Honeymoon Ideas :: The Kings Hotel at Chipping Campden
“We must have adventures in order to know where we truly belong.”
Let me preface this blog post with the fact that this hotel was honestly the most outstanding hotel I have ever had the pleasure of visiting, everything from the incredible service, to the out of this world dining experience, to the small, homely details, it was completely perfect. When we were invited to stay at The Kings Hotel, we obviously jumped at the opportunity for a quaint weekend away in the gorgeous cotswolds, my favourite area in the whole of the UK. The hotel itself was exactly what you would expect from a town such as Chipping Campden, with sand stone architecture and copious amounts of beautiful greenery all over the buildings.
The Room
This inviting, cosy looking building did not disappoint on the inside. The hotel seem to have achieved perfectly the balance between cosy and homely, while still maintaining a wonderfully luxurious and modern atmosphere. We were given a Cottage Suite, with rustic wooden beams, indulgent free standing bath in the bedroom, amazing multi-jet rain shower and romantic deep purple and burgundy colour scheme. This room would be perfect for any couple looking to honeymoon in the UK, but still wanting the luxury and comfort of a hotel. For a more rustic option, read my post on the beautiful Upper Gelli Lodge.
The Area
The Area around The Kings Hotel is in keeping with the quaint luxury of the hotel, with more sandstone and greenery to be found on every corner. This town is also full of history, so there is plenty to learn and explore right on your doorstep. There are also plenty of beautiful little gift shops and boutiques, florists and coffee shops, there would really be no need to leave the immediate area if you were staying for a long weekend. However, if you did want to go further afield, the cotswolds are simply a collection of quintessentially English towns and villages, so you will not be short of places to visit and enjoy.
The Food
Okay, so this is where this post gets really, really good. The food, oh my word, the food. The Kings Hotel boasts an award winning chef, Ian Percival, who uses fresh seasonal ingredients from local suppliers to create the most tantalising and wonderful dishes you will ever taste. The menu is small, but aims for quality over quantity, with carefully selected gourmet dishes that compliment each other beautifully. This food really needs to be tasted to be believed, and I would highly recommend scheduling a visit to the restaurant if you are ever in the area, or even if you are not, as I promise you it will be the most delicious meal you will ever taste.
The breakfast, too, was on an equally delectable scale. With an array of freshly baked goods with local ingredients, fresh fruit, jams, yogurts and so much more available as you enter the restaurant in the morning, as well as a menu to choose from, you will want to try everything. Tell me that this table isn't the most inviting display you have ever seen?
The experience
If you haven't already gathered from reading through my waxing lyrical about our stay at the hotel, the overall experience was phenomenal. The atmosphere was so relaxed, and we were honestly treated like royalty. There was one waitress in particular who we decided to purchase a bouquet of flowers from the beautiful little florist photographed above, as she treated us so exceptionally kindly. If you need somewhere that offers both luxury and comfort, this is absolutely your best choice.
(*Disclaimer - although we were kindly invited by The Kings Hotel at Chipping Campden to stay in their hotel, all opinions remain my own.)
Birmingham Botanical Gardens Engagement Session :: Lucia & Jordy
“What is done in love, is done well. ”
On the hottest day of 2016, the sound of a live jazz band filled the air as we met with the lovely Lucia and Jordy at the Birmingham botanical gardens for their engagement photoshoot. The gardens were spectacular in all of their spring glory, with exotic plants, cactus houses and a beautiful bonsai collection. The greenhouses were a dream to shoot in, and honestly I could have shot anywhere in this fabulous location. Lucia and Jordy were a pleasure to photograph, too. Their great style shone through and stood out in this beautiful and wild location and I am so excited to shoot their wedding in a few weeks time!
