Libra Photographic

There’s something so magical about a summer wedding. But while the idea of tying the knot under sunny skies sounds like a dream, the reality can be a little more sweaty. Heat, humidity, and formalwear aren’t always the best combination, especially when you’re the one in the spotlight. If you’re the groom or bride, staying cool, comfortable and photo-ready is entirely possible with a bit of clever planning. Here’s how to survive a sizzling summer wedding without melting under the pressure.

Dress Smart Without Sacrificing Style

Brides, if you’re still dress shopping, opt for breathable fabrics like chiffon, organza or light silk. These will help you glide rather than wilt down the aisle. Avoid heavy satins and layered tulles if possible. If you have already found your dream dress but it’s a bit toasty, a talented seamstress can often make subtle changes to improve ventilation without changing the look. Cooling slip dresses worn underneath can also be a life-saver.

Grooms, the same goes for you. A lightweight linen or fine wool blend suit in a paler colour can look sharp and feel breathable. If your wedding is on the informal side, skip the waistcoat or swap the tie for a crisp open collar. A sweaty groom clutching a handkerchief is not the suave look you’re going for.

Beat the Beauty Heat

Brides, your hair and makeup will be working overtime in the sun. Loose curls might look romantic but can feel like wearing a blanket on your shoulders. Try a breezy updo or a low bun that keeps your neck cool. For makeup, go waterproof wherever you can and finish with a setting spray to help everything stay put. Pack blotting papers and a compact powder in your emergency kit so you can de-shine in a flash.

Cool and Comfortable Feet

Your feet deserve some love too. Grooms, invest in breathable socks and wear-in your shoes unless you fancy blisters by the first dance. Brides, those towering heels might be gorgeous but test them out on grass and in the heat before the big day. Breaking them in is non-negotiable. Pop a pair of pretty flats or sandals into your bag for the evening.

Timing Is Everything

Try to avoid holding the ceremony during the hottest part of the day. Late morning or early evening can be much kinder for everyone involved. If you’re tying the knot outdoors, have a shady plan B. Even in the UK, the midday sun can be surprisingly fierce when everyone’s dressed to the nines. Providing parasols or handheld fans adds a thoughtful touch that guests will appreciate far more than wedding favours they’ll forget at the table.

Think Like a Host, Not Just a Couple

Keeping your guests comfortable helps the whole day go smoothly. Have jugs of iced water on standby. Set up shaded seating areas if your reception is outdoors. A fun idea is to include an ice cream cart, a cold drinks station or even frozen cocktails can all double as both refreshments and entertainment. Follow Claire & Ben’s example: they had a slushie machine which went down a treat with guests!

Sweat-Proof Survival Kit

Pop a few clever essentials in a bridal clutch or pass them to your wedding party for safekeeping. A mini facial mist, deodorant wipes, setting spray, blotting paper and a pocket mirror can keep you looking fresh without disappearing for a full bathroom break. Grooms, tuck a cooling body wipe or a fresh hanky into your inside pocket. Not glamorous, but no one wants a shiny forehead in the formal portraits.

Lean Into the Season

Finally, embrace the summery vibe. Think light, seasonal food, vibrant flowers, refreshing drinks and playful details like personalised fans or quirky sunglasses for guests. The more relaxed and summer-ready the event feels, the more everyone will go with the flow.

A summer wedding can be amazing. With a few smart moves and a good sense of humour, the heat doesn’t have to be your enemy. Stay cool, stay hydrated and most importantly, enjoy every delicious moment.

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Written by Gemma for The Foxy Hen, a leading wedding and hen party company, providing advice and fun activities all over the UK, Ireland and Europe.

Advice

How to Survive a Hot Summer Wedding: Advice for Grooms and Brides

By Claire Gould, 5 monthsAugust 1, 2025 ago

You may not have come across the “engagement gap” yet: it’s a social phenomenon that’s shaking up the wedding industry, with effects bound to ripple through both couples and suppliers. In short, the pandemic brought our lives and relationships to a standstill, leading to a sharp drop in engagements, followed by a sudden rise. This surge is likely to have a big effect on the number of weddings, and could eventually lead to a shortage of wedding suppliers for a lot of engaged couples!

