I first met Rochelle and Chris after they'd found my details on the Wedding Industry Awards website. They were keen on having amazing wedding photography (obviously), but also wanted a photographer that they felt comfortable with and who would be polite and considerate with their guests. I'd always considered these attributes a minimum requirement for any hired professional and we got on well from the start. Before the wedding and in the course of meeting them to discuss the day, I also found out that Chris was a keen photographer himself, so had an added appreciation of photography.
This was my first time being a Alexander House Hotel Wedding Photographer, & I was very impressed with the venue. I love the mix of old buildings with the beautiful new accommodation block that has been added more recently. There are stunning gardens and beautiful fields overlooking valleys of wonderful Sussex countryside. Plus, an outside area for the ceremony for when the weather is on your side.
For Rochelle and Chris', their whole wedding took place at Alexander Hotel. Rochelle got ready there in the morning, they had their ceremony there, and celebrated there afterwards. For anyone currently planning their wedding, I highly recommend this approach. By having everything at one place, it helps the day go slower, gives you more time for everything, and cuts out any stress of dealing with cars & traffic.
Bridal Preparation took place in a beautifully decorated room that was separated into 3 main areas (a living room, bedroom, and bathroom). All 3 offered interesting aspects for photography during the bridal preparation stage and I took full advantage.
With everything happening in one place, it also meant that I could easily pop downstairs for some portraits of Chris (the groom), and his son (the best man), and then return to the bridal preparation room for more photos.
I was impressed with the styling at Alexander House. Rochelle told me beforehand that some of the guests hadn't approved of the modern interior styling but I loved it. I love contrast in all walks of life, and the mix of old heritage architecture with modern interior design was a stunning mix. It also lent towards some of my favourite bridal portraits I've taken - the mix of Rochelle's style and the contemporary wallpaper of the living room was perfect.
My style of wedding photography is a mix of documentary cover with sections of portraiture. I like to cover as much of what happens naturally as possible, but I also like to create stunning portraits using the best locations, best lighting, and helping people pose in ways that look romantic, relaxed, and natural. I also like to create kick ass dramatic portraits that are anything but natural. For wedding photographers at Alexander House Hotel, there is a great mix of locations around the grounds for creating a range of portraits of the bride and groom. I'm constantly amazed and thankful for the beautiful countryside and venues we have in the South East of England. I love photographing destination weddings, but I also feel we have it pretty damn good right here.
It was great fun being a part of Rochelle and Chris' wedding and I'm really looking forward to designing their wedding album for them. I think I'll always remember the speech and props used by Rochelle's maid of honour, and loved photographing every part of their wonderful wedding for them.
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