Travel Diaries :: Paris Days 3 & 4
“Avec tout mon coeur”
I think day three of our Paris trip will probably go down as one of my favourite days ever. We started the morning of by wandering around the beautiful Museum D'orsay, the grand converted train station with it's breathtaking glass ceiling and famous clock windows, housing a stunning collection of art and sculptures. What I loved about D'orsay, though, wasn't just the art. It was the fact that it was filled with artists, young and old, sketching the architecture, painting their own versions of the artwork, and one little girl drawing a particularly interesting (and by interesting, I mean adorable) picture of a cat. We followed this by a visit to the world renowned Angelina, famed for selling the best hot chocolate in Paris, quite a broad statement if you have tasted hot chocolate in Paris, but we weren't disappointed. Thick, molten chocolate served by the jug, accompanied by a salted caramel eclair was exactly the heaven it sounds like. We then wandered the streets for a while, searching for gems like Galerie Vivienne and finished the day off by jumping on the Metro to visit my favourite place in the whole of Paris - The Eiffel Tower. If you haven't been to Paris, that may sound like a bit of a cliche, but trust me when I say she is so beautiful and glorious on the Parisian skyline, never failing to take your breath away. We ate dinner on the Seine on the sunset, and watched as she lit up the sky.
Day four, was also as wonderful and whimsical as one could expect from a day in the city of lights. We visited the Louvre in the morning, I'd never been particularly keen on the idea but I'm so glad we did. If it's phenomenally large collection wasn't enough, the decor and architecture was incredible on it's own. The building is huge, and it is actually impossible to look at every item in it's inventory, but we got to see the Mona Lisa and that in itself made it worth the visit. After a few hours there, we went on to grab a bite to eat and then over to Notre Dame. In doing so, we stumbled upon the most beautiful flower market (there really is something special about seeing peonies in Paris), in all of its spring colours, and then headed to our favourite chocolate shop to collect some deliciousness to take home with us.
Travel Diaries:: Paris Days 1 & 2
“There are only two places in the world where we can live happy: at home and in Paris”
The idea that Paris is always a good idea may well be a cliche, but in my limited experience I can honestly say that I have found it to be true. I don't know if it is because this city is where me and Jamie found love, or if my heart would be just as enchanted by it regardless, but this cluster of beautiful architecture holds a whimsical romanticism that must be experienced to be believed.
This trip is our third visit to Paris, our first since being married, and a celebration of our two year wedding anniversary that is approaching in just over a weeks time. We have six blissful days here, staying in the most beautiful Air BnB apartment, complete with wooden floors, french windows and a collection of beautiful art, right in the heart of the wonderful, bohemian Monmatre. We spent yesterday exploring our immediate surroundings, eating and drinking in roadside cafes and just taking in the nostalgia and love we have found here in the city of lights.
Today we ventured a little further out and strolled down the Champs E'llysees, exploring the incredible flagship designer stores and ogling the beautiful treasurers they held. We found a secret viewing point at the top of a beautiful high end department store called Printemps. We also took a trip to the beautiful Palais Garnier, an awe inspiring opera house at the heart of Paris with incredible attention to detail. Right now, the rain is falling heavy on our cosy little apartment and we have just finished a camembert and bread stick. I am altogether and overwhelmingly content.
How I Package My Client Gifts
“Leave a little sparkle wherever you go...”
If you read my 50 things that make me happy post last week, you will know that there are few things in life that make me happier than gift wrapping. It honestly is one of my favourite things to do, however sad that is. Since I started my business, it has been my aim to not only offer a photography service, but an experience for my wonderful clients. My clients give me so much - trust, friendship and love for our work, so giving back has always been hugely important to me. I do my best to provide all of my clients with the gift of a stack of 6x4 prints, so that they have something immediately tangible, something to keep in a drawer and take out every so often to remember the moments we captured together.
Something else that I love to do, is support other local vendors in their journey. Over the past few months, I have collaborated with various businesses who I feel not only work well with my brand, but who can also be of use to each and every one of my clients, businesses that I can recommend as vendors so as to build a network of beautiful creators to make planning your wedding or event that bit easier. In putting this blog post together, I would love to introduce you to them.
Thank You Cards
Wendy of The Charming Press is an award winning creator who puts her heart and soul into designing to your exact needs. I reached out to a few vendors when looking to design the perfect thank you card, but Wendy stood out to me as acting as a human being as well as a business person. Her enthusiasm for my work and mine for hers meant we were able to bounce ideas off each other and she had no problem in mocking me up as many designs as I needed until I was perfectly happy. She didn't push me to order straight away or respond to my email with mindless responses and quotes, we also got to know each other in the process. Her design work is impeccable, and the quality of her stationery is second to none. She offers custom designed stationery and is the perfect choice for anyone looking for someone to design their wedding stationery or any other stationery you could possibly need.
