Uncategorized Archives - pinkphotographics.co.uk

Treehouse Wedding in Alnwick

by wpx_ | Jun 4, 2025 | Uncategorized

Yes, you read that right an actual real life Treehouse!

When chatting to Grace at a local wedding fayre, I knew I needed to be part of their wedding as soon as she said “we’ve booked Alnwick Tree House and we’re having a twilight ceremony outside.”

Arriving in Alnwick on the Wednesday evening felt like a real treat. I had a cute little Airbnb. The weather was fab and I was full of excitement of viewing the Tree House and seeing Grace and Calum.

The Day before the wedding

The next morning I had a little wander around checking out potential photo spots before meeting everyone for a quick run through. My little Photographers heart was full as soon as I arrived at The Treehouse. It was like something straight out of a Fairy tale.

That evening knowing I had a lie in due to the wedding being late in the day, I enjoyed a leisurely meal at The Dirty Bottles. Followed by a walk to check out where the sun was due to set ready for couples photos after the ceremony.

Morning Prep

Groom prep was calm and quiet with only a few people about. Suits were hanging up ready, and things were very organised. A few of the groomsmen had already been out for an explore around the area trying to burn off the pre-wedding jitters.

In great contrast, Bridal prep was wonderfully noisy with lots of excited chatter. Grace was sat calmly having her hair done while her gorgeous bride tribe popped in and out of the many rooms in the guest house.

The Bridesmaids had seen a few TikTok’s they wanted to create. This took much longer than any of them anticipated and gave me endless joy watching them rehearse.

In usual wedding day fashion, the day flew by and it was soon time for Grace to get into her dress. Now, we all know my love for oversized bows and Grace’s Vera Wang wedding gown did not disappoint! Yes I did squeal when I saw it.

The Wedding

To be honest, the wedding from start to finish was uh-may-zing!

The venue was stunning. The guests were dressed for the occasion (including the wedding VIP Maverick) and Grace and Calum were elegance personified. Their ceremony had the just right amount of nerves, smiles, tears and filled with so much love.

After the I do’s we moved onto a few groups shots and said bye to Mav. We then went over to the gardens where we had the whole place to ourselves, to do portraits in front of the fountains and beautiful gardens.

This was not only a perfect photo location, but it gave the newlyweds time alone together. Grace and Calum were able to spend a few minutes away from their guests to take in everything from the day so far.

The wedding continued with canapes and signature cocktails in the Potting Shed, followed by speeches and a delicious Wedding breakfast.

As the ceremony was at 5pm in the Autumn, we were short on daylight. Being a Photographer who mainly uses natural light, I used this opportunity to get creative. I used ambient light from the Treehouse, play about with fairy lights as well as direct and bounce flash.

The whole day had a magical romantic vibe. It felt like an elopement wedding, like we’d travelled to somewhere really special.

Dream Team

Photography – Pink Photographics

Bride prep – Greycroft Croft Place, Alnwick
Groom prep – Bottles Lodge Alnwick
Wedding venue – The Treehouse, Alnwick
DJ – Marvellous – Disco DJ
Photobooth – Crazy Pix
Arch – Made Simply Perfect
Hair and MUA The Big event hair
Cake – DT treaties

Destination weddings

by wpx_ | Apr 11, 2025 | Uncategorized

What to consider when getting married abroad

The first thought people have when destination weddings are mentioned is that the cost will be far more than a wedding here in the UK. This is not necessarily the case.

The average cost of a UK wedding in 2025 was around £20,822 (bridebook) whereas on average a wedding abroad is around £8.5k! (perfectweddingsabroad). Obviously, it all depends on which country you choose but wowsers what a difference!

2 Bridesmaids are hanging up the Brides dress on the balcony in the hotel In Zante

Destination wedding bridal prep. The bride is doing a bridesmaids makeup while the other bridesmaids are steaming dresses in the background

Different countries have different venue options so why not make the most of this and go for an all-inclusive hotel that specialises in onsite beach weddings where everything is all in one place. Or book a local traditional restaurant/ winery/ bar/ castle/ village/ cliff top hideaway where you can enjoy the food, views, service and hospitality of the local area of the place you’ve fallen in love with.

Blue skies and white building, 3 Greek men are playing musical instruments

Bride and groom stood together getting married in Santorini. The sky is very blue and the sea is behind them

Can destination weddings be Eco-friendly?

If you’re worried about the carbon footprint of your travels, there are simple ways to help offset your print. By combining your wedding and honeymoon into one location, means you’re only travelling/flying once – the same as you would if you’re honeymooning abroad and having a UK wedding. Most airlines are in the process of being carbon neutral if they’re not already. Only take abroad the items that you need to. Using local businesses and products is a great way to include the local economy. This means you can have something different and connected to the country you’re getting married in. Buying from sites such as https://www.vinted.co.uk/ and reusing items you already own will also keep costs down.