So what does the engagement gap mean for you? If you’re a wedding supplier, how will it affect your bookings, forward planning and prices? If you’re planning your wedding, when will you need to make enquiries so you don’t miss out on favourite suppliers? We’ll share all the knock-on effects of the engagement gap in this article – including how it will affect you and what you need to do!

I first heard of the engagement gap from Dorset wedding photographer Nathan at Libra Photographic. He’s shared his thoughts on what the engagement gap means for wedding photographers and suppliers. Below, I’ll explain what it means for couples – and some top tips for those of you booking weddings for 2025, 26 and 27.

The engagement gap: a persistent issue for wedding suppliers

By Libra Photographic

“As a wedding photographer, I’m often asked by friends and industry peers how business is going these days. When I mention that bookings are still down due to the lingering impact of COVID-19, people are often surprised. After all, there was a mad rush to clear all those postponed weddings once lockdowns ended; I only just completed my final postponed wedding! Yet, even though COVID-19 has faded into a distant memory for many people, it continues to mark our calendars and define periods of our lives. We still say things like, “Was that pre- or post-pandemic?” or “That happened just before lockdown.” And there’s the classic: “I’ve been making sourdough since the second lockdown — the productive one, not the first ‘just-surviving’ lockdown.” For a lot of us, COVID is now a timestamp on our lives, yet for the wedding industry, it’s more like an extended chapter.

Despite the initial flood of rescheduled weddings after the pandemic, there’s a persistent issue I call “the engagement gap.” It’s not something the average couple would notice, but it has impacted the industry in a big way. Here’s how it works: there’s a natural rhythm in the timeline from meeting your partner to dating, getting to know each other deeply, and then deciding to spend the rest of your lives together. On average, this progression takes around five years (unless you’re one of those lucky unicorns who know from the first meeting).

Now, fast-forward to the pandemic years. For two years, chance meetings, spontaneous dates, and those fabled office romances all but disappeared. Even swiping right on Tinder turned into virtual dates rather than in-person sparks. This two-year pause meant fewer new, long-term relationships were formed during that period. And, while we all thought life was “back to normal” post-lockdown, it took at least another eight or nine months before many people regained their social confidence. We’d become used to the distance — remember those two-metre stickers in the supermarket? They’re still around, a lingering reminder of a time we’ve mentally moved on from but can still feel physically around us.

This two-year “engagement gap” now reverberates through the wedding industry. The natural progression of relationships means that fewer of the couples who started dating during and immediately after the pandemic are at the “big commitment” stage just yet. In my work, I’m mostly photographing couples who’ve been together for over six years, a trend that reflects the pandemic-induced pause. Younger or newer relationships are still in their honeymoon phase and not yet ready for the lifelong commitment of marriage. So, while I believe the industry will bounce back — and I can almost mark my calendar for it — I don’t expect pre-pandemic levels of wedding inquiries for at least another 12 to 18 months.

The engagement gap is a phenomenon most of us in the wedding industry are watching carefully. Eventually, we’ll see a shift as new couples naturally reach the engagement and wedding planning stages. But for now, the COVID-19 engagement gap is still very much part of the conversation, shaping how we book, plan, and dream for the future.

So how will the engagement gap affect couples?

Wedding suppliers are riding a rollercoaster right now. To find your perfect suppliers, you’ll need to hop on for the ride! As Nathan’s mentioned, 2024 has been a slow year for a lot of wedding photographers, venues and other suppliers. This is because of the engagement gap. Here’s why:

In 2020 and 21, when we were all shut up behind closed doors with only Zoom for company, serious relationships kind of paused. Normally and on average, couples get engaged 3 – 4 years after meeting. They get wed 18 months later. So lots of couples who met in 2019 are getting married around about now (late 2024 and into 2025).

 

Couples who would have met in 2020 and 2021, who would have got married in 2025 and 2026, paused their lives for 2 years. Many won’t get wed until 2027/8. That’s the engagement gap.

If you are one of those lucky couples (I really want to call you lucky unicorns again, but Nathan already did that, so I’ll save it for later!) who’s getting married in 2025, you’ll have no problem finding wedding suppliers. With fewer couples planning fewer weddings, you might strike gold and manage to book an amazing venue at short notice, like Nicki & Jake whose gorgeous wedding we featured yesterday.

