The English Wedding Blog would be but a speck of what it is today without the fabulous, inspiring and dedicated sponsors who fill its pages with gorgeousness every day. On a personal level too, I’ve learned so many things from people I’ve met along the way: every stationer, photographer, bridal shop owner and florist has an amazing story to tell and wisdom to share.

I had a brilliant chat with one of our lovely members, the brilliant Kent wedding photographer Benjamin Toms, earlier in the year and we put together a series of really useful advice and discussion features for you to enjoy. Here’s the first, and I’ll hand you over to Ben:

Your wedding through the eyes of a photographer

By Benjamin Toms Photography

As a documentary wedding photographer I get to meet the most amazing couples and spend incredible days with all of their families and friends. I see lots of weddings, and they’re all unique – but not always for the reasons you’d expect!

There are so many fantastic wedding photographers whose work I admire – and every one works in their own unique way. For me, this means capturing weddings in a documentary style: telling the story of a wedding by focusing on each of those once-in-a-lifetime moments.

Your wedding journey is much more than one day, and as a photographer I really appreciate the time you invest in planning your day. For me, it’s important to build a rapport with my clients: after our initial contact we’ll arrange a meeting in person or on Skype so we can chat about your day. If you book a pre-wedding shoot we’ll use this time together to discuss your wedding and photography requirements as well as getting some great photos – you might use these for a signature frame instead of a traditional guest book.

Shooting in a documentary style still means we can plan key images if there are unmissable moments which are really important to you. Before your wedding we’ll complete a day planner and chat through timings for everything, and list group shots – although I advise these are kept to about 10, ideally. You can also contact me anytime if you have questions. I’m a big fan of Pinterest and I find it really useful to see your wedding boards – I won’t replicate the images you post but it’s great to get an idea of your wedding style.

Timings on the day are important, and I’ll talk about timings in detail in a future article on the English Wedding Blog. I like to be there for key moments before, during and after the ceremony – and I know just when the magical moments will happen! I usually arrive a couple of hours before the ceremony, which gives me time to catch some images of you with your bridesmaids, and of the groom if he’s staying at the same place. Then I’ll head to the church or ceremony venue to see the vicar / registrar / officiant and be there as your guests arrive.

Naturally the ceremony is a huge part of your wedding day, and I’ll be sharing my advice in a future article here to help you get the very best images from your marriage ceremony. My top quality lenses mean I don’t use flash, and I’m always respectful of the importance of the service and the wishes of everyone involved.

After the ceremony can be a great opportunity for group shots: everyone’s there, and there’s often a beautiful backdrop for group images – stone archways and floral decorations are the classic example.

Then come the most important two hours of your day – through a photographer’s eyes at least. I’ll take portraits of the two of you, candid photographs of your guests as they relax and enjoy the celebrations, photos of your reception décor and any group shots. This is also when you get to relax and spend some really special time together as a brand new Mr & Mrs!

Because I offer full day coverage I’ll be there to photograph your speeches, the cake cutting and your first dance… and if the dancefloor is packed all night I’ll get some great photos of your guests enjoying the party!

Then after the wedding day I like to share a ‘sneak peek’ really soon – my favourite image, a standout moment from your day and one I know you’ll love! Within a few weeks you’ll see all of your images… another really special moment as you relive the best day of your lives.

I am profoundly aware of the honour and trust of being allowed to watch and document one of the most special days of your life. You can rely on me to be consistently excellent and to capture every beautiful detail of your wedding day.

It’s important to me to have a unique offering in terms of the packages I provide for my brides and grooms. My prices include all day coverage – couples can choose digital or album packages, for example. For full details of my three wedding photography packages, please do get in touch.

Benjamin Toms Photography – more information and pictures!

• http://benjamintomsphotography.co.uk/2014
• www.facebook.com/BenjaminTomsPhotography
• @BenjaminToms
• www.pinterest.com/benjamintoms
• http://instagram.com/tomsb75
• http://plus.google.com/u/0/+BenjaminToms

As an English Wedding Blog sponsor, Benjamin Toms Photography has a dedicated page right here on the blog: http://english-wedding.com/wedding-photographers/kent-wedding-photographer-benjamin-toms/

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