It is worth mentioning that there are still a few countries where a wedding won’t be a legally binding one. Always check the legal requirements for your chosen country and what paperwork etc that needs to be done. When this is the case, why not make the most of the situation and have 2 weddings?! Many couples opt to have their legal wedding at home with those family members/guests that can’t travel abroad – UK wedding VIPs baby! – then fly out for wedding number 2.

Bride having her make up done in her villa in Zante

Groom pinning button hole onto his sons shirt with guests getting ready in the background in their Zante Villa

But my destination wedding package comes with a Photographer..

When talking to couples about destination weddings, I often get told “Oh my wedding package includes a Photographer”. I totally get it. This can be a cost saver, and an easy way of ticking off another thing on your list. But make sure you check what’s actually included – often it’s only the ceremony/ short coverage. Find out if you get to meet/ choose the photographer before the day. What style of editing do they have? Do they speak the same language as you? What happens if you don’t “click” with the provided Photographer? Take a look at my blog on choosing your Wedding Photographer to give you a bit more information http://www.pinkphotographics.co.uk/choosing-your-wedding-photographer

Keep in mind just because a couple of hours photo coverage is available to you as part of your venues package, you don’t have to have it. Why not see if they can switch the supplied Photographer for something else?

Alternative looking Bride and Groom stood next to each other, holding hands looking into the camera stood on the balcony in their Lanzarote villa

Bride and groom walking side by side along the road in Lanzarote . The groom has a bright floral lapel on his white suit and there is bright pink bougainvillea on the volcanic stone wall behind

Taking a Photographer (me! https://pinkphotographics.co.uk/about/) with you definitely has its pros. You know who will be your Photographer on the day. You know you love their style and have a great relationship with them. Your chosen Photographer can be contacted easily before and after the wedding. Also, if you’re having a UK wedding or party you can ask them to Photograph that too. That way your photos will be consistent and will look fab as a whole gallery. Plus, just think of that lovely happy feeling you will get when you see the joy a destination wedding gives your Photographer!

What to look for when choosing your Wedding Photographer

by wpx_ | Apr 10, 2025 | Uncategorized

Wedding Photography is a very personal and subjective choice. So, when choosing your wedding Photographer it’s definitely worth doing some research.

Social media https://www.instagram.com/pinkphotographics, wedding fayres and asking for recommendations are all a great way to start. Look at websites www.pinkphotographics.co.uk and portfolios and ask to see more examples if needed.

It will probably feel like you’ve looked through a million photos and at times like a different language is being used. We as Photographers also struggle to find which styles/genres best describe our work too!

Hopefully I can help you work out what we’re all talking about!

What styles are there?

Consider which wedding photography style most appeals to you. It’s perfectly fine liking more than one!

Traditional or classic – Formal group shots, posed photos.

Documentary/ Reportage – Natural, candid moments, non-posed.

Creative and Fun – Filters, movement, unconventional group shots.

Fine Art – Elegant and posed couples portraits, creating pieces of “art”.

Look at your favourite images, what editing style do they have?

Dark and moody – rich, warm, deep colours and shadows.

Light and airy – soft pastel tones, low contrast, cooler colours.

Authentic – true to life colours, natural tones.

Colourful and saturated – Bright and intense colours, high contrast.

Keep in mind when looking at websites/portfolios the actual wedding styling and colour scheme isn’t down to the Photographer. We are there to shoot what is on the day. So don’t let photos of bright colours and busy days put you off if you are going for a smaller, quieter neutral toned day.

One important thing to look out for is if the photos on a website are consistent in shooting/editing style.

By this I don’t mean are they all similar in style of wedding, but do the photos look like they are taken by the same person? If the feel and look of the photos vary greatly, it may be that the Photographer has changed style or that the photos are not their own!

In this situtation I would ask the Photographer for clarification on which style is current. If it’s the one you like, ask if they can send you a full gallery. If you’re still unsure, a cheeky Google image search will let you know if the photos being used are stock wedding photos or not.

Bride and Groom kissing in a tunnel of foliage.
The brides big bouquet hangs by her side

Two brides with their faces close to each other. Tightly cropped photo of their faces. Blonde Bride looks at the camera, while the dark haired bride rests her forehead on her wifes cheek and closes her eyes.
Both have brightly coloured flowers as a necklace and hair piece.

What next?

