This was my first trip to Avington Park. In fact, I’d never even heard of it before. That’s just how I like it, a completely new venue with no preconceptions about how I would photograph the building and the wedding taking place. I didn’t even know what it looked like before I got there…  and I fell in love with it instantly.

It was one of those gloriously hot end of Summer days. The kind that make you feel that the Universe is apologising for the coming Winter. I’m writing this just a few days from Christmas and the contrast couldn’t be greater. Outside snow is falling heavily and at 4.11pm it’s already dark. Although the light at this time of the year is, in my opinion the most beautiful you can get I do still find myself pining for the tricky high contrast mid-summer Sun, blazing down, melting the ice in the Pimms and leaving everyone commenting on how hot it is. It was one of those kind of days and right now how I wish I were there again, a bit flushed and in need of a cool glass of water.

If you were a guest at the wedding then why not buy yourself a reminder of the day from my Avington Park wedding photography gallery. If you are having your wedding at Avington Park then please get in touch, I would love to photograph it for you.

Venue details: Avington Park | Winchester | Hampshire | SO21 1DB | Tel: 01962 779260 | interactive map
St. Mary’s Church | Longstock

Click on the movie below or iPhone/iPad users scroll down for photos.

All images © Graham Nixon Avington Park Winchester Wedding Photographer

With just one more wedding left to go my best winter wedding season is sadly drawing to an end but what a great one it’s been. I’ve been lucky enough to have been invited to photograph weddings at the very best wedding venues across Surrey and Hampshire and without exception every single wedding has been a joy to be at. I love it when the sun stays low in the sky and lights up the interiors of the venues.

Zoe & Richard chose Lainston House for the setting of their celebrations and what a fabulous place it is too. With the Christmas decorations up and a roaring log fire as you enter from the cold it’s pretty close to the perfect setting for a mid-winter wedding. In fact its intimate surroundings make it feel like a large house party rather than a formal occassion. I first met Zoe at a wedding way back in 2007 and I must have done something right for her to remember me after all these years.

Anyway, without further ado here is a sneaky peek of some of my favourites and as usual wedding guests can view and purchase images in my Lainston House Wedding Photographer Online Shop.

To book your own wedding photography at Lainston House Winchester please get in touch via the contact form.
All images © 2011 Lainston House Wedding Photographer | Graham Nixon

The Rectory, Crudwell is the very definition of relaxed Cotswold living and I love photographing weddings there, in fact I rank it in my top 5 wedding venues in the UK for it’s laid back and relaxed style. This was my second wedding at The Rectory in as many years and as ever the laid back country house experience brings out the best in everyone, guests and photographers alike. My first time here as a wedding photographer was for Donna & Sam’s vintage themed wedding and I’d been looking forward to having the opportunity to document a wedding here again ever since I drove away that first time.

Situated in the beautiful Cotswold triangle of Tetbury, Malmesbury and Cirencester the Rectory Crudwell offers the perfect country escape coupled with a real foodie treat. Try the Game, no really, it’s a bit famous for its Game. If you are lucky enough to be a guest at a Rectory Crudwell wedding then do spend some time exploring the house and its eclectic collection of interesting artefacts. Every room feels like being at the V&A.

It even has rooms upstairs for your guests so they don’t have too far to stumble at the end of the evening and the local pub is just yards away, perfect for calming the Grooms nerves before the ceremony.

Venue details: Rectory Crudwell | Malmesbury | Wiltshire | SN16 9EP | 01666 577 194

Rectory Crudwell Wedding Photography © Graham Nixon 2011

Kathryn and Antony were married at the gorgeous Chewton Glen Wedding Venue in the New Forest, one of my favourite wedding venues in Hampshire. The drive down on one of the hottest days of the year was a joy with the roof off and the thought of working once more at one of the finest UK wedding venues. I love venues that tick along like clockwork in the way that Chewton Glen does, the sign of a truly professional setup.

Kathryn and Antony both got ready at Chewton Glen which made it easy for me to flit between the boys and girls rooms to capture both sets of preparations. After the ceremony the guests enjoyed champagne on the veranda while I took the couple off for a 15 minute portrait session and a small number of group photos ensuring they still had plenty of time to enjoy their own drinks reception. On the way home I knew I couldn’t wait to shoot another wedding at Chewton Glen.

Although I mainly work as a wedding photographer in Surrey and North East Hampshire Chewton Glen is easily within reach by car.

© 2011 Chewton Glen Wedding Photographer Graham Nixon

As with so many of my wedding photography clients Joanna & Dan lead busy lives jetting all over the world collecting air miles so meeting up beforehand proved tricky. In fact we met up for their pre-wedding shoot at Waverley Abbey just four days before the wedding, you can see my favourites here.

