We were out walking over the weekend and saw this splendid creature, a kestrel Deborah tells me, hovering before catching a mouse (which I didn’t get), the bird being considerably more skilful than me! Amazing display of flying and hunting skill, a magnificent bird.
Decided to have a trip to the fantastic Yorkshire Wildlife Park today. We have been season ticket holders now for two years and it is worth every penny. With the additional benefit of the new link road from the M18 through to Finningley the journey time is considerably reduced too. If you haven’t been and can find time it is an amazing place to go with some beautiful animals you aren’t likely to come accords in many other places in Yorkshire.
The Wedding of Amy and Chris took place in early May at Christchurch Hackenthorpe, Sheffield. What had initially looked like a dull and rainy Sunday turned out to be a sunny, funny and, a very happy day indeed!
As a surprise to her father the Bride had hired a vintage Volkswagen Campervan from Vintage Volks Weddings in Sheffield to transport the Bridal party to the Wedding and to take her and her new husband on to the Wedding Reception. An avid VW camper van enthusiast, her Father couldn’t believe his eyes!
On the way over to the Rutland Hotel reception we stopped off with Amy and Chris at the Sheffield Botanical Gardens for some portraits. As ever, the gardens looked spectacular and made a fitting backdrop to the images of this wonderful couple. Following the portrait session we headed off with the Bride and Groom the Reception at the Rutland Hotel on Glossop Road.
The wine flowed and laughter rang out as tales were told about trips to Bramall Lane and the couple’s love of Sheffield United, the reason behind them both meeting in the first place. You knew it was going to be fun when the Father of the Bride produces a toaster and 2 slices of bread from under the top table to “toast” the Happy Couple!
Wedding guests had congregated from around the world and it was a pleasure to be a part of such a family orientated day. We left as the guests were heading to the dance floor and even the Vicar (a friend of the family) looked ready to kick her heels on the dance floor!
I’m not sure if it is because I’m British, or because my parents (and grandparents and teachers) brought me up properly but I almost always follow the rules to the letter! It doesn’t matter if it is “do not steal” or “keep off the grass” or clear-up after your pet, I try to understand the rules and boundaries, follow procedures and try to operate my life in a decent and honest way without causing trouble for anyone else. I extend follow the understanding rules and boundaries in situations like photographing at a new venue. If possible I will visit the Vicar, Priest or officiant at a new venue to see what their rules are, where I can go and where I shouldn’t go, the last thing I want to do is stray into some sacred area of a church or temple and cause upset to the Bride and Groom, congregation and the custodian of the venue, it is their place of work and their rules after all.
This weekend one of our couples wanted to have their engagement shoot at Roche Abbey near Maltby. Dutifully I studied their website looking for opening times and any restrictions on photography, most venues are quite relaxed and happy for you to take pictures of a couple there as long as you don’t cause a nuisance to the rest of the visitors or turn-up with a full wedding party! The Roche Abbey website mentioned that wedding photography attracted a charge as did commercial photography. Deborah gave them a call and asked what the situation was with us, our two children and our engaged couple taking a few images there; we would use these for the couple to have in their signature mount for their wedding day. She was informed that this was classed as “commercial photography” and as such “ we would need to pay a fee of £150”! I mean £20 or £30 I could understand but 150 quid, no one in their right mind is ever going to pay that!
Suffice to say we did not pay this £150 fee and did not visit Roche Abbey. In an attempt to extract another £150 from us you have lost out on £10.40 family entrance + 2 adults at another £4 each, that’s getting on for £20 plus whatever we might have spent in the cafe or gift shop. In addition I have added Roche Abbey to my “do not visit ever” list. I also have rules and I stick to them!
Anyway, we went instead to Hellaby Hall Hotel where our couple will marry later in the year and had a wonderful time there, the location is magnificent and the staff could not have been more helpful we are both really excited about the Wedding, can’t wait!
Will share some images from today sometime in the future, and obviously some images from the Wedding once we have delivered them.
Received our first USB box and USB key from Folio Albums in Barnsley today. These are exquisite hand-made boxes personalised if required on the front and inside the top cover and feature a tie-closed with thick hessian type ribbon. We intend to use these for delivery of finished Wedding images from July 2016 onwards.
