Tag: award winning photographer

Cissbury Barns Wedding Photographer | Jess & Joel

Cissbury Barns Wedding Photographer

Many of you may be thinking, “I recognise this couple?!” Well, of course you do, they’ve been incredible models for me in the past on styled shoots at The Weald & Downland Museum and also Bailiffscourt Hotel. This time, however, IT WAS THEIR REAL WEDDING!!

I’ve known this couple for many years and after seeing their relationship develop and grow it was a true honour to be their wedding photographer. I had never photographed at Cissbury Barns either, so I was doubly excited for their day 🙂

As with all of my wedding photography collections, an engagement shoot is a must. We split this into two parts… after Joel proposed during a sunrise walk up The Trundle near Goodwood, we met later that day in Chichester so they could have some shots for the Facebook announcement!! Classic Jess & Joel forward planning, who am I to refuse such a request!!

They later planned their proper engagement shoot at Elmer Beach, a place they regularly go to walk, swim and generally chill! I loved the playfulness they both had on this day… A far cry from the previous wedding shoots we’d structured!

Jess and Joel had chosen September to marry, a wonderful month in my opinion… still basking in the Summer warmth while the surrounding backdrops still full of light and colour, starting that gorgeous warmed toned change into the rich colours of Autumn.

To start the day I popped to Joel’s parents house to spend some time with him and the boys while they faffed with ties and buttonholes! It was a very chilled morning, beers were open and the atmosphere was full of joy! The boys looked awesome in their coordinating gray suits from Astares Menswear, with Joel himself looking stylish in his Herbie Frogg three piece suit. I love the attention to detail with the cufflinks from EllieEllie and coordinating blush-gold ties sourced from Swagger & Swoon.

I couldn’t resist getting some shots with Joel and his parents. I’ve been very lucky to have got to know them all over the years and love their cheeky interaction with each other… Joel especially taking great joy to continually tease his parents which they seem to relish in with equal joy and love!

The weather was perfect for some action shots with the groomsmen too, these boys certainly loved strutting their stuff for the camera. In fact, I don’t think any form of encouragement was needed from my part at all!!

Next stop was driving across town to see Jess while she and the girls got ready. They had rented a stunning AirBnB on the seafront to host them all with tremendous views over the sea! I think myself very lucky to also live in this stunning area, it was a great move on Jess’ part to pick this spot. Toni Todd was working creative wonders on Jess’ hair and makeup while Jess could peacefully look out to the horizon and take in that fresh, sea air. The girls were busy getting ready downstairs while this was happening, each requiring varying levels of help from each other to get those straps just perfect!!

While the bridesmaids were wearing stunning silver toned Amore dresses from Etsy, Jess had chosen an Enzoani Blue Juri gown from Proposals in Chichester. A delicately detailed dress which showed off her shape to perfection. The flowers were from Fleur de Lis, with blush hoops for the girls to hold and as a something blue, Jess’ were finished with blue fabric as a nod to the movement of the sea they were so close to. Jess, an accomplished calligrapher and sign writer had also created lovely, personalised hangers and gift boxes for her ladies! A lovely touch.

I loved the quiet moments while Jess was getting into her dress, followed by the loud exclamations of joy as she revealed herself to her waiting friends and family. A quick few moments were spent with the bridal party on the seafront to make the most of their location. Time well spent I feel!

Both Jess and Joel practice their faith, so chose to get married in Joel’s childhood church, The Shore Community Church where Joel’s mum Julie works and is on the leadership team. This meant that Julie could actually marry them, an incredibly personal honour for any parent to be able to do.

Jess arrived and was led into the church by both her Dad and Step-Dad. A wonderful way to honour both Dads in her life. Preceded by her bridesmaid and flower girls, it was wonderful to see the joy and anticipation on both hers and Joel’s faces.

The service, led by Joel’s mum Julie, was also full of other personal touches. Jess’ signwriting was evident in much of the decor that sat alongside items decorated by To Have and to Hire. The band leading worship were all friends, Jess’ mum played the flute and Jamie, the Minister of The Shore, served up a very humorous address! The stationary was designed by Jess and Joel themselves to tie in with their theme. A superbly personal service.

