30 Days of Wedding Photography | Day 2 | Getting Ready

The morning of a wedding you will usually find me with the bride and her bridal party as they all get ready for the big day.

I love this start of a wedding day and it sets the tone nicely.

The bride and bridesmaids are preened to perfection, often with expert makeup artists and hairdressers at hand to make them feel like a princess for the day.

For many, this is a day they have dreamed of since they were little and played dress up with siblings, cousins and friends. There has often been years of thought and anticipation for this day and it's all there, buzzing under the surface and quelled with a glass of bucks fizz or two.

There are many emotions at this point. Cards, gifts and messages from the one they are about to marry makes a bride realise the enormity of the commitment she is about to make, and it hits her just how much she loves her other half at this point.

There are moments where family members will be in contact, like Heather here who's elderly grandmother was sadly too poorly to attend her day, so Facetimed her instead (albeit upside down) and the two of them cried happy tears together.

There will be moments with the bridesmaids that maybe weren't expected and they make for such a great picture. I often snap, then look back at the picture on the screen of my camera and notice the reactions of everyone else in the room too. 

Then there's the all important moment where dad walks in and sees his little girl, all ready to to be handed over to the person who will get the enormous responsibility of filling his shoes and looking after her in married life. This is always a very beautiful and poignant moment to capture.

(When I deliver the photos back to a couple and play the slide show, this image is usually near the beginning and the one image that starts the tears flowing!).

Then it's time to set off in the cars, or head downstairs into the ceremony room, ready for the wedding day to truly begin!

I'll share more on that with you tomorrow...

Wedding Photography in Lancashire and the North West

I meet with couples every Tuesday and chat weddings over coffee. It's a chance for you to see if I'm the right guy to capture your wedding memories on film forever.

If you'd like to arrange a chat, get in touch by emailing matt@mattherrington.co.uk or text/call 07872 177736

Matt
North West Wedding Photographer

30 Days of Wedding Photography | Day 1 | Capture You Sessions

So it's July, it's wedding silly season and it's really easy to get super busy as a photographer and stop sharing all your hard work on social media.

I really didn't want to do that this year and so with a friend, we have challenged one another to post every day in July. I will therefore share with you a selection of wedding images every day over the next month.

I've been shooting weddings for the last seven years, and working full time as a wedding photographer for the last four years.

If I went that far back in the archives, you'd be here forever looking at the images as there would be too many amazing moments to choose from! So I've decided to go with a wedding theme each day and will showcase images from the last twelve months.

If you're reading this and were one of my many couples in the last year, thank you again for allowing me the privilege of shooting your special day.

Day 1 | Capture You Shoots

Many of the couples who employ me as their professional wedding photographer feel really nervous at the thought of being in front of the camera on their wedding day.

Each Tuesday I meet couples for coffee to talk through their wedding plans and 90% of the time the same fears crop up;

"I hate my smile."

"I hate having my photo taken."

"I hate feeling awkward in front of the camera."

"We're not very photogenic."

"We just like the natural shots where you're not looking."

Honestly, these same phrases crop up and I have the same answer each time.

If you are comfortable with the people around you, then you don't need to act in any way for the camera. Your natural personality and beauty will shine through. The emotion; love, happiness, laughter will be captured. If you are comfortable with the people around you, then you will be amazed at the images I can capture.

If you are comfortable with the people around you, then you will be amazed at the images I can capture.

It's the very reason I encourage each of my couples to opt for a Capture You shoot before their big wedding day. Sometimes known as an engagement photoshoot or pre-wedding photoshoot I have moved away from this language and prefer to just describe it as an afternoon where we capture the real you.

We meet up and treat it like a chat. We walk and talk, about the wedding and everything in between. We build rapport, we talk through the wedding day and how you envisage it to look and feel and then, only then, when you feel comfortable you can watch me blend into the background and truly capture you; your love for one another, your bond, your anticipation and your excitement.

You get to know me and how I work. You trust that I will do you proud on your wedding day. I get to know you too and what you like and don't like. It's a great morning or afternoon together and many people opt to bring the kids, or the dog or even a horse once! (True story).

By the time the wedding day comes around, we're good friends and you're totally at ease and comfortable with me. Remember what I said above? If you're comfortable with the people around you, your natural beauty and personality will shine through. I promise.

"OMG WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM!!!!! What a star you are Matt can't wait for you to photograph and share our special day thank you so unbelievably much"

Wedding Photography in the North West and Beyond

If you're looking to speak to a wedding photographer about your own wedding plans, I set aside Tuesday daytime and evenings to meet couples just like you. I'll take you for posh coffee somewhere in the North West (usually Preston or Kirkham) and you get a chance to quiz me about all things weddings, and I get a chance to quiz you about how you envisage your dream day.

To arrange a chat, get in touch matt@mattherrington.co.uk or call/text 07872 177736

Matt
North West Wedding Photographer

Hayley and Richard's Bartle Hall Wedding | Matt Herrington | Wedding Photographer Lancashire

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you might recall this happy couple and their main man, Eric the bulldog who featured heavily in Richard and Hayley's Capture You session (view it here).

When we met for coffee for the first time, Hayley & Richard admitted that they weren't the most comfortable in front of a camera and really didn't enjoy posing for photos. So our Capture You session was a great way for us all to get to know one another and for me to put the happy couple at ease.

The April wedding date sprung upon us and the sunshine made a grateful appearance over the stunning Bartle Hall wedding venue in Preston.

