weather leading up to the wedding, the day itself dawned bright and beautiful.

I arrived early and set about capturing the guests arriving and milling about.

Laura and Matt's chosen colour scheme (blues, greens, teal and a hint of burgundy) was accentuated by the bluebell carpeted woodland glade setting chosen for their handfasting ceremony.  Whatever the weather, nature always delivers.

Their ancient handfasting ceremony was personalised to perfection with the assistance of Stourbridge based SJW Celebrant.  I have no idea what had just passed between the three of them here, but it made for a great photo!

Check out Laura's braids and black lace cloak!  Matt was also on point, bringing the burgundy.

Another useful skill for any photographer is to have eyes in the back of your head.  If you can't live up to that expectation, make sure you do the odd 180 degree rotation to capture guests' reactions.

In such beautiful natural surroundings, or anywhere for that matter, eco friendly confetti is a must.  Laura and Matt had created their own from dried flower petals.

It's actually extremely common for couples to confess to being uncomfortable in front of the camera.  An important part of the job is addressing that specific issue.  There are various ways of doing this.  Pre wedding shoots are always an option, to enable couples of get used to being photographed.  Whilst I'm rubbish at remembering jokes, I do to try to engage couples with humour and there's nothing more disarming than seeing your photographer lying down on the ground to get a better angle, as I've been known to do.  I also avoid labouring over photographs and try read the room.  The trick here is to instinctively know when to shoot from the side lines and when to gently orchestrate a particular shot that reveals itself to me.

After the ceremony and a relaxed couples' portrait session,

Matt and Laura took some time for themselves.  Then it was time for speeches and cake cutting...

...which moved seamlessly into music and partying.  Becky Hill's Afterglow kickstarted the party.

I loved that Laura and Matt's personalities were stamped all over this wedding, from the individual wedding attire, to ribbon twirling, festival food, drum and bass silent discos and giant bubbles.

This attention to detail was by far, my biggest takeaway.  It was a totally inclusive wedding and that extended to those who couldn't make it, namely the couple's five cats.

As for the weather, well despite being on the cool side, we had uninterrupted blue sky, which made for the most incredible golden hour portrait session, including the photo at the top of this post.  Matt and Laura immediately recognised their luck in this regard and - nerves melted away - were happy to take a short walk with me in order that I could capture the happiness they were both radiating, in the most magical light...

Subtle rim lighting.

Sunkissed; golden hour light flatters all skin tones.

Silhouette bridal portrait.

If you're inspired to plan something similar, let's talk!

If you're struggling to see the light through all of this incessant rain, keep the faith.  I have it on good authority that there's a heatwave on the way.

Tunnel Vision

Hello!  I'm checking in after another self imposed period of absence from the screen.  Eyes and screens are not great bedfellows and eye strain is a recurring problem for me, my phone being the biggest culprit.  Talk about 21st century problems!

We are living in dark times and there are times when I'm finding it hard to find the light.  Photography continues to push me to do so.  Here's the moon glimpsed through our roof window, criss crossed by thorns and slightly soft focus rosehips.  I'm slightly irritated by that, but quite like the overall magic of the scene.

I appreciate the escape that Blogland offers, but there are some things that just shouldn't be left unsaid.  All life is precious and every single one that is cut short by war or malevolence is a tragedy.  The world's problems are numerous, widespread and currently feel insurmountable.  Yet in this turbulent world plagued by violence, intolerance and corruption, Alexei Navalny was one soul who offered a glimmer of hope, albeit in the dim and distant future. 

Incomprehensibly, he's no longer with us....yet another light that has gone out.  If you've never seen the Oscar winning documentary "Navalny" you really should.  It's inspiring stuff and his bravery clearly knew no bounds.  After viewing what I could of his funeral yesterday on YouTube, I felt moved enough to immortalise him in this revolutionary-style poster, alongside his chosen final message.

February has been one of the wettest on record, so our walks have been few and far between.  I've realised that dampness has a huge impact on how cold I feel.  Crisp, dry air, even when the thermometer is hovering around zero, is much more comfortable than 7 or 8 degrees in damp conditions.  

That said, we continue to discover new places on our doorstep.  Regular readers will know that Kinver Edge, the National Trust managed area, is a beloved local beauty spot of ours.  In amongst the 600 acres of land, are hidden places of intrigue and last weekend, we ventured to the perimeter and beyond and stumbled across another one - a Grade II listed monument - hidden deep in dense woodland. 

