LJ Photographics Blog

Yesterday we were back at the stunning Rivervale Barn for Matt & Sarah’s wedding day!

It was great to see Laura from LK Luxury Chair Covers dressing the chairs with gorgeous red sashes and
Natasha (www.nwmake-up.co.uk) who provided hair and makeup for Sarah and her girlies.

The honeymoon cottage was full of atmosphere as all of Sarah’s bridesmaids, flower girls and pageboys arrived to join in the celebrations. We have never seen so many flowergirls & pageboys, it made for some cute photos – full of character!

Sarah was clearly excited to be marrying Matt, the ceremony was lovely and they were both beaming away at each other, just perfect.

The weather was just amazing, their guests enjoyed the beautiful sun in the courtyard area and we were happy to make full use of the gardens too for Matt & Sarah’s photos together.

It was great to see Matt & Sarah so happy on their wedding day, congratulations to both of them and we hope they enjoy their honeymoon in bonny Scotland!

Here’s a sneaky peek at a few images from their special day!

Yesterday we were back at the beautiful Rivervale Barn for Adam and Catherine’s wedding day.

What a fabulous day for a wedding, we could not have hoped for better weather for this lovely couple!

Catherine looked gorgeous in her dress and we loved the green theme.
It was so vibrant and colourful – just how we love our photography to be!

Their guests were treated to a surprise during the wedding breakfast… three talented singers from Soprano Bella, two dressed as firemen! We were blown away with how entertaining they were and there was such an amazing atmosphere!

It’s quite normal for us to see the groom with his heads in his hands during the best man speech, but on this occasion many of the wedding guests also felt Adam’s pain!
The best men delivered a great speech that had most guests laughing and squirming in equal measure in their seats!

It was great to work with Roger again from Diamond Films we really admire his work and the style he creates. There was a lovely atmosphere at this wedding so we’ve no doubts their wedding video will be hugely entertaining!

We loved the tunes coming from Innovents for Adam and Catherine’s evening disco. The dance floor and wedding breakfast area looked amazing with the green uplights supplied that complimented their colour theme perfectly!

We wish Adam & Catherine all the best for their married life together & hope they have an amazing honeymoon!

On Wednesday we were back at the beautiful Rivervale Barn to photograph their latest tasting event.
As always, the set up looked fantastic with many of the recommended suppliers decorating the barn ready for the event!

Nick and his team did a super job, the food looked amazing and (trust me on this) it tasted just as good as it looked!
Everyone was in high spirits and thoroughly enjoyed sampling all the different food and drink choices on offer.

Thank you again to Hayley and the events team for creating a fantastic evening. We are really looking forward to another year of weddings at the incredible Rivervale Barn.

Here’s a few images from the evening:

Yesterday we were out and about photographing Kevin and Kate for their pre-wedding shoot.

Despite the beautiful blue skies, it was a (very) chilly day so we were all wrapped up warm!

Kevin and Kate were fantastic, totally relaxed and very natural together. We had a lovely time catching up with them and capturing some great shots!

We can’t wait for their wedding in June at the fantastic Rivervale Barn

Recently we visited an up and coming wedding venue who will be opening their doors next year to a whole host of excited bride and grooms to be!

Shinfield Grange is licensed for civil ceremonies with the opportunity to host a marquee reception in their stunning grounds.

Shinfield Grange was built in 1655 where a small, redbrick farm house was built as a tenant farm of the Manor of Shinfield. In 1857, it became the private property of the Cobham family who extended the property considerably and it was then that it became known as Shinfield Grange.

Further extensions to the property were made in the early 1930’s.

The late Sir Eric Palmer (family member of the Huntley and Palmer Biscuit Company) was its last private owner.

During 1949 the estate was passed onto the University of Reading who absorbed its farms into the Department of Agriculture and Shinfield Grange became the centre of the Department of Horticulture. Most of the 14.5 acres immediately surrounding it were then simply used as a teaching garden… we didn’t have anything quite so amazing where I went to school!

The College of Estate Management now owns and runs Shinfield Grange and has further modernised the building and continued the up keep of the fabulous grounds.

The small mellow bricks of part of the outer walls and the low ceiling and wide chimney are now the main entrance hall and still testify to its humble farm house origins which continue to portray the cultural history of the building.

The grounds at Shinfield Grange are truly stunning. With over 14 acres of beautiful Berkshire landscape, it is perfect for those looking for an English countryside wedding!

There are around 98 species of different tree in the grounds and we were truly stunned at how colourful the trees were when we took some photos for the venue in November. Anyone wanting a late Autumn wedding would be well advised to consider this venue, as the colours were still strong in mid-late November!

With the grounds being so extensive there is plenty of opportunity for group shots, and a chance for your guests to explore the natural beauty of Shinfield Grange. There is a pond and bridge, perfect for those photographic opportunities and private and more secluded areas for your couple shots – a chance to have some time alone on your wedding day.

The advantage of this venue is having such extensive grounds allows for any size marquee you require – a great choice if you have a large guest list and need the space!

We can’t wait to shoot our first wedding at this fabulous local venue!

For more information please contact Jeanette on 0118 921 4685.