Calligraphy
Since entering the wedding world, something that has always enchanted me is the art of calligraphy. I got this incredible starter kit from the amazing Alice Gabb and have been trying my hand at the art of calligraphy to bring a personal touch to my gifts. Alice's tag line is 'It's Polite To Write' and this is something I can really relate to! If you want to try your own hand at calligraphy, this is a great place to start. Alice also offers the option of having her do your calligraphy for you, for anyone who isn't as keen on the idea of hours of painstaking practice!
Custom Stamp
This custom stamp from The English Stamp Company is the perfect finish to my envelopes - this company are great as they offer both custom designs and have a huge amount of stock stamps and creative ideas to go with them on their website! This company were so easy to work with, with no hassle and clear instructions on the best way to present and upload your design for the best results.
Wax Seal
If calligraphy wasn't enough, using a wax seal is can of the coolest most old school feeling thing ever. Watching the hot wax drip into a circle and then stamping it down is way more fun than it should be, and I'd be lying if I said I don't wax seal anything that I think it will stick to. I got this one custom designed by The Celtic Gift Shop on etsy, and after messaging them they agreed to make a stamp from my logo at no extra charge. You also get four sticks of sealing wax included with your stamp, and they have an array of colours to fit with whatever scheme you might need. I'm no expert, but this is one high quality product which I honestly Couldn't be happier with, especially at such a reasonable price.
Silk Ribbon
If there is one thing I love when packaging up gifts, its ribbon. If there is one type of ribbon I love, it is silk ribbon. The raw edges and delicate texture reminiscent of the ties on ballet slipper is like no other, and finishing off a stack of prints with a beautiful soft blush bow is like music to my soul. The amazing PomPom Blossom has become my go to when it comes to ribbon for my packaging as it truly has the beautiful finish that I adore.
What are your favourite stationery suppliers? Let me know in the comments below!
Tips :: How to choose your wedding dress.
One thing I really stress to my brides when I first meet them, is that I know EXACTLY what they are going through. At the end of this month, I shall have been married for two years, so I remember all that went in to planning and curating my perfect wedding day. This is something that connects me to you as a couple, both running up to your day and on the day itself. For that reason, I thought it would be good to compile a few blog posts that help you understand some of the wedding process beyond the photography, to help you create a list of potential vendors, and hopefully help you to feel a little more prepared as you begin the planning process.
I thought I would start with the thing that was the starting point for me - the dress. As soon as Jamie had placed that ring on my finger the first thing I wanted to go and do was try on some dresses. I remember getting home to my parents and insisting we go to the first dress shop I thought of that very same week. I have recently been lucky enough to be working alongside the incredible Jennifer Bone at My Little Wedding Shop, who just so happens to be the person who I purchased my own wedding dress from. Jenny let me have a quick tour around her shop to grab some shots for the purpose of this blog post.
Where should You shop?
Like any type of clothing, there isn't just a one size fits all shop. My first mistake was going to a bridal store that only sold mass produced gowns, so although I felt pretty amazing trying the dresses on, there wasn't particularly anything I felt was truly me. I recommend looking for smaller boutiques, who will often have a smaller selection of handpicked or in house designed dresses, which will make it easier to decide whether or not you want to purchase your dress from that particular shop pretty quickly. Another lovely thing about shopping in a bridal boutique is that you get to have a personal connection with the shop owner, me and Jenny have stayed in contact for the last two years because of the wonderful experience I had shopping with her. Jenny also offers a bespoke dress making service, so if you have a specific idea in mind of the dress you want, going down the bespoke route may also be a good option.
Who should you take with you?
It could be tempting to take every girl in your life to your dress fittings, as it is such a beautiful experience that you are likely to want to share. However, I would recommend thinking carefully about the opinions you trust, and who you really want to be having their say on the dress you are going to wear on your wedding day. The dress is yours, and although others opinions can be valuable, avoid taking anybody who is likely to force your hand on the matter. Too many opinions can be very confusing, and the simpler you keep it the easier your decision will be. If you want to, go alone while choosing and then invite your nearest and dearest when you go for your fitting.
3.How will you know which dress to go for?
