Golden Hour Pre-Shoot at Virginia Water with Hollie and Luke
Virginia Water Park Engagement Shoot with Hollie and Luke
Hollie and Luke have picked Virginia Water Park to have their engagement shoot at, and I couldn’t be happier for them! Virginia Water is one of the most extensive and most incredible parks around Windsor, with dozens of different excellent backgrounds for your photographs. It’s one of my favourite locations for an engagement shoot, and I always do a little jump inside me when someone mentions it!
Hollie and Luke were supposed to get married back in May 2020, but for, let’s say, obvious reasons, they have decided to postpone it to 2021 and then again to 2022. Unfortunately, the current circumstances have made them wait for two years to marry each other finally! To give them at least a touch of their wedding, we have planned their pre-shoot once the restrictions eased up a little and we could have met within a social distance.
The Engagement Shoot
When the day came, the sky was clear, and I was thrilled for them, knowing that the weather would definitely be in our court! We have strolled around Virginia Water, scouting for the best locations, but the best was left to the last! When we were about to finish and back by the lake, the sun just did its magic. The light was warm and soft, which is all I could have asked for!
Hollie and Ben are getting married in May 2022, and their wedding will be epic!
Fresh Wedding flowers or artificial?
Let's have the flower talk!
It must be one of the most crucial decisions you will make. Wedding flowers will be with you all day everywhere. You will find them in your very own wedding bouquet, with your bridesmaids, in buttonholes, dressing your ceremony venue, in your centrepieces. Literally everywhere! They will make a colossal difference to the look of your big day, but should you buy fresh or artificial?
Flowers by: The Flower Fairies
I am madly in love with flowers! My garden is blooming from spring till the end of autumn, and my office is full of plants plus occasional bouquets I pick from my local florist. I have always been a massive fan of real blossoms because of their appearance and the most fantastic scent, which fill my rooms for days!
Flowers are playing a significant part in wedding décor, and it’s simple to understand why. They’re attractive, colourful, romantic and luxurious. Fulfilling your venue with blooming decorations and holding an impressive wedding bouquet is definitely very high on your priority list. Have you considered whether you’ll choose fresh or artificial wedding flowers? If this decision is still unclear, here are the pros and cons of both that might help you make your final decision.
Fresh wedding flowers
PRONS:
- the scent will fulfil the whole venue, making you think you are at your very own Kew Gardens
- They have their natural beauty.
- They can be arranged by yourself or by an experienced florist.
- Real flowers are unique and delicate.
- You could even grow them yourself.
CONS:
- Florist can be expensive, but they know what they are doing.
- Some flowers only bloom at certain times of the year.
- They are fragile and may not last long, but you can dry them.
- Some flower types might be more expensive than others.
Fake wedding flowers
PRONS:
- Your hayfever will not go crazy
- There is a smaller chance that you will attract any flying insects
- You can plan and buy them well in advance as they will last you forever.
- Depending on quality, they can be more affordable
- You can use any flower kind at any time of year
CONS:
- They do not come with a unique fragrance.
- Buying online might be miss matching (we all have purchased that strange fitting dress on eBay at some point!)
- If you hire them, they might not necessarily be fresh looking. It will be a gamble.
- Colours may differ
- They are not ECO. Most artificial flowers are made of plastic.
Can you see or feel the difference between real flowers and fake flowers? I would always go for the real thing; however, we are all individuals! If you were debating between these types, I hope I have made your decision easier! Could you share all your thoughts in the comments?
Lots of hugs and love,
Karolina x
Fanhams Hall Wedding with Scottish touch
IF YOU’RE PLANNING A WEDDING AT FANHAMS HALL IN WARE, YOU’LL LOVE THIS WEDDING FOR INSPIRATION!
Rachel and Alasdair got married at Fanhams Hall, a luxury venue in Ware, Hertfordshire, with outstanding gardens to explore and a Jacobean country house with traditional and more modern areas. It was the most beautiful wedding, and even the rain didn’t dampen the day!
The serious part
The ceremony was a legal ceremony at Farnham Hall’s stunning Long Gallery room. It was beautifully decorated with red carpet, rose petals and beige sashes on the chairs. During the ceremony, they had two great readings. One performed by Rachel’s sister and another by her best friend. It was such a personal service.
