Journal

END OF AN ERA

That’s it folks, – this particular door is closed!

After 16 years and 600+ weddings, Firehorse Photography Ltd is now no longer taking bookings for UK weddings.

Whoa…WHAT??!!

No, we haven’t folded or retired or even run away to South America, but moved to France.

(The new) Firehorse Photography (Fr.) is alive & well and thriving at firehorsephotographyfrance.com and has been as a new & separate business for some time.

So I’d like to thank everyone, – clients, venues, wedding planners and everyone we have come across over the last 16 years, – it’s been great.

But now it’s time to close that door and fully open the new one (actually I did a while back but was waiting for the last UK wedding to be completed).

Is that to say I will never ever, ever, photograph or film another UK wedding?

It depends… I’m concentrating purely on France for the next 16 years and have a pretty full diary for weddings here, but can sometimes be tempted to leave, – try me 😉

Exclusively France May-Sep that is. UK (or other destinations) Oct/Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr are all still good!

So thanks and best wishes to all and if you are planning a wedding in France, “bonjour!”

Simon

HARROGATE WEDDING

And following on from last week’s Rudding Park wedding just 6 days ago, I was back once more.

I’m not entirely sure how many weddings I have photographed at this fine Harrogate venue over the last 17 years, but it’s well over 60 visits.

Every time, it is genuinely different.

Different times of year. Different weather. Different rooms used. Different types of ceremony. Different people…

Georgie & Miles was no different in that…ie, it was unique.

Preps took place not in one of the suites, but a room whose name escapes me but is perfectly suited to this.

The ceremony itself took place at Christchurch on The Stray which is a very fine & welcoming church and then it was back to Rudding in a fleet of Yorkshire Wedding Cars and a vintage bus.

It stayed dry for the duration, but was hardly a heatwave but none of that made any difference to Georgie & Miles who had a superb day

Below, a selection of highlights with full gallery available by clicking here and wedding films above & below!

Read more

RUDDING PARK WEDDING

I first met Sam & Tom at one of the Rudding Park open days.

We clicked straight away and I knew I wanted to capture their wedding day for them.

That day finally came about the other week.

The weather didn’t play too fair with us, but we managed a few minutes outside between the rain.

Sam & Tom’s ceremony took place in the Radcliffe room complete with string quartet who also played throughout the drinks reception that followed.

Above is a slideshow created from the highlights of their day with pics below.

Full gallery with international print ordering facility available here.

“We have just watched the video & it is amazing! Thank you so much! The photographs are unreal”.

Read more

NORTH YORKSHIRE WEDDING

And that is the end of an era.

It began 8 years ago. Longer actually and I can’t remember whom specifically, but between 8-10 years ago, I photographed an ex-Harrogate Ladies College pupil’s wedding.

That led to a series of ‘ex-Harrogate Ladies College pupil’s weddings’ one of those being Caroline, the first of the Tennant sisters & cousins.

The Tennant family is quite well known in Yorkshire for their auction house in Leyburn which hosts something like 80+ fine-art, antique and collectors auctions per annum. And I have now photographed all 4 Tennant girl weddings. There are no more Tennant wedding for me to photograph!

It began as I said with Caroline (& Jamie), – a church ceremony in Middleham just around the corner from the family home at Neville Hall of the 3 sisters.

Then it was cousin Lizzie to Edd a couple of years later at the same church (and still possibly my favourite confetti picture) and a marquee at The Blue Lion in West Witton.

The third was middle sister Ali (& George) at the family church and marquee reception at Jervaulx Abbey.

And then finally it was ‘baby’ sister Jane. Like me, she has been a witness to her 2 sisters and cousin’s wedding so I cannot imagine not photographing her day and completing the quadrilogy.

That event took place last weekend at church in Middleham and then on to the reception at the fabulous Tennant’s Auction Room’s in Leyburn. It’s a pretty swanky place and was perfect for Jane & Tim’s Winter wedding.

“Let’s see what you make of a Tennant Winter wedding Simon”, was one of the last things Jane said to me in the days prior.

I made the (below) Jane. A lot of the credit goes to you and your families who I shall genuinely miss.

Full gallery with print ordering facility available by clicking here, otherwise enjoy the extensive highlights below:

Read more

WEDDING AT ARMATHWAITE HALL

December 2015, I received an enquiry from a certain Emmalene C which read:

“I found out about you a couple of years ago when my best friend and I were dreaming of our future wedding days. Before I’d even got engaged! On the 4th October this year he finally popped the question and you are 1st on my list of 1 photographer. I have kept on checking your website over the years I have known about you and your pictures are simply stunning, very natural and not overly posed or staged, just capturing the essence of the wedding”.

Right, not too much pressure there then…

I hope I lived up to those expectation Emm. Or at least the work I produced with my sidekick for the day James of www.jamesstewartphotography.co.uk

(I normally work alone but based on certain time constraints on this particular day, we decided 2 would be a good idea).

Now according to the law of sod, this was one of those days when the client deserved to have all the planets in alignment whilst that proverbial big boned lady warbled in the background.

They did. And she did. OK, it was still a Winter wedding which has certain constraints in itself, but the weather was a gift, the venue beautiful and the people a joy.

It’s what makes this profession for me. Day like this, people like Emm & Charlie.

