by Liz Baker Photography | Engagements, Portraits
All of my full wedding collections include a complimentary Somerset engagement shoot. Or we can head to the Dorset coast or a Devon beauty spot. If you don’t live locally then it’s the perfect opportunity to book a B&B and make a weekend of it in this beautiful part of the country.
As many of you know I am a total devotee of the traditional film format. If you want to see the amazing luminous tones and vivid colours then scroll down now! Add to that the fabulous grain… These scans from the lab are mostly un-edited. It’s really difficult – and often impossible – to reproduce these qualities in a digital image. This Somerset engagement shoot included quite a few black and white images at the couple’s request, and was shot entirely on film.
You can see the similar luminosity in this countryside couple session and this coastal session, both shot on film.
Rachel and Robin met several years ago but had since moved on in different directions in life. Last year their paths crossed once more and they have found love later in life. They had planned a blessing in St Paul’s Cathedral but it was proving tricky to arrange. For their engagement shoot we decided to visit the sleepy Somerset village where they enjoy Sunday church services together. We took a few shots around the little church, and wandered the lanes.
Then a lovely thing happened. A woman from the church recognised them and threw open the wrought iron gates to her beautiful garden and orchard – complete with rope swing and meandering stream! We captured some lovely images which really represent what this Cider county is famous for.
Rachel and Robin went on to reorganise their wedding to take place in the church you see here, with an English Cream Tea and Cider to follow for their guests. Their cocktail hour and evening meal then took place the following weekend at a London private members’ club on Pall Mall. I’ll be sharing their wedding celebrations later on, with lots of wintery colours and gorgeous English interiors.
Shot on Fuji Pro 400H and Ilford Delta 400 and processed/scanned by Exposure Film Lab.
by Liz Baker Photography | Venues
This Autumn I am proud to be partnering with some very beautiful wedding venues in the south west of England, as a preferred supplier for luxury wedding photography. Today I am delighted to introduce my partnership with Brympton House. I believe a Brympton House wedding will always be a perfect country house wedding. In the exquisite film stills below you can catch a glimpse of what Brympton House offers you as a deluxe wedding venue. Take a look at this Brympton House Wedding Gallery.
You have the choice of three different licensed ceremony spots – the adjoining chapel, the Castle House with its dark beams (once a cider distillery), or the Palladian temple. There are more than six different but equally elegant indoor rooms available to you for your receptions. And don’t overlook the outdoor terrace, lawns and gardens with their endless pretty nooks perfect for romantic wedding photography, and for your guests to stroll through. For example, just take a look at the magnificent Great Hall, with its wall of stags’ heads and Autumn sun glinting through its impressive mullioned windows.
Set in 33 acres of parkland at Brympton D’Evercy in Somerset, the house boasts the longest straight stretch of staircase in England, and has played host to a number of period films and TV dramas over the years. Its beauty and character is simply breathtaking, and a Brympton House wedding is sure to look and feel magnificent! Styling and floral design are also available from the talented in-house team.
There are 26 guest bedrooms in total on the estate (including the romantic honeymoon suite) with two family suites, so ample room for your close friends and family to spend the night. Brympton also offers glamping in 20 beautiful bell tents overlooking the Victorian walled garden. As one of natural light’s loudest cheerleaders it is perhaps no surprise that my favourite things about Brympton are the stunning windows, doors and archways.
If you are planning your wedding at Brympton House please get in touch to find out more about a special offer just for you when you book. I will also shoot your wedding on real film – just like the stills you see here – so that your wedding images will be as elegant and full of character as Brympton itself.
Get my guide to planning your own fine art wedding sent to you completely free, along with your no-obligation, personalised quote.
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Shot on Fuji Pro 400H film and my Canon 1V at Brympton House. Films processed and scanned by Richard Photo Lab.
by Liz Baker Photography | Weddings
I am delighted to share this stylish wedding photography, as Abbie and Callum united two Scottish clans. In the father of the bride’s speech we learnt how in darker times these two clans fought each other to the death and there was no love lost!
However on this day Abbie and Callum reversed that trend by marking their commitment to one another and dedicating their baby son. Finally the service closed with a live acoustic rendition by the whole congregation of Elton John’s Your Song as they sang: How wonderful life is, while you’re in the world.
Abbie’s personality is as sparkling as her Cole Haan shoes – shoes which were not only stunning but also pretty comfortable, because she danced up the aisle with her father and back down it with her husband. And then – after a few group shots and some champagne – they danced into their reception!