Choosing Bartle Hall for both the ceremony and reception gave me the perfect opportunity to scope out some stunning backdrops for the photos. Having experienced Bartle Hall before, I knew that in addition to the daytime shots and greenery of the grounds, the atmospheric exterior lighting gave me a great opportunity to shoot some night time portraits.

The black and gold theme was super stylish and luxurious, really impressing guests and other wedding suppliers who noted the luxe textures decorating the stunning venue.

Hayley's dress has to be mentioned here for it's intricate detailing that helped add depth to my images and showed off her stunning features.

Eric the bulldog of course, made a much welcome appearance. Suited and booted, he joined us as Hayley, Richard and I walked him around the grounds before I blended into the background, capturing the natural shots and the true emotion and love between the couple.

The evening was such a lot of fun, complete with casino tables and even an Elvis impersonator (Hayley is a big fan). Plus I think she's the only bride I've captured crowd surfing!

There was a nod to Richard's former military background with huge confetti canons at multiple points along the day and it was his suggestion to use smoke bombs in some of the more atmospheric shots - I love it when couples also have their own creative ideas!

Overall, this laid back and happy day was filled to the rafters with a large family and a great group of friends - all on hand to give Richard and Hayley the most perfect wedding day that they will remember forever.

Many happy returns to you both, thank you for choosing me to honour your special day in images.

Looking for a wedding photographer in Lancashire?

Fancy a coffee and a chat about your own upcoming wedding and whether I'm the right man to capture your day? Simply click here to arrange a coffee in Kirkham or Preston on any Tuesday of your choice, at a time that suits you so we can chat about the vision for your dream day. 

Matt

Matt Herrington | Wedding Photographer | Lancashire and North West

Laura & Paul's Singleton Lodge Wedding | Matt Herrington | Lancashire Wedding Photographer

Paul and Laura’s glorious May wedding took place at their local church in Elswick before moving onto Singleton Lodge for a warm, laid-back and fun-filled party.

From the moment I met Paul and Laura during our initial chat over coffee I was immediately drawn to how warm and welcoming they were. We talked through their wedding plans and quickly established that they were in need of some help structuring timings of the day so it would run smoothly. 

As a wedding photographer in Lancashire, it was great to hear some of my professional friends would be on the same wedding including Broughton Wedding Cars, magician Darren Robinson, DJ Taz and Sonje Jones flower design team, Singleton Lodge. 

So with wedding chat over, plans in place and coffee consumed, the wedding date was in the diary, along with the Capture You shoot.

A month before the wedding, our scheduled Capture You pre-wedding shoot didn’t follow the usual format of walking through a park or on the beach, chatting and casually snapping the happy couple. As they wanted to feature their sassy and wise little girl, Lucy, we decided to capture the three of them on home turf.

Paul and Laura’s green and lush back garden became the perfect backdrop as I chased Lucy around and snapped her squeals of glee as she zoomed down her slide and ran amongst her own familiar environment. Paul and Laura giggled along and some wonderful family moments were snapped, along with the real-life romance and love between not just our happy couple, but Lucy too.

Have a look at the Capture You session slide show images here:

The wedding day itself, Saturday 6th May, was glorious. The week before we’d had frost and some parts of the UK had actual snow! Luckily the sun shone on Paul and Laura’s day with temperatures almost reaching the 20s. 

It meant that lots of time was spent outdoors in the glorious grounds of Singleton Lodge and the theme of stunning English roses and fragrant freesia flowers was only enhanced by the sunshine. 

Some of the highlights of this special day included the impressive Rolls Royce wedding cars and the very shiny tractor - a touching tribute to Laura’s late grandfather who was a farmer. 

Both sides of the family were simply incredible to work alongside with the day flowing effortlessly. Every guest acted like you’d been a friend for years, we built rapport and I was able to capture them with ease - resulting in some very natural memorable moments that I’m truly proud of.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Paul, Laura and their families for welcoming me into the family fold for the day. Who knows, maybe I’ll be lucky enough to do it all again in future and snap little Lucy stepping into her own wedding shoes in a couple of decades. I hope so!

If you’re looking for a wedding photographer in Lancashire who focuses on capturing real, honest and natural moments to treasure forever, get in touch and we can arrange a chat.

Matt

Matt Herrington | Wedding Photographer | Lancashire
 

Hayley & Richards Engagement Session - Miller Park Preston

One of the reasons I love my job is because of the fact I get to work with fun, laid back and genuinely lovely people. Hayley & Richard pretty much summarise those three things. 

These guys know how to enjoy time together. Hayley and Richard work in highly time consuming jobs, which sometimes means they don't see each other for weeks on end. You can tell after being with them for 5 minutes how much they value each others company (..and Eric's obviously!), and how they make the most of the time they have together.

After being together for over 10 years, Richard decided to make it official by proposing to Hayley along the same riverbanks we met at yesterday. He even made a giant custom proposal sign! What a guy.

Myself, Hayley, Richard and their big man (English bulldog) Eric met up in sunny Preston at Avenham & Miller park, for their pre-wedding engagement session. The legend who is Eric decided to take us all on a tour of the park and its colourful areas, which we decided to stop off at along the way and grab some natural and fun photos. Nothing staged, just nice and easy. 

I can't wait to photograph Hayley & Richard's big day, and  see them tie the knot very soon. Here's a few teaser images from our meet-up yesterday ahead of their wedding day!