FSM Photography

On the way to yesterday’s wedding the phone rang.

‘This is Ricky,’ he says, ‘I’m getting married in Crawley Register Office on 30^th June and need a photographer. I know it’s last minute, but we’ve only just decided.’

Diane checks the diary and I tell him, ‘thanks for phoning, but we already have a wedding that day,’ and give him details of another photographer who might be able to help.

Arriving at the venue the phone rings again and a bubbly female voice says, ‘I’m getting married on Saturday 30^th June and need a photographer.’

Diane and I glance at one another before saying, ‘this is the second enquiry we’ve had this morning for that date – where are you getting married?’

‘Crawley Register Office,’ she tells us. This is just too much of a coincidence. ‘You’re not marrying someone called Ricky, by any chance?’

‘How do you know that?’ she asks.

You’ll never catch me complaining about being too busy – and May is already proving to be the busiest month of the year so far.

Last week we met with Cathy and Melvin for a pre-wedding photography session and to chat through their wedding day plans on a dim and damp evening in Portsmouth. Then, on Saturday we were with them at their wedding at St Mary’s Church in Gosport followed by a reception at The Alverbank Hotel. Afterwards, post-production took up several days including most of Bank Holiday Monday – see some of Cathy and Melvin’s photographs here.

In and amongst we found time for commercial photography and to book in three new weddings.

Our wedding this weekend is in Wales, at a castle in The Brecon Beacons, which means travelling tomorrow with an overnight stay near the venue and a late-night drive home after the first dance, because on Sunday we’re meeting Monique and Kristian for some photographs and a good chat about their wedding-day plans.

Like I said, you’ll never catch me complaining about being too busy!

We first met Donna and Rob in 2011 and they asked us to photograph their wedding at
The Alverbank this June. In the run-up to their wedding we met up again on Portsdown Hill for some pre-wedding photographs yesterday afternoon, but it had been raining all day and was far too windy. So we found another location, and Donna and Rob are very happy with the results! Follow this link to see some images.

…. From Jane and Chris Summerhill.

This note has just arrived in the post – thank you for taking the time and trouble to write such a lovely note.

The following very kind words were sent to us by Louise’s parents, we photographed her wedding to Tom last Saturday:

It feels like the first day of spring, the sun is shining and it’s a perfect day for a wedding. Jane and Chris are getting married today at Old Thorns in Liphook and we are really looking forward to photographing their special day. They have been planning it for at least a year, and Chris has a few surprises for his bride.

This is start of our busy season, the first of 16 weddings we have in the diary between now and the end of June with new bookings still coming in.

We went back to Old Thorns Manor on Sunday and spent an enjoyable couple of hours with Jane and Chris who are getting married there later this month.

Walking along the paths outside the ceremony room we chatted through the arrangements for their wedding day, including the plan for the bride’s transport on the day which car enthusiast Chris is keeping a secret from Jane for the moment. He has organised something special – we will find out on the day!

It’s always good to meet up with our wedding couples before the big day and last weekend we met two couples at their reception venues a few miles apart in South London.

First we met up with Natalie, Kenny and their Mums at The Warren in Bromley. Natalie was a lovely bridesmaid at Sarah-Jane and Dave’s fantastic wedding last year, and when Natalie and Kenny get married in April at St Teresa Church Sarah-Jane will be one of her bridesmaids.

Kenny is the most popular guy we have ever met – he has well over 3,000 Facebook friends, and if even half of them turn up at the wedding it will be a monster group photograph!

In the afternoon we went to The Surrey National Golf Club to meet Ginny and Dan, and Dan’s parents. We had a good look at the huge restaurant with the balcony overlooking the golf course, a perfect venue for the wedding breakfast, and if the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding they were serving to the Sunday diners is anything to go by, the food will be perfect too.

Ginny and Dan are getting married at St Michael Church, also in April, and we are looking forward to being with them and their friends and family on their special Spring wedding day.

… with two new bookings this weekend. Lindsay & Scott confirmed their booking for April next year, and Lee & Hayley confirmed for their South Wales wedding in June 2013.

… Adele and Neil are not now getting married on Saturday 18th August this year so we have the date available again and can do a very good deal for anyone who hasn’t yet chosen their  wedding photographer.