London Wedding Photographer: Sam & Phil’s wedding at the Tudor Barn Eltham

Hey friends! Time for a beautiful spring wedding at the Tudor Barn Eltham. Sam and Phil tied the knot on a blustery but beautiful March day this year.

A Smiths record with hand-written note for a bride

My morning began with Sam and her bridal party, who were getting ready in the Hilton in Greenwich. Sam had bagged the best suite with a gorgeous view of London and to a photographer’s delight 180 degree windows (hello lots of light). As I arrived, she was surprised with the sweetest gift from Phil – a record player playing The Smiths ‘The Queen is Dead’ album. The album features their first dance song – ‘There is a light that never goes out’.

London alternative wedding photographerRock'n'Roll Bridal Prep in Greenwich

My second shooter, Alex, was over with the boys as they got their hair done, played with the cats and suited up.

Groom in barbers before his wedding dayAlternative wedding photography in LondonAlternative Bride getting ready at the Greenwich HiltonBride wearing a Fairy Gothmother dress at the Greenwich Hilton

The wedding itself took place at the lovely Tudor Barn Eltham. By the time I arrived with Sam, everyone was in place ready for her to take to the aisle. The ceremony was so sweet and intimate. The pair had written personal vows and just the looks shared said everything.

Tudor Barn Wedding Venue in East LondonBride walking down the aisle at the Tudor Barn ElthamWedding ceremonyWedding ceremony at the Tudor Barn wedding venueFun wedding photography in London

After the ceremony we headed outside for the drinks reception, confetti and group shots. The wedding day happened to be in the middle of Storm Gareth but luckily the rain and wind was on our side for this part of the day! So grateful!

Alternative barn wedding venue in LondonConfettiCreative wedding photography in LondonGroup shot of wedding party outside the Tudor Barn ElthamEast London wedding photography

We took a stroll through the walled garden amongst the blossom and then back across the bridge to the barn. I love this venue for it’s outdoor space –  At this time of year everything was in bloom.  I love incorporating the outdoor into my portraits and there was plenty of greenery to use.

Newly weds

You should also take a second to appreciate Sam’s crown by Howling Moon and the beautiful florals by Holly Floral Design.

Bride wearing Fairy Gothmother wedding dress

I also possibly captured the best thing I’ll ever capture… Phil being high fived by a squirrel! I guess you could say the squirrels are another feature of the Tudor Barn Eltham – there’s tons and they all wanted their moment.

Bride and groom petting squirrels on their wedding dayFun wedding photography in London

Back inside, the room was split into tables named after bridges around London. Sam and Phil told me as we walked around that they had a thing with bridges. They always had to hold hands as they crossed one, so of course we did that during portraits. The inside of the barn was decorated handmade decorations. Coloured origami, handprinted shells as place-cards, beautiful flowers and fairy lights in booze bottles. I absolutely love it when couple’s reuse pretty alcohol bottles, they are such an easy but fun DIY feature.

DIY Barn wedding decordecor-more-2Fun wedding at the Tudor Barn in East LondonSpeech reactions at a London barn wedding

Before their big day, Sam and Phil said their wedding day should just be the best party they could ever throw. It certainly lived up to it! After speeches, the cake was cut and the drinks were flowing . Sam and Phil had hired 50’s style band ‘Anna Sin’ to perform their Smiths first dance. Straight after, plenty of people were up and on the dance floor. I love it when everyone gets involved immediately! 

Barn wedding photographyFirst danceCandid wedding photography in LondonGroom being

The last thing I took a photo of that night was one of Sam’s awesome wedding gifts. Check out this glittery hombre pair of Dr Martens! Don’t they look amazing?

Wedding day glittery Doc Martens for a bride

Thank you Alex Rose Photography for second shooting for me!

Other suppliers:

Venue – The Tudor Barn, Eltham 

Flowers – Holly Floral Design

Dress – FairyGothMother

Crown – Howling Moon

Band – Anna Sin

You can check out Sam & Phil’s golden hour engagement shoot in Greenwich Park here.