I’ve not known Jess to often wear heels, so it came as no surprise when I looked down at one point to see her at the front of church bare footed!! I couldn’t resist a quick shot!!

After being prayed for by friends and family, Jess and Joel ensured they were first in line for the donuts waiting in the foyer! The timings of the day were quite tight, so we elected to dash straight to the venue so the newlyweds could enjoy 15 mins alone before the arrival of the rest of their guests.

Set high up in the South Downs near Findon, Cissbury Barns is a stunning, secluded wedding venue. It was a real treat to spend some time with the newlyweds whilst giving them some time alone to just catch up on the last 24 hours. This moment immediately after marrying is so precious, as all the flushes of joy are literally buzzing around the couple! Thankfully armed with the photographers’ toolkit that includes super long lenses, I’m able to give a couple space and privacy whilst shooting these precious portraits. I think you’ll agree the setting is gorgeous!

Before too long the guests arrived and started enjoying the available bar and canapes. The time to sit down for the wedding breakfast was arriving fast so with the help of a *very* organised best man, we worked through the list of group shots Jess & Joel has created.

Prior to the meal, it was important that Grace was said, this came courtesy of Grandad! The food was delicious and thoroughly enjoyed by all, including me! Usually I’m hidden away in a quiet room during the meal, however on this occasion due to our friendship and knowing many of the guests too I was seated in the hall with the others. It was great to catch up with many I’d not seen for a while (wedding season can do that to us photographers!)

Speeches came in due course, Jess even managed to surprise Joel and get on the mic gifting them some new jumpers as a nod to their new marital status. The highlight had to be Joel suitably embarrassed by a wonderful, yet cheeky speech by his best man.

Before the evening party kicked off with a bang, we took some time during the golden hour to capture some more creative photographs with the bridal party as well as some intimate portraits of Jess and Joel. Incidentally, as well as winning Wedding Photographer of the Year 2019 in the Master Photographers Association South Central region, I also scooped the 2nd prize with one of the images I took during this golden hour moment! #humblebrag lol!!

The flower girls had a great time spent with Jess as they showed off their matching metallic shoes courtesy of Asos & Toms!

The first dance was a beautiful moment where one of Jess’ bridesmaids played and sung in their first dance together as a married couple. The 88’s then kicked off with all the party tunes which proved a hit with the crowd, especially when Adrian, the sax player, bought out his illuminating saxophone to the dance floor! A first-timer as a Cissbury Barns Wedding Photographer, I was so impressed with the venue and the service provided. They had a great spaces available for those who wanted to dance, those wanting some chilled time to chat and drink, those wanting to play party games or toast marshmallows.

The evening was finished off with a sparkler exit before the newlyweds departed for their first newlywed night together!

Once the images had gone through the editing process the next stage was to design their Graphistudio album! In previous consultations Jess and Joel fell into the classic roles where Jess loved the images and how hers might look on a spread, while Joel spent hours marvelling over the materials box with it’s secret compartments and sliding doors! Before too long we had a design that worked perfectly so we completed our collection by supping on champagne and beer while they opened their album for the first time ever! I absolutely love this moment, seeing all the years of planning and the beauty of the day, presented in a timeless album, a legacy they can cherish and look back on for many generations to come.

Thank you so much for including me in such a joyful day. It has been a pleasure and an honour to be a small part in this journey… I also love how we still have pizza nights long after the wedding has passed where Joel takes great pleasure in cheekily getting my kids all hyped up just before their bedtime is due!

xX Fiona Xx

Cissbury Barns Wedding Photographer | Jess & Joel

Destination Wedding Photography | My Italian Workshop

In my 12 years of business, I regularly take time out to invest in my own growth and development, Something I feel is vital to my creativity and keeping the inspiration flowing. Last year I had the pleasure of attending a weeklong photography workshop in Italy run by the fantastically talented Scott Johnson and Paul Fowler. The icing on the cake for me was that this workshop was being hosted by Graphistudio, the album company that I partner with.

