venetia norrington

Dad Spotlight | Craig

Jul 15 2018 Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago I posted a very personal Father’s Day Blog with my wonderful step-father Neville, I asked him a series of questions about being a Dad and what it means to him. I thought about all the wonderful families I have had the privilege of photographing and wanted to reach out to some of these top of the ‘pops’ and it’s been rather an emosh response actually !

This week we spoke to Craig, who along with his beautiful family has been a wonderful client since he and Brogan’s wedding, to the birth of gorgeous Willow, to Willow’s first birthday!

Much love

Venetia

Tell us about your wonderful family!

Myself and my wife Brogan have actually known each other since primary school. After losing touch we met again nearly 10 years ago, in that time we have got married and had a gorgeous little girl Willow, who is approaching 15 months.

If you were going to get one gift for Father’s Day, what would it be?

We love spending time as a family so a day trip for the three of us.

We know there will be many, but does one memory stick out as being your favourite with your little one?

I think one of them has to be taking her back to Bridwell Park where we were married. Even though she was at the wedding … we just weren’t aware! Having Venetia capture that moment was definitely a memory that will stick with me.

What 3 words describe Willow best?

Happy. Funny. Gorgeous.

Tell us about your experience having a photoshoot with Venetia.

We first met Venetia at a wedding fair and booked her as soon as we met for our wedding. The photos she captured for us were amazing, our guests commented on her professionalism, relaxed approach and her ability at making everyone feel at ease. When we shared our news with Venetia that Brogan was expecting, she told us about the photoshoots that we could arrange with her. We have had three photoshoots with Venetia for Willow and each one we have loved. It’s never stressful, just a lovely day out that we look forward to – making precious memories for the future.

What is the best thing about being a Father?

Watching our little girl grow up and being a part of it. Nothing can compare to the love that we have for her. Hearing the word Dada is just perfect!

Cat & James | Engagement Shoot

Jul 13 2018 Leave a Comment

The story of Cat & James is one of my favourite engagement stories!

Fawley Hill in Henley-on-Thames is a fabulously unique wedding venue boasting a working steam railway and restored station, ‘Ironhenge’ composed of carefully preserved columns from St.Pancras Station in London, and not forgetting an animal sanctuary of free-roaming beauties! I am very proud and lucky to be their recommended photographer and I just love the wonderful people that make up Fawley Hill.

So, one thing we do with our elite supplier venue partnership is have regular reviews with them I get to see how we can further working together and share our industry knowledge, (usually with a glass of fizz in hand!) One particularly beautiful day I was sat with Lady McAlpine reminiscing on the weddings we have done together and she mentioned she had a couple coming in to view the venue and I should stay and talk to them. Now, this immediately made me feel super awkward as the last thing I want is to pounce on an unsuspecting potential client and make them think it was a blatant set up! After some debate, it was clear I was staying, so the glass was topped up and in walked Cat & James.

Cat had been longingly looking at Fawley Hill as her dream wedding venue long before a hint of proposal, and James was well aware of this. So unbeknownst to her, and us, he had set up the venue viewing for the afternoon, and had proposed in the morning!!!

Over to Cat for the rest of the story…

“We had been doing ‘alphabet dates’ for a year or so, taking it in turns to plan dates themed to letters of the alphabet and it was James’ turn. We had been really busy so James suggested booking a day off work, played it super cool in the lead up, ensuring I had no idea. He took me to Caversham Court Gardens, where we went on our first date (I had told James this was the spot I had realised he was ‘the one’!) and said we were there as ‘N was for Nostalgia’. I had no idea until he got down on one knee, with a ring he had deigned and made exactly to my taste!

Following this, we recreated the first date by heading back to a little barge boat for afternoon tea in Reading, and then the surprise continued when James took me up to Fawley Hill to view it! This is where we met Venetia and after getting on so well with her, booked her to document our big day for us!”

It felt like such an honour to be a part of Cat & James’ romantic day and hear right from the beginning of their wedding journey how they felt, what was important to them and their next steps. This is gold dust information for me to be able to help future clients going forward.

Fast forward to their engagement / pre-wedding shoot!

We headed down to Portsmouth where Cat & James first met and captured some absolutely gorgeous memories for them and I am now sooooo excited for the big day in September, being back at Fawley Hill and celebrating these two, their journey and their future!

Venetia

Dad Spotlight | Dale

Jul 08 2018 Leave a Comment

This week we spoke to Dale who we recently had a lovely wander around Bridwell Park with him and his family.

P.s Don’t forget to check out last weeks top of the pops entry, Andy!

Tell us about your wonderful family!