From the moment I turned up at Joanna’s parent’s house on the morning of the wedding I knew I was in for another winter wedding photography treat. It seems like the whole of October and November were designed for great photography with bright sunshine streaming through trees and windows, lighting up interiors in the way you only get at this time of year.

After Joanna finally got ready : ) we moved on to St. James’ Church in Elstead for the wedding ceremony followed by a dash to Northbrook Park to make the most of the dying light for the portrait session. Wedding Photography at Northbrook Park is rarely much of a challenge for experienced photographers and it’s rapidly becoming one of my favourite local wedding venues with beautiful grounds and plenty of options for if the weather turns bad.

After some entertaining speeches Joanna & Dan performed the best first dance of the year so far to music performed by the excellent Claire Phoenix Band. Anyway, without further ado here is a (very) small selection of my favourite wedding photos from Joanna & Dan’s wedding at Northbrook Park and if you are looking for a Northbrook Park photographer I would love to hear from you.

Guest can purchase prints in my Northbrook Park Photographer online shop.

Venue details: The Estate Office | Northbrook Park Wedding Venue | Farnham Nr. Bentley | Surrey | GU10 5EU
Catering: The always excellent Jacaranda Catering

© Graham Nixon – Northbrook Park Photographer | Farnham Wedding Photographer

After a bit of a last minute booking for their wedding photography Joanna & Dan chose the Tuesday before their wedding for a pre-wedding photo shoot at Waverley Abbey, nr. Farnham, Surrey. It’s always been a favourite location for my family photography but had never considered it for pre-wedding portraits. How glad I am that we did though with the bright winter  sun streaming through the trees which is my signature style and just warm enough for Joanna to sport an evening dress and a pair of wellies.

Pre-wedding or Engagement Portrait sessions are a pretty good idea if you’re worried about the photos on your wedding day. They’re a lot of fun and I’ll show you a few easy poses that not only make the photographs look natural but also don’t take too much time on the day itself, letting you get back to the drinks reception with your guests.

Here is just a small selection of my favourites, the rest can be viewed by following this link [ Farnham Photographer ]. If you’re looking for a Farnham Photographer for wedding or family photography why not get in touch. If you fancy having a go at your own photography at Waverley Abbey the details can be found here.

You can see photography from Joanna & Dan’s wedding by following this link [ Northbrook Park Photographer ].

All text and images © Graham Nixon | Farnham Photographer | Waverley Abbey

I always love an intimate wedding especially when all of the acts take place in the same building. Honeystone Manor nr Burford, Oxfordshire may well be the best place in England for this kind of wedding, close friends, family, drinks, good food, games, laughter. Everything comes together in this kind of surrounding. The idyllic location matched with beautiful interiors makes Honeystone manor officially my favourite venue anywhere at any time. It even has it’s own football pitch!

I received an email enquiry from Stephanie & Eirian just a few weeks before the wedding. Although they are both originally from Wales they now live full time in Australia and for obvious reasons meeting up before the wedding was going to prove tricky. Luckily my style of documenting the wedding as it happens means there’s not a great deal to discuss before the big day. I turn up and interpret whatever happens, as it happens and that kind of thing is impossible to plan. Reality rules with this style of documentary photography so if you’re in the process of planning your own wedding then make sure the reality is something to write home about (or make an album out of).

Honeystone Manor is a photographers dream. Stephanie’s morning preparations took place in a room full of sunlight that made everything glow while with a short walk along the hallway I was able to capture Eirian getting ready too. A short stroll across the garden to the Church (yes, really) kept the momentum of the day in full swing and the library made an interesting photographic backdrop to the drinks reception.

Even the rain later in the day added interest to the coverage as everyone scutlled across to the other building (yes, there are a few) where the food was being served. Bright sunshine, croquet and cupcakes brought an end to my part in Stephanie & Eirian’s day but I’m looking forward to photographing at Honeystone Manor again really soon.

Venue details: Honeystone manor nr Burford, Oxfordshire. Call 01637 881942 for details

Wedding Photography at Honeystone Manor, Burford © Graham Nixon 2001

Not only is the Elvetham Hotel my local Hampshire wedding venue it just also happens to be my favourite place for wedding photography in Hampshire too. There's something about how an Elvetham Hotel wedding manages to be writ on a large scale while simultaneously feeling so intimate.

Leigh & Billy had one of those glorious Winter days where the sun bursts through the clouds early on and lights up the interior of the building all day until it sets early in the afternoon. Perfect for sitting near a window while hair and make-up is in progress and as the sun sets the interiors are lit with a beautiful golden glow. From a photography point of view it is so important to try to have your wedding ceremony as early in the day as possible to ensure you capture as much of that beautiful diffuse Winter light as possible. I always advise 1pm as the latest for the ceremony to start allowing time for the all important photo session with the couple alone and any group photos that may be required. I've never seen a successful group photo of everyone outside at 5pm in December. Although "formal wedding photography" doesn't feature much in my coverage parents will often ask for a few group photos so this is worth bearing in mind if you are planning a winter wedding.