So I headed off by taxi to Gatwick in the wee small hours of a May morning to jump on a plane to Venice in the hope of being picked up on the other side! Thankfully, Scott and Paul were nicely organised and along with Martin from Graphistudio we were all met and transported through the beautiful scenery to a village called Pielungo (with a much needed stop-off en route for some delicious antipasti and local red wine!)

As we were transported through the foothills of the Dolomite mountains we were told the history of Graphistudio and how they came to be in ownership of Castle Ceconi, their beautifully renovated, neo-Gothic Castle. I love sharing this story when I meet people and tell them about the albums they will receive! This was to be our learning base for the next 4 days…. I’ll save the history lesson until we’re face to face!

Scott and Paul took us through an intense period of learning and workshops. We shot around the castle, were shown different techniques and inspired to look at locations differently. Our hearts were opened by Fundy (the company who provide my album design software) to help us understand the essence of why we provide the service we do. We had business advice, live critiques on our images and also the opportunity to play with new camera systems courtesy of Fuji and Lensbaby who were on hand for us to try new things.

In addition to all this learning, a highlight for me was visiting the Graphistudio workshop where I saw one of my albums in production (I cried!) and was able to make changes under the advice of the creative team to the positive outcome for the album! We could see how hand made these pieces of photographic art really are.

To say this was exhilarating, tiring, inspiring and brilliant is an understatement! Along with the rest of the delegates, we stayed in a small hotel in the village where after our days of learning we would drink incredible Prosecco, dine on the best pizza and pasta dishes and bond. I can honestly say I made firm friends. Some even put up with me dragging them out for morning runs in the mountains, through the stunning waterfalls and landscapes after very late nights of sampling the local produce! Over 18 months on, we’re all still in regular contact!

For the final days of our workshop we relocated to Venice for a sunrise shoot with our very patient models (a real life couple and previous bride and groom of Scott). The sunrise was hidden behind some very heavy rain clouds, but how perfect it was! To actually shoot live in the most awful conditions and still create something beautiful is fantastic.

Although I haven’t taken on Destination Wedding Photography in recent years while my children were still very young, I’m so thankful to have visited Italy to flex that muscle again, be challenged and inspired by some incredible photographers, have my business plans checked, and make great friends. Now my kids are a little older I’m looking forward to visiting overseas more for work in the future.

If you’re a photographer and considering investing in your development, all I can say is DO IT!! Your future self will thank you for it. You can only grow from these things! I’d been professionally shooting for nearly 12 years at the point of the workshop and I still learnt so much (and have still so much more to learn!). These guys run annual workshops at Graphistudio HQ, invest in their training sessions, it’s worth it!

Here’s some of my favourite shots from my time on the workshop (some under the tutelage and inspiration of Scott & Paul, others using my own time spent with the models) I hope you like them too!

xX Fiona Xx

Destination Wedding Photography | My Italian Workshop

Sopley Mill Wedding Photographer | Lorraine & Andy

Lorraine & Andy had chosen the stunning 19th Century converted water mill, Sopley Mill as their wedding venue. What a great decision that was. In a chocolate box village in Dorset, surrounded by well manicured landscapes, flowing rivers and an abundance of fields (with the occasional roaming cow!)

We had spent some great time getting to know one another during our test shoot and planning session, also at Sopley Mill, do check out their antics here… Lorraine is a hilarious, vibrant lady with amazing energy complemented by her distinct Irish accent. Andy is cheeky yet thoughtful, both continually chatting and bantering with each other and me… we almost needed to book in extra sessions just for the chat! It was awesome getting together!

Lorraine and her Best Women prepped and preened at The Captains Club Hotel, Christchurch. It was very chilled and peaceful as Lorraine had her hair teased into vintage style waves and striking make-up to compliment her features and styling for the day.

While Lorraine was finished up her prep, Andy was in charge of setting up the PA, the booze and the PA some more. His best man, David, was in charge of making sure Andy got dressed properly!