Redhouse Barn in Worcestershire was the perfect venue for this relaxed but stylish wedding photography, and for Abbie and Callum’s unique wedding. In addition to the dancing shoes, the families and their kilts were there in force. Once all Scottish socks were on, handsome thistle boutonnieres finished their look. A close friend’s son made a handsome pageboy in full attire, who took his job as ring-bearer extremely seriously, guarding his precious cargo in his sporran until the moment.
The weather was typically British and could not quite decide. Sunshine and showers took their turn but we still got our golden hour at sunset, as well as some amazing triple rainbows which everyone tried to capture on their phones.
Another wonderful feature of this wedding was the lovely flower girls. Having been a bridesmaid twice as a girl I remember the magic of the experience – totally different to being one as an adult. So it was really great to see this opportunity being given to a sweet little troupe of young ladies. The girls looked very fine in their fresh flower crowns, and they all earned their fun creche session and tea of their own during the speeches.
Thank you Abbie and Callum for inviting me to document your day.
Get my guide to planning your own fine art wedding sent to you completely free, along with your no-obligation, personalised quote.
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Shot on Fuji Pro 400H and Ilford Delta 3200.
Photography: Liz Baker
Venue: Redhouse Barn
Florist: Flowers by Anna Brian
Hair & Makeup: Karen Mason
Dress: Sesay Bridalwear
Flower girls’ dresses: John Lewis
Rings: Simon Lewis Jewellery & Hatton Garden
Shoes: Cole Haan
Kilts: MacGregor & MacDuff
Catering: Morgans
Stationery: Artejano
Lab: Canadian Film Lab
by Liz Baker Photography | Anniversaries, Engagements
Joni and George celebrated 4 years of marriage with this anniversary session – a collection of fine art film images.
They have always loved to take a break together along the coast in West Dorset – a chance to get away and spend some quiet time together. It was almost as if they were retracing old footsteps in the sand as they wandered by the waves, talking together about these first years of their marriage, and their precious young daughter.
The coast is a great place to go for an engagement shoot or an anniversary session, especially if you can easily access both the cliffs above and the beach below. This kind of location offers both variety as well as beauty, drama and romance. I love to shoot at the coast whenever I have the chance!
Although there had been sunshine all day, banks of cloud rolled in off the sea as we began the shoot, creating some spectacular skies over the distant cliffs as the sun shone through, and a maritime feel to the images as the blue-green light bounced around us. This too provided a reflection of their marriage: it’s certainly not always sunny in such a close and demanding relationship and cloudy weather is all part of the package, yet that too is beautiful in its own way.
I believe that the actual process of the shoot – taking the time out, carrying a bouquet, reflecting on the exchange of rings to name just a few aspects – this process is in itself an encouragement to a couple, and an affirmation of their commitment. Grounded in the day-to-day reality of marriage, this celebration is so much more poignant than the original wedding.
For this reason I absolutely love these sessions and the images they produce, which declare to the world, “I still do.”.
by Liz Baker Photography | Branding, Events
Wild yet elegant. Extravagant yet somehow understated. I am an unashamed fan – even a bore – on the subject of the new romantic floral movement and the snapshot of nature that an arrangement in this style produces. As you can imagine I was in my element shooting my film camera in the cutting garden at stunning wedding venue Forde Abbey. I was also happy indeed to pass an hour observing the creativity flowing at this workshop, led by Grace Alexander (whose florals I adore for being all of the above), and documenting it through my lens.
Flower farmer and florist Grace was featured in Rock My Wedding’s series on Garden Gate’s Forage & Feast hosted by Nancarrow Farm. Described there as “a creative force and seasoned florist with real flair” Grace also runs her own creative flower workshops. Having also studied stateside recently at Floret, Grace is passionate about using the very best of what’s in season to create beautiful hand-ties and arrangements.
When Grace and I met for coffee to chat about the florals for my earthy and organic wedding inspiration she welcomed me to photograph her June 2017 workshop, in celebration of British Flowers Week, and I loved every minute of it! Even as she grows and harvests the flowers for her own wedding this year, she is still finding the time to bring beauty and happiness to weddings all over the South West with her home-grown blooms.
Very soon you will also be able to sow happiness in your own plot or garden, with Grace’s new artisan seed collection launching this summer. The collection features varieties not readily available through mainstream outlets and will be available soon via stockists such as Fine Art Wedding Boutique – a fabulous one-stop shop for a range of wedding suppliers totally committed to a beautiful fine art aesthetic.
I hope you enjoy these images of Grace’s workshop at Forde Abbey.
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