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Travel: Tokyo Part 4: Shimokitazawa & Hello Kitty Cafe

Visiting Kyu Asakura house in Tokyo

My final full day in Tokyo was reserved for the bohemian district of Shimokitazawa. Before heading there, I decided to see some traditional architecture at the Kyu Asakura house. This beautiful 1920s house was owned by a Minister and was one of the few to survive WW2 and the Great Kanto earthquake. It was empty when I was there and I had time to quietly sit and think of what life must have been like in the home.

Visiting Kyu asakura house in TokyoThe gardens in

After visiting the house I decided to walk to Shimokitazawa, one of Tokyo’s bohemian districts. It was about an hour walk which I normally relish. However, it was easily the hottest day of my trip (31c) and I had new sandals on. My feet were ripped to shreds and I was a hot mess by the time I finally got there, but it was totally worth it.

Shimokitazawa

Shimokitazawa felt so close to home – it could have been Shoreditch with it’s impressive vintage shops and many coffee shops. After my long sweaty walk I went straight to hunt out some food. I know in my last blog I said 8ablish was one of the tastiest vegan restaurants I’d ever been to.. but wait. For lunch, I stumbled across Mikazuki Curry Samurai. I managed to grab the last table and had this super spicy but incredible plate of food.

A plate of vegan curry from MikaAn afternoon in Shimokita

After that I was definitely ready to shop til I dropped. Shimokita had endless amazing vintage, antique and craft shops. The vintage was fairly expensive compared to what I’m used to, but that may because a lot of it looked like it was properly from the USA. I didn’t buy any clothes but enjoyed just trying a few pieces on and perusing the various shops. However, I did find a total bargain – a vintage Rolling Stones handbag for £5.

Vintage shopping in Shimokita in TokyoA day shopping in Shimokita

By this point in my trip I was on the look out for some souvenirs before flying home. I wanted to support the small businesses here so bought some gorgeous stickers and ceramic coasters. I found an incredible antiques shop and deliberated over some bows and vintage glasses for ages but didn’t trust them to survive my trip home.

Vintage clothing shoTourist vintage shopping in Shimokita

This was probably my favourite day in Tokyo and I think my evening will stay in my memory for a long time. I had to go home via Harajuku so decided to spend my evening exploring the big city lights of Shibuya.  I did the world famous crossing, spent a while in Tower Records and found the famous Drunkard Alley. It happened to be the night Japan were playing Colombia in the World Cup and locals were spilled out on the street waiting for the game. I was feeling bold so dashed into a very local looking restaurant for dinner, then joined the Japanese fans to watch the football at the pub.

Traditional japanese meal in Tokyo Drunkard Alley in Tokyo

Everyone was really friendly to me – I love the World Cup for bringing people together and making such a great atmosphere. During half time I ran to get the train home and watched the second half of the match in a bar near my hotel. I met an absolutely lovely woman called Ayaka who chatted to me for a while after the game. It was such a special day – Shimokita really felt like a place for me and soaking up the Japanese football culture was a great way to spend an evening.

Hello Kitty ice cream in Cafe de Miki Tokyo

The next day I was flying home but had a morning in Odaiba. It was a rainy, horrible day which actually was OK as I was mainly there for the Hello Kitty cafe! I couldn’t go all the way to Tokyo and not visit a cafe dedicated to my favourite Sanrio character. Fun fact, I absolutely loved Sanrio when I was a teenager and was even part of the online forum..nerd! The cafe is totally what you would expect but I loved it!

Hello Kitty cafe in Tokyo

Well, that was Tokyo! I wholeheartedly loved the whole trip.  So many different experiences and things to see. I didn’t realise I would love solo-travelling half as much as I did! I think this trip definitely boosted my work confidence and also taught me life really is what you make it. I was pretty nervous about this trip both on the work side and it being so far for my first ever solo trip. In the end, it turned out to be one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Thank you Japan!

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Travel: Tokyo Part 3 – Asakusa & Yanaka

I can’t believe I’m on Part 3 of my trip to Tokyo! I didn’t want to cram all these photos and different experiences into just one post, but I apologise. You can read Part 1 & Part 2 if you want to see what I got up to before this. In this blog I visit the traditional side of Tokyo: Asakusa and Yanaka.

