"With drinks over, I shadowed the wedding party all the way to check-in for Paris..."
Read moreThe St Pancras Wedding Journey...
"The hotel was prepared with fantastic wedding detail and prospective wedding clients were shown around, bubbly in-hand..."
Read moreWedding photography at The St Pancras Renaissance
Looking back at this commission, the timings and sheer ambition of the day makes me shake my head slowly with a wry smile. You know, I'm just not sure how we got it all done. And by "we" I mean 'Team Madhavi & Harry', because this one was about teamwork.
On the face of it the plan seemed pretty straightforward; everything would be happening at London’s spectacular St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, one of my favourite places to shoot. But just because it was in one place, didn’t mean it would be easy. There would be: guys’ preps, girls’ preps, a civil service, a Jewish blessing, an Indian ceremony then the wedding breakfast. Oh, and did I mention TWO drinks receptions? Just typing it is tiring.
In reality the shoot was never less the exhilarating. Madhavi and Harry were always brilliantly communicative with their ideas and the overall make-up of the day - and this is key - because the end result is always the sum of its parts. I feel the final selection really captures the atmosphere and emotion of these two wonderfully welcoming families simply having a ball!
Below are 100 shots, bigger than my usual posts, and these merely provide a taste of a terrific wedding with a very, very generous couple... I thank them greatly for asking me to be involved.
Click any thumbnail to enlarge...
Wedding photography at the St Pancras Renaissance
London boasts many grand locations. And while many have significant individual strengths like location, decor and history, I think The St Pancras Renaissance is one of very few in the UK capital to have it all.
I greatly value my position as an official supplier to the hotel; working there is always a delight. It’s also yielded some of my favourite wedding commissions over the last couple of years since the hotel opened after a lavish upgrade.
So, a great venue was in the bag. Now, enter Paula & Sam - and these guys are cool. Whenever we’d meet they would burst through the door, scooter helmets in hand, happily windswept and keen for a chat. From our first meeting on a freezing winter’s night, I knew these two would make great subjects.
Their day was an eclectic mix of personalities, fun, emotion and that oh-so-rare thing - laid-back formality. With everything wonderfully overseen by the events team at The Renaissance, the day zipped along at a pace with not one dull moment.
I’ll let Paula explain - how from their perspective - they felt it all went…
…………………………..
“As soon as Sam and I met Mark we knew he was the right person to photograph our wedding day. Relaxed, warm and an exceptional listener, he instantly understood our brief and never tried to change our vision, rather offer support and work with our ideas.
We started the journey together and our subsequent meetings (always with a coffee and an exciting story to tell) were filled with enthusiasm and a comfort it was going to be okay on the day. His photography is incredible – a beautiful mix of formal, black & white and our favourite – capturing special poignant moments throughout the day...”
…………………………...
In fact, for me this wedding had only one downside: suit envy. Now, I’m pretty sure Sam put his trust in Burberry on his wedding day. And I am therefore planning an intense spot of January sales shopping.
As usual here are only a handful of my personal memories as seen through the lens. Click any thumbnail to enlarge...
From the archive... #17
Morning preps are one of the nicest parts to shoot of any wedding day. It's a gentle hour of detail and quiet shots which virtually nobody else sees.
This little scene is my vantage point through a connecting door to one the grand suites at The Renaissance Hotel, St Pancras. Hair is virtually done and the donning of the dress is minutes away - so I kept my distance to ensure the moment wasn't lost.
I think of it as a 'doorman's eye view'...