Once you’ve worked out what you do/don’t like, contact a few Photographers that match that style. If you’re still unsure, ask Photographers to describe their work. We all work hard to create our own editing style that we feel represents us, so we don’t mind couples making sure we are right for them.

I would describe my approach to photography as relaxed, informal documentary with candid, editorial and creative moments. I’m authentic with my editing style keeping your day true to how it was, so that means no heavy colour casts or filters. It’s your wedding, I want my photos to reflect that.

Once you have a short list of Photographers, find out what’s included in their packages. Please don’t assume albums, prints, printing rights etc are included. Some Photographers are very clever (read as sneaky!) with wording so their deals sound too good to miss out on, and what you think you’ve booked isn’t what you end up with. This is why I’m very clear with my packages! https://pinkphotographics.co.uk/prices/

Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

By this I mean genuine questions. Not a copied and pasted list of “100 must ask questions for your Photographer” you’ve found on a wedding website. These lists are not helpful to anyone!

Before booking, talk to your Photographer. I would say to always have a meeting of some description (in person, via a phone call or video chat) before you commit to booking if you can. You need to “click” with each other as you will spend more time together than anyone else on your day.

Please don’t book a Photographer just because they’re the first one you’ve found/ they have a special offer on/ you’re in a rush to book. It’s not only the end product that needs to be considered, but the whole process from initial enquiry right up to receiving your finished gallery.

I’m a big believer in attracting your tribe. Find someone who understands you, you like their style of work and like them as a person. It will show in the photos if you’ve not made the right decision. Trust me, none of us want to look at photos and see anything but joy and the real emotions of the day.

Bride and groom stood facing each other outside a church, covered in a snowstorm of confetti

Bride and groom cuddled up looking into each others eyes. She is wearing a colourful feather headdress. In the background there are festoon lights and tipis

Wollaton Hall Wedding

by wpx_ | May 16, 2022 | Uncategorized

3 wedding dates, Batman, Dinosaurs, Vikings and a Princess.

I met Kerry and Callum at a wedding fayre back in 2018. They planned their wedding for November 2020 at the home of Batman, Wollaton Hall in Nottingham.

But thanks to Covid, along with the rest of the world, things got postponed a couple of times. However, 3^rd date lucky and everything went ahead as planned.

Kerrys Bridal prep started off round the corner from the venue in a purple palace. I was pleasantly surprised with the BEST walk-in dressing area with fab lighting!

Sharon from Blush Moments and Natalie Flewitt MUA worked their magic on the girls, and as a result, a soft Princess Bridal look was created which fits perfectly with a wedding at Wollaton Hall.

Irregular choice shoes hanging on a rail on the wall. Close up shot of the peep toe design and colourful pattern

Close up of the bride having her makeup done. she has her eyes closed while the mua is doing her eye make up

After the usual morning prep chaos, the Bridal party arrived at Wollaton in style. A green VW camper matched the colour scheme perfectly.

The wedding day was running to plan (well as much as they do!) until a sat nav and the joyful Nottingham one way system had an argument, meaning the loss of a VIP guests and a delay to the ceremony!

Close up of Grooms button hole. It consists of pastel coloured dried flowers.

Close up on Grooms sparkly pink cufflinks

Thankfully Kerry and Callum had chosen to have a Celebrant led ceremony, which was conducted by a family member. https://www.thecelebrantdirectory.com/find-a-celebrant/weddings/show/graham-ellis/ This meant timings weren’t too crucial, and the day was made that bit more personal. It was a lovely touch including their 2 boys in the tying of ribbons.

Groom is stood close to the camera at the front of the aisle and bridesmaids are walking towards him at Wollaton Hall

Groom is stood close to the camera at the front of the aisle laughing nervously. The bride are her dad are walking towards him at Wollaton Hall

Photo opportunities at Wollaton hall

After the ceremony everyone braved the cold outside for confetti and group shots. From there we then headed up the small spiral staircase to the rooftop for a couples shoot, with the views of the deer park below us.

The Prospect room, often used for wedding ceremonies was the perfect place for a bit of dress swooshing and practice for their first dance. Not only did we get some beautiful photos, but more importantly, it provided the newlyweds 5 minutes to themselves, before joining the rest of the guests for the meal and emotional speeches.

Wedding guests are stood on the balcony of Wollaton hall cheering

Close up of Bride and groom with their son, guests are throwing confetti over them outside Wollaton Hall

Wollaton Halls Camelia House

One of my favourite parts of Wollaton (apart from the roof top) is the Camelia House. The natural lighting in there is uh-may-zing whatever the weather. When the flowers are in bloom, the colours just pop, so it was definitely worth walking down there to get a few more natural photos of the 2 of them cuddling up and enjoying a well-deserved glass of fizz.

