Tag: best sussex wedding photographer

Winter Wedding Inspiration

As 2022 draws to a close, I thought I’d round up a selection of images of winter wedding inspiration for those planning their 2023/24 winter weddings.

It can be a challenge when planning a winter wedding to factor in a number of components that may have a direct effect on your day. These may include: Staying warm in your outfits; navigating the shorter days and loss of natural light; styling your wedding venue and creating a theme.

Outfits: For anyone braving the cold outdoors, layering up is a must! The same applies for your outfits… Styling your outfits with removable layers is a superb idea for keeping the chill off, it also enables us to provide a variety of images, with and without the layers throughout the day!

Take a look at some images for some winter wedding inspiration for your clothing 🙂 You will notice that a fur bolero or jacket is a popular choice for keeping that winter chill off! Have you considered a colour that fits your theme too? Despite a kilt appearing to only enhance cold knees, a full outfit, jacket and socks can actually provide more warmth than expected for those gents who want to go back to their gaelic roots.

Flowers: Another factor often looked over… when sourcing flowers, it’s worth considering that going for blooms that are in season can be a more affordable option than choosing a bouquet or floral decor with items that need to be sourced from overseas. Please bare in mind that when sourcing flowers that are out of season and not native to this country, extra attention needs to be given to their storage and preparation to ensure they are fresh for your big day.

I love seeing the creativity some couples have used… you can see here in this set of images that your floral winter wedding inspiration can be out of the box! We have broches, winter blooms and foliage, colours to complement the theme, Christmas decoration inspired centrepieces etc! The possibilities are endless!!

Styling: What about dressing your venue? Are you planning to incorporate Christmas, Narnia, or your own theme? The wonderful thing about the winter season is it is the perfect season to use the darker days to go crazy with decor and fairy lights!! You can go as subtle or as ostentatious as you like! Keeping the christmas tree in the background as a subtle reference or going in hard and make the most of it! What will be your winter wedding inspiration for your decor and venue dressing? Handmade or hired? Sometimes these aspects are down to your budget, creativity, time and energy. Some people love to spend the time hand making everything for their day, others would rather hire a company who have the tools, stock and know-how to make your vision happen in a flash. Either way, the opportunities are boundless.

Photography: What about your portraits and group shots? It’s worth considering that if you absolutely LOVE natural light photography, then a winter wedding might not be for you as the low sun and dramatically shorter days will have a direct impact on what is able to be achieved and captured using natural light. If a winter wedding is for you, then consider hiring a photographer who is comfortable and competent in both natural light and off-camera flash & additional lighting. This will make a big difference in your finished portraits.

It’s also worth considering that your plan of the day may need to be navigated to make the most of the natural light… this will happen during the planning conversations with your photographer. to give you an example, during the summer, your planned portrait sessions may be over two or three very short sessions at appropriate parts of your day to make the most of the longer days and changing light. However, during the winter that window is shorter, so you might find yourself allowing more time between the ceremony and wedding breakfast to ensure enough time is allocated for groups and newlywed shots. All these things are worth discussing with your photographer and planning in advance.

The location of your groups and portraits is also worth thinking about… you may find yourselves making moments en-route so guests aren’t subjected to more cold. Or, taking advantage of christmassy scenes in the local area. Some couples have chosen to get re-dressed on another day and shoot their portraits without the pressure of timings and light. Whatever works for you, I hope you can find some winter wedding inspiration for your planned portraits and group shots:

So, in summary (no pun intended) for your winter wedding inspiration, I hope my offerings have helped!! Whatever the season you choose to wed, you can make it your own! With a little foresight and planning you can also keep within your budget and have the perfect wedding that you’ve dreamed of!

