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’

Wynyard Hall - Rachel and Kenny

As a recommended photographer, Wynyard Hall is a regular haunt of ours - but even after so many years, it still doesn't fail to wow us.  The stunning stately north east wedding venue stops you in your tracks from the moment that you arrive. The Regency architecture with it's towering pillars invite you into the enormous octagonal statue gallery.  A huge domed stained glass skylight and crystal chandelier above your head.  The feeling is something like walking into a palace.  Amongst its many other delights, Wynyard Hall also boasts the most stunningly beautiful private chapel, which last year, became the setting for Rachel and Kenny's wedding, and what a day it was!

In her own words, Rachel talks about their day.

THE PROPOSAL

'Kenny had travelled out to the United States where I had been working at the time. We had taken a short holiday on the Californian coast and one afternoon he had planned a trip to Newport Beach where we took a gondola ride around the canals to watch the sunset. I had absolutely no idea whatsoever that a proposal was coming my way!'

THE VENUE

'We were initially wowed by the statue gallery and it’s incredibly stunning stained-glass ceiling and imposing chandelier. As soon as we stepped in to the chapel, the deal was sealed: I couldn’t imagine being married anywhere else. The chapel is sensational in every sense of the word.'

'The wedding co-ordinator Ashleigh and master of ceremonies Ryan were there for us every single step of the way and on the day they were like my right-hand men (& woman)! There was no decision made alone and the help and guidance provided by the wedding team at Wynyard Hall was a godsend in areas where we felt we needed further advice.'

HER MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT

'I wish I could rewind back to that moment where the Wynyard Hall chapel doors swung open, I could hear Canon in D playing and saw my husband-to-be waiting at the altar. I’ve never seen or experienced such emotion from so many people in one moment in my life, and that is something I’ll forever cherish.'

THE PHOTOGRAPHERS

'We spent a lot of time browsing bridal magazines that were specifically focused on the North for initial inspiration, and used social media to find the photographer who we believed would suit the overall tone of our day.  We kept hoping that we would find a team that could work naturally around us and capture those beautiful shots without us even realising! We wanted the laughs, our smiles and even our tears. That’s when Nigel and Chrissie at 2Tone Photography came along…'

'Nigel and Chrissie are two of the nicest people we have ever met and so passionate about what they do. The whole experience felt incredibly personalised.'

'We received our beautiful wedding images when we were in the middle of the Eastern Cape on Safari in South Africa with the most hopeless Internet connection. We spent hours of our honeymoon “ooh’ing and aah’ing” with laughter, tears and the biggest grins on our faces reliving the day over again.'

THE DETAILS

'We envisaged a classic elegance at Wynyard Hall, combining ivory and sage green. We had enormous vases of fresh Roses on each table that filled the room with the most beautiful scent, and a carried a gorgeous bouquet of ivory Roses.'

THE DRESS

'I fell in love with a half satin, half lace Allure Bridals gown that I found at First Glance Bridal in Sunderland.  The long train fluted out and accentuated my waist allowing me to feel demure, elegant and beautiful at the same time. I could never imagine getting married wearing anything else.'

THE SPECIAL TOUCHES

'I created and designed all of the stationery that we used on our wedding day with the help of my Dad. We spent hours together fussing over fonts, alignment and paper choices, eventually seeking help from the team at Prontoprint who ordered paper samples and printed our designs. The hard part was when we got to work tying over 200 ribbons and bows!

We had a range of spirits as favours – as you can never go wrong with a good old G&T – but tied a personalised tag for each guest around the bottle neck advising its exact use depending on the recipient: a truth serum, courage builder, love potion, or of course, the pain killer!'

RACHEL AND KENNY'S BEAUTIFUL CELEBRATION WAS FEATURED IN ISSUE 08 OF UNVEILED.

The Suppliers

The Venue - Wynyard Hall

The dress - Allure Bridals at First Glance Bridal

Hair - Show Off Salon

Make up - Katie Robson Make Up

The suits - Baker's Tailoring

The bridesmaids - Dessy

The flowers - Ashbrooke Florists

The cake - Joanne's Cake Creations

The cheese wedding cake - Blacks Corner

The band - The Andy Usher Trio

The photobooth - Party Pics

The Videographers - One digital Image

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!  

Jesmond Dene House - Ashleigh and Neal

It was the perfect winters day for Ashleigh and Neal's wedding at Jesmond Dene House in December.  Crisp and cold with a light dusting of frost, and that oh so gorgeous low winter sun.  Ashleigh's Pronovias wedding gown and lace cape were a sensation, she looked every bit the perfect bride.

The venue fully decorated for christmas looked fantastic alongside Ashleigh and Neal's own decorations.  Fairy lights were strung up across the hall and within the trees in the grounds, willow entwined with even more fairy lights lead the way for the bride down the aisle, and for an added bit of festive cheer, Ashleigh's dad even made sure that there was snow!

Congratulations to the both of you, it was an honour to be a small part of your special day.

Suppliers:

Dress by Pronovias, Flowers by Floral Quarter, Magician - Paul Lytton, Electric Violin - Lauren Charlotte, Evening music by Bay6  

Helena and Gareth - Wynyard Hall

Helena and Gareth's beautiful wedding took place at Wynyard Hall in the Tees Valley the day before new years eve.  Helena chose pretty pastel shades and delicate florals to contrast with the deep navy blue gowns that her bridesmaids wore.  The overall look was stylish and classic, perfect for their elegant venue.

They were married in the Brooks chapel within the grounds of the Wynyard Hall estate itself, heading over to the statue gallery for their drinks reception, the ballroom for their wedding breakfast and then finally into the large light filled conservatory for their evening party.

Here are a few of our favourites from their day...

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.