Best of 2016 for Stuart James – Wedding Photographers Staffordshire
Continuing from the fabulous start of the year, and after a much appreciated holiday!, it was back to work in August for us and back to where the year started…Weston Hall.
Nicola + Ian’s wedding was a wonderfully relaxed day with coverage only for a short period, but blessed with gorgeous weather and a fabulous group of people, the day was a huge pleasure to be part of, with the finished story looking stunning!
From Staffordshire it was all the way to Chelsea for our next August wedding, the start of a pretty wonderful but manic period for us!
Mel + Rob’s wedding had an extra special meaning to me having known the couple for many years from my corporate work, and to share in their wonderful day at Chelsea Register Office and reception at the Chelsea Harbour Hotel made the start of the run of weddings a real treat and well worth the hours travelling!
From the heights of Chelsea, it was back to our home county and our most local venue for our next wedding with another friends wedding – what a year 2016 was!
I’ve known Leanne for many years as she grew up close friends with my better half Beki, and as soon as Leanne + Ben were planning their wedding at Oak Farm they came and sat and talked about their plans, and we were able to bring together the perfect coverage for them.
Capturing their story from the morning preparations at both houses, throughout the day to the night was a real pleasure, and from all the emotion that was flowing, it truly was a story to capture!
Following Leanne + Ben’s wedding it was back to one of my all time favourite venues, Weston Park, for the wedding of Jane + Rob!
A truly stunning couple who I just knew would look great infront of camera, and with a day full of style, grace and fun, it really was pretty awesome!
Blessed with stunning weather, the day couldn’t have been better to be part of, from the morning preparations in the house, to the ceremony at the beautiful St Andrews Church, and through to the to the night…what a treasure of a wedding to document!
From the grand occasion of Jane + Rob’s wedding, it was to Packington Moor with the venue looking quite possibly the most incredible I have ever seen for Linda + Jacqui’s wedding!
When first talking to Linda + Jacqui it was clear to see how much the day meant to them both after going through a life changing event back in 2015, and seeing the sheer love and emotion from the couple, their friends and family on the day, it was a wedding that will life long in the memory…
With beautiful touches from Fine Flowers and Design Elegance, the barns looked quite incredible, and I have to say, the couple looked amazing too!
After a couple of days recovering from the extended weekend, it was time for round two starting at the beautiful Moddershall Oaks – a venue I hadn’t previously had the pleasure of working at!
Angie + Dan’s wedding had a fabulous midweek feel, completely relaxed and full of fun. With coverage from arrivals at the venue through into the night, capturing the couple, their gorgeous daughter and their friends and family all enjoying the day, with such a great setting for photographs, I could not have been happier!
Pendrell Hall is one of the most popular wedding venues in the area and is always a pleasure of working at, and although I had to wait until September for my first taste of 2016 in Codsall…Jennifer and Gary’s wedding was certainly worth waiting for!
A day that I knew would be pretty special to be part of, and with a story that started from bridal hair and makeup in the stunning ‘dressing room’ at Pendrell, through the whole day to the very end of the night, it certainly did not disappoint!
It was also a huge pleasure to be working alongside Blue Ridge Wedding Videographers again – a fabulous team of guys whose storytelling approach fits naturally with my style!
To conclude the mammoth weekend starting September, it was to a church I hadn’t been to for many years in Middleton before the reception at the stunning and very popular Moxhull Hall – a venue I have always loved working at!
Zoe + Steve’s wedding was a blast to be part of from start to end, and with the torrential rain failing to dampen any spirits, the day was set up to be a classic! Two lovely and very fun characters in the couple themselves, the most amazing set of friends and lovely family, a vicar who was a character himself, brought together in the most perfect setting was the recipe for a stunning day!
With the break in the weather improving the prospects for photographs after the church, I could not have been happier.
Zoe + Steve’s wedding was also the second wedding of the year for us choosing the PhotoFilm coverage, so much fun putting together from the morning preparations to the very end of the night!
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From the manic weekend before, it was a journey just down the road from us to All Saints Church in Bloxwich for the wedding of Dawn + Mike, a truly lovely couple!
I first sat down with the couple many months before their wedding and got talking about plans and ideas, and after spending time with them both and their gorgeous Staffy at the pool next to their house, I felt a real connection to them both, and knew the wedding would be something special!
With gorgeous touches throughout, including a bus that Mike would almost certainly have travelled on as a child when he lived in London, the day was perfect! With weather on our side, and the stunning Packington Moor as the reception venue, the day was a true treat to capture.
After the beautiful wedding of Dawn + Mike at Packington Moor, it was back to Acton Trussell for the wedding of Jess + James.
Jess + James held their