I’ll add a list of suppliers who have also featured in the images above, incase you need some sign-posting for your day 🙂

xX Fiona Xx

Dresses:

www.whyteweddings.com

https://trulygorgeous.co.uk/#/

www.bijoubridal.co.uk

Suits:

www.astares.co.uk

https://www.greyssuithire.co.uk/

https://www.moss.co.uk/

Flowers:

www.flowers4worthing.co.uk

https://www.janewalkerforgeflowers.co.uk/

https://www.earthseedtobloom.co.uk/

Venues:

www.wealddown.co.uk/commercial/weddings

www.southendbarns.co.uk

https://www.arundeltownhall.com/

www.norfolkarmsarundel.com/weddings/

www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/venue/vicars-hall

Stylists:

www.littleeventscompany.co.uk/

https://www.tohaveandtohireweddings.com/

Farnham Castle Wedding Photographer | Sam & Amanda

I met Sam and Amanda at a wedding fair on a hot, sunny day at Goodwood… when most sensible people are sitting in a pub garden enjoying a nice cold beer! I’m very glad we’re not all sensible people mind you! Sam and Amanda booked me for their lovely Farnham Castle wedding. As with most of my wedding collections, we start with a little “getting to know each other” on a pre-wedding shoot. I met them at a stunning lake near Petersfield which was a regular spot for them both in their early dating days. Here’s a little peek of that!

Amanda is a keen historian with a passion for archaeology working in a brilliant West Sussex museum. It came as no surprise then that she chose a castle venue for their wedding. Farnham Castle is steeped in history, with the keep still standing and open for visitors. The rest of the modernised venue remains in keeping with the stately nature, whilst providing a versatile space for weddings and events. Both Sam and Amanda got ready at the venue, Amanda at the gatehouse while Sam had one of the rooms. Personally, I feel that the morning of preparations is one of my favourite parts to capture… the excitement, anticipation, and the first look of the beautiful dress that until now has been kept hidden and treasured. Amanda had previously found THE dress on a chance visit back to Leeds with her family, but logistically it was too far to make repeated trips for alterations, but with a little communication was able to source the dress from Proposals in Chichester. The Groomsmen also looked very dapper in their suits with cravats to complement the purple and lilac hues of the colour scheme.

Sam and Amanda opted for a civil ceremony in the bright and airy Lantern Hall. The thing I love about being a Farnham Castle Wedding Photographer is that there is great flexibility on where you can marry there, offering both a Civil Ceremony in the Lantern Hall and a Church of England service in the Norman Chapel. I don’t know many other venues that can boast that dual option.

After the ceremony, Sam and Amanda were showered with confetti before settling on the steps for a group portrait and some family photos. The team here at Farnham Castle are well versed in keeping their guests fed and watered, seamlessly moving from drinks and canapes to the Great Hall for the wedding breakfast. We worked with Sam and Amanda to find quiet moments for their portraits that didn’t keep them from their waiting guests too long. The newlyweds have the pleasure of having the Castle Keep to themselves once opening hours have finished, so we made sure to get some portraits befitting a princess in the castle. The wedding breakfast looked amazing…. Amanda presented a person from each table with a butchers apron where they then discovered they were in charge of carving the roast for their table! A great way to break the ice if you don’t know whom you’re seated with! The Speeches made for some great entertainment too with some hilarious photos of Sam, courtesy of the Best Men popping up for the guests to enjoy!

The evening celebrations opened with Sam and Amanda cutting their beautiful cake before heading to the dance floor for the most amazingly choreographed first dance, They wowed the crowd with their ballroom moves. This also enabled me to get the shot that won me The Master Photographers Association | Reportage Photographer of the Year (South Central Region). They had the moves, I was very glad to have captured them. As the evening went well on into the night, John and I said our goodbyes and started the journey back to prepare for the next stage of editing and album design.

Sam and Amanda opted for the Duet by Graphistudio… A double album consisting of the included 30page Young Book and an additional 100 Primo, a larger A3, magazine style album which enables the whole day to be printed, not just the highlights. They also treated their families to a Parent Copy each, a wonderful Christmas present to give in that first year of marriage!

Thank you so much for having us share your beautiful day! We wish you every happiness in your future together.

xX Fiona Xx

Farnham Castle Wedding Photographer | Sam & Amanda

West Sussex Winter Wedding | Emma & John

After a break from blog writing for a while, I thought it was about time I played catch up with what I’ve been shooting. First up is the West Sussex Winter Wedding of Emma and John. This is a massively personal blog for me to write for many reasons. Firstly, it’s down to Emma, the beautiful bride! She is a really close friend of mine who moved into our home in 2009 until 2017, becoming as close as a family member to my family. Despite now marrying her off, she’s still a sister from another mista!