However, struggling wedding businesses don’t always survive a crisis. I would urge you to support independent wedding brands wherever you possibly can by booking early and paying a deposit to secure your dates. That advice applies to all wedding services from photographers to celebrants, wedding planners to stationery designers. Your deposits are what will keep some of us afloat through the next few years.

Having said that, my advice is also to get wedding insurance. If a supplier does go into administration – as happened with David’s Bridal in April of 2023 – it’s important to protect yourselves from losing your money.

If you’re risk-averse, look for long-established wedding suppliers – those who have ridden out the cost of living crisis are likely to stay strong through the effects of the engagement gap. But don’t discount thriving start-ups either: those new wedding businesses who offer new and exciting things and whose businesses are booming, are another safe bet! (Still insure your wedding!)

Through the quieter years it’s likely that wedding suppliers will be creative with their pricing and packages, offering alternatives for couples on a budget. This can be anything from midweek and winter pricing to shorter hours, elopement packages and more.

Discounts aren’t always available from suppliers – wedding vendors work super hard, and price cuts can be rare in this industry. Having said that, you might find a discount for early booking from a venue, for example.

If a wedding supplier you love isn’t promoting a discount, please don’t ask for one. We’re not Argos, and frankly it can be a little offensive to suggest to your florist / caterer / cake designer that you think their services are worth less than they do.

A boom in engagements means more weddings!

The average length of a relationship before getting engaged / married varies a LOT. But let’s go with averages again, and assume that if 2025-6 are slow wedding years, 2027 and beyond will see a surge in weddings.

This means couples getting engaged in 2025 (which is only a matter of weeks away now) will  have a lot of competition to get key suppliers booked. Venues, photographers and videographers, marquees and all of those key vendors will start taking bookings in the New Year.

If this is you, I have one piece of advice: don’t leave things too late! Those who tie the knot in 2025/6 will have a wealth of suppliers to choose from. Those of you booking suppliers in 2025/6 for weddings in 2027 and beyond might find your favourites aren’t available on your date – so be quick!

 

Further reading:

60 questions to ask your wedding photographer

Capturing your day: a guide for newly-engaged couples

Advice

Why wedding suppliers have their eyes on the engagement gap – and what it means for couples

By Claire Gould, 1 year ago

A guest blog by English Wedding member, Dorset wedding photographer Nathan at Libra Photographic. All images are by Libra Photographic from the English Wedding archives

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Congratulations on your engagement! As you embark on the exciting journey of planning your wedding, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the myriad of decisions you need to make. One of the most crucial aspects of your wedding day is the photography, as these images will serve as timeless mementos of your love and celebration. But where do you start?

Whether you’re just beginning to plan or are knee-deep in wedding magazines and Pinterest boards, finding the right photographer can seem daunting. To help you navigate this process, I’ve put together some essential questions to ask, key things to look for, tips on making your final decision, and what to expect once you’ve booked your photographer.

These insights will not only help you choose the perfect person to capture your day but will also ease some of the stress, allowing you to focus on the joy of your upcoming wedding. So, let’s dive in and get you one step closer to saying “I do” with confidence and peace of mind.

5 Basic Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

1. Can I see a full gallery of a recent wedding?

Now as a photographer I would say this is the first and most important question you should ask any photographer you like the look of. There are so many cheats that photographers can use these days. There are styled shoots with models, AI editing and even AI photos that are complete fabrication. When you see an entire wedding, you get to see how a photographer works throughout the whole day, not just the select moments.

2. What is your photography style?

Understanding whether they specialise in traditional, photojournalistic, or artistic styles will help you see if their vision aligns with yours. If you choose a pure documentary approach to a wedding you should not expect group photos or portraits, however most photographers, like me, will offer a blended approach to this. Just be aware that the ‘traditional’ groups and poses take longer than you may think.

3. How do you handle low-light situations?

Weddings differ to most other types of photography as wedding photographers can’t postpone for weather or wait for the perfect light. Low light used to be a problem but with newer cameras we can photograph easily in low light. I’d suggest asking your wedding photographer how they handle bad light. For example, harsh, strong sunshine or a room with artificial lighting and small or no windows. Ask to see examples! You don’t need to know the technical aspects; your eyes and heart will tell you if it works.

