I thought i was having a trip to America !!!!

The email came through that, as i read, made my heart skip a beat! It was from a lady in America, Fargo , North Dakota to be exact!! Michelle was looking for a wedding photographer. She had seen my website and loved my work. My heart was getting faster as i read on. Then i realized that i wasn't to be having a trip to the USA, but Michelle was coming over to the UK to marry her Fiance :-)
I wasn't upset as this was going to be a first for me. A bride coming all the way from America, to marry the love of her life, in a little village church, near to where i live.
Fargo, North Dakota is where the great TV series was filmed.

I read the whole email and was already looking forward to the possibility that I would be chosen to capture the day. After a few emails, Michelle and her partner had decided that they did indeed want me to capture their wedding for them !! Yippeeeee :-)

I made arrangements to meet up with the groom. It would have been fab to have been able to meet with Michelle, but my budget wouldn't allow me to pop over to see her for a pre wedding consultation, lol.
Between the three of us, using email and Michelle and Iby using skype, we worked out what was to be happening on the day.

The big day arrived and Michelle and her family had brought the most amazing sunshine with them!! The day was a scorcher. Not a cloud in the sky and roasting hot. Not the best weather for me as i prefer the colder weather myself. Mainly due to having to carry a huge bag of kit around to make sure i have all i need to capture the day.
The Groom and his best man were nice and early. The other guests started to arrive in their summer outfits. Lovely summer dresse for the ladies and most of the gents had their designer shades on.
Once i had got the images of the groom and his best man. He was ushered into the church as Michelle was due to arrive any time soon.
Michelle had decided that she wanted a British icon as a car for her arrival! A proper Taxi cab :-)
The Taxi arrived, with Michelle and her sister (bridesmaid) taking a ride in the back.

Once inside, the service started and the vicar was saying that this was a first for the church. Having a bride come from America to marry in this parish. He had also been using modern technology and had been on Skype with Michelle to work out all the finer details. The whole service was fantastic and went without a hitch.

Michelle had arrived a week or so early before the wedding, to sort out last minute things and , we had met up to look at locations for taking bride and groom images. Iby, the groom had lived most of his life in Simpson Village, Milton Keynes. He had many, many fond memories of playing in the local fields and parks as a child. These parks etc were to play a big part in the bride and groom photos. I was really looking forward to doing this. It was just the three of us, plus the Taxi driver, who didn't appear in the photos, but was key to moving the newlyweds to the various locations we were to use.

After the service, we spent some time making use of the wonderful church grounds, for all the group shots. Then headed off, with me following the Taxi.
First stop was to the local pub! Not for a few swift pints, but to take some shots at the rear of the pub, which backed onto the Grand Union Canal. Somewhere i often walk myself.
From there we headed to the local parkland, where Iby had spent his youth, enjoying the open fields.
We spent around an hour capturing some lovely portraits of the newly weds. We even had a small group of Cattle heading our way!! I wouldn't say i was worried. Just made sure i  kept my eye on where the Cattle were heading. Being fairly local myself and often walking my two dogs in similar parkland. I was aware that the Parks Trust only put Cattle in their parks that were very docile. Well, that's what I had read on several signs on gateways to their parks :-) We even made use of having the cattle in the background in some of the images.

From the park lands, it was then onto the reception. Which was being held at a venue I have had the pleasure of photographing at many times. It was The Holiday Inn East, just outside Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes.
We captured some great images using the Taxi as prop. Then the couple let some White Doves fly loose. This was a first for me at a wedding. I was able to capture some great images as the Doves flew off, back to their base.

It was then onto the wedding breakfast. Where i captured a few more photos of the newlyweds, as they settled down with their guests, to enjoy the rest of their day.

All in all, a truly wonderful day, full of love and joy.
The lovely couple had a week away in Paris for their honeymoon. Then it was back to America. So i had to pull my finger out to ensure the all the images were edited and ready for the trip back home.

I'm now waiting for that call to ask me to come over and do some newborn Baby photography, when Michelle & Iby start their family ;-) Well, a photographer can only dream, I suppose.

So, now that I have had a bride from many thousands of miles away from the UK, i need to set a challenge to photograph a wedding in a foreign country or have a bride travel from somewhere like Australia !!

Below are a few images from the day. Hope you enjoy them. Please leave a comment if you enjoyed this blog.

Regards, Mark

 Groom checking timings.

 Bride and Bridesmaid, inside the Taxi.

 You must have a selfie at a wedding nowadays.

 Casual image of the newlyweds.

 This is next to The Grand Union Canal.

 The docile Cattle, in background !

 Lovely Bride portrait. Below, the London style Taxi.