A traditional Japanese home in Tokyo

My third day in Tokyo was one for taking in more traditional Tokyo. I started in Asakusa and the Sensoji Temple. This is one of the most touristy spots in the city and was swarming with people. It’s an incredibly impressive area – I particularly liked the Mitsumine shrines, which were more peaceful.

Sensoji Temple in TokyoSensoji Temple

My plan was to continue west up to Yanaka, one of Tokyo’s most traditional areas, and one of the few which had survived World War II. I walked towards Uneo, and found myself on Kappabashi Street. The tourists immediately dropped off and I felt like I had wandered into the real Tokyo, with locals out on their lunch hour. The street was lined with pink lanterns and full of small shops. Passing through Ueno Park, I took another side street into Yanaka. By then I truly felt in authentic Tokyo. This was where you could see traditional Japanese architecture and homes, with lots of shrines and and temples.

Bicycles in traditional Japanese street in TokyoTraditional Japanese streets in Yanaka

I absolutely loved slowing making my way through the traditional streets and finally reached Yanaka Cemetery. This is one of the cities most famous cemeteries. It was mostly empty so it was a very peaceful place for a stroll, although so huge I ended up feeling a bit morbid! 

Tourist guide to Yanaka in TokyoGraves and shrines at Yanaka Cemetery

My last stop in Yanaka was Yanaka Ginza – the main shopping street. It really felt like I was the only person who wasn’t a local! The shops were very traditional and you could pick up yakitori, groceries or clothes. The whole area felt a world away from the market of Asakusa. I found an absolutely beautiful souvenir shop with handmade ceramics so I treated myself to a tiny ceramic ‘God of Happiness’ and some matcha from their huge green tea selection. I could have bought the whole shop, the trinkets were so beautiful!

Day in Yanaka Tokyo

Shopping in traditional Yanaka in Tokyo

On a photography related note, this trip was all shot on my Fuji X-T2. It’s the biggest trip I’ve taken it on and tbh it didn’t totally win me over. As you can see from above, it doesn’t handle dark very well and got super noisy in the ceramics shop. 

8ablish vegan dinner in Tokyo

That evening I headed into Shibuya for dinner at 8ablish. This is a slightly upmarket, fully vegan restaurant, which I had googled before I flew and put on my ‘must eat here’ list. Wow it did not disappoint. I started with soybean croquettes, followed by a tofu steak for main. Honestly, it’s probably the tastiest vegan restaurant I’ve ever been to. This trip was also definitely the start of me loving dining alone. 

If you’re going to Tokyo head to my other blog posts for itinerary ideas or message me if you want anymore tips.

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What I loved this month: April 2019

April.. what a beautiful month to be alive! I’ve been relishing the opportunities to get outside again. Just being able to sit out with a book, have a BBQ, or cycle without rushing back because it’s cold is so great. Aside from the temperatures going up, this month I have loved:

  1. Podcasts

There are some amazing podcasts out at the moment! I used to work as a podcast editor and at that point in my life just couldn’t listen to them, having spent all day editing speech. However, now I’m obsessed with them whenever I go out walking. I’m really enjoying Fearne Cotton’s ‘Happy Place’ and the Girl Gains’ ‘Fit and Fearless’ podcasts. However, my absolute fav this month has been Deliciously Ella’s series. She covers some great topics, from brand identity as a small business, vegan food, sustainable living and health. Some of my fav topics!

Deliciously Ella podcast

2. Afternoon Tea

At the start of the month I had my first full weekend off in weeks. I decided I would have a proper ‘treat myself’ day in London. It started with vintage shopping at Rokit in Covent Garden where I got a new dress for shooting weddings. I absolutely love this shop and think most of my summer wardrobe is now Rokit! I then wandered up to Knightsbridge for a vegan afternoon tea at Duke’s London with one of my girl friends. It was delicious! We had the best tiny sandwiches, rich avocado based chocolate treats and the yummiest scones. I am now on the look out for a great vegan scone recipe so I can make them at home. After stuffing ourselves silly and relaxing in Duke’s drawing room I walked to meet a friend for birthday drinks on the Southbank. My day finally ended with Sundara Karma at Brixton. What an ace day! If only every Saturday was like that (although I would probably be broke if it was).