Full gallery with print ordering facility and wedding film available by clicking here. Also, enjoy the extensive highlights below:

Read more

WEDDING AT RUDDING PARK

I stopped counting a long time time ago, but having been an officially recommended photographer for the venue, over the last 16 years, I have covered in excess of 50 weddings here!

Every time I think, “how am I going to find something new?”

The short answer is there is always something new, – every wedding is different.

OK, the location/backdrop largely remains the same, but different times of year and weather make a change.

Then there are the people. It’s all about the people. The B&G naturally, but also all of the guests.

From the first time I met Lauren & Jon at one of Rudding Park‘s open days, I knew they were planning something special.

And a bit different.

Trees? Beatboxers? Oh yes, – this one was going to be a little different!

I used to spend a bit of time on these blog posts waffling about what happened, but these days tend to do the opposite.

Simple reason is that this is not a novel, but a visual story and that’s what I do.

So without further ado, highlights from Lauren & Jon’s wedding including trees and beat boxers!

Full gallery including international print ordering facility available to view by clicking here.

Read more

RIPON CATHEDRAL WEDDING

Some weddings need more than one single post/page.

Georgina & Andy’s Ripon Cathedral wedding is one such.

First of all, it was a big wedding (200 guests).

Second, there was so much going on.

Which gives me a lot of material to work with!

Putting it all into one post is a bit much, so it’s split between:

Part 1, the prep and then ceremony at Ripon Cathedral followed by Part 2.

Part 2 is the reception at Newburgh Priory.

So where did this wedding start?

Well 8 years ago actually with sister Caroline’s wedding also to an Andy.

That wedding also began with prep at The Old Coach house and a ceremony at Ripon Cathedral.

A couple of suppliers involved in this part of the day were:

Florist – Where Angels Play

Cars – Keith Snowden

Part 2 can be viewed by clicking here.

Read more

NEWBURGH PRIORY WEDDING

Following on from Part 1 of Georgina & Andy’s Ripon Cathedral wedding is this, Part 2.

Their reception took place at the gorgeous Newburgh Priory (2nd visit in a week!) at Coxwold, North Yorkshire.

Where to start with what occurred…

Well it’s probably best to simply make a list of the key suppliers and then let the pics do the talking.

So without further ado:

Tina Smyth – Wedding Planner

Venue – Newburgh Priory

Buses – Red Bus Days

Sperry tent – Papakata

Props – Living by Liz

Caterers – The Yorkshire Party Company

Lighting & AV – AV Matrix

Band – Scully & Co.

Singing Waiters – Encore Entertainment

Magician & Reception band – Arena Entertainment

Fireworks – Pyroweavers

Full gallery including international print ordering facility available by clicking here.

Read more

CARLTON TOWERS WEDDING

The good weather returned for Creta & Sam’s Carlton Towers wedding!

This Summer, like so many in the UK has been a bit on & off, but it came good on this day.

OK, it chucked it down later, but that was long after everyone had sat for the meal so not an issue.

Creta wore Pronovias from Jayne’s Bridal, Doncaster and got ready at her parents house.

The ceremony took place at the very grand Selby Abbey conducted by Canon John Weetman.

Flowers & car were provided by All Occasions and the cake by Treats Heaven.

The reception took place at the Grade I listed Carlton Towers which is an absolutely fabulous setting.

Catering was by Dine and evening entertainment involved; music by Johnny Ross, a casino and photo-booth.

Creta & Sam are honeymooning in West Coast USA.

Full gallery including international print ordering facility available by clicking here.

ABI & DAN’S NEWBURGH PRIORY WEDDING

Before we get on to Abi & Dan’s Newburgh Priory wedding, we need to talk about ‘The Child of Prague’.

“There seem to be a few variations on the same theme.

Some leave the child inside, in their hallway the night before a wedding.

Others leave the child outside. But leave the child outside under a bush.

Then there is the question of whether or not the child needs to be beheaded.

This rather strange addition seems to come from the fact that the statues were, in the past, made rather shoddily.

The neck was a weak stress point and when left outside overnight, the clay or plaster of paris would contract in the cold and the head would invariably fall off.

In our wisdom, we Irish decided that a decapitated baby Jesus was a good omen.

Some people qualify this by claiming that the head then needs to be placed or glued back on the body.

Nowadays Irish people invested in their wedding day don’t like to take the chance that the infant’s head will fall off naturally, so customary and savage beheadings have become the norm.

Improved statue quality and modern manufacturing quality control processes are to blame.

Thankfully though it is in his nature to be forgiving and the infant does still seem to confer good weather to these zealous couples.

The Irish are alone in their belief that the child of Prague can influence the weather and it is unclear where this tradition started”.*

Err, right. So the big question, did it rain on Abi & Dan’s wedding day or was the weather glorious?”

It did (rain). And it wasn’t (glorious weather). Take ‘The Child of Prague’ and bin it.

Instead, bury a sausage in your garden. That one is 100% guaranteed.

So back in the world of reality…

She wore Enzoani from Emily’s Bridal of Sheffield

Makeup & hair was by Natalie Willingham

Cars were by Keith Snowden of Ripon

Flowers by Floral Pride, cake Fairy Cakes & Co. Bedale, Fryton Catering for food

Band = The Avalons

The pics will tell the story better than my words.

Full gallery with international print ordering facility available by clicking here.

Read more