4. What is included in packages?

More does not mean value, what you really pay for in the experience that the photographer brings to your wedding. A wedding photographer will have worked in all situations and made mistakes long before attending your wedding. If you want a pre wedding shoot or an Album they are great additions but time is the thing that should come first. 

5. What is your backup plan if you cannot attend?

2020 brought this to the table more than any other time, we really found out the hard way that things beyond our control can happen. Photographers tend to be solo workers so what if they fall ill, break a limb or even just their trigger finger. Your photographer must have a backup plan, listed in their contract. Ask what it is and how they implement it.

Further reading: 60 Questions to ask your wedding photographer

5 Things to Look for in a Wedding Photographer

1. Portfolio Consistency

As mentioned earlier ensure their work is consistently high-quality across different weddings and environments. Does the colour stay consistent, are the skin tones accurate, does the grass look green? These are all photographic style attributes see below when consistent but inconsistency shows a photographer who is experimenting and developing a look.

2. Personality and Communication

A photographer’s personality can greatly influence your day, so finding someone who makes you feel comfortable is key. Now don’t get me wrong I’m not saying some photographers are terrible but we don’t get on with everyone in life, that’s just fact. Meet your photographer and have a conversation, you’ll know pretty quickly if you gel. If your photographer doesn’t instantly make you relax how are they going to do it on a wedding day when under time pressure?

3. Reviews and Testimonials

Look for feedback from previous clients to gauge reliability and satisfaction. Testimonials on a website are good but not checked for authenticity. Head over to google or Trustpilot for reviews direct from past couples. Do they all describe a similar experience?

4. Experience and Expertise

Experience, particularly with weddings, ensures they can handle any situation smoothly. Wedding photography includes reportage/ documentary photography where they need to observe, people management without being rude, portraiture but other than those obvious ones. Food photography, product photography, still life photography, Landscape photography, aerial photography, stamina (yes, photographers need to be wedding fit) and work well in the Team of suppliers or vendors at your wedding.

5. Post-Processing Style

Check their editing style to ensure it matches your vision for your wedding photos. Just search sepiagate to see one bride’s reaction to a post processing style. A photographer’s style is their working preference and you employ them for it. The photographer in question here had consistent style which wasn’t noticed by the bride until after the delivery of her photos. As an extreme metaphor you wouldn’t as Monet to paint like Picasso would you? When selecting a photographer you are choosing their artistic view on the world around them. 

How to Make a Final Decision

1. Compare Portfolios Side-by-Side

Lay out the best work from your top choices to see whose style resonates most with you.

2. Meet in Person or Virtually

Personal interaction can reveal a lot about their professionalism and compatibility with your personality.

3. Evaluate Packages and Pricing

Consider what each photographer offers and how that aligns with your budget and needs.

4. Review Contracts Carefully

Ensure you understand the terms, including delivery timelines, rights to images, and cancellation policies.

5. Trust Your Gut

Ultimately, go with the photographer who not only meets your criteria but also feels right.

What to Expect Once You’ve Booked Your Photographer

1. Initial Consultation

A detailed discussion to understand your vision, timeline, and any specific shots you want.

2. Engagement/Pre wedding Session (if included)

A great opportunity to get comfortable in front of the camera and build rapport with your photographer.

3. Pre-Wedding Communication

Expect regular check-ins as the wedding date approaches to finalise schedules, shot lists, and any last-minute changes.

4. Day-of Coordination

Your photographer will blend into the background while capturing candid moments, as well as directing posed shots seamlessly.

5. Post-Wedding Process

Editing and post-processing typically take a few weeks and longer during high season. You’ll usually receive a preview first, followed by the full gallery, and then any albums or prints as per your package.

Now that is a lot of information but choosing your photographer and videographer is in my opinion something that can make or break a wedding as we spend a lot of time with you on the wedding day, we meet all your guests at some point in the day and give you one of the only things that last longer than a few months after your wedding, an album of memories that get shared for generations.