Best vegan afternoon tea in London

3. Books

Part of my Happiness Planner resolutions for this year was ‘doing more of what I love’. One of these things is reading and this month I have been ploughing through the books! I’m currently on #4 of the month. I’m definitely spending a lot more time in the evenings reading instead of watching TV. With spring here, I also spent a ton of the Easter bank holiday sat outside on a picnic blanket reading. This month’s reading:

  1. A short history of (nearly) everything – Bill Bryson. I can honestly say this is the most fasncitinating book I’ve ready recently, if ever! Every 5 mins I was asking whoever was closest to me ‘Did you know…?’. Right from the Big Bang, atoms, space, the dinosaurs etc, Bill Bryson goes through the history of the natural world and how we discovered its secrets. 5/5
  2. Silence of the Lambs – Thomas Harris. I know this is a classic so figured I would read the book before watching the film (finally). I ploughed through this in just a couple of days. It was a real page turner and the character of Hannibal is so well written. 3.5/5
  3. Sh*t my Dad says – Justin Halpern. After Silence of the Lambs I wanted something a bit lighter so chose ‘Sh*t my Dad says’. It had me laughing out loud with some of the quotes from Justin’s Dad who is a straight talking, no bull kind of guy.
4. A weekend of engagement shoots

Early in the month I had a weekend full of engagement shoots. I went to St Albans for a walk with lovely Hannah and Olivia at the Verulamium. The weekend was sadly super grey and cold but I still really enjoyed hearing about their proposal and wedding and taking photos amongst the blossom. The next day I went to Stoke Newington to photograph my competition winners, Sarah and Steve. We went for a stroll around pretty Clissold Park, next to the Town Hall where they will marry next year. Unbelievably I’ve never been to Clissold park before! It was beautiful and offered up tons of spots for an engagement shoot. There’s something about a cemetery…

Clissold Park engagement shoot

5. Sundara Karma live

As mentioned above I went to see Sundara Karma at Brixton this month. I only discovered them last year but since that time they’ve become one of my favourite bands. It was the ultimate feel good show, perfect for a Saturday night. Even though they’ve only had 2 albums, the set was banger after banger! If you ever get the chance to see them live, do it!

Sundara Karma

6. Tone It up

I do love trying out new workout plans and this month I am experimenting with Tone It Up. I’ve always loved their brand and ethos so did a week long trial of their workout app. The workouts are videos and have minimal equipment. So far I’ve found them really fun and they’ve definitely pushed me. However, they do make me wish I was working out on Venice Beach and spending my life drinking green smoothies.

Well that was a pretty long list for this month. I’m also loving Game of Thrones and Line of Duty, but more on those once they’ve finished next month! What have you enjoyed this month?

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Destination Wedding Photographer: Bridal Shoot in Malta

When I decided to go to Malta for a holiday last year, I quickly made a decision that I wanted to plan a styled shoot while I was there, having always wanted to do a destination wedding. The shoot was on Ghajn Tuffieh beach on the north west coast of Malta.

Destination wedding in Malta

I had an idea that I wanted to create a shoot that felt like an intimate, elopement picnic on a beach, with a very relaxed, understated and effortless look. With the time of year, I chose a very bright and spring like colour palette, picking coral, brook green and peach pink as the leading colours.

Destination wedding at Għajn Tuffieħa in Malta

Planned by Tara co-ordinated the shoot and we got an incredible group of suppliers on board – coming from the UK, I don’t think this could have happened without her.

Bride wearing a vintage wedding dress on Għajn Tuffieħa beach

The shoot had two set ups on the beach: a rustic beach dining set up, created by Save the Date, with wooden palettes, a range of throws and textiles, and pastel dining ware. The second set up was a cosy post dinner picnic/snug area with throws, cushions and delicate candle holders. The perfect place to watch the sun go down over Ghajn Tuffieha. With the picnic, we had a geode inspired wedding cake, decorated with pink flowers and provided by Mannarinu Caterers.

A bride sat at a beach

Għajn Tuffieħa beach elopement

Our stunning brunette model, Donna, wore bohemian loose curls styled by Erica Aquilina, and dramatic smokey eyes with rosy lips by Maria Attard. I opted for two vintage dresses by Lucky Sixpence Bridal, both offering a completely different look. The first was a stunning blush pink long sleeved gown with intricate beading and a pleated skirt, perfect for staying warm during an evening elopement. 