I am very lucky to have a fabulous wife called Janie who I’ve been married to for 8 years and we have a beautiful 17 month old daughter called Iris. Our family is completed by our wire haired fox terrier called Barney.

If you were going to get one gift for Father’s Day, what would it be?

A winning lottery ticket. As much as I enjoy work it would be fantastic to have the choice of when to work so that I could spend as much time with Iris growing up as I wanted!

We know there will be many, but does one memory stick out as being your favourite with your little one?

I spent a lot of Iris’s first year in hospital and was fortunate enough to be visited every day by Janie and Iris. One of my happiest memories of Iris is seeing her appear at the door of my hospital room in Janie’s arms and seeing her recognise me. She would instantly have the biggest smile across her face which would make me so happy.

What 3 words describe Iris best?

Happy. Adventurous. Wonderful.

Tell us about your experience having a photoshoot with Venetia.

The photoshoot with Venetia was held at Bridwell Park in Devon. It was a great opportunity to get some photos of our family all together. Venetia’s style was relaxed and well organised. She put us all at ease which led to the resulting shots being natural and laid back. All in all a great experience!

What is the best thing about being a Father?

Being able to see first hand how Iris grows and learns. From one day to the next she will start saying or doing something that she’s not done before and it is wonderful to watch her flourish.

Pre-Wedding Shoots and you!

Jul 03 2018 Leave a Comment

For me a pre-shoot is not only a wonderful way to get to know you both, feel comfortable in front of the camera ahead of your big day, but also an opportunity and excuse for you to commission some professional imagery of you as a couple!

Traditionally in the industry pre-wedding shoots, or engagement shoots, have taken place at your chosen wedding venue, and are a great way of the photographer to visit, have a look around and do that all important venue recce ahead of your wedding day. But for me it feels (excuse me for speaking out of turn!) not enough.

For a number of years now I’ve been encouraging my wedding photography couples to ‘vamp up’ their pre-wedding shoots, choosing a photography location or theme that really means something to them. Be it inspired by a physical place that means something to you as a couple, a sport one or both of you loves, a hobby you partake in or indeed where you got engaged. These images are yours and should therefore reflect you, and not simply be a replica of your wedding images, but in ‘normal’ clothes.

To get stunning pre-shoot images your location doesn’t necessarily need to be weird and wonderful or involve weeks worth of planning and a dozen Pinterest boards as Genevieve and Dave found when they took me on their favourite dog walk!

Venetia

Your Wedding at Hotel Du Vin Bristol

Jun 27 2018 Leave a Comment

We have been getting to know the wonderful wedding team down at Hotel Du Vin Bristol recently and what a fabulous team it is! A gorgeous city centre venue for the perfect intimate wedding, boasting a stunning portfolio of all you need; to die for food and drinks menu, lavish hotel rooms, stunning building and courtyard, onsite sommelier team and just a five minute walk from Bristol’s registry office.

We popped down to take some beautiful personal branding photographs of Hayley Martin, and ask all about her role as Wedding Co-ordinator!

Tell us a little about your experience/background with coordinating weddings and what you most enjoy about it?

I have been working as the Weddings Co-ordinator at Hotel du Vin Bristol City Centre for a year. This is my first time working in a hotel and I absolutely love it! The most enjoyable part of my role is the sense of achievement that I feel when I have worked with a couple from the initial appointment through to their big day to create the perfect experience for them and their guests.

Tell us a little about the background of Hotel Du Vin.

Our building was previously a collection of Grade II listed warehouses which refined cane sugar in the 1700s. The building was abandoned for many years and we opened in November 1999. We are located adjacent to the Christmas Steps in Bristol’s city centre and have 40 stunning individually styled bedrooms including our stylish Veuve Clicquot with its mezzanine level and twin bath tubs. All of our bedrooms benefit from lovely added extras such as king size beds with Egyptian cotton linen, n’espresso coffee machines, free standing roll top bath tubs and walk in monsoon showers.

Upon arrival, our leafy courtyard welcomes guests before they move into our atmospheric Sugar Bar which is open to both overnight guests and non-residents. This is adjacent to our cosy bistro which is open every day for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Specialising in fresh and seasonal produce, it’s about enjoying moderately priced à la carte dining in a down-to-earth, warm and relaxing setting. All served by attentive and knowledgeable waiting staff, happy to explain the dishes, the ingredients, and how our talented Chefs put them together. The hotel also boasts four unique private event spaces available for dinners, weddings, drinks receptions and meetings for 2 to 120 people. Exclusive hire of the venue is also available.

What makes Hotel Du Vin such a unique place to get married?

