Best of 2018

So once again, we are at that time of year, the start of 2019, looking forward to what are sure to be some pretty amazing weddings, but what a year 2018 turned out to be!

365 days gone in the blink of an eye, left us with some fantastic memories of travel and exploration in the Canadian Rockies, precious family time with our little ones, Charlie and Emilia who are our constant inspiration, not to mention of course the amazing weddings that we have attended and photographed.   Everyday, we are so thankful to be able to work together, doing something that we both love for a living, and after nearly 14 years, we still have to pinch ourselves that this is our reality.   

We want to say a massive thank you to the 60 couples who in 2018 put their trust and faith in us to capture their wedding days.  Working with every single one of you has been a joy.  To your friends and family who welcomed us with open arms and to all of the suppliers who helped those weddings flow so smoothly.  We hope that the images that we have created will help your memories last a lifetime.

We also want to extend a hand and thank those people from some pretty amazing wedding venues across the North East region who have continued to support us.  Wynyard Hall, Healey Barn, Lartington Hall, Beamish Hall, Matfen Hall, Seaham Hall, Durham Castle, the Parlour at Blagdon, and Eshott Hall along with new friends at the Yorkshire Wedding Barn, Ormsby Hall, the Hilton Hotel and the Spanish City in Whitley Bay.  

I have one more thank you to give - and a pretty important one it is.  To our amazing children, Charlie and Emilia, who very graciously and gladly welcome our wedding couples into our home with smiles and a happy disposition, who never complain about giving up their Mum and Dad over weekends, and to their grandparents who are a godsend, without their help and constant support, I’m not sure where we would be right now.

So now we are into 2019.  There is a lot to look forward to - a new series of Game of Thrones, hopefully a new Outlander novel (Chrissie’s done waiting) more family travel, and a diary filled with what are sure to be some incredible weddings.  To our 2019 couples, thank you to you all, we look forward in anticipation to the working with you on one of the biggest days of your lives!

So here we go, a selection of some of our favourite images from the past year - our 2018 roundup!

So you want to see more?… Click here to find our ‘Best of 2017’ and ‘Best of 2016’

Matfen Hall - Emma and Richard

Married at Matfen Hall last summer, Emma and Richard went all out to wow their guests with spectacular visual effects.  Their elegant and minimalist day took on a different tone as we progressed into the evening.  A dance floor filled with dry ice created a dreamlike setting for their first dance as husband and wife, and a crowd-stopping firework display ended the day with a bang.  We were even treated to a red arrows fly past! 

Here's a few words from Emma...

How did you meet? How did he propose? What is your story?

'We met at work (Cooper BMW Durham). 'Richard took me back to our first holiday location in Gran Canaria and proposed on a boat in the middle of the sea before we went parasailing.'

What was the inspiration behind your wedding?

'The inspiration for our wedding was minimalistic accessories with a modern look. We wanted the wow factor so we booked dry ice for our first dance and fireworks to end the night.'

What was the most memorable or your favourite part of your wedding day? 

'I loved each and every bit of our wedding... I wish we could do it all again but if I had to pick my most memorable part that would have to be our first dance. Walking down that staircase with my husband onto a floor filled with dry ice! I will never forget that feeling and how happy I was at that moment in time with all of our family and friends around us.'

Why was photography important to you and why did you choose 2tone Photography? 

'We chose 2tone photography because we liked the idea of having 2 photographers on the morning of the wedding. It was very important for us to have photographs of both myself and my now husband on the morning of the wedding. When we met up with Nigel and Chrissie we instantly knew that they were the photographers for us. We felt so welcome and you could see the quality of their work how passionate and enthusiastic there job was to them! We absolutely love the photographs that you took of our day; the album and photo frames are spectacular!'

Do you have any advice for brides and grooms who are currently in the planning process? 

'Get a good wedding planning book and create a spreadsheet with amounts and dates things need to be paid. Just have fun! It might feel like there is loads to sort but try not to get stressed and enjoy every bit of it as your wedding date will come around so quick!'

Venue - Matfen Hall

Venue styling - The Finishing Touch Company

The wedding dress - YAP Bridal

The men's suits - Moss Bros

Wedding cake - The little elephant company

Flowers - The finishing touch company

Hair and Make up - Hair - Lisa Cameron Make Up - Gabby Walker

Entertainment - Luke Howell - magician

Fireworks - Spectrum - fireworks and dry ice

THE BEST OF 2017

Well, it’s that time of year again!  The time when we collate our work and choose our top picks from the past year.  We have shared some amazing moments with some amazing people, visited some incredible places and made so many new friends.  Simply all I can say is what an absolute pleasure it has been working with each and every one of our couples throughout the year.  It is the people that we meet that make our job so special.  Thank you to you all for inviting us to your wonderful weddings.  

We both need to also say a huge thank you to all of those who have already booked us for 2018, 2019 and 2020.  Exciting times ahead folks!

So we give you...2017!  A year filled with laughs and tears of joy, moments and memories, spectacular sunsets and most importantly - incredible people.  Cheers guys, and here's to an amazing 2018!  

The best of 2016

Well we've done it!  We have searched through every one of the 53 weddings that we attended last year to find our best images of 2016.  The images themselves, all 250 were chosen because they represent something meaningful and profound to us.  Each and every one speaks to us both in a personal way, they represent us, the way that we think and the way that we see the world.  The experience of collecting the images together and drawing upon our own memories of capturing each moment is clarifying and will help us move forward, to learn from our experiences and to develop and grow as photographers and creatives.

To our couples of 2016, it was a year of new friends and new opportunities.  We have met some inspiring people and been to some incredible places.  It was our extreme honour to photograph every one of the 53 weddings that we attended last year, each amazing and unique in every way.  Thank you to each and every one of you for inviting us to join you on your wedding days and for trusting us with your memories.

We hope that you enjoy the images as much as we enjoyed creating the collection.