Bride on Għajn Tuffieħa beach

Bohemian bride

The other was a more traditional dress and born to be worn on a beach: in the style of a 90s summer dress, it featured criss cross straps and small beaded flowers. We styled this with a bright coral floral crown by Seven Petals Floral Studio and matching bouquet. The colours popped so well against the white dress and Donna’s dark hair, and the overall look was exactly what I dreamed for this shoot.

Bohemian bride at Malta beach wedding

A specially designed stationery suite by Letters from Emily played with the beach theme: I loved the watercolour waves cresting on the invites and the bright, clean feel of the design. These were placed on rustic wood logs, combined with geometric copper candle holders.

Details of a relaxed

This really was a labor of love, so many things happened while planning! Our stationery went missing in the post, our cake supplier became ill, we were told when we were on the shoot that we needed a permit to shoot on the beach.. just.. stress! But it all worked out in the end 🙂 Super proud of everything and how it came together. A huge thank you to the team! 

Maltese beach elopement

Suppliers;

Creative Conception, Direction & Photography: Caroline Opacic Photography

www.carolineopacicphotography.com @carolineopacicphotography

Planning and Co-Ordination: Planned by Tara

www.facebook.com/plannedbytara @plannedbytara

Venue: Ghajn Tuffieha Beach, Malta

Styling & Hire: Save the Date

www.savethedate.com.mt @savethedatemalta

Florals: Seven Petals Floral Studio by Madga Bacia-Szewczyk

www.facebook.com/7petalseurope

Dresses: Lucky Sixpence Bridal

www.luckysixpencebridal.com @sixpence_bridal

Model: Donna Zammit

@donnazammit_ from @models_m

Hair: Erica Aquilina – Posh Hair & Beauty Salon

www.facebook.com/hairservicebyErica

Make Up: Maria Attard

www.facebook.com/mariaattard1982 @mariaattard82

Stationery – Letters from Emily

www.lettersfromemily.com @lettersfromemily

Cake – Mannarinu Caterers

www.mannarinu.com @mannarinucaterers

 

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Destination Wedding Photographer: Emma & Miguel’s Lucerne Engagement Shoot

At the end of February, I flew out to Switzerland to see a friend, and shoot Emma & Miguel’s engagement shoot. It was one of those happy coincidences that they lived about an hour away from my friend and the thought of doing a Lucerne engagement session fitted in perfectly. I was super excited to do my first destination engagement shoot!

A couple smiling at each other in Lucerne

We did the shoot itself in beautiful Lucerne, now Emma and Miguel’s home. It’s in the centre of Switzerland and a tourist hotspot thanks to the pretty lake, mountainous terrain and historic town centre.

Couple cuddling on a Lucerne viewpoint

We started at a viewpoint in a park at the top of the town . Sadly it was a pretty overcast day and we couldn’t really see the mountains too well. However, it was still gorgeous and had classic Swiss architecture. We had a stroll around the park while listening to beautifully played piano coming from the Drielinden music college.

Lucerne engagement photography

Lucerne engagement photography with relaxed couple

Lucerne engagement shoot

We then wandered down to the lake side while Emma and Miguel told me all about how they met and got engaged. The sun was now out and it was turning into a beautiful day! Sadly the mountains still weren’t too visible, but we walked along the lakeside to the centre of town.

Lucerne engagement photography by the lake

Lucerne destination engagement photography

The town centre was getting busy, ready to celebrate a festival that day. However, we managed to pop onto the famous Chapel Bridge to finish the shoot. If anyone has been to Harry Potter studios, I swear they must have got inspiration for the famous Hogwarts walkway from this architecture!

Lucerne engagement photography

Engagement photography in

I am so grateful for being able to travel to photograph couples. Thank you so much Emma and Miguel for your hospitality. If you are getting married abroad or want to do a destination engagement session, do get in touch!

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What I loved this month: March 2019

March was a super busy month and the start of my 2019 wedding season, hooray! The month started off a bit miserably with annoying storm Gareth. However, the last few days have been absolutely glorious. I am so enjoying the sun being out and am happily soaking up all the Vitamin D. As I type this I’ve just come inside after reading ‘Big Magic’ on the lawn.