Our venue is very romantic full of candlelight, big comfy chairs, an open fire and exposed wooden floor boards. It is an intimate space and creates the perfect backdrop for a magical wedding. We have found that many of our couples had their first date or got engaged in the hotel which then makes the use of Hotel du Vin as their wedding venue even more special!

What options are available to couples at Hotel Du Vin?

We understand that every wedding is different so we work closely with each couple to create the perfect day. This could involve anything from our Chef designing a bespoke menu to arranging for a couple’s dog to carry their rings down the aisle! The possibilities are absolutely endless! We can accommodate one (or all!) of the following; the ceremony, wedding meal, rehearsal meal, evening reception, accommodation, afternoon tea, hen/stag do or equally guests can take exclusive hire of the hotel. We also have an onsite Sommelier team who are happy to work with you before the big day to plan the perfect wine choices to accompany your meal. Also we are located a five minute walk from the Registry Office so some guests choose to get married there and then walk over to us.

Thanks Hayley!

We will be finding out Hayley’s top 5 tips for planning your wedding next time on the blog so watch this space!

Happy Father’s Day!

Jun 17 2018 Leave a Comment

To kick-start our series of features on some of the amazing Dad’s we have known and photographed, I thought I’d start with my own experience. Mainly because it’s an excuse to tell the world about the wonderful man that is Neville.

*Disclaimer….yes these are iPhone selfies!*

Neville (or Grandad as we fondly call him) is my father-in-law and quite frankly…everyone needs a Neville! He is the epitome of amazing and I class myself as one of the luckiest woman alive to have him in my life.

Not only is he strong, supportive, caring, capable, giving, practical, positive and so many more qualities, he’s fun. Neville often comes down for weeks at a time and he’s just the easiest person in the world to live with. He loves everything food wise I put in front of him (I’m a pretty boring, healthy girl), loves many of the same hobbies as I do, he understands my need to have the laptop on my knee most evenings, he’s a fellow Gin and Tonic lover and he’s uber helpful to boot. When he goes, I wonder where on earth the ‘fairies’ have gone that have been doing my washing-up, chopping all the vegetables ready for cooking, cutting my grass, hanging out my washing and just generally keeping the house spick and span.

And when there’s a job that needs doing, Neville’s your man. In the office whenever there is a Wedding Fair stand to be built, some extra hands needed on a styled shoot, some furniture to be moved or indeed a time machine needed to get more work done, you’ll hear the cry “Well, can’t Neville build it?!”. He’s definitely part of VN Towers in his own little way.

I sadly lost my father at a very young age and whilst Mum was great and did the most amazing job of bringing me up single-handed I’m over-the-moon that ‘Grandad’ found his way into my life.

One night, over a cheeky G&T he told me his thoughts about fatherhood in his own words…”

* Tell us about your wonderful family

I have a son, Karl and a daughter Lisa, both are grown-up and have grown-up children of their own. We’re very lucky I think Joan and I, as the two children we have had, have never caused any problems and have been really loving children. When I see other people’s children, and how they behave, the family issues they have, I realise how lucky we are.

* If you were going to get one gift for Father’s Day what would it be?

A long holiday together, all the close family, so everyone could chill out and relax. We’d walk, cook healthy food, eat, drink wine (or G&T), chat and enjoy each other’s company…without the laptop or the camera!!! Maybe a farm house based in England, the Lake District or by the sea, because everyone likes the sea! Definitely not London!! (Nev recently accompanied me on a work trip to ‘the big smoke’ for the day and I think it’s safe to say, he’s not a fan LOL!).

* We know there will be many, but does one memory stick out as being your favourite with your little one(s)?

Oh gosh, that’s easy…seeing them born! That’s is the most natural and loveliest thing in the world, to be there to watch your children come into the world. Karl was a chubby little thing (and yes, I did keep that bit in Karl!!!), covered in white stuff…being a first time father I wondered why they’d put all that Nivea cream all over him! Lisa was smaller, more petite and darker…my own beautiful little girl.

* What 3 words describe your offspring best?

Loving, caring and intelligent. We’re so luckily they are intelligent kids.

* Tell us about the Venetia you know.

She’s different from the girls I know up North. I like her because she’ll have a go at things and she’ll get stuck in and doesn’t mind getting into the hard or dirty jobs. I think she’s brilliant especially the way she looks after and cleans up her Mother when she’s poorly – some girls wouldn’t do that even if they were paid to. She’s intelligent and well educated and we have some great times together. I’m so lucky to have her as a daughter in law. (Awww…*blush*).

* What is the best thing about being a father?

Knowing you’ve got someone to look after you when you’re older LOL!!!! No seriously, knowing you have brought children up successfully. We’ve not been able to give them everything they wanted, but we did everything we could at the time.

