Back in December 2014 we shot a gorgeous Christmasy winter wedding at Oaks Farm for a lovely couple, Joel and Phillipa. We’ve shot winter weddings at Oaks Farm before, but not one so close to Christmas. It was a delight! It’s really lovely to be able to shoot weddings across all four seasons, as you get a really different feel to them. With December weddings you can get a real homely, warm feel to the wedding, and we think this is one of the main reasons why they are becoming increasingly popular. From a photographer’s point of view you have to be aware of the additional challenges shooting winter weddings entail- less available light during the day, and the obvious challenges of the colder weather. You have to be sensitive to the needs of your couple and also their guests- so we generally ensure that group shots are wrapped up quickly, and if necessary split between outside and inside locations. If you are having a winter wedding we’d generally recommend limiting your groups to no more than 6 or 7, for that reason.

We’re firm believers in embracing the conditions you are given. Our favourite portrait shot of the day for Phillipa and Joel was the one of them outside, at night cuddling up by the Orangery steps. We shot this using a combination of a very fast prime lens, and a hint of video light too. With winter weddings you have sometimes have to use supplementary lighting (such as off camera flash or video lights) to get the look you want. If anything if you are getting married in the midst of winter it’s actually even more important that you hire a photographer that has the skills to deal with the additional demands they bring. You seriously wouldn’t want to hire a relative novice to shoot a winter wedding!

We hope you like this selection of photos of Phillipa and Joel. It was a joy to photograph, and what a genuinely lovely couple they are too!

Matt and Brenda x