Here are a few things my month has been filled with…

  1. Introducing Taka

A few months ago, I was chatting to a friend and we some how got on to the topic of classic Minis. Since I first watched the Italian Job as a child, it’s been my dream to own one. It turned out that he has had one sat in his garage for the last 10 years. He most generously offered it to me, if I could get it back on the road and give it a new lease of life. For me, it felt like the universe had aligned and I was meant to say yes to this challenge. Luckily, my Dad does up cars for a hobby and has always wanted to restore a classic Mini (another case of the universe aligning). So… introducing little Taka!

A 1988 classic Mini Mayfair

It’s going to be a long journey to get him back on the road, but excited to see how it progresses. I’m sure you’ll be seeing much more of this little guy.

2. After Life

With lots going on this month I have been trying to take some time out to just chill and regroup. One evening, I sat in front of Netflix and started watching Ricky Gervais’ new TV show. ‘After Life’ is a dark comedy about coming to terms with grief and loss. I’ve never been overly keen on Ricky but this series was beautiful. I was crying sad and funny tears at the same time. It was life affirming whilst also highlighting the daily struggles we have to go through.

3. LWBC Workshop

London Wedding Breakfast Club is a community of wedding suppliers in the capital and this month hosted it’s first photography Workshop. I went along and had the best day! I love hanging out with my fellow peers and learnt so much from Lex Fleming Photo who was sharing her wisdom and experience. It’s communities like this which make the wedding industry a really special place to be. Thanks Lex for organising and running. I also got to try out shooting with a prism.. love it!

A couple looking in love on Hoxton Canal

4. Wedding season kicking off!

In the middle of March, Sam and Phil kicked off my wedding season! They had a touching ceremony followed by an epic party at the Tudor Barn in Eltham. I’m still editing their big day, so watch this space to see it soon. I also photographed Rachel & Roy’s intimate wedding ceremony at Marylebone Town Hall.

Newly married coupleNewly married couple

5. George Ezra @ the O2

On March 16th George Ezra played the 02 and I went with my sister. It was my first time seeing George and I was so excited for a feel good night. He put on an incredible show. I loved his stage setup, made to feel like a cosy home (I assume Tamara’s). He came across as super likeable and I had a fantastic dance. Hopefully we will be seeing him again at Isle of Wight festival in the summer.

6. Getting outside in the spring weather

This month I made sure I took time out to enjoy spring and get outside in nature. I had a beautiful walk in Epping Forest, explored Hever Castle in Kent and got back on my bike after Storm Gareth. It has made such a difference being able to go out in lighter layers and soak up the sun. Now I can’t wait for the longer evenings – summer, I’m ready for you.

Girl exploring

The Gardens at Hever Castle in spring

What I’ve been reading this month:

  1. Stephen King: 11/23/63 – Another one of Stephen King’s psychological novels. This book centres around a character who time travels to try and stop JFK’s assassination. I found it really interesting historically and loved the way it highlighted that life can change on a dime. The smallest decisions can lead to a butterfly effect or sliding doors scenario. 4/5
  2. Elizabeth Gilbert: Big Magic – Creative Living Beyond Fear – An inspiring read for anyone who wants to live a creative life or a life of passion and curiosity. I think this book really helped me realise you don’t have to take yourself so seriously. Be playful, curious and allow yourself mistakes in your work to allow you to grow and be better. I’ll be leaving this book behind whilst understanding that the best thing about creativity is the joy it brings. 4/5

What have you all been enjoying this month?

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Essex Wedding Photographer: 10 Tips for a Sustainable Wedding

Traditionally weddings can be very draining on resources and create a lot of waste. Even contemplating making a sustainable wedding may be overwhelming with everything else you have on your to do list. However, there are some easy steps you can take to make your big day a bit more eco-friendly:

  1. Go local

This applies to everything: from venue to flowers, to food. If you choose a local venue, you’ll cut down on carbon emissions from travel, and the same goes for bringing in details of your day. Buying local flowers means they don’t have to be flown in from elsewhere, which will also bring down the price. It may mean your flowers will be more seasonal, but perhaps thats something to embrace. Celebrate the season you chose to get married in!

