Lucy & Matt’s wedding day was special in so many ways. First of all, we shot Lucy’s brother David’s wedding to Eleni three years ago, so it was a real privilege to get to celebrate with their lovely family once again. Also, seeing David and Eleni so happy and blooming, expecting their first baby in just a month, made me feel a bit maternal (like I slightly embarrassingly told David, it’s like my babies are all grown up!). Eleni & David also played a part in the wedding, as Eleni had created the beautiful cake, while David performed in the evening with his band, The Big Red.

Another reason that made this wedding pretty awesome was the fact that is was one of the very rare local weddings I get to shoot. I do love travelling around the country and beyond, but there is definitely something extra special about attending a wedding in your local neighbourhood.

Lucy and the girls got ready at the Bloated Mallard in Teddington, where Natalie Guest created an absolutely stunning hair do and make-up, before Lucy slipped into her adorable Charlotte Balbier gown. We then headed for a beautifully intimate ceremony at Orleans House Gallery in Twickenham. After the ceremony Brula, from my old neighbourhood in St Margarets, provided yummy-looking canapés under the blossoming trees, before the guests were ushered into a routemaster that took us to the reception venue, The Bloated Mallard in Hampton Hill.

One of my favourite bits was heading out for some portraits in my ‘local park’ i.e. Bushy Park, which was just amazing (and amazingly windy). It was also lovely to briefly catch up with Gareth of GJ’s Discos, who got the party started in the evening. Most of all I loved how everything about the day felt so comfortable and familiar, and how all the bits of the wedding were created by family and friends, such as the flowers for example, which were by Lucy’s mum’s friend Ginny.

These sort of days make my job feel somehow more meaningful, getting to see how my previous couples are flourishing, and feeling like I am somehow connected to these different strings of life out there. It’s just the best.