As a Sopley Mill Wedding Photographer, it’s always a pleasure to see wedding guests enjoying their surroundings throughout the day. This particular day happened to be perhaps the hottest of the year. Guests were refreshed continually, looked after in shady or sunny spots depending on their preference and entertained with lawn games while they waited to be called to the ceremony room.

While Andy awaited his bride with the calm confidence of a man who’s got this under control, Lorraine arrived with the company of her father to a brood of eagerly awaiting nieces and nephews. She looked absolutely stunning! The layout of the venue meant we were able to take a few moments for a portrait or two before she headed upstairs with her entourage!

Lorraine and Andy had planned the most personal and intimate wedding ceremony. The Vicar was a close friend of Andy’s, the music performed by friends and Paul, one of the Ushers, and readings read by family members. You couldn’t hide the joy on their faces as they married in front of their nearest and dearest.

While the guests shimmied down to the grounds to drink Pimms, Champagne and various other refreshments while enjoying the lawn games available, Lorraine and Andy joined us for a short stroll to take some newlywed portraits. One of the things I love about having my second shooter with me during a portrait session is not only are they invaluable at holding lights/gear/reflectors but the shoot time is faster as they can operate from alternative angles and help with dress/suit arrangements, leaving more time for the happy couple to spend with their guests and each other.

The image below was taken while Lorraine and Andy were waiting for their guests to be ushered into the dining room upstairs. It was one of my favourites of the day and one of their sneak previews. I loved it so much I decided to enter it into a couple of competitions and and proud to say I won the Gold Award for the Master Photographers Association Wedding-Photographer-of-the-Month as well as receiving a Merit Award in the South East Regional Print Competition with the Master Photographers Association. I would love to know what they are saying to each other as there is a definite sense of mischievousness in their expressions! I am very pleased to be a Sopley Mill Wedding Photographer taking award winning images at their venue. The venue themselves have just picked up a “Best Countryside Venue” award in this years wedding awards too. They certainly deserve it!

The eagle eyed among you may have noticed a pirate and a fairy as part of the guest list. No, this was not a fancy dress wedding, they had actually procured the services of a local team of childrens entertainers to entertain and feed the children while the grown-ups wined and dined. What a great idea! It went down an absolute treat!

The early evening entertainment was by way of some live jazz outside with a plentiful open bar. Children and adults frolicked and relaxed on the lawns, people chilled indoors and out. The feel was friendly, informal and relaxed. Exactly as Lorraine and Andy had described their intentions. The speeches also came as the heat of the day lowered. With vibrant and entertaining speeches from all, the prize to most emotive speech however has to go to Lorraine’s sister and Best Woman, Caroline. She not only managed to hit the tears button, but the laughter and shock button too as you can see for their ther sister’s reaction in some of the shots!!

As the sun was setting, we took the opportunity to capture a few shots of Lorraine and Andy’s families together. There was a point when gathering the nieces and nephews was has hard as herding cats as they had all spread around the grounds exploring the wonders and nooks and crannies of Sopley Mill! A quick shot with the lowering sun before heading inside to their night time party!

The first dance and the rest of the music was brought to the guests by way of Our Dad, a band made up of 4 kids and their dad (when I say kids, I do mean proper grown-ups!) and a couple of other musicians too. These guys are awesome, playing some epic grooves getting everyone up on the dance floor. Andy works in music, so his input to ensure the musical ambience was set properly throughout the day was spot on! The bar had a steady flow of custom and the other areas of the mill were being used well. A cake bar and sweetie counter, fish & chips outside and pumping music in, it was a superb day that created a party for everyone to be a part of.

As Lee and I set off for our drive home, we reflected on how much of a truly awesome day we had. It’s hard to believe that we can have such fun days while we are working, but it really is a pleasure to shoot each and every wedding. The relationships built with the couples on their planning journey make for some lovely friendships that develop.