It bears the following inscription: 

"This pillar commemorates 

That devoted man Richard Baxter

Minister of the Old Church.

Kidderminster about the year 1650

And whose unwearied labours

Were so greatly blessed to that

Town and neighbourhood.

Read his Saints everlasting rest

And call to the converted."

The pillar monument, erected circa 1850, stands tall, but nonetheless is somewhat dwarfed by the surrounding trees.

Now, I'd never heard of this Richard Baxter, so after a little research, I discovered that Baxter was a Nonconformist Puritan minister, theologian, poet and hymn writer (he had a lot going on!) 

His ministry in nearby Kidderminster was controversial because Baxter's strong views on justification and sanctification, with their emphasis on faithfulness and repentance, were unusual.

Baxter was elected as minster by the people of Kidderminster after being invited to deliver a sermon.  He was twenty six.  He had a long and eventful career, dogged by persecution in one form or another. 

He was ejected from the Church of England after the 1662 Act of Uniformity.  However, he became one of the most influential leaders of the Nonconformists in the 1600s, partly because of his prolific theological writings, partly because of his prosecutions and his time in prison for various faith related offences.  

You can read about his turbulent life and divisive theological views here:-

Richard Baxter - Wikipedia

Just a stone's throw away from the monument, is the Drakelow Tunnel complex, a former underground military complex covering 26,500 square metres with a total length of 5.6 km.  They were originally built as a Second World War Shadow Factory and were developed during the Cold War to be a fall back government centre.

British shadow factories were the result of the Shadow Scheme, a plan devised in 1935 and developed by the British Government in the build up to World War II to try to meet the urgent need for more aircraft using technology transfer from the motor industry to implement additional manufacturing capacity.  The term "shadow" might suggest secrecy, but in reality it was a reference to a protected environment staffed by motor industry employees of all skill levels working alongside (in the shadow of) their own similar motor industry operations.

The Drakelow Tunnels Museum is now open after spending a number of years in private ownership.  Inexplicably, we never got around to visiting before the complex (the largest underground tunnel complex in the UK) closed in the 1990s and I was unaware until recently that it had in fact reopened after a painstaking transformation into a family friendly Cold War Museum.  I've dropped them an email to plan our very first visit!

Given that the echoes of this dark chapter of our history are reverberating loudly now in 2024, I'll leave you with some positivity.

First up...a beautiful sunrise captured last week.  Our house sits on the fringes of the West Midlands conurbation.  In one direction, we have a fairly urban skyline as evidenced by this photo.  In the opposite direction, we have woodland and countryside stretching all the way to Wales.

The low lying mist and pale pink sunrise makes everything look beautiful!

In the garden, Squirrel Nutkins is up to his usual antics, robbing great chunks of fat balls from the disgruntled robins and blackbirds.

As much as I can't stand the rain, we witnessed some beautiful cloud formations over Walton Hill (another local beauty spot with incredible panoramic views over town and country).

Today, I scored these apparently unused M&S hiking boots from a charity shop for £7.00 and am choosing to ignore the teen's cruel "Ronald MacDonald shoes" comparison.  

Whilst it might not feel like Spring right now (snow fell on high ground last night), nature definitely received the memo.

But the big news in these parts, is that last week, Staffordshire County Council served a notice on the owners of The Crooked House (Britain's Wonkiest Pub), to rebuild it within 3 years, exactly as it was before the arson attack and unlawful destruction.  Regular readers will recall that we were outraged last August when yet another piece of local heritage was laid to waste, allegedly by individuals motivated by financial gain.

You can read my post written in the aftermath here:- Winter Peach Photography: A Very Crooked Tale

The campaign group have plans for an event on the anniversary of its demolition, which include inviting along the band originally booked to play on the eve of its destruction - Gasoline and Matches.  Yes, really!

There's a way to go yet, but it's definitely seen as a little victory and a big step towards the pub making a return!

See you soon!

Falling Again

Call it age, wisdom...whatever, but after years of actively disliking this time of year, I can now say hand on heart, I love Autumn.  I'll qualify that statement by adding there remain aspects of the season I could happily live without, namely the unnecessary tinkering with the clocks and those solid white cloud days, but other than that, I'll take the inclement weather, as it's far outweighed by the rewards of Autumn colour, Jack-o-lanterns and pumpkin pie, windfall apples, dew drops bejewelling the fields, winter wardrobe challenges and burnished bronze skies.  Also, when melancholia seeps in, it's good to keep in mind how much sweeter Spring - with its promise of endless summer - will be when it finally arrives.