Advice

Capturing Your Big Day – A Guide for Newly Engaged Couples by Nathan at Libra Photographic

By Claire Gould, 1 yearSeptember 5, 2024 ago

Fans of TV comedian Rob J Madin will enjoy a new “Wedding Speech Menu” he’s put together for Travelodge. Making a speech at a wedding can be brilliant or quite stressful, depending how comfortable you are with public speaking. We’ve published a lot of advice about wedding speeches in the past and I’d love to know what you make of these quick-fire templates. Images are by our friends and English Wedding members Libra Photographic in Dorset.

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“To help keep nerves and sweaty palms at bay, Travelodge has partnered with comedian Rob Madin – who appears regularly as his alter ego Brett Domino on 8 Out of 10 Cats does Countdown – to write a selection of wedding speeches, giving you some light relief when it comes to composing the ultimate wedding speech.

Whether you’ve simply run out of time in the lead up to the big day, feel you are lacking any kind of creative inspiration or been caught short having left yours on the printer, Travelodge’s Speech Menu offering will help save the day. With its selection of adaptable, pre-written words to suit all occasions, it will help you hit the right tone and (hopefully) avoid offending the guests or the happy couple!

The three adaptable speeches can be used as the foundation to write your own personalised words or serve as a form of inspiration if you’re struggling with where to begin and more importantly where to end!

Whether you’re ‘The Joker’ looking to bring the house down with wall-to-wall ‘bants’, or want to tug at the heart strings and set off the parents with ‘The Tearjerker’ – an emotional journey through the happy couple’s best moments. Or perhaps, you’re more of a ‘Creative Curveball’ who likes to take a maverick approach, (surprise ‘performance’ anyone?) Travelodge is here to help.”

Find all three speeches on the Travelodge website. They can be downloaded free of charge, to give anyone making a wedding speech a little inspiration ahead of the big day.

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If you’re not a fan of templates or formulas for wedding speeches, or the pressure to find your own hilarious anecdotes is becoming stressful, you’re not alone. I have two pieces of advice which will help you.

1. You don’t have to become a comedian to make a good wedding speech. You don’t even have to make a speech at a wedding if you’re not comfortable speaking in front of a crowd. If you’ve been asked and you feel you should say a few words, or you’re looking forward to it but not sure where to begin with your wedding speech, read How to be happy making a speech at a wedding. It will help.
2. If you don’t want to perform, just be you. The best wedding speech I ever heard, and the one I’ll remember forever, was when my cousin got married. The best man couldn’t speak for crying after a few words, and it all collapsed into hugs and happy tears. He loved them so much – that kind of said it all.

Advice

A little wedding humour: the Wedding Speech Menu from Travelodge

By Claire Gould, 2 yearsJune 21, 2024 ago

Having your family as a big part of the day can make a wedding extra special. For today’s gorgeous couple, capturing their daughters’ excitement made the day beyond magical! I love the photos from Dorset photographer Libra Photographic at Helthfelton House – it’s a new venue for us, and one I think looks stunning!

Lauren & Jonathan have written some amazing reviews for their wedding suppliers, especially for their wedding photographer and make up artist – do keep scrolling if you’re planning a wedding in the south west and looking for brilliant suppliers because we have them right here!

Wedding photographer’s website

Libra Photographic https://libraphotographic.co.uk/

Wedding photographer review

Choosing a photographer isn’t a decision we made lightly. We were looking for someone that we liked artistically, but also on a personal basis. You spend so much time with your photographer on your wedding day, and they witness/capture some really intimate moments. We wanted someone that we trusted to produce beautiful images of our day, so that it was forever frozen in time.

We wanted to capture the natural shots, but also have someone who could guide us through the posed ones. We met Nathan at a wedding fayre, and instantly liked him. We continued to look around though, because as I said, this wasn’t a choice we made lightly! However, no one matched up to Nathan.

Nathan was impeccable from the day we first met him all the way to the end. We had several postponements due to covid, and Nathan was gracious and understanding throughout. We had an engagement shoot with him, where he was happy to include our children, and these came out beautifully. We knew in this moment we had made a great choice.