As part of my service, an Italian Handmade Album by Graphistudio is included. To know that these albums are going to be treasured forever and thumbed through, laughed and cried over (and maybe even mocked in 30 years time when their fashion senses and hairstyles are questioned) is the icing on the cake of what I do. To hand over just the digital files to get lost on a USB or a corrupted hard drive just isn’t worth it to me. The memories are just too valuable to treat so loosely. Andy and Lorraine had chosen the contemporary Young Book in silvers and blues to complement the colours of their day. I used metallic pages for their album to really make the colours pop. It looked fantastic. With some Parent Copies delivered too just in time for Christmas!

Thank you Mr & Mrs Chamberlain for having us on your precious day, we loved every minute!

xX Fiona Xx

FionaMillsArt | Sopley Mill Wedding Photographer | Award Winning Photography

Farbridge Wedding Photographer | Natasha & Neale

You may remember the Pre-wedding shoot I did with Natasha & Neale at Petworth Park? I spent much of the time not believing the little specs in the distance were indeed hundreds of deer, until we got closer and I had to concede that Neale’s eyes where indeed better than mine! Here’s a link back to that shoot…

I first met Natasha and a big gang of her girlie friends at a wedding fair put on by The Bridal Planners, which is a great online resource for those planning their wedding. We arranged to meet up pretty soon after to have a more indepth chat about the wedding she was planning with Neale. Wedding fairs are great to meet people and get an initial feel, but there’s nothing like taking your time over a cuppa or a glass of vino to really ascertain if you are a fit for eachother.

Natasha and Neale chose Farbridge, near Chichester as their wedding venue. It really is a stunning location. With views out to the South Downs of a landscape that changes with the seasons, as well as a perfect blend of traditional barn settings with a modern contemporary look, you’d be hard pushed to find something you didn’t like. What really sets this apart is that there are also rooms available for guests, not just the one main Bridal Suite. The Bridal Suite is, however, absolutely gorgeous. Natasha & her ladies got themselves primped and made up there, Hollie Turner being the incredible Make-Up Artist. There was plenty of room for all and enough variety to ensure the girls could take their selfies in good light, even if it meant the help Natasha had to get into her Wedding Dress was left up the only man in the room! Natasha’s wedding dress was a full Princess style gown from Proposals in Chichester. It fit like a glove and looked beautiful on her.

While the girls were getting ready there was plenty happening elsewhere. Caroline from Nordic Twigs was busy preparing an abundance of floral displays, while The Toast Events wrestled in a heavy, bespoke wooden arch they had created for the wedding ceremony, which would later be part of Natasha & Neale’s garden furnishing. The team at Farbridge were setting up the main hall and ceremony room, which was also adorned with a cake display created by one of their friends Gill. Neale added a number of creative, personalised touches before dashing off back home to retrieve the rings that had been forgotten! We made sure Natasha was oblivious to this minor detour!!

Neale and his best Man Dan wasted no time in getting their suits on and hot-footing it to the ceremony room ready for the arrival of the Bridal Party. The colour theme was a lovely soft sage green and pastel pink, which complemented the soft colours in the flowers and greenery throughout. The girls looked beautiful as they paraded down the aisle to Neale, as he waited patiently.

After the ceremony, the guests enjoyed the lovely outdoor space which, in the height of a summers day, was lovely and warm! With drinks flowing, canapes seemingly never-ending and lawn games for all, it was a lovely spot to create some portraits previously requested by Natasha and Neale without taking them too far from the party! While the guests were ushered into the Main Hall to be seated for the wedding breakfast, we used a few moments to take some portraits of the Newlyweds before they made their grand entrance.

It is lovely to see the individuality put into each wedding. As a Farbridge Wedding Photographer covering Surrey and Hampshire as well as Sussex, you see a lot of variety and unique spins in the way the day is presented and ordered. Here, rather than starting with the meal, Natasha and Neale walked in together to cut the cake first before diving straight into the speeches. I have to say, Neale’s rendition of how Natasha “wooed” him after meeting at Sheiks Nightclub one Christmas weekend had us all in stitches!! Needless to say, Natasha got exactly what she wanted, but it made for the most hilarious story. Dan, the Best Man didn’t go easy on Neale either! I’m not sure its a wise thing for a camera to be brought on a stag do….