Why Fanhams Hall is a great place to get married
Fanhams Hall is perfect for anyone who loves the outdoors and is one of the best places to get married in Ware, Hertfordshire. The venue offers an onsite hotel, so guests don’t have to travel home. I absolutely adore this venue because it has so many fabulous opportunities for portraits. Weddings at Fanhams Hall are excellent because the surroundings are absolutely fantastic.
The afternoon
The reception was held in the stunning Great Hall at Fanhams Hall. They decorated the area with origami swans. They could have been found on every table used as a name card (how thoughtful!). They were also used as a backdrop behind the top table, which I loved.
The couple had planned giant garden games for the afternoon mingle. They kept everyone entertained throughout the drinks reception. After their wedding breakfast, it was time for speeches. Alasdair kept his short but excellent by saying how he and Rachel have met. And to make a change in the traditional speeches, Rachel also had a few words to say. In the evening DJ – Mike Readings kicked off the first dance with their favourite song, Shooting Star by Air Traffic. They finished off the evening with a ceilidh.
If you’re planning a wedding at Fanhams Hall, get in touch!
Dream team
Make-up – Bridal Make-up by Emma
Hair Stylist – Helen Barnes
Bridal Boutique – Essex Bridal Outlet
Grooms Outfit – Houston Kiltmakers
DJ – Mike Readings
Florist – The Flowerpot
Video – Capital Brides
Cake – Charlotte Perkins
Harry Potter Studio Tour - Surprise Proposal
SURPRISE PROPOSAL PHOTOGRAPHER LONDON
NAV & TALV'S HARRY POTTER PROPOSAL
7th February 2022
Navdeep first got in touch with me about a week before his planned trip to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in Leavesden, Watford. He was super nervous but also excited when he told me his plan to propose to his (spoiler alert!) at the time girlfriend Talvinder.
I have waited for Nav and Talv outside the Harry Potter Studio Tour with my boyfriend. We felt a little like special agents since Talvinder didn’t know who we were, but we knew exactly what would happen today. Acting like just another couple on the tour, Matt and I discreetly followed these two through their experience, taking a few selfies in between the sets (how could we not!). I’ve been capturing memories for them during our time at Harry Potter Studio Tour. When arrived at the Platform 9 3/4, Navdeep went down on one knee, and we witnessed the most beautiful and emotional “Yes!”
What She Said...?
... and how she felt after!
It’s been two days now since my partner proposed to me at Harry Potter Studio Tour, and the memories are still as fresh as the second it happened. I’m so grateful to Karolina. Her and her partner have been there to capture the special moment that we can cherish forever.
From the moment we arrived, I didn’t know my partner and Karolina had a secret plan to propose to me in front of the Hogwarts Express and get it all on camera without me knowing. Karolina remained professional throughout the day. She took great care to blend in with everyone else whilst providing creative ways to capture those special moments we spent together.
I can’t show my appreciation enough to have these memories captured most beautifully and creatively. It’s so wonderful to see the talent in every single shot. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a photographer for any occasion and even follow for inspiration on social media.
The cute story you shared on Instagram to show the journey was so lovely and didn’t fail to make me smile. It shows how much you care about every single shoot you take part in. You were friendly, professional and made me feel comfortable when I was nervous and embarrassed 🙂
Thank you for helping Nav make the day even more perfect. I wish I could give it more than five stars! THANK YOU!
Garden surprise proposal!
The best thing to hold in life is each other – surprise engagement!
I love all the good things that happen in life unexpected. Nish has said to me that she did not expect this evening to end the way it did! At all! Wedding planner Lucie Ann and Wa Carr & Son helped Akshay transfer his ideas into the real-life plan. Akshay had this image in this mind where he proposes at this family home in the back garden. It would be full of fairy lights, and they would be sipping champagne celebrating their engagement. To make this plus more, Wa Carr & Son have provided them stunning 4ft letters in the garden saying “Marry me”, filled the back yard with fairy lights and helped decor the inside, just if the weather does its own thing.
Marry Me
I think it was just my luck to have a rainy evening at the end of August. Never the less it was still warm and charing. Because Akshay was a tiny bit nervous (we all knew she would say yes!!), he asked me to wait outside until after he pops the question. As I have walked back to the house, all I saw was the two happiest faces on the planet and one very sparkly ring on a finger! SHE SAID YES!! I couldn’t be happier for them. We took a few snaps inside where Akshay got down on his knee again and posed the engagement, but I felt like we could do more. I have asked the lovebirds if they were bold enough to brave the weather for a couple of shots outside. Of course, they were more than happy to immortalize this extraordinary moment. I’m super glad they did because the images we got outside were INCREDIBLE!
