When will it ever stop raining? Last night's pre-wedding shoot with Lucy and Steve was held in a stable with just a 100 watt bulb hanging high in the roof for light. We had intended to catch the "golden hour". Having spent most of the last 16 years in stables with my eldest daughter Rebecca I felt really at home. Lucy and Steve are getting married at St Mary's Church Great Baddow in July with the reception being held at Ivy Hill - the toast master will be my good friend Richard Palmer and the evening entertainment will be provided by the Classic Nomad Disco. Photography will of course be provided by Wedding Photographers Essex - CourtOnCamera

For the technically minded the above photograph was taken with a Nikon D3 24-70mm zoom 1/60sec f2.8 at 6400 ASA.

It is very hard when you are just 8 weeks old to get excited when you are told that you are to get your photograph taken by Dave Court the well known Essex Wedding Photographer. But with looks like that who cares.

Please meet Chocolate Labrador Rosie Millar from Fiddlers Hamlet aged 8 weeks and 1 day.

For the technically minded Rosies photograph was taken with a Nikon D3 2200ASA 1/125 sec F2.8

Whilst most of the Nation was watching the Champioms League final, the most prominent Wedding Photographers in Essex - members of the Master Photographers Association (MPA)and British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) were meeting at the Maylands Golf Club near Brentwood

The evenings highlight was a presentation by John King from Border Frames

I hear that Manchester United did rather well, which will please the Rev Clive Duxbury who is marrying Fiona and Daniel in June at the Greensted Church near Ongar.

The cover of the next edition of Your Herts and Beds Magazine out this coming Friday is by CourtOnCamera, as are 2 of the featured weddings – Brett and Katy and Sarah and Geoff.

Needless to say I am delighted! Both weddings were winter weddings - Brett and Katy's was in December - they were married at Bishops Stortford with their reception at the Barn Theatre and Turkey Barn Little Easton, while Sarah and Geoff were married in January at Gaynes Park

Despite the weather on Saturday I had a wonderful time photographing David and Ann's wedding at the Church of St John the Baptist Leytonstone with the reception at Gaynes Park Epping . My colleague Andrew Morgan of the The English Toastmasters Association www.englishtoastmasters.co.uk/ provided vital assistance throughout the day - as can be seen toastmasters are not only known for their ability to operate a Dualit www.dualit.com/.

The evening entertainment was provided by DJ Mitch and the Classic Nomad Disco www.thedisco.co.uk/.

On Thursday I had the pleasure of meeting Nicola and Ian again for their pre-wedding shoot and planning meeting. Nicola and Ian are getting married in June at Leez Priory http://www.countryhouseweddings.co.uk/leez-priory/.

Despite the gloomy and wet evening we went down to the Stort Mill at Harlow for the shoot. For the technically minded the stot was taken at 125 second F5.6 filmspeed 2500ASA - with a Nikon D3.

Despite the weather we had a great time.

As well as being a professional wedding photographer in Essex, I undertake select commercial assignments - Yesterday I had the pleasure of photographing a collection of merchandise for Dave Wright of Silver Fern Productions.

Dave is a passionate Kiwi who when I first met him at a shoot last year opened the conversation with "don't mention the rugby" - so I didn't (It was around the time of the Rugby World Cup http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/)
Daves' products can often be seen on QVC http://www.qvcuk.com/ and other home shopping channels as well as at the Ideal Home Show http://www.idealhomeshow.co.uk/. An interesting but perhaps unsurprising fact about school children in NewZeland is that they are all taught the Haka as part of the curriculum.

Ka mate! Ka mate!

Ka ora, Ka ora!

Ka mate! Ka mate!

Ka ora, Ka ora!

Tenei te tangata puhuruhuru

Nana nei I tiki mai whakawhiti te ra!

Hupane! Kaupane!

Hupane! Kaupane!

Whiti te ra!

I die! I die!

I live! I live!

This is the hairy person

Who fetched the sun

And caused it to shine again

One upward step!

Another upward step!

An upward step, another and the sun shines!

Now that would be a possibility - A Haka performing wedding photographer in Essex

Yesterday afternoon I met Jon and Georgina for their wedding planning meeting and pre wedding shoot at Theydon Garnon Church http://www.theydongarnonchurch.co.uk/ where they are to be married in June with their reception being held at the nearby Gaynes Park http://www.gaynespark.co.uk/. I had heard their Banns being read for the second time that morning. Being a great fan of Formula 1 and living within 20 miles of Stevenage, I had been really worried that I might have missed the Turkish Grand Prix as the meeting had been scheduled for 3pm http://www.formula1.com/ but I just managed to see Lewis Hamilton http://www.lewishamilton.com/ drive one of the best races (in my humble opinion) of his so far amazing career.

You may well ask what do professional wedding photographers in Essex do when they are not photographing weddings in Essex? In my case the answer - Fly fish for Trout at a secluded lake near Chelmsford with their good friend Paul http://www.enfora.com/ and my trusty hound http://www.flatcoated-retriever-society.org/ (Paul is his DogFather). Paul being a novice at fly fishing (although he would dispute this) relies very heavily on his DogSon for guidance.
Here we see the safe removal of a fly by Paul whilst his DogSon holds the rod. For the technically minded I was using a Hardy Gem Smuggler 5wt made by the House of Hardy in Alnwick Northumberland http://www.hardygreys.com/

Despite all of the threats, the weather remained fine on Saturday when I photographed Jane and Edwards' wedding at St Mary Magdalene Church Whetstone. The marriage ceremony was performed by Monsignor John Barry, Edwards' Uncle, who flew in from the United States of America for this very special occasion.

A spectacular finale to the day was provided by a display of World Champion Irish dancing.