Sustainable wedding flowers idea

2. Hire in not buy

Buying decor which is typically used once can be both expensive and wasteful – what do you do with 50 vases after your wedding day? Hiring in furniture, props and decor can be a really easy way to relieve the stress of sourcing all this yourself, and cutting down waste. I absolutely love working with hire companies and am always amazed at what beautiful items they have. For Essex couples, I love Anthology Vintage Hire and Rock the Day

Sustainable outdoor wedding in Essex

3. Reuse-able Crockery

Plenty of couples are moving away from a traditional sit down wedding breakfast and opting for food trucks, BBQs or buffets. I absolutely love all of these ideas as they generally make for a much more relaxed atmosphere and allow more mingling. To cut down on waste, use recyclable or biodegradable bamboo plates and cutlery. If you want to be really stylish, hire in some vintage plates. Bamboo straws or glasses with guest’s names on can also mean less waste from drinks.

4. Hire Group Transport

Wedding carbon footprints are often large because guests have to drive to them. Hiring group transport such as a coach or old Routemaster to transport guests from the ceremony to reception, or a central meeting point, can help. It also means people won’t get lost between ceremony and reception and everyone arrives at the same time. You would be surprised at the amount of times group shots have been delayed because members of the wedding party have taken a detour on the way to the reception!

Routemaster bus picking up wedding guest

5. Say yes to pre-loved

A sustainable wedding doesn’t just mean helping the environment, it also means supporting ethical businesses and helping them to flourish. Using an ethical wedding dress supplier ensures the materials are sustainability sourced and fair trade. If you are more of a vintage fan, a pre-loved wedding dress is one of the most eco-friendly options. You can even use suppliers such as Poppy Perspective to personalise or repair your vintage dress.

Vintage 1960s dress with orange details

6. DIY Favours

There are endless ideas for DIY or reusable wedding favours over on my Eco-Friendly wedding Pinterest board. Herb kits, homemade jam, wildflower seed packs – all these ideas last for longer and can be really fun memorable favours. Rock my Wedding also has some very cute ideas.

7. Wedding Venue

Finding a wedding venue is hard enough without wondering about it’s eco credentials. However, a wedding venue is often the biggest contributor to whether your wedding is sustainable or not. Some criteria to consider includes:

  • Power: is it from a sustainable source?
  • Waste: is recycling common place?
  • Carbon footprint: Does your venue source locally and ethically?

Wedding marquee at dusk

8. Stationery

A wedding invite or Save the Date is often the first flavour of your wedding the guests will get so you want to make a great impression. I absolutely love wedding stationery and you can now get some absolutely stunning invitations made from recycled paper. I’ve even seen ‘plantable’ invites which sprout into flowers once placed in soil – how amazing!  If you think the whole idea of stationery is wasteful, opt for a wedding website instead.

9. Registering for gifts

Who doesn’t love a gift, especially one thats part of an age old tradition? When creating your registry, see if you can make easy swaps for sustainable brands or zero-waste items.  If you are struggling to think of anything to add, why not opt for honeymoon donations or activities/experiences instead? You could create some amazing memories.

10. Choose eco-friendly rings

When looking for wedding rings, consider items made from fair trade gems/silver and gold, recycled precious materials or eco materials such as wood. The Natural Wedding Company has some fantastic suppliers listed.

London Victorian Ring Co vintage ring

Hopefully those are some useful starting points for making steps to make your wedding more eco-friendly. I’m happy to say that I am now listed on the Natural Wedding Company as a sustainable supplier. Head over there to check out my page, and you can even find an offer for 10% off my 2019 wedding packages.

If you’re planning an eco-friendly wedding let me know how you’re getting on in the comments.

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London Wedding Photographer: Why is Photography Important?

Bride and groom getting showered with confetti

In these times of amazing camera phones, brilliant DSLRs and a lean towards everyone being ‘a photographer’ it is easy to discount the value of wedding photograph. You may be tempted to get guests to just take photos on their phones, or ask a friend with a decent camera to do it instead. I have read so many horror stories about couples who have asked their friends to photograph their wedding. One actually ended up in genuine tears on the wedding day.

