The Ravenswood County Manor Wedding | Sarah & Matt
"Jenny was so personable, she put us both at ease from the moment that we met her at a wedding fair. Her photos are beautiful and the amount of time that she allocated to us for meetings, engagement shoot and on the day was really appreciated – nothing was too much trouble.
Jenny really took the time to get to know us, our likes and dislikes to ensure that she got photos which we would love and that we were comfortable having taken. We have had no end of compliments on the beautiful photos, how comfortable our guests felt and how unobtrusive Jenny was. For us, photography was our most important decision as it is the way that you relive your wedding and we truly couldn’t be more thrilled with our photos!
Thank you so much!"
Sarah and Matt
I thought I'd begin this blog unashamedly with Sarah & Matt's thoughtful testimonial of me. I'm a wedding photographer, not a marketing wiz. Yet as well as being a wedding photographer, I'm also a business owner. I can't indulge my passion for capturing my clients' special day, if I don't have clients! So being a marketing wiz is a bit of a necessity in the digital age, yet myself, and most other good photographers I know and respect, are notoriously bad at blowing our own trumpets. So thank you to Sarah and Matt for doing it for me. And to all my other lovely clients who have done the same. You know who you are, and just how much I appreciate it (and if you haven't quite got round to it, I do understand - it's never too late, I promise!)
So back to Sarah and Matt. I first met this absolutely lovely couple at a wedding fair in Burgess Hill, almost two years before their big day. Sarah told me the story of how Matt proposed on a picnic rug on the beach while eating fish and chips. How romantic is that?! Well, I certainly remembered their story, so was extra happy when the couple asked me to be their wedding photographer several weeks' later. I was also happy that their wedding venue was to be The Ravenswood in Sharpthorne, West Sussex. Why? Because I love photographing at venues new to me and when the three of us met up there for a site visit, I was blown away by the incredible scenery The Ravenswood offers. Not many venues boast a lake, boathouse, 'birdcage', and an oversized garden chair - like something out of Alice in Wonderland!
On the day itself, an unsettled weather forecast put paid to Sarah and Matt's plans to tie the knot outdoors. But inside The Ravenswood was lovely too, with plenty of natural window light on the couple, and atmospheric lighting to the rear of the ceremony room. And the drizzle quickly gave way to soft warm light, with a mix of sunshine and cloud which lasted throughout the afternoon and evening, ensuring we got all the photos we'd planned together. The children were kept entertained by hula hoops and an awesome giant bubble machine (you absolutely MUST get one of these for your outdoor wedding - check out the awesome photos of the page boys catching bubbles, mouths open!) Oh, and there was ice cream! I've never seen kids have so much fun at a wedding!
The photography was one of the most important parts of the day for Sarah, and she was certainly up for my suggestion of donning the wellie boots and heading around the grounds, including the muddy path behind the lake to reach the boathouse. I set up some lights in the boathouse, then headed off round the lake to capture the newly weds in the romantic setting. I don't usually work with an assistant, preferring to remain as unobtrusive as possible, and this was technically a little tricky to pull off, but we'd discussed it all beforehand, and Sarah and Matt were happy to work with me for the images I'd had in my mind since our visit. A winning combination of phoning and gesticulating from the distant shore (it was a large lake!) as to where they should stand, and could they just please move my light a little to the left.... they were absolute troopers!
I'll leave you to view the rest of their story through my images - starting with a pint of bitter (you go girl!)
Like Sarah and Matt, I meet many of my couples at wedding fairs - you can catch me at Pure Events Wedding Show at Worthing Assembly Hall on 9th April, Plumpton Racecourse on 30th April, and Sussex Wed Fest at Two Woods Estate on 4th June.
I look forward to hearing your wedding plans!
Jenny x