Fast forward to on the day, Nathan was much more than a photographer. He kept me informed on timings throughout the day, and what was happening next – without your phone or watch it’s all a bit of a blur! He even whipped out a lighter and lit the candles on our cheese ‘cake’ table as someone had forgot! Nathan was patient when we needed him to be, he was bubbly and enthusiastic with our guests – in fact we had many comments from guests about how great our photographer was! Nothing was too much trouble. Nathan even managed to spot a rainbow, and grabbed us for one of my favourite shots of the day! I will treasure our photos forever.

Your best wedding moment or memory

The quiet moments where it was just us. We did three solo shoots over the day with our photographer, Nathan, and these were honestly some of my favourite moments. It was just us, soaking up the day and being happy in the moment.

Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)

Our ‘wedding cake’ was a cheese stack! One of my favourite decisions!

Venue name + review

Hethfelton House – Shelley was our coordinator from day one. We booked our venue back in 2018 for the wedding to take place in the summer of 2020. The venue had a two year wait, as they only do a few weddings a year, but really thought the venue was worth the wait!

Unfortunately due to the pandemic, our wedding was cancelled. With two reschedules, we finally had our day in the summer of 2023 – 5 years later! Shelley was amazing throughout this whole time. Being extremely courteous and understanding over the pandemic with having to postpone several times. She was always happy to answer any queries via email, and even sorted the bar out for us!

One of the reasons we loved the venue, besides its beautiful surroundings and regal house, was because we could choose all of our own suppliers. This was extremely important for us as we wanted Thai food for the wedding breakfast. Sheet liaised with our suppliers leading up to the day, and everything felt very organised. The day itself ran very smoothly, and everything felt very taken care of. We will treasure Hethfelton House in our hearts forever.

Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!

My beautiful wedding was from Minster Bridal Boutique, and designed by Martina Liana. This felt like fate, as Martina is an Australian designer and we have always wanted to move there! We spent 2 months travelling around Australia together, so it just felt perfect. Jonathan’s suit was from NEXT. I was on the look out for quite a particular colour, and the one we chose was perfect.

Dress or suit shop name + review

Minster Bridal Boutique – Very professional throughout the process. I liked that they picked dresses out for you to try, and then would pick out more based on your feedback. Wedding dress shopping can feel overwhelming, and they know what dresses look like on!

Florist name + review

Edwards Flowers – They really took the time to hear what we wanted, and everything turned out perfectly. Just as I imagined. I would highly recommend.

Cake maker name + review

Renoufs – We had a cheese stack as our ‘cake’. They were great! They let us take away some samples to try, and then when we chose our favourites, they were really easy to communicate with. Everything was as we wanted and the cheese is as delicous!

Stationery maker’s name + review

I did my own!

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

I decorated the arch with faux flowers. I created the seating plan with a multi picture frame – I loved how this turned out! I got handy with my cricut and created all of the place names, and personalised gifts for my bridesmaids. I designed and printed out invites, and menus on the day. I created a newspaper informing guests of our day, and little facts about us.

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

A million dreams – Pink

Hair + makeup name + review

Makeup – Olivia Sharp
If I could give Olivia 100 stars then I would!

Olivia just has this gentle and calm presence that puts you at ease. I had an amazing experience with Olivia from the first moment I reached out to her via social media, she responded so quickly and was extremely professional, yet very friendly. I booked a trial and felt I was really listened to the whole time, we went through swatches of colour for the eye makeup and discussed in detail the ‘look’ I was going for. Unfortunately I had a bad experience prior to this with a trial so I was extremely anxious. Olivia made me feel so calm and I trusted her instantly. I looked in the mirror at the end of the trial and cried – I couldn’t believe how amazing I felt. On the day of the wedding, Olivia arrived at the pre agreed time and was super prepared. She did my make up, my bridesmaids, and my mums. Everyone looked incredible. Olivia went above and beyond, and even helped me put on my earrings and necklace, whilst my daughter needed feeding, to ensure I was ready in good time. I hope Olivia knows how much that meant to me. Honestly, if you are thinking of booking or having a trial then don’t hesitate. I would recommend Olivia to everyone.
Hair – SLA Couture Hair – I loved my hair on the day, along with my bridesmaid and mum! Everything lasted really well, and it was all exactly as I had asked for!

August wedding

Lauren & Jonathan’s timeless, beautiful wedding at Hethfelton House, with Libra Photographic

By Claire Gould, 2 yearsApril 26, 2024 ago