The final one gone..

What a happy day - our youngest daughter Emily got married.

It was a strange sort of day in that we were both official photographers and parents of the bride - two sets of duties that were not always compatible. The weather forecast predicted 18 - 21 degrees and rain for the ceremony. We dresed for that, but it hit 25 with no rain and very high humidity so it all got a bit sweaty.
(Flick glowed).

The photography consisted of shots of the ladies preparing for the big event, the big event (the actual ceremony and the garden of the registry office) and then a huge yomp up Richmond hill with the main actors for a few poses with a nice background. After that we could do shots of the reception if we felt like it.

All went according to plan - even at the ceremony when they had to say "we do" in unison, they certainly did. It was so well timed that the groom was heard to shout "textbook", to the amusement of the whole gathering.

The shoot at Richmond Hill was light-hearted and huge fun and a traditional place do do formal wedding portraits - we did a bit of that, but I don't think the many bystanders had ever witnessed a wedding party walking around like a scene from "Shaun of the Dead". The break for copious quantities of alcohol during the shoot was one of the reasons the rest of the wedding guests were kept at waiting at the reception for almost two hours. On the long walk back to the cars (another reason) and sitting in the the humungus traffic (the final reason) we formed the opinion that the bride cannot be late for her own reception. All the guests must be early then.

The reception and the speeches went really well and the whole revelry went on until almost two. The last people standing went round to Emily and Lance's house for a bottle or two of champagne. We declined the offer to join them and drove wearily, but happily home.

If I've learnt anything about photographing weddings is that you can actually take too much equipment. We took the whole lot including a ladder. In the heat of battle we managed to leave the ladder in the registry office grounds, and so weren't able to use it on Richmond Hill (were it was intended). Together we only used four lenses and spent all day lugging cases around London. At one stage even the bride and the maids of honour were carrying some sort of photographic kit up Richmond Hill.

Flick and I our our own worst critics, but even we were satisfied with the haul we took. Emily is going to be very happy with the pictures she gets...

..but forget the pictures. Emily and Lance are married - CONGRATULATIONS!!