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.