Lovely to get this in our inbox this morning. Thanks to all the fantastic couples who voted for us and shared their experiences, so appreciated! David and Joanna xx
It was great to receive this ‘thank you’ card through the post from Yui and Mark today. These guys were married at Hanbury Manor earlier in the year, and they also nominated us for The Wedding Industry Awards. It’s the first competition we have ever really entered, so fingers crossed and thank you to you two for putting us forward.
Here’s a link to their wedding day in April: Hanbury Manor Wedding Photographers
And their Google Review of us: Another Big Day Weddings 5 star review for David and Joanna, thank you!!!
Here’s what these guys had to say:
“Dear David and Joanna,
We Hope this finds you well! It’s hard to believe that six months have passed since our wedding at Hanbury Manor, and this card is long overdue! The past months have been busy, but we have had time to reflect on our wedding and truly appreciate just how beautiful everything was! Big Day Weddings really made a difference to our day…both of you are brilliant at what you do and you managed to capture the occasion beautifully from the “record” shots down to the details, the candid shots, groups, guests, US, and everything in between! You handled our guests so well and your people skills were out of this world! Thanks again for a fantastic job done and for being part of our day! You have our highest recommendation!!
Mark and Yui Redford”
We knew from day one that Kristine and Oliver’s wedding day would be fabulous from beginning to end. Why? Because they are Norwegian, and Norwegian people know how to enjoy themselves big time!
Actually in repeated survey’s of the happiest nationalities in the world, Norway is always close to the top. First hand, we understand why.
Truth be told though these guys were open minded to trying different things photography wise, and they also had plenty of their own ideas too.
Naturally we are going to document the day with quality reportage, but we relish to the chance to “make” photos as well as “take” photos. That’s a little bit simplistic to say “take” photos because there is so much to consider: light, angle, technical settings, emotion, action etc but we hope you get the essence of what we mean.
Ha ha, you are probably just looking at the pictures and not reading this, and who could blame you!
This was a day of many locations and it started in the morning at the London Courthouse Hotel. This place is a brilliant conversion of Old Street Magistrates Court and police station. Both K and O stayed here separately the night before, so morning time we were able to juggle between the two.
I loved photographing the boys on some of the original police cells they have retained in the bar area, including Ronnie Krays where he has held for “demanding money with menace.”
Oliver used to a professional footballer, so it was fitting that we ran into West Ham’s coaching staff and current manager Manuel Pellegrini on the main staircase. I swear every time they lose he gains another wrinkle…
Next if was time to take a cab ride to our wedding ceremony venue the lovely Stoke Newington Town Hall. I particularly enjoyed this ride, not just chit chatting with the boys but boring everyone by pointing out where we used to live in Islington and my first studio business on Essex Road.
Anyway, what a great wedding ceremony venue at Stoke Newington Town Hall. One of the groomsman performed mid way through a live rendition of Elvis Presley’s iconic song ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love.’ Always loved this song, and I actually had to fight back the tears myself. As your one of the photographers at a wedding it’s never a great idea to cry into your viewfinder as it makes everything blurry afterwards!
After confetti throwing round the front of the town hall we went for a wander with the newly weds around Clissold Park. Boy oh boy I remember pushing our kids prams around there a few times!
Now I’m not being stereotypical when I say that Norwegian people enjoy a drink, and why not? That meant before everyone got on to a specially commissioned London Routemaster bus we had an hour or so’s pit stop at the Irish pub across the road from the ceremony venue.
All refreshed, the bus toured around central London just in time for the heavens to open and it torrentially rained for a while. It didn’t last long though, and later I (David) left the bus near St Pauls Cathedral and took a walk with the couple to shoot some portraits around there and the Southbank.
Thanks to Uber we got back in time for the wedding reception at Tanner Warehouse in Bermondsey, or to be more precise 50 Bermondsey Street. This is a great wedding venue with fantastic staff. I love the fact that it started life as a chocolate factory too, as my first ever job was working in a handmade chocolate shop and then as a student I did part-time shifts making Rolo’s at Rowntrees chocolate factory. Mmmmm…..
At Tanner Warehouse its was food, drinks, socialising and of course partying. We enjoyed the speeches, even the ones we didn’t understand in Norwegian. After cake cutting and first dance our talented groomsman from the Stoke Newington Town Hall ceremony took to the microphone and guitar again to get the wedding party boogeying.
We thank Kristine and Oliver for their open mindedness with their wedding photography and their fantastic hospitality to us as well.
I’ve looked online at Bergen in Norway where they live and I’ve put it on my bucket list to visit soon. Kristine and Oliver, you have been warned…
By David Green.
We have just received another wonderful 5 star review on Google from Mark and Yui. These guys were married at the fabulous Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire and it was a day that will live long in the memory. Thank you so much, it’s really appreciated.
Here’s the actual text:
“Big Day Weddings was hands down one of the best choices we made when it came to suppliers for our wedding. We’d done a lot of research and searched high and low – both online and offline – for photographers whose work we liked and that we knew we would feel comfortable working with. It was quite by accident that we discovered David and Joanna, and oh boy did they fit the bill! We actually came across them via a highly complimentary online review from a couple whose wedding they’d shot, and who had also used the videographers that we ended up using. We decided to contact Big Day Weddings as we thought it would be a nice idea to have a team of photographers and videographers who’d worked together before. They’d also gotten great feedback from previous clients, their prices were reasonable and they offered a range of affordable packages that fit what we were looking for. Our decision was cemented the moment we got on the phone and spoke to David. He’s genuinely friendly and approachable and put us at ease immediately. He listened to our preferences, offered suggestions, and, as the big day approached, was happy to run through the programme to make sure everything would go smoothly. On our wedding day, both David and Joanna were absolutely wonderful, dealing with our guests, the venue staff, bridal party nerves, and everything in between, like complete pros. As for the wedding photos, they turned out BRILLIANTLY, and turnaround time was pretty quick. We were so impressed with the many beautiful images of us, our families, the guests, the venue, and all the key moments. In addition, David and Joanna had managed to capture many other little things that made up the day such as decor features, wedding memorabilia, and other details that so many people miss. As photographers, they are are highly skilled, talented, and experienced, but what sets them apart has to be their personalities and people skills….they are so amiable, funny, and fantastic to work with! Nervous in front of the camera, or not sure what to do? Have a difficult guest or two who hates having their picture taken? Then you NEED someone like David to shoot your wedding! He really knows what to say and do at the right moment, and how to bring out the best in people so that you will get the best shots possible. The shots they captured will serve as wonderful reminders of one of the best days of our lives. Big Day Weddings is the BEST: David and Joanna are absolute gems….a fab team, and truly one of a kind. Really chuffed to have worked with them….they have our highest recommendation!”
Check out Yui and Mark’s wedding here: Hanbury Manor Wedding Photographers
And their engagement shoot on London’s Southbank here: London Engagement shoot at Southbank and Tower Bridge…again
By David Green
We don’t usually enter competitions and never really have. It’s not arrogance, it’s just not been a priority as we are so busy shooting and editing images, and that takes most of our available time. Though we realise it’s pretty good publicity when you win though!
However when the call came from Your Perfect Wedding Photographer for emotional wedding moments for their photo competition entries we thought why not?
Here’s our winner. It’s a single tear rolling down groom Christopher’s cheek as he senses his bride Veronika has started her walk down the aisle with her father. A lovely moment from this London wedding day.
Our other entry was a moment from a civil ceremony at Islington Town Hall in the intimate Mayor’s Parlour where both bride and groom were overcome with emotion and both reached for the hankies at the same time!
By David Green