Thanks to mine and all the various types of Dad out there!

Venetia

CELEBRATE THE DADS! | FATHER’S DAY PROMOTION

Jun 12 2018 Leave a Comment

Are you stuck for a gift, or looking for a treat for the family? In time for Father’s Day next Sunday 17th June (you’re welcome for the reminder) we have a stonking deal happening for a portrait session…

*30 Minute Location Photoshoot*

*Online gallery viewing*

*5 hi-res images of your choice to download*

*Facebook banner (to show off!)*

All of this for the steal of £95 (usually £195 for the photoshoot alone)!

So if you want to capture some beautiful memories of your family get in touch! There are many upgrade options to the promotion and we will be looking at dates across the summer (not on Father’s Day).

Just email hello@venetianorrington.com quoting DADSRULE and we can organise a present fit for a king!

Take a look at some of the Dad’s I have photographed over the years!

Charmouth Beach Engagement Shoot | Becky & Simon

Jun 12 2018 Leave a Comment

I went along to Charmouth beach recently to photograph this wonderful couple and what fun was had! I am totally in love with this set of images, the connection is so evident it shines through! Here is Becky and Simon’s engagement story they told me about on the day…

Becky’s lifelong ambition had been to see Phil Collins live in concert. She grew up with his music, but thought her dream was never to happen as he said he would never tour again. Then he announced a concert. And Simon began to hatch a plan.

Managing to get 2 tickets for the Royal Albert Hall in London, it seemed that all was lost when a couple of days before the concert Phil Collins tripped in his hotel room and needed to reschedule.

In early November, finally getting her dream come true, Simon whisked Becky off to the ‘Big Smoke’ for a relaxing day of mooching and to Becky’s delight and amazement, an overnight stay at The Ritz! What could be better?!

As if pre-proposal nerves (and Phil’s false start) weren’t bad enough, this wasn’t going to be made easy for Simon. After losing the tickets prior to the night, the re-issued tickets wouldn’t scan, the second replacements tickets were for the wrong seats and finally just minutes before Phil made his grand entrance, they were seated!

The concert was amazing and a third of the way through the second half during Becky’s favourite song ‘In the Air Tonight’, Simon tapped Becky on the shoulder and when she turned round he presented her with her engagement ring and mouthed ‘Will you marry me?’. Cue celebrations and the perfect end to the night…pink champagne at The Ritz!

Venetia

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS!

May 07 2018 Leave a Comment

BEST MEN

After some truly wonderful feedback recently from the grooms, I wanted to do a dedicated post to all the crazy, fun-filled moments I captured last year between the groom, his best man and groomsmen. I feel very honoured indeed to have been part of some really momentous conversations, a time in your life where you let the person who has been by your side you think he’s ‘not a bad bloke’ ! There have been tears, tender hugs and plenty of laughs. Here’s to you guys on your big day!

For any of you wanting to treat that special man / Dad in your life we will have some amazing deals coming up for Father’s Day – just get in touch to find out more! hello@venetianorrington.com

MUDDY STILETTOS AWARD NOMINATION | VOTE FOR ME!

May 03 2018 Leave a Comment

The Best Photographer in Devon I hear you cry…that’s apparently what many are saying!

Those of you who know me well will know I’m an outdoor girl. Whether it be digging in the garden, yomping around the woods with clients and a camera in my hand or playing on the beach, I’m never happier than when I am out and about. And I’m definitely not shy of a bit of dirt under my fingernails or a bit of mud on my (beloved) wellies.

Some might find this a bit of a shock as for them, in the realm they know me, I’m a bit of a girly girl. Often sporting a dress rather than jeans, falling in love with anything and everything ‘pretty’ and often donning a pair of ridiculously high stilettos!

So, when I got an email this week to say I’d been nominated for a Muddy Stiletto award for the Best Photographer in Devon, I couldn’t believe it.

Now I’m not one to go in for awards. Often entering yourself and voted for by fellow photographers or friends in the industry, for me what my clients, their friends and family tell me is the only thing that matters to me.The feedback they give, the thank you cards and emails they send, the testimonials they write are the only thing I need to know that for them, we’re the best.

But hey….it feels good to be recognised!

So, if you have 2 mintutes (I know it only takes 2 as bless my very elderly Mum made me help her do it #biggestfan) and you feel the same as the person who nominated me, I’d love if you’d nominate me too to make it to the final. Just click here and follow the instructions 🙂

Much love,

Venetia

P.S A huge thanks to Family R, who have been clients for the last 8 years, who nominated me and started this whole process. Love you guys!