Godalming wedding Archives - Surrey Wedding Photographer - Guy Collier Photography

Gate Street Barn wedding photography – Camilla + Dave

This is Chloe + Ed and today my heart is full. Yes

This is Chloe + Ed and today my heart is full. Yesterday was a day to take stock, today to talk about the connections that led us here….

We met when I shot Lydia + Jonny’s wedding (Lydia is Chloe’s sister) in 2019. Lydia found me through Hazel (who used to own Eden Blooms, now owned by Shelly who did the incredible flowers you see here). Hazel and this family are very very close (a huge thanks to Anne & Steve who said I’m now ‘a member of their extended family’. Like I said, a full heart). I’m shooting Hazel’s wedding next year and will see all of these wonderful people again. That takes us to today and what it meant.

It meant a day of pure sunshine, love, emotion and laughter. It meant a day where I yet again had to pinch myself. That I get to spend my working life doing this is to be so very lucky. People like Chloe, Ed, Lydia and Jonny are why that’s the case. Throwing their arms open to those they love and making days like these happen. Today meant these two telling those people what they mean to each other, and cementing their future in the most certain way possible. Big squeezes all around.

Chloe, Ed. My God you smashed it today. It was THE greatest honour to be there with you and spend more time with you all. Anyone who knows me knows I love The Wire, and a quote from one episode resonates:

" As I look back over a misspent life, I find myself more and more convinced that i had more fun doing news reporting than in any other enterprise. It really is the life of kings"

-H.L. MENCKEN

Just replace ‘news reporting’ with ‘wedding photography’.

Thanks to my brilliant colleagues. To Alice at the sublime Midelney Manor, for her smiles and welcome from the moment the doors opened. I won’t mention the gimp and I very much hope to be back. To Shelly and her team at Eden Blooms for doing the most amazing job with the flowers and styling. To Louise & Sally on hair and make-up for being such great fun. To all at Milk Shed for superb food and drink. That I get to work with such fab people is just another plus in a sea of pluses.

But finally to Chloe + Ed. Thank you, so much ❤️

A quite splendid couple of hours spent with these

A quite splendid couple of hours spent with these two yesterday afternoon at RHS Wisley. Maria and Alex are marrying at @gatestreetvenue in August and we had some extremely lovely light and a very quiet gardens to explore. An immediately great fun couple to shoot and it took at least 7 minutes before Alex and I were taking the piss out of each other, and then talking cars, cycling and motorbikes. I cannot wait for August. It’s going to be a scream. Maria has effortless grace. They’re both ace to photograph. Loved it. I’ll be back here in early June for a wedding as well, and that’ll be all kinds of wonderful.

And so to last Friday, or more specifically the ut

And so to last Friday, or more specifically the utterly awesome Justine + Mike. A day that gave us enormous smiles, laughter, the love of friends and families, rain that left us just when it needed to, and at the middle of it all the couple that you see here. They. Are. Awesome.

Along with their little girl, the equally awesome Ivy, Justine and Mike had put together a real party day, with all-day music, the absolutely brilliant Singing Waiters, great food and drink and an attitude that was perfection. The end result is what you see here - Justine tells me my Instagram posts are “soppy”. She’s probably right about that, because the words you read on my posts are from the heart. I am *ridiculously* lucky to get the couples I do, and to come away from weddings still wondering how I got so lucky that I call this “work”. Away from all the guff written about weddings it really does come down to people like Justine + Mike. People who leave my heart feeling full, and with more memories to look back on so very fondly.

Justine found me through her best friend, Hannah. I shot Hannah and Tommy’s wedding in 2018, and Hannah is a damn fine florist who works both for herself and with Shelley at Eden Blooms. Needless to say Hannah did the flowers for today and smashed it. A HUGE thank you to all of my colleagues on the day, particularly Ben for some ace chats and showing once again that us photographers and videographers can work so well together (and I hope your car made it home!). Oh and a special mention to Emily who was one of my first ever brides almost 15 years ago and who came in the evening. Turns out she’s friends with Justine as well. A lovely surprise!