To top this exceptional evening, after I came home, I found out that I have achieved the National Highly Commended Wedding Photographer Award 2020 from The Wedding Business Awards. All I can say is that this evening was super fun and phenomenal!
My diary is getting super busy for 2021 with limited availability, and I am also taking bookings for 2022. If you are planning a wedding or looking for a photographer who will make ninja moves during your engagement photos, please do not hesitate to contact me. Karolina x
Wedding Albums
So you took your precious time to design your beautiful wedding. The day was remarkable, and the memories you have made will last forever. You have received your online gallery, shared the link with your loved ones, but what’s next? Wouldn’t you like to have the luxury of looking through your wedding without remembering what the link to your gallery was? Or the search for misplaced USB that goes on for forever. God knows it takes me AGES to find the things I want, and in the end, I just lose my interest. Sounds familiar? I bet it does.
Since I went to school (how long ago precisely? Haha!) I always loved to have my photographs printed and cover my bedroom’s walls with them. I guess it reminded me of all the good and fun times whenever I needed it. Fast forward few years those prints faded or fell off and that’s when I have started my albums. I don’t think I have ever appreciated them as much as I do right now.
My wedding albums are gorgeous! Artbooks with beautiful matt paper, Heirloom books with the old school touch, Bloom books with its eco-friendliness and last but not least, Prima book, the little weapon. All are just marvellous with stunning print quality – they will really showcase your photos and bring your wedding day to life more and more as you look through the pages!
They offer are so many stunning options for your cover. You can have quality linen, leathers, silks or velvets, in a large range of attractive shades. You can either choose your cover in person with me, looking at all the swatches together at our initial meeting or if you need more time, I will share my online brochure with all the colours and details so that you can select your choice in the comfort of your own home and time. You can also pick whether you would like to have names, date, or other wording on the front cover, or you could just leave it bare if you prefer. It’s completely up to you!
Okay, okay so where do we start with our wedding album?
We will start with your online wedding gallery where you can select and favourite the photos you would like to include in your album. I know there is a lot you would like to include but remember the album as it’s page limit! Once you have done that, I can then design your draft layout. You can then preview this draft online, and ‘virtually’ flick through the pages to see how your album will look. You can leave comments for changes on the pages, swapping, moving or removing photos as you like until we make your album perfect! I’ll then make the changes you have asked for, and you can view the draft again online, before approving it for print. When your album arrives, make sure you have a bottle of bubbly in the fridge ready to enjoy looking through the lovely pages together! Sounds like a perfect plan, am I right?
If you would like to find out more about my wedding albums or if you are looking for a wedding photographer, please do get in touch! I would love to hear from you 🙂
Best of Hertfordshire 2019
Hello Hertfordshire, year 2020!
Oh, what a year that was! I have witnessed the most fantastic love stories and experienced such incredible parties (Yes, Alexsia, I’m talking about your FAB wedding!). I could go on and on about each stunning wedding I had shot last year, but this would take way too much space here! Why not pop into my earlier posts and experience each of them individually? I swear you won’t regret it! As much as I love my county Hertfordshire, I also do love travelling and this year had me all over the country and even Europe. I enjoyed photographing Marta & Jakub’s wedding in Poland back in August in the biggest heatwave you can imagine. Together with Alexandra and Matthew, we have experienced the most beautiful sunset in East Sussex. Whenever I mention Alexsia & Ricky’s wedding, I keep reliving their night of Greek traditions and dances! These are just examples, and you get to see some of their beautiful moments here below.
I’m not going to make this post much longer, so let’s cut it here! Finally, I would love to say massive THANK YOU to all the amazing suppliers who I had the pleasure of working with. All of you were absolutely incredible, with a special mention of Dj Mike Readings. If you are in search of the best Hertfordshire wedding DJ, Mike is definitely your guy!
I hope you are ready to check out my best moments of 2019. Grab a drink and enjoy!
Love, Karolina x
Sun kissed wedding at Pangdean Old Barn
A wedding at Pangdean Old Barn that rocked the evening like a classy bunch of scientists!
Alexandra and Matthew have booked me over a year in advance for their beautiful barn wedding in Brighton. They both grew up in the countryside so picking Pangdean Old Barn was a perfect choice to get married at. This gorgeous barn’s ceiling is fully covered in fairy lights (can you hear the Cosplay playing?) and the venue itself is overlooking South Downs National Park. Beautiful wedding venue just a couple of minutes away from Brighton.