Bride and Groom stood in front of Wollaton Hall where Batman was filmed. They are stood in front of a mint green camper van which is positioned in from of Wollaton hall itself. The newlyweds are kissing

A Dark Knight Rises

A few weeks prior to the wedding, Callum’s mum rang me to let me know that she had booked a surprise for during the meal. Giving your suppliers a heads up on things like this is certainly muchos appreciated btw!

As Callum is a big Batman fan, and The Dark Knight Rises was filmed at Wollaton, she booked singing waiters with one to be wearing a batman suit! No-one else knew about this, not even the bridesmaids or best man.

Throughout the day I just kept thinking “act natural Rodney, act natural”. I was so worried I’d look guilty keeping the secret in.

This was especially hard when Kerry was having her make up done in the morning. She said was half expecting Callum to have something Batman related planned to surprise everyone. My GCSE drama and A Level Theatre Studies obvs paid off and the secret was kept until Batman burst through the curtains microphone in hand!

Close up of a wedding cake. It is a rustic wooden log design with K+C initials carved inside a heart

A guest is holding her mobile phone and filming the speeches. Close up of her hand and phone

Kerry and Callum’s Dream Team

Venue: Wollaton Hall https://wollatonhall.org.uk/

Hair and Make up: Blush Moments and Natalie Flewitt MUA http://www.blush-moments.co.uk/

Singing Waiters: Amazing Live www.amazinglive.co.uk

For more Wedding inspiration and photos have a look through my portfolio https://pinkphotographics.co.uk/portfolio/

Petwood Hotel, Woodhall Spa Wedding

by wpx_ | Apr 22, 2022 | Uncategorized

This winter wedding took place at The Petwood Hotel, Woodhall Spa

Christine and Martin’s love story started at the most glamorous of locations – the local Co-op!

The two of them told me that they felt an immediate mutual connection. They knew they were meant for each other just after that first conversation. As you can imagine my inner Disney Princess started to swoon and I was already excited to hear more.

Martin, the eternal mischief maker, ditched his idea of proposing over dinner at a fancy restaurant. While Christine was on a video call with her work friends, he decided that was the moment to pop the question!

Christine obviously said yes, much to the delight and amusement of all her friends sat there watching through their screens. I would love to have seen their faces!

The Woodhall Spa wedding

The wedding took place at The Petwood Hotel, Woodhall Spa in December. Even though it was a winter wedding, they steered clear of the obvious Christmas colours and décor and opted for a beautiful pastel winter floral theme.

They used soft pinks, ivories and light purples accented by eucalyptus to give a winter-frosted appearance to the bouquets and table centrepieces. The theme was continued across to the three-tier wedding cake which was decorated with matching fresh flowers. The combined smell of cake, eucalyptus and flowers was uh-may-zing!

Christine opted not to have morning prep photos.But I arrived a little earlier than planned and was able to capture the last few finishing touches. She looked simply stunning in her elegant, fitted lace dress, and the Bridesmaids looked glamorous in their pale pink dresses. (Well, until the 5^th round of shots later that afternoon!)

Grooms white/ivory rose button hole is laid on a table.

Wedding day set up at The Petwood Hotel. Close up of lace chair sashes ties in a big bow

As Christine was very organised – andhad pretty much everything ticked off her lists –Martin was simply given 1 job to do.Make sure Christine’s three sons were “suited & booted” on time. Luckily Martin’s Best man/wing man was on hand to supervise. (while wandering around the house, providing some background music playing the guitar). So everything went to plan, and they all looked fab.

The whole day was friendly and relaxed and had one clear message – the importance of their friends and family.

wedding guests arriving in the ceremony room at The Petwood Hotel.

A close up of a grooms ivory rose button hole.

The couples priority for their Petwood Hotel wedding

Having their parents at their wedding was a priority forthem both. Christine was desperate for her dad to give her away, and exactly a year to the day after being discharged from hospital he walked her down the aisle. Not only had he undergone a quadruple heart bypass but he contracted Covid whilst in hospital recovering! His nervousness at potentially getting things wrong when he gave her away was the sweetest.

Martin’s dad – what a character! I especiially enjoyed listening to the stories of how he and his friends used to go skating on the lake in the winter and what it used to be like when he was a boy. He undeniably had all the venue staff wrapped around his finger, even when he was giving them instructions on how to put together the dancefloor. My favourite part was the himpointing his walking stick as a way of directing what they should do next.

Unfortunately, a key guest couldn’t make the wedding due to Covid. But the Best Man solved the problem of him not being in any photos on the day – a life-sized photo of the missing guest’s face on a stick! He became the ultimate photo bomber and looked like he had a quality night!