Before you think ‘well obviously this lady is biased’.. Read on 🙂

While many couples will go to the obvious parts of their wedding to put the budget into – venue, dress, food, styling and cake – what are all of these things if you don’t remember them? Wedding photography will provide the story of your day, and tangible memories to hold on to forever. You can also pass them on to other generations. Even when we may not be here, we will live on through photos.

Wedding Fair at the Depot in London

This blog is more about the importance of photography as a whole, rather than just weddings. On my Facebook memories a few weeks ago, up popped a photograph of me and my family with my Grandma on her birthday. A bit of back story –  my Grandma had Alzheimers and has since passed away, but on this birthday she remembered who we were and was very joyful to have us visiting her. That afternoon, we came across an old photo album which I thoroughly enjoyed looking through, having never seen many of the photos within it. It was a documentation of my family in the 1970s and there was one photo I distinctly loved. A portrait of my Grandma sat outside in a deckchair, in a fantastic green 70s outfit, radiating through the photograph. I showed it to my Grandma, and sadly she couldn’t recognise that it was her. But I was so happy to have seen this album – I saw my family as I had never seen them in real life. My Grandparents young, with my Mum as a teenage girl, and the rest of my family in their early 20s. It painted a fabulous picture of their life at that point in time.

Caroline Opacic Photography's private family snaps

Another moment which reminded me of the value of photography was going through my other Grandma’s belongings a few years ago, after she had passed away. Amongst everything, there were several boxes of photographs and family albums of which I had never seen. I spent a long time trawling through them, seeing photos of my Grandparents with my Dad when he was a teenager – on holiday, at home and with other family who I had never met. There were also photographs of my Grandparents when they first met. Again, just to see this side of my family was fascinating and touching. I came across a photograph of my newly engaged Grandparents in the 1950s, posing on a beach – that is now framed and in my house, along with a photo of my parents on their wedding day in the 1980s. Though many of the people in all of these photographs had passed away, they were still alive in these and looking happy and full of live. I feel I know them better having seem at earlier stages of their lives – ages I am at now.

Good photography is a heirloom to pass down. Have a wonderful weekend! If you are still looking for a 2019 wedding photographer, do get in touch. I have a few dates left but having to turn down lots already.

Caroline x

Kent Wedding Photographer: Exploring Hever Castle Wedding Venue

Last weekend we took a road trip to Kent to explore Hever Castle wedding venue. It was a gusty and rainy day but luckily we managed to dodge the showers and have a lovely wander round the grounds. As it was winter, some of the garden areas were closed off, but the pretty Italian Garden was open. It was only as we wandered around that I actually realised it was a wedding venue!

Hever Castle wedding venue in Kent

In summer I imagine it is utterly gorgeous. You can actually get married down in the Italian Gardens, semi-outdoors, over looking the lake. As we walked around the lake I realised I recognised the fountain from a trip to Rome.. they have their own Trevi fountain! Next to it is a gorgeous covered colonnade which leads through the gardens to the Pavilion reception area.

Hever Castle Italian Gardens wedding venue

Roman sculpture in the

The gardens were filled with roman artefacts and and sculptures, collected by William Waldorf Astor who renovated the castle. Being a previous Latin and Classical Civilisation student/nerd I love anything like this!

Spring at Hever Castle

Hever Castle Italian Gardens

The Italian Gardens at Hever Castle wedding venue

Hever Castle Wedding Venue in Kent

We had an explore of the castle itself which is interesting for all the history buffs. It was Anne Boleyn’s childhood home, so there’s plenty of Tudor decor. It’s been beautifully restored and has some fabulous art inside. We also had a go at the maze that’s just to the side of the castle.

Hever Castle in Kent

Hever Castle Wedding Venue

By the time we were finished we were pretty cold, but we popped straight next door for Sunday lunch in the King Henry VIII, a gorgeous 17th century pub. All in all, a lovely way to spend a Sunday!

Cosy 17th Century pub in KentKing Henry VIII pub in Kent

Capacity: 180 in the pavilion & 40 extra for evening guests

Venue address:  Hever Castle, Hever Rd, Hever, Edenbridge TN8 7NG

To book visit the website.

If the Italian Gardens at Hever Castle is your wedding venue, do get in touch – I would love to shoot a wedding at this beautiful venue.

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