Getting Ready
I have met Alex and the girls in the morning at her family house. It didn’t take me long to realise this crazy bunch of bridesmaids are going to set the day on fire! The atmosphere was amusing and relaxed with all the girls giggling around. Alexandra has opted for a beautiful strapless dress with a detachable lace top which was just made to be worn together. Matthew and his crew The Mill, which was just a short drive away from the wedding venue.
The Wedding
The wedding ceremony took place at the stunning Pangdean Old Barn, and it was a civil ceremony. They had two beautiful readings performed by two of their dearest friends. When the ceremony has finished, everyone threw confetti up in the air just as Alex and Matt were walking out the barn. What a great way to greet the newlyweds!
Once guests have left the barn to enjoy drinks in the gardens, the barn transformed into the reception place. All the tables were super colourful with topped up with scientific bits and bobs like molecules, thresholds and books. It was such a clever idea to include their passion for science on their wedding day!
After amusing speeches, we went up the hills and gardens for the couple’s photographs. The weather was in our court that day. It was warm and glorious with a touch of wind, but nobody minded that at all. It was even benefiting our session.
Dream Team
Hair and Make-Up Artist – Lizz Payne
Dress – Wed2B
Bridesmaids Dresses – Dorothy Perkins
Grooms Outfit – Moss Bros
Groomsmen Outfits – Moss Bros
Cake – @sjs_cakes
Dj / Band – Badgers, Lots of Them
Photo Booth – Absolute Booth
If you are looking for you passionate wedding photographer to cater to your specific needs look no further. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me for dates in 2021/2022. I look forward to hearing all your beautiful plans and ideas.
Hampstead Heath Pergola E-Session
Giggles, laughs and piggy bags at Hampstead Heath Pergola!
I’ve known Lukasz ever since we went to school together (shout out to everyone who went to Bushey Hall School, aka The Bushey Academy! ), and when he asked me to do his and Kasia’s engagement photos, I couldn’t say no! We have met on a beautiful, sunny day in July and drove together to Hampstead Heath Pergola to discover the most wonderful grounds London has to offer!
This session at Hampstead Heath Pergola was full of cosy cuddles, cheeky kisses and few swirls to practice their dancing moves! Let’s not forget about the laughs we had together while getting on with the piggy bags and all that! Honestly, I’m quite surprised Lukasz didn’t come up with making the Dirty Dancing lifting move as this is something that would generally come up with, haha!Now, I know the pandemic has changed everyone’s plans, but I know they are still planning their wedding to take place in Poland, which I am absolutely thrilled about! I can’t wait to capture them saying their I do’s soon!
If you are planning a wedding or are interested in having your couple photos done at Hampstead Heath Pergola or anywhere else, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am taking bookings for 2022 and still have limited dates available for 2021.
Lots of love, Karolina x
Karolina x
Magical Portsmouth Pre shoot
The power of the Golden hour at Pre-Shoot in Portsmouth
Have you ever felt uncomfortable or nervous during a photoshoot? Jakub was defiantly not feeling this at start. He kept repeating himself : “Karolina, I absolutely dislike having my photos. I feel stiff and really outside my comfort zone!” I would then hear Marta politely telling him to just roll with it. I’m glad we got him loosened up, haha! I’ve met Marta and Jakub at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth. We took a stroll down the marina straight to the beach, where they love spending their time together. I thought this would be the perfect spot for their pre-shoot.
The day was perfect, warm, and most importantly, the sun treated us with an insane golden hour! We took a walk down the beach to begin our shoot. As soon as I saw Marta and Jakub giggling together, I knew we could go for more! I couldn’t resist but to take advantage of this beautiful light. And yes, I might have of a bit golden hour hype, but I cannot help it! The shoot was lovely, fun, and relaxed, but the real magic happened when they thought we finished. Little did they know! We were just on our way to get a coffee when we walked past some trees, and all I saw the sun flare. Marta and Jakub were in the best moods of all, trying piggy bags and just being silly. Pretty much what the pre-shoot should be.
I am absolutely thrilled to shoot their wedding in Poland later this year!
If you are planning a wedding or are interested in having your couple photos done anywhere in the United Kingdom or Europe, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am taking bookings for 2022 and still have limited dates available for 2021.
I look forward to hearing from you, Karolina x