This photograph of a bride entering St Etheldreda’s church in London was taken in December 2009, just before Christmas. The story of the image is below:

Bride entering St Etheldreda's Church, London

Catherine and Steve’s ceremony was early evening the week before Christmas, a really special, romantic and personal winter wedding. Everything about it spoke of their personalities and there is a great deal from the day that sticks with me.

With the ceremony starting long after it was dark there were of course photographic challenges but winter weddings being something I particularly enjoy and in some respects specialise in they are the kind of challenges I look forward to. One of the biggest challenges however was the weather.

Three days before the wedding I’d gone for a countryside walk with a good friend who was videoing the wedding. We’d finished in the pub and had a quiet pint watching the snow fall slowly outside…but within an hour there were big, heavy flakes of snow and it was settling too.

The next day the South East was at a standstill – several inches of snow had closed roads, closed the railways and while it was fun in many ways and beautiful to look at alarm bells started ringing about the wedding, at this point still two days away. A few phone calls reassured me the roads should be open the next day and failing that I should be able to at least get a train to London where I’d arranged to stay over the night before the wedding…

…as the Friday dawned however nothing had changed. Cue several hours digging my car out, then a very hairy drive with Jason the videographer, following a gritting truck for some of the route, up to the hotel in London. As I say to couples, something pretty immensely drastic and severe would have to happen in order for me not to make their wedding day!

The day of the wedding itself there was no snow in London and as far as I know every guest managed to make it. It was a truly memorable and special day.

One of Catherine’s bridesmaids wrote afterwards: “Wow wow wow guys these pics are absolutely gorgeous!! Steve has done a brilliant job of capturing a fantastic day and so lovely to see you both full of smiles and beaming with wedded bliss! Love them, totally love them!”

Catherine and Steve were kind enough to then write the following to a magazine:

“In addition to being an amazing and talented photographer with an eye for great artistic pictures Steve is also the most genuine and friendly person you could ever meet. A natural art for putting everyone at ease Steve clearly loves his work and gets everyone really looking at their best. We are thrilled with our photographs – you really cannot emphasise how important it is to have a good photographer.

Steve was wonderful company on the day – totally unobtrusive and an absolute pleasure to share such a special occasion with. Words can’t explain the emotions we felt when we saw his photographs for the first time – he has truly captured the essence and the story of the day. For years and years to come we can look back on the pictures and relive the spirit and emotion captured in the stunning photographs.”