Farbridge served the most delicious meal of chicken and vegetables cooked perfectly and finished with a flavoursome jus. The team there really do look after all the guests that are being catered for, and the service providers like myself, the videographer, DJ etc. It’s a real treat to shoot there.

The interim time after the meal, before the evening party really kicks off, is a perfect time to pop away for some quick portraits with the couple. Natasha and Neale had always known that they didn’t want a zillion formal group shots, but rather just ensure them, their immediate family and bridal party were captured intentionally, the rest being candid and documentary style. This is a great way to capture the vibe and flow of the day without spending too long keeping guests waiting for “their turn in a shot” but still ensuring those important portraits aren’t missed either.

On my rece of Farbridge I had noticed near the disused dairy (which is a popular photo spot) was another derelict space. I fell in love with it and knew we needed to make some time to take Natasha & Neale up there. Thankfully, the rest of the Bridal Party hadn’t quite started hitting the tequilas so were up for it as well. The light was just perfect, my second shooter, Lee, and I split up while there so we could work on double the amount of combos at the same time. We are always aware that most bridal parties would rather be back at the bar or hitting the dancefloor than spending too long having their photo taken!

For this image below, I just wanted to do an edgier edit of one of the portraits. I just loved the juxtaposition of this beautiful couple in all their finery, alone, in the midst of a disused and derelict space. The love they have for one another surpassing surface beauty, enduring through cracks, bumps and hurdles. Exactly what marriage is about.

All said and done, however, a Farbridge Wedding Photographer cannot fail to include the natural beauty of the location itself. The rolling hills as the sun lowers in the sky, the green land, pastures and fields in the distance. All creating the beautiful Vista that is the Farbridge Estate.

The evening party continued with music from Epic Lyte Sound, Mike spinning the tunes on the decks and guests enjoying the last of the warm sun. It became apparent that Lee’s beard had also attracted a lot of attention, many guests wishing to pose with him and his beard (it is a very nice beard!)

Natasha and her Dad kicked off the dancing with a lovely Father/Daughter dance, before Neale joined for some quick moves! It wasn’t long before the rest of the party joined on the dance floor!

As the moon rose from behind the hill, we left the newlyweds to the last part of their celebrations and started our processes of backing up and importing the images. The editing process is just as important part of the job as the planning, prep and shooting. It’s so important to know that the images you deliver to the couple are the best document of their day. All of my photography collections include an album. On this occasion Natasha and Neale had toyed with the idea of having their images printed on Fine Art Paper or Deep Matte (depending on the album style). When they came over to discuss specifics so I could start the design, I recall Neale saying he remembered the album that contained everything printed (The Duet) and he knew he didn’t want that. With a subtle arch of Natasha’s brow we looked at the options….

Naturally, Natasha & Neale chose to upgrade to The Duet!! An A4 30pg Fine Art Young Book containing just their portraits plus a 100pg Primo Book, a magazine style A3 album, containing every element of their day. A true story telling album. The albums sat together in a colour coordinated Design Box, finished with an ennoblement on the lid which I designed around their wedding invitations. As you may know, for me a photograph is not a photograph until it is printed, so having the whole day in a tangible, hard copy form is always the best option in my opinion. Something to treasure forever. A digital image is similar to a negative from a film. A back-up of the photo you truly value. Something to post on Facebook, or email your Australian Aunt.

Once you include the extra Parent Copies of the Primo, Design Boxes to house them and some Fine Art framed prints for gifts and their home, Neale certainly did get everything printed (but I have a sneaking suspicion Natasha knew that would have been the case all along!)

It has been so lovely to have got to know Natasha and Neale further, as the journey from choosing their photographer to receiving their photographs took it’s time over the year or so. I feel like I have genuinely made new friends! I’m really looking forward to seeing the next stages of their life together and hopefully photograph some babies in the next couple of years!!