When thinking about which dress to go for, the best thing to do is to close your eyes and imagine yourself as a bride. Look through your Pinterest board and work out what your wedding is going to be like and imagine yourself in the middle of it all. Write down a few ideas of how you would describe the style and feel of the overall look you'll be going for. When you try the dress on, you will know, but if you are struggling to know what style you want to try on, having these ideas in your mind will help you to narrow things down. I would recommend trying on a few different styles just to see how they look on you, what I ended up going for wasn't what I thought would look the best on me, but when I tried it on I fell instantly in love.
4. What Accessories should you choose?
The accessories you go for will largely depend on the dress, so once you have the dress chosen try on as many different veils, tiaras, and jewellery as possible. Don't be scared to ask to try on the available headpieces in the shop, you really need to see the look as a whole to decide what kind of accessories to go for. If you are going for a flower crown, make sure to show pictures of the dress to the florist so she can help with your design.
The best advice I can give is trust your gut. If you love it, you should absolutely go with it, but finding a great place to shop can really improve the overall experience! I couldn't recommend Jenny more as a designer and as a person, as my experience with her was brilliant!
Lifestyle :: 50 Things That Make Me Happy
“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light. ”
My blog has become a little bit neglected in recent times, so I have set myself a goal to post every Wednesday and Friday, to get myself into the habit of posting regularly and so I can have a more full journal with notes about me as a person, my work, my travel experiences and tips on photography. I thought I would start with the 50 Thing That Make Me Happy tag, which I came across on Thirteen Thoughts and decided it would be a great way for anyone who doesn’t know me personally to get a bit of insight into me as a human. These aren't in any order, but its a pretty long list so I’ll get stuck into it!
1. My husband. Nothing in this world makes me happier than Jamie. His humour is honestly my favourite and I never get bored of spending time with him.
2. My Camera - Okay we all saw this one coming, but I couldn’t leave it out could I.
3. A cup of tea in bed.
4. Large Windows
5. Large Windows with sun Shining through them
6. My Parents - I feel lucky that I can honestly say I am best friends with my mum and dad. They are the first people I turn to and I absolutely love hanging out with them.
7. How the rain sounds on our loft bedroom roof when we are tucked up in bed.
8. Jamie reading my favourite books to me.
9. Travelling
10. The sound of film winding back onto the roll once it’s done.
11. Disney. Anything Disney.
12. ESPECIALLY Disneyland.
13. My sisters - sisters are honestly the best thing a girl can have.
14. Scented Candles
15. Lush Baths.
16. Receiving a package in the post.
17. Gift wrapping - I honestly cant explain how much I love wrapping gifts. If you receive a gift from me, expect it to be a work of art, I will definitely get carried away.
18. Writing.
19. Hearing my husband play guitar, piano, or any other random instrument in the background. My life has a constant backing track and I absolutely love it - even when that backing track is very loud drum pad or synthesiser.
20. Listening to Bruce Springsteen with my dad.
21. My friends - I don’t have a whole lot of friends, but I am always surrounded by the best people in the world. I have the closest thing I will ever get to brothers and they are kind of totally awesome.
22. LOVE.
23. Food - especially Italian food. (Although olives, camembert and a breadstick is my food heaven.)
24. Baths so long the water goes cold.
25. Binging on Netflix
26. Buying Jamie stuff. I honestly cant go into a shop without doing it.
27. Meeting other creatives and feeling like we have known each other forever.
28. Watching The Michalaks on Youtube every Sunday.
29. Jamie’s dog - he is the CUTEST dog in the world. He looks great in a scarf and gives the best cuddles.
30. Watches.
31. Shopping.
32. The smell of a new book.
33. Fresh flowers.
34. Hot tubs.
35. Forests - I’ve actually got a tree allergy which is ironic but I adore forests and trees I just have to grin and bare it.
36. Lakes.
37. My Nana - The most wonderful lady in the world.
38. Batenburg Cake
39. Anything Gold or Copper
40. My engagement ring
41. When my house smells like clean washing.
42. Snowboarding
43. The ocean
44. Thinking about my wedding day.
45. Calligraphy.
46. Baking
47. Jamie’s cooking.
48. Wandering, exploring and finding new exciting things.
49. New stationery - especially notebooks. I buy them All. The. Time.
50. New makeup.
I really enjoyed writing this list out and I have to say it has lifted my spirits focusing on all of the positive things in my life. Why not list all of the things that make you happy and leave one thing in the comments below?