Some people say you have to spend thousands of pounds on a photographer, because the day goes so fast, because you miss bits of the day you would have liked to see, you forget things, and a decent photographer will be able to capture all those things for you.
I'm not saying I disagree. However, we didn't have thousands. So that's us done for isn't it?! Wedding ruined?! Nope, quite the contrary.
I got myself so stressed by the prospect of choosing a photographer! I had found a few I liked. One I found on a social media site and had looked on the website "all events from £395" wow! The photos on the site looked fantastic, the person was so nice on the telephone and the price was unbelievable! Too good to be true? Of course it was! It turned out a wedding doesn't count as an event and is priced differently! So it would be £995 if we paid £500 deposit there & then (about 2 weeks before Christmas!) we were unable to do this. My search continued. I found someone who an old college friend had highly recommended and had used herself earlier that summer. I got in touch. I got told the person had won awards, was fully booked most weeks and had a few assistants. I was thinking "this is all lovely and brilliant and great... But price??" After a longgg chat, we got down to talking figures. Our budget was under a thousand pounds. I was quoted £3,000 I said "oh, that's far more than we could ever afford, not to worry" I was then informed if I had an assistant, I could have it for just over £2,000. I very calmly explained I'd already entered into a contract with the venue, dress shop and catering team. So, the money could not be taken from these budgets and used on photography.
I thought that was the end of it. A couple of months later, I received a call from the photographer, to say there was one date free in the diary and it happened to be our wedding date! Totally out of the blue phone call! I can't remember what the quote was this time but it was still more than our alloted amount. I was told I mustn't skimp on photography - it is the most important thing at a wedding (you would expect a photographer to say this!)
Again, I declined the offer.
I left the hunt to my calmer, better half. Thank Goodness for Google! He came across a website called http://www.essexweddingimages.co.uk
He got in touch with the photographer - Mr Bradley Keeble and he was to become our brilliant photographer!
Our initial meeting with Bradley happened at our house. We supplied the tea and biscuits and we were both immediately put at ease as soon as Bradley walked in the door and warmly greeted us, almost as an old friend would.
Bradley is the kindest, most genuine person we could have hoped for and it was great being able to have him as our 51st guest on our special day! That is how it felt - not awkward or imposing.
His pricing is cheaper than a lot of others you will come across. He told us he had been working commercially for over 20 years and had recently branched out into providing a wedding service. How lucky are we that he has!
We chose the package which contained the images on DVD option and it takes over an hour to watch! Bradley captured our entire day, from me getting ready, to the ceremony, 'posed' standard wedding photos, then right through into the evening and the first dance - we didn't get round to cutting the cake til around 10:15pm so he stayed til after then!
Bradley was able to get us the completed, edited images on DVD within around 3 weeks which we were ecstatic about! I know some people wait a lot longer than that.
Bradley captured 2 shots that brought tears to my eyes (in a good way!) There were lots of amazing processional, confetti, posed and evening guest shots, but these two really stand out for me personally.
After the ceremony we did a little faffing in the foyer! Mingling and getting congratulated and mainly trying not to get my dress trodden on (the hardest part of a wedding day and the bain of my evening!) During the mingling, I spoke with my grandad. We lost my nan, his life partner of almost 70 years, earlier this year, and he is very precious to me. Bradley managed to capture a shot I never even knew existed. I don't remember linking hands with my grandad then, but I get a warm, fuzzy feeling whenever I see this picture (photo below).
The other shot I'm fascinated by is the black and white one below. My grandad had just left, it was quite late in the evening and I had my first really sentimental feeling of the day! You see, my grandad and I live a few hours drive away from one another so I can't always get down to see him. I was sad that I didn't know when I'd next get to see him, thrilled he'd been able to come to the wedding and stay so late, and sadness washed over me with thoughts of my nan... I'd gotten teary-eyed and my new husband was there to take me in his arms, pick me up emotionally and physically. After our embrace, I remember smiling at him, feeling utterly at peace, delighted and never more sure I'm with the right man for me.
Bradley, the wonderful man that he is, caught this special moment forever and made this mixed flood of emotions into an eternally happy shot. Now, if that's not what weddings and good photography are all about, what is?!
I could not recommend Bradley Keeble highly enough!
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