Big Love,

xX Fiona Xx

FionaMillsArt | Photography | Farbridge Wedding Photographer

West Dean Gardens Wedding Photographer | Caroline & Geoff

You may remember an engagement shoot from last year featuring Caroline and Geoff in one of their favourite places, West Dean Gardens… Click here for a reminder. Well, Caroline and Geoff got married this year!

What a pleasure to continue their journey with them. While Geoff was getting ready with the boys at their home (and catching up on chores and a mini jamming session) Caroline and her ladies were being pampered and preened at their best mates house. With one of her closest friends, Kelly, being the proprietor of Dimensions, Kelly and Bonnie Leigh were in charge of hair & makeup.

The ceremony was being held at St Mary Magdalene in Bognor Regis. A beautiful building with glorious light filling the pews. Caroline was met by her son, Kyle who was a very professional ring bearer, taking his role very seriously! Flanked by her Dad and followed by her ladies, the ceremony was an emotional affair. Filled with love and laughter and beautiful readings provided by Carolines multitasking friends!

Naturally some family formal shots took place outside this lovely church before Caroline and Geoff, driven by Phil of White Roller, detoured to the beach for a few portraits.

The reception was held at The New Town social club, a venue large enough to hold their guests while drinking, eating, speeches, merryment and dancing was had!

Caroline & Geoff had previously expressed how fond they were of West Dean Gardens, so managed to arrange for us to visit there a couple of days after their wedding. As a West Dean Gardens Wedding Photographer this was music to my ears as the grounds and landscapes there are beautiful. We had planned their timeline on the wedding day for maximum candid photo opportunity knowing we would be spending a leisurely few hours in the gardens to create some stunning portraiture for them.

When planning their photos, Caroline and Geoff knew they wanted to include a Graphistudio Duet Album. This is a bespoke, personally created album which encompasses two albums contained and presented in a handmade box. Their 100 page album (Primo Book) contained their entire wedding gallery in print, in a magazine style, A3 hardback book. As a West Dean Gardens Wedding Photographer, I was exceptionally pleased that they had chosen to dedicate the second book, the 30 page Young Book, to their West Dean Post-Wedding shoot. Printed in High Definition and presented on thick, glossy pages, this album screamed luxury! The box was finished in Black Maple, White Leatherette and Silver Linen to complement the colours they had chosen on the day.

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Logan, I look forward to the next chapter in your lives!

Fiona xx

FionaMillsArt | West Dean Gardens Wedding Photographer | Caroline & Geoff

Sussex Newborn Photographer | Baby Evie

You may remember a post from a couple of years ago featuring Rose Lorena? Here’s a reminder of that shoot. Now, Rose has welcomed a baby sister, Evie, and how cute is she! Here’s some images from our session as a Sussex Newborn Photographer…

It’s incredible how much like her bigger sister, Evie is visually. Although, where Rose loved to be swaddled, Evie loves to spread, as seen in the image above! I brought some props back for this shoot that I had used with Rose to create some images that linked back to that time…although, this time I couldn’t help but include the cutest elephant that Rose had gifted her baby sister…on this occasion it appeared that Evie just wasn’t interested in her sibling’s snuggles!! It was great to catch Rose too, who was zooming about at high speed during our morning together!! What a great little character she is developing, full of curiosity and energy! It’s a real honour to see families grow and develop over time.

As a Sussex Newborn Photographer, I endeavour to include all those little details that grow and change so quickly… The button nose, wrinkled hands and feet, and tose lovely, fleshy rolls that make a baby so squidgeable (is that even a word?!)!!

To complete the collection following our Newborn Shoot, those precious memories are placed into a Baby Book, made by Graphistudio. These details of our gorgeous babies change so so fast it is so important to create a tangible memory for parents to look back on for years to come. Here’s a peek at the album received by Laura & Rob…

I’m looking forward to capturing the next chapter of Laura & Rob’s lives… whatever that is and when ever it happens 😉 😉

xX Fiona Xx

FionaMillsArt | Sussex Newborn Photographer | Baby Evie

Southend Barns | Wedding Photographer | Geoff & Jess

Wow. I cannot believe it has taken me nearly 11 months to write this blog! This year has been busy!! You may remember this lovely couple from their engagement shoot last year at Bishop’s Palace Gardens? Click here for a refresher.