I've been embracing everything that is good about Autumn during the course of the past 7 days.  Charity shop pickings have been small, but mighty.  I picked up this 1960s chocolate brown velvet jacket for the princely sum of £6.00, immediately sensing quality, as verified by the vintage Raymond of London label.  

Here it is, hastily captured in the dim light of the hallway (outside was not an option this morning) and worn with a vintage leather belt, White Stuff woollen gillet, an aubergine and navy Breton top (both second hand), Zara jeans and an artisan, handprinted scarf purchased years ago in Devon.

Oh, and I bagged another bag.  If anyone has found the perfect bag, give me a shout.  Too big and I'm forever losing things.  Too small and I can't squeeze in everything I need.  This leather bag by Hobbs seems like a good compromise.  It's not too big or too small and has three accordion style separate areas, which are perfect for accommodating and rationalising my purse, hairbrush, keys, phone, lipstick, shopping bags etc.

We've also spent a good deal of time outside walking recently, memorably enjoying a meet and greet with these horny beasts.  Someone remarked to me that goats always look judgmental.  This one definitely fits the bill.

On Thursday, I was invited to a wedding venue in Stoke Prior, rural Worcestershire, to take a few photos.  The rain was lashing my windscreen on the way over, but luckily I was wearing my Mom's 1980s voluminous waterproof coat, generous enough to protect me and my camera from the elements.  Within minutes of arriving, the sun broke through and whilst Natalie (the venue's Wedding Co-ordinator) and Jules, a local celebrant, got creative in the woods, I wandered around the grounds, enjoying the ever-changing light conditions and some dramatic clouds.

 The Firs is a beautiful Grade II listed Georgian farmhouse set within 22 acres...

....comprising woodland....

.....an orchard...

...and open fields with breathtaking views.

The owners have transformed some of the adjoining barns to enable them to host weddings and are at the end of their very first season.  But the purpose of our visit was to showcase alternative, affordable, outdoor, inclusive ceremonies where no rules apply and non-believers can be accommodated.   Imagine meeting your betrothed here. 

None of us were quite ready to let go of the Halloween vibes and so Jules had brought along a broomstick prop to play with.

To our collective glee, one of the farm's black cats had decided to follow us into the woods and took up residence on a tree stump.  Cats are so timely and always photogenic.

The wedding co-ordinator had seen some of my recent Stranger Things shoot photos on Instagram and told me how much she liked them.  On my return home, I was thrilled to have received a message from her inviting me to be one of The Firs' preferred suppliers.  

Continuing with my adoration of Autumn, on Saturday we took a leisurely walk, taking in some of our favourite local scenery, from open farmland...

....to dense woodland, where I obsessed over tree roots 

Check out this bird skull log!

and how neatly the leaves had stacked and formed into a natural dam in this ravine/path made by running water gushing down through this sandstone slope.  

We took a slight detour through the village of Kinver (nothing to report from my visit to the two charity shops there) and then back along the Staffordshire canal.

Mixed messages in this narrowboat window.

As for this one....well, years of neglect and the falling leaves are threatening to sink it!

This lock keeper's cottage is one of the most photographed cottages in the area.

But for me, the star of the show was an incongruous pampas grass, adjacent to the towpath, which definitely brought some burlesque vibes to an otherwise familiar scene.  

Tonight, we'll be watching episode 2 of SAS Rogue Heroes.  As tempted as we are to binge watch the series, we're quite old school and like to savour a good thing.  

Photo Kevin Winter/Getty Images

I'm also still thrilled to have scored some tickets to see newly reformed Pulp at their hometown gig in Sheffield next year, performing for the first time since 2012.  I fell in love with Jarvis Cocker in the 90s, but having seen the band in their heyday, I'm hoping we're not setting ourselves up for a disappointment.  That said, tickets for this particular gig sold out in minutes and a couple of hours in the company of the humble and humorous Jarvis can only be a good thing.  

So, some wardrobe enhancements, spending time outside in nature to aid the trickiest of seasonal adjustments, cosy evenings of escapism and a little forward planning....let's here it for Autumn!