Ruth and Stephen are just the sweetest couple with the kindest of hearts, so it was a huge pleasure to shoot their wedding at St Andrew’s Thornhill Square, Islington, and Kings Place wedding reception. This is the main post from their wedding; there were so many hand-made and thoughtful details, I’m going to put those in a separate post.
Ruth and her bridesmaids were very well organised and their preparations ran to time, so we were able to get some great portraits of them beforehand. Ruth’s father ‘fiddled’ while he waited.
Then it was off to St Andrew’s in a taxi. 
Stephen was in place, waiting, along with a church full to bursting with their guests. 
After Ruth and Stephen were married, there was Pimms, pealing bells, a brass ensemble, bunting and an array of home-made cakes. 
Ruth, Stephen and I snuck away in a taxi to their Kings Place wedding reception while most of the guests walked, many carrying flower arrangements with them. 
We did a few portraits before Ruth and Stephen mixed with their guests and some champagne on the canalside. A high wind kept carrying away Ruth’s veil. 
One of Ruth and Stephen’s requests when we were talking through their day was a photograph of everyone. It is a popular request but there are two drawbacks with any more than about 50 people: one is the time it takes to get everyone together and facing vaguely in the same direction, even with ushers with military or teaching backgrounds. The other is that once 100+ people are gathered in one place, it’s difficult to spot everyone, even on a very large print. So I suggested doing table photographs between courses and in the lull before speeches, which don’t take any time out of the wedding day schedule and we can see everyone, which is rather the point, don’t you think? 
Ooh – bottles being opened; that can mean only one thing? Yes, that’s right, the speeches. And jolly funny and touching they were too: with a stockbroker MC, who had done more than his fair share of stand-up comedy and a BRILLIANT choice to introduce speakers as well as the open mic time after, when any of the guests or family could tell stories about Ruth and Stephen.
After a small break, where the cake did the rounds with tea and coffee, Ruth and Stephen had their first dance, to “When I’m 64” and it was time to party. 