If you were a guest at the wedding then why not buy yourself a reminder of the day from my Elvetham Hotel Wedding Photography Wall? You can find the full set of photos on my wall here Elvetham Hotel Wedding Photographer [Leigh + Billy].

Venue details: Elvetham Hotel Wedding Venue | Fleet Road | Hartley Wintney | Hook | Hampshire | RG27 8AS

Click on the movie below or iPhone/iPad users scroll down for photos.

Click play to see the movie or iPhone/iPad users scroll down for photos.

© Elvetham Hotel Wedding Photographer | Graham Nixon Photography 2011

This was the third time I’d met up with Melissa and Matthew after the initial meeting and their pre-wedding photo shoot in Battersea Park near to their home. The weather at Battersea Park was hot and sunny, pretty much the opposite of the wedding day, hair curlingly damp, blowy windy kind of weather. Even so there’s a real feeling of continuity between the two shoots, the obvious love Melissa & Matthew have for each other and their sense of fun come through in both sets. I was looking forward to shooting the Wedding Ceremony at Chelsea Town Hall, surprisingly the first time I’d been asked to document a wedding at this popular London wedding venue. I loved the fact that although there were other weddings going on at the same time at no point did it feel like a wedding factory.

As we took the short walk from the Taxi along the Kings Road to Chelsea Old Town Hall I was enjoying documenting all of the “action” on the street. The other wedding couple whose confetti throw we accidentally gatecrashed, the couple on the bench with 100 dogs, the dreadlocked man walking past the Town Hall totally oblivious to everything that was going on around him.

After the ceremony we headed off to The Bluebird Restaurant for drinks and the wedding breakfast. As with Chelsea Old Town Hall this was my first Bluebird Chelsea wedding which always helps keep me on my toes knowing I have no prior experience of the venues. If you’re an admirer of vintage cameras (as I am) then check out the collection behind the bar as you order your cocktail. Click the link to find out more about Chelsea Weddings at the Bluebird restaurant.

Morning preparations: The Kensington Hotel | 109-113 Queen’s Gate | South Kensington | London SW7 5LR
Ceremony venue details: Chelsea Old Town Hall | King’s Road | Kensington and Chelsea | London | SW3 5EE
Reception venue details: Bluebird Chelsea | 350 King’s Road | London | SW3 5UU
Hair & Make-up: Antonia Krieger | Elle au Naturel

Click on the movie below or iPhone/iPad users scroll down for photos.

 Wedding Photography at Chelsea Town Hall and Bluebird Chelsea © Graham Nixon 2011

Weddings at Wasing Park are always guaranteed to be a treat for any documentary wedding photographer but this one really shines (literally). From the moment I arrived, early in the morning with bright Autumn sunshine burning through the mist I knew I was going to have a very, very good day. Ahead of us lay not one, not two but three separate ceremonies. To get the ball rolling we started with a traditional Indian Wedding Ceremony. I’d heard that Indian wedding ceremonies were cheerful affairs and this one was no let down. The night before I’d brushed up on Wikipedia and trawled the internet for examples of Indian Wedding Photography so I had a fair idea of what to expect and I hope I caught all of the important moments. My style of documentary wedding photography suits itself perfectly to new surroundings and situations as I simply observe rather than direct. Immediately after we had a short legal ceremony with the Registrars and then it was a dash to get ready for the blessing at The Church of St. Nicholas, conveniently situated within the grounds of Wasing Park itself. Most Brides think all the morning preparations are stressful but imagine doing it all twice! Yes, a completely new hairstyle and make-up from scratch and more or less on time : ) The weather held all day and, as Autumn is my favourite time of the year for wedding photography I was in my element choosing angles to capture the gorgeous light pouring in through the windows. With the excellent speeches out of the way we were all set for an evening of sparklers and dancing. A colourful and enjoyeable day to add to my collection as a Wasing Park Wedding Photographer and my first attempt at an Indian wedding ceremony. I hope you like it!

If you were a guest at the wedding then why not buy yourself a reminder of the day from my Wasing Park Wedding Photography Wall? You can find the full set of photos on my wall here Wasing Park Wedding Photographer [Sejal + Tom].

Venue details: Wasing Park | Wasing Lane | Aldermaston | Berkshire | RG7 4NG
Hair & Make-up: Heidi R Herkés

Click on the movie below or iPhone/iPad users scroll down for photos.

© Wasing Park Wedding Photographer 2011.
More information on Wasing Park Weddings.
If you are planning an Indian Wedding Ceremony anytime soon please get in touch. It’s my new favourite thing: )