Once again, what a day this was. All down to Justine, Mike and the people they love. Thank you both ❤️

Venue: @tithebarn
Catering: @fathog.and.bigpan.catering
Flowers: @flowersbyhannah
Video: @bhweddingfilm

2023 you really are shaping up to be one hell of a

2023 you really are shaping up to be one hell of a year for weddings. A trio of weddings last week, and the third of the three as superbly wonderful as the previous two. Step forward Hannah and Neil, a twin for a Best Man, quite a lot of rain, and a day made brilliant by the couple you see at the centre.

Lots of serendipity for this one - Hannah works at the same Uni my daughter studies at. Neil is a fellow cyclist. Hannah is a fellow cat-lover. Neil is (yes this one is obvious) in the Royal Navy, as was my Dad. I have said it before but it’s links like these that add meaning to days like these. Little connections, worlds shared.

So yes it rained, and that’s never ideal, but when the wedding just pulls out the brollies and gets on with it regardless you know you’re in for a cracker. That absolutely proved the case today, and to see these two together is to understand what love means.

Thank you both, it was bloody brilliant.

To my most excellent colleagues on the day, thank you as well. You’re all also bloody brilliant:

Venue: @clockbarn (massive thanks to Lauren as always!)
Flowers: @edenblooms (Shelly and Hannah smashing it)
Hair and Make-up: @katydjokicmakeup and @melissaclaremakeup
Enertainment: @farnhamsandl

I’ve just about come down from Wednesday, and th

I’ve just about come down from Wednesday, and these two incredible people. Just about, but not quite. 2023 you have already set the bar high, and on this gloriously sunny day at one of my favourite places I had the absolute honour of shooting Nicolette and Ashley, a couple for who a chance meeting in London almost 9 years ago led to a transatlantic love that is truly one for the ages. From the moment Nicolette got in touch, to their brilliant pre-wedding shoot last year, to today, it’s been a journey I didn’t really want to stop. Aside from my ongoing bromance with Ash, they are a spectacular couple and honestly, days like this don’t feel like work. Fucking hell, what a day. Apols for swears, but allow me that one. Bon Iver’s ‘Holocene’ as the first dance. That’s all you really need to say….I loved every single minute. And Nicolette, it’s a fucking aubergine 😂 - thank you both, it was just a bit epic.

Alongside me were a literal dream-team of colleagues who all played a massive part in giving them the day of their dreams. What a privilege it was to be a part of it all.

Venue - @gatestreetvenue (huge thanks to India, Holly and Leanne)
Flowers - @gillpikeflorist
Hair and Make-up - @spenceandoliver
Catering - @tietheknotweddingcatering
DJ - @sirfrancismusic
Pizza - @doughanddeer
Video - @cw_vid

April is already done, and fittingly went out with

April is already done, and fittingly went out with something of a bang on Saturday as I spent the day with Katie + Quang, and a whole load of emotion and laughter. I know people will read this and think ‘he can’t seriously always get to photograph such lovely couple’ but I really do. Pinch me, yet again.

Gate Street Barn was the setting, my first of a few there this year and another venue I’m proud to be a recommended photographer at. This place always carries such special memories, and always delivers brilliant days spent amongst equally brilliant people. Sunshine and dry weather at last, after what’s been a ‘challenging’ April for weather. Warmth on skin, sun on faces. It was about time.

These two are just bloody lovely people, and their friends and family gave them a day to remember.

Massive thanks to Holly and Leanne at the Barn, to Ella and Lauren at Kalm Kitchen (all of the scallops) and all of my excellent colleagues on the day:

Venue - @gatestreetvenue
Catering - @kalmkitchenltd
Flowers - @gillpikeflorist
Hair and Make-up - @jessicahurleybeauty
Music - @karizmafunctionband
Lighting - @farnhamsandl

Top-drawer fellow suppliers for a top-drawer couple.

I’m back at Gate Street in just two days…..watch this space later this week for more of that!

Katie + Quang. Nailed it. All day. Thank you both ❤️❤️❤️

© 2023 Guy Collier Photography

Back to Top