The first thing we do once I’ve sealed the deal as your wedding photographer is we book in a pre-wedding shoot! Emma and John were no exception. We took a stroll round Hotham Park during the golden hour, hung out, chatted and got comfy in front of the camera! It’s such a wonderful time to capture the joy of the engagement period, a time often spent rushing and planning. Let’s honour it, and document it while also helping you feel less camera shy!

So, Emma being very close, was caught in the quandary of having me as her bridesmaid or photographer! We decided to go for it and try being both (in secret I was quite bricking it, but then I tried to convince myself that as this is my profession, of course I can handle it haha!!). The beauty of this is that I got to hang out with Emma wedding dress shopping, chatting about plans etc! I feel rather proud that I can lay a claim on spotting her gown first at Bijou Bridal Boutique in Barnham! Emma got ready at my home (which was also hers for many years) and it felt soooo lovely! The rest of her bridal party were either friends or family, their nephews were page boys and my daughters, flower girls. It was a fun morning, a gaggle of girls getting ready, enjoying the prep time together! I feel I got the best of both worlds… getting ready with the gang and shooting it simultaneously, curling the hair of some bridesmaids while thrusting my camera to the florist to take a shot with me in it!

Emma and John chose the most gorgeous colour palate for their West Sussex Winter Wedding. Deep reds, mink and white offset with evergreen foliage. Emma gave her bridesmaids a colour palate and asked us to choose our own style of dress from Asos, although her sister Laura found the most exquisite Karen Millen dress that no one could have turned down! John and his groomsmen wore suits from Marks & Spencer.

Arriving in a striking gold VW Camper van, the ceremony was held at Opengate church in Bognor Regis. Again, keeping with the personalised day, Emma’s father Graham was the pastor of this church up until a recent move. He had the honour of walking his daughter down the aisle before turning around to conduct the service, marrying them! I loved the intricacies that went into the planning of how we were all going to “aisle walk”. I snuck down with my flowers in hand and my cameras strapped on before the music started, turning to shoot the rest of the bridal party! My biggest fear…. high heels and a long dress, followed by the paranoia that my own kids would do something crazy at their turn to walk haha!! Seeing John and his uncontained, joyful emotion as Emma was preceded down the aisle was just lovely. Very emotional to watch as you see someone you love preparing for one of the biggest days of their life!

Their faith being a major part of their life, John and Emma kicked off the service with worship. Sophia, one of the bridesmaids got up to join the band as they sung through the first part of the ceremony. The worship was lead by the Push Community, a community of Christian singers and songwriters that Emma was a part of, set up by my late husband Tom (you see, this really was becoming a very very personalised wedding!) And a cheeky behind-the-scenes shot of me taken by my lovely friend Toby, who also helped press the trigger when I was in the group shots! It was a service filled with love and joy!

It was so beautiful to watch Emma and John be married by her Dad. A wedding ceremony is a brilliant thing at the best of times, but it really isn’t every day you get to something where so many are intimately involved. The delicious cake that was cut before their first dance was made by her other very talented bridesmaid, Charlene!

Emma and John flipped their wedding day upside down! After the ceremony and a short time for some family portraits the party kicked off with a hog roast by Great Big Pig and an early disco with Nick, supplied by Toast Functions. Quite considerately, Emma realised that as many of her guests would be there with young children, so instead of many having to go home or find sitters, they went for a relaxed and early finish. A small group of us headed to Bailiffscourt Hotel for an intimate Wedding Breakfast (and a conveniently beautiful place for John and Emma to spend their wedding night!). It was all decked out with Christmas trees and fairy lights, a perfect West Sussex Winter Wedding venue!

Due to the close timings and light on their wedding day (a factor that is necessary to consider with a West Sussex Winter Wedding) we had planned in advance to focus on their newlywed portraits after their sunny honeymoon in the Maldives! In homage to the beach we went down to the Witterings on a cold, but dry day. Armed with wellington boots, a sherpa blanket, a flask of coffee and some Prosecco we got some beautiful portraits of the two of them. A couple of which even netted me some prestigious awards! Not bad for multitasking as a bridesmaid and photographer!

