2009.07.21 07:59:25

jayblake

While I sit here in my studio this morning looking over the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside I am reminded of the one thing we can't predict when it comes to a wedding.  The weather!

I am always reminded of a conversation I had with a client when preparing to film their day.  They mentioned that they had originally chosen a wonderful venue on the river near henley.  I filmed an amazing day there only the year before.  On my wedding anniversary as it happened.  Anyway it was a wonderful day when I was there and the weather really helped to make the day.  The client a year later however said that they were concerned that if it was not beautifully sunny that the venue could not cope easiily with bad weather.

And so it was that I was driving up to their home on their actual wedding day, in the rain!  Reminded that there always needs to be a contingency plan.  Thankfully the venue they ended up with was ideally suited to both sunshine or rain.

Do talk to your venue - they will be able to advise what options there are if the weather is not perfect.  In any case many of my photography collegues tell me that bright sunshine is not as good as cloud for their shots.

Happy Planning!

wedding | Weather | Rain | Planning

2009.02.07 06:50:36

jayblake

Well it certainly has been an interesting week!  Unfortunately the snow and disruption has meant that here we are early on a Saturday morning and I realise it has been a week since I have communicated on my blog.  Suffice it to say that I will work at doing better!

Lots of things have crossed my mind this week but I guess the weather has been most at the forefront of what I have been thinking, so what better time than to mention that to you good folk! 

Living as I do in England I know we have an obsession with the weather and of course it’s very easy to understand the importance of it.  I will always remember a client we filmed for a few years ago who changed their reception location “just in case it rains”, somehow that comment stuck with me.  It was there in my mind that morning, when driving through the rain to get to the brides house…

So while we will always hope and pray for a sunny day on our wedding day.  It’s always worth making sure you know what you will do if it is wet. 

Your venue, photographer and videographer will all be able to help, especially if the photo or video team have worked there before. There are often places indoors, or at the church where group shots can be taken and if it dries up later then the more intimate photos can be taken after the meal if necessary.

I hope you have all had a good week and survived the snow and ice.  I am certainly looking forward to getting out the other side of all this weather,  until next time.

Wedding day | Weather | Planning | photographer

2009.01.21 06:20:39

jayblake

As I sit here in the relative darkness of the studio, uploading some more footage and wondering what to write about, I was once more drawn to the interesting array of available readings for a wedding day.  I stumbled across something new, or at least new to me in that form.

While it would make a wonderful wedding reading, I think it is worth reading before, during and after, it's a great challenge to us all.  So here it is...

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry,
two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is Yesterday with all its mistakes and cares,
its faults and blunders, its aches and pains.

Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back Yesterday.

We cannot undo a single act we performed;
we cannot erase a single word we said.
Yesterday is gone forever.

The other day we should not worry about is Tomorrow
with all its possible adversities, its burdens,
its large promise and its poor performance;
Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.

Tomorrow's sun will rise,
either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise.
Until it does, we have no stake in Tomorrow,
for it is yet to be born.

This leaves only one day, Today.
Any person can fight the battle of just one day.
It is when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities
Yesterday and Tomorrow that we break down.

It is not the experience of Today that drives a person mad,
it is the remorse or bitterness of something which happened Yesterday
and the dread of what Tomorrow may bring.

Let us, therefore, Live but one day at a time.
---

Well there's a challenge for us all.

Many of you will be planning event way into this year, be they weddings or other events.  Enjoy the planning, rather than thinking of it as a chore to be gone through, enjoy the process.  Do make use of our wide array of suppliers and venues which we know.  If there is a question, just pick up the phone - we would be more than happy to help in any way.  You might be surprised what we can help with.

I hope you have a great day today!

Until next time

Jay

Fear | Worry | Wedding readings | Planning

2009.01.03 20:45:13

jayblake

Anyone who has met with us to discuss thier wedding has had the same piece of advice, maybe put in slightly different ways, but the same advise never the less!

You must give your day away...

Put simply, we know how much planning can go into a wedding, for some brides more than others, but for all brides we advise the day has to come, even if only on the night before, when you give your day away.

Find someone you trust (it might be your maid of honor, your best man, it might be someone else) and put them in charge on the day.  If something goes wrong, it's not the bride and groom who should be dealing with it.  If a decision needs making, there is someone who has been set up to make it!  We have had a number of brides who have come back to us afterwards and thanked us for that advice, it's made all the difference to their days.  Conversely we have watched stressed brides still sorting out the finer details well into the evening of their day.

Did they enjoy the day? Maybe, but would they have enjoyed it more if that had been their focus for the entire day!

All the best with your planning, oh and if we can help in any way with anything please drop us a line, or simply comment on this blog. :)

Jay

Wedding day | Planning | Give it away | Enjoyment