Geoff and Jess have had an amazing love story. They met two Novembers ago when Jess arrived for a job interview in Geoff’s company. It seemed their informal interview lasted a lot longer than half an hour and by the end of the month they were a formal couple!! In May the following year (2016) I met them, newly engaged, to document this exciting part of their life. Between us we had an army of mutual friends and wonderfully hit it off from the beginning! In fact, Geoff and Jess even asked my husband and I to have the very responsible job of their “pre-maritals”. This is when a couple marrying have sessions prior to their wedding, over a variety of subjects, to open up the opportunity for any tricky issues, unexpected areas of difficulty, or potential challenging hotspots of the future to be brought to attention. Enabling us all to discuss and support this in a safe environment.

Fast forward to November of last year (still 2016) Geoff and Jess had arrived at their wedding day. Their ceremony was booked at Chichester Baptist Church where they had both started attending as a couple, followed by the reception at the stunning Southend Barns. As Jess and her bridal party were busy preparing at a good friend’s house, Geoff and his family were ensuring the church was all set up and ready to go.

These stunning flowers and floral displays were created by Bridal Flowers Direct. A perfect tone to complement the bright autumnal colours around and I just love these personalised robes, ideal for a chilly November morning.

I absolutely adore the moments when the girls get their first peek of Jess in her dress. The emotion is evident!

The image below is a personal favourite of mine. Jess is alone in the room while the make-up artist provides some finishing touches. The simplicity and serenity of this shot is what draws me. It also happens to have been awarded a Merit in a Regional Print Competition with the Master Photographers Association, and as well has received a Highly Commended Award in a National, monthly Master Photographers Association competition.

The service at Chichester Baptist Church was a very personal service with people conducting different parts of the ceremony that they have close relationships with. A great testimony to their faith. I loved how Geoff chose his Dad to be his Best Man. What a touching gesture.

While the guests enjoyed a light fish and chip tea at the church, Mr & Mrs Youngs and I popped to Southend Barns a little early to take some quiet moments for their portraits. Although in the midst of a downpour, the great thing about Southend Barns as a wedding venue is the abundance of photogenic indoor space as well as their stunning outdoor space. Once the guests arrived they were treated to mulled cider by the Field & Fork catering team to warm themselves back up before supper.

The venue was dressed to perfection with lovely book related touches and quotes and name placings, menus and table decor all linking back to the stunning bridal bouquet. The speeches had everyone laughing out loud, especially when Jess’ Dad, Pete, brought out the “Sofa Fund” box and various other props to help them prepare for married life.

The Killer Groove played a lively, party-starting set in the evening, but not before Jess’ sister, Ciara, sung them in for their first dance. The party was stomping with a full dancefloor and lots of sweaty bodies!!

Geoff and Jess decided to upgrade their album choice to include their entire day in print (not just the highlights) by having a Graphistudio Duet Album. There’s some more details of what this entails here, but I think you’ll agree from the picture below that it looks stunning, bringing in details from their wedding invitations and colours from their day to really personalise their albums. Something to treasure and look back on forever.

Speaking of forever…. things seem to happen in November for this couple as their first baby is due this November!! Here is a little peek from their Bump Shoot at West Dean Gardens, I will be sure to keep you updated when Baby Youngs is here and the Bump to Baby blog is up! Most importantly, however…. these fabulous Youngs have also asked my husband and I to be Godparents. What an absolute honour and I cannot truly convey how much of a friendship we have built up since meeting for that engagement shoot back in May ’16! This is perhaps the thing I love most about my job, is the relationships that can truly develop from something so personal as taking someones photograph.

xX Fiona Xx

FionaMillsArt | Southend Barns Wedding Photographer | Geoff & Jess