I’m so so very glad to have been a part of their day (and life in general). It is an honour that my family have been able to do life with them in so many ways. There is now a very cute addition to their family, by way of an adorable little boy called Finn…. I’m sure you will see more posts with him included in the future!

Thank you so much Emma and John for trusting me to multitask so massively! It really was a huge honour!

Fiona xxx

FionaMillsArt | West Sussex Winter Wedding

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

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

Dorset Photographer | Sopley Mill Pre-Wedding Shoot

I just love new venues (to me) and Sopley Mill in Dorset is no exception. My photography spidey-senses went on overdrive when visiting here last week! The grounds and landscapes around Sopley Mill are stunning, as are the tranquil villages you pass through to get here after the M27 runs out. Wild horses, chocolate box houses, meandering streams and village pubs a plenty.

Lorraine and Andy are getting married here this coming Sunday, so in amongst our crazy schedules we booked in a slot to have a recce, practise posing and create a timeline of the day. Here’s some previews of what we got up to as we explored the environment.

I met them through recommendations of mutual friends and I’m surprised our paths hadn’t crossed before now. Lorraine and Andy are a great couple, fun loving and lively. Their wedding day is bound to be a craic courtesy of Lorraine’s Irish family, full of live music organised by Andy and plenty of timed opportunity for more drinks! Eager to have some input in their photography style, they were very keen to show me some poses they had also been practising for their big day, so we will be sure to include that in their newlywed portraits!

I can’t wait for Sunday and hope for the most fabulous day for them both and their guests. I’m sure they will be beautifully looked after at such a beautiful venue.

Big Love

Fiona xx

Dorset Photographer | Sopley Mill Pre-Wedding Shoot

Sussex Photographer | India & Russell’s pre-wedding shoot

I just love it when the seasons come together to create the ultimate in high blooms! When planning in the diary for a pre-wedding test shoot for India and Russell I was hoping for the Bluebells to still be around, we could not have timed it better to get the maximum carpeting that surrounded us in the quiet spot of Angmering Park Estate.

India and Russell were using their pre-wedding shoot as a two-fold exercise. Firstly, as part of the complementary service I offer all my wedding clients, we invest a little time into getting comfortable in front of the camera and I, talking through good and bad posing techniques, hand signal communication I might use on the day and generally getting ourselves more acquainted with one another. Secondly, they loved the idea of using their images in an album which they will use as a guest signing book on their wedding day. As a Sussex Photographer seeing my work in print and displayed as it is meant to is one of the reasons I do what I do.

With that in mind we set about using the textures and landscapes of the Bluebell Woods. I honestly don’t think there is another wild flower that leaves me in utter awe like this one. India and Russell looked great together as they posed and played around with each other. It was brilliant to see their personalities come out as our session developed and the camera became less of a “thing”! I can see their wedding day is going to be filled with great love and laughter!

Despite the tiredness kicking in (modelling is hard work you know!) India and Russell willingly agreed to go on another journey with me, this time to a glamorous lay-by in Houghton while the Rape Fields were in full bloom…. I take all my clients to the fanciest places!! I’m so glad we made that quick stop as the contrast of the yellow against the session in the Bluebells is so bold and colourful! I love it!

The main difficulty after the images are ready is choosing favourites for the signing book! I think you will agree that the GoBook by Graphistudio in Italy is a perfect album for this purpose. Encased in a Box Frame that will stand upright displaying their favourite image on the front, they will treasure for years the messages of love and congratulations from their wedding day.

I’m looking forward to their wedding day, capturing more of those precious memories!

Big Love, Fiona x

FionaMillsArt | Sussex Photographer

Sussex Wedding Photographer | The House on the Brooks, Pulborough

Sussex Wedding Photographer | The House on the Brooks, Pulborough | Matt & Jen

Earlier last Spring, Matt contacted me to say that he and Jen were planning a wedding. As a West Sussex Wedding Photographer, based near Chichester covering Horsham, Pulborough, Brighton, Portsmouth, the surrounding areas and beyond, we were having the usual conversation about how we would approach the wedding photography. When discussing the planning and the test shoot Matt casually mentioned that they weren’t even officially engaged yet! As you can imagine, I jumped at the chance to photograph the live proposal! Check out the blog from that day here.

Fast forward a few months, Matt and Jen decided to get married at a lovely venue called The House on the Brooks in Pulborough, West Sussex. Their theme was a festival vibe with acres of outdoor space and meadows to house the ceremony and marquees. Thankfully, September in Sussex is usually a warm affair!

The main house at The House on the Brooks in Pulborough is gloriously and eclectically finished, with every room themed with different antique finds and quirky decor. From half a boat high up a wall (the other half in the bathroom), a bed framed with French nautical figureheads and a bathroom tiled with reclaimed tiles from an old cathedral which were made using a technique that is now unknown and obsolete. It is well worth a look just for the decor.

Despite getting ready in the same building, Jen managed to remain hidden from Matt! They had asked all their guests to arrive early, and to bring a flower each, which was to be gathered with the others and arranged to create the bridal bouquet. A lovely and creative idea, which I’m sure you will agree made for a beautiful bouquet. Jen looked beautiful in a graceful, Grecian style dress that delicately displayed a small bump housing the mid stages of pregnancy.

As Matt and all the guests filtered up the meadow to get ready for the ceremony Jen stole a few moments with her Father, reading a note from Matt and watching the guests’ journey up the meadow from the view in her room. The walk to the ceremony was a few minutes long, which gave plenty of time to admire the striking landscapes of the South Downs across the fields.

The ceremony was very relaxed, with a close friend of Matt’s officiating. Guests were seated on hay bales and thankfully the weather stayed dry! Children played in the meadow as the formalities begun, while Matt and Jen’s son Stanley tried every tactical technique to avoid photographic capture (well, really he was happily enjoying the freedom of all the open space!)

This venue in Pulborough is a Sussex Wedding Photographer’s dream. The meadow was a great spot to capture some family portraits. Matt and Jen wanted their images to be as relaxed and informal as their day was, so we worked with the hay bales and the surrounding backdrops of rolling hills. Matt also wanted to recreate a picture from his childhood with his dad and siblings. Without the original to refer to relying on the memory of siblings was amusing, but success was made! While portraits were happening, guests relaxed in the marquees with cocktails, giant games, sweet stands and acoustic music. It really did have a warm, relaxed vibe to the day.

The guests dined in an adjacent barn, where they cut the cake and made time for speeches. The newlyweds had requested a picture with Matt’s best guy mates and Jen’s best girl friends. The girls behaved in a most decadent manner, while the boys, as you would expect, got a little silly!

The party carried on with a live band, a fish and chip supper being delivered and more cocktails from the cocktail bar. The marquees, lights and much of the surrounding decor was set up by Mat’s best man Simon Horn who happens to run a company called After Dark Productions (I would highly recommend their work). It really just cried out for an ‘After Dark’ kind of shot (see what I did there?!!) Matt had also set up a photo booth area for the guests to amuse themselves with after a few cocktails. After finishing for the night, Matt insisted Lee and I grab a cocktail and strike a pose for the team…. after stalking them with our cameras for the whole day, we could hardly refuse, could we!

Matt and Jen finished off their collection with a contemporary wedding album. The Young Book by Graphistudio ticked all their boxes. Handmade in Italy, the box was finished in a soft, faux black leather while the book was covered in a sage grey maple that offset Matt’s tie and suit to a tee. A fabulous way to collect and treasure their wedding day memories, and just in time for Christmas some Parent Copies were added to their order too.

Quite lucky they planned ahead with the presents as Baby Flora was born a few weeks early on the 16th December. A superb early Christmas present.

As well as being a Sussex Wedding Photographer, I also capture Newborn & Bump to Baby sessions so I had the pleasure of meeting her for a shoot at 14 days old. I will share those images in a later blog, but for now, here’s the happy family.

Many congratulations Mr & Mrs Terris! Thank you for having us along on your journey.

Fiona xx

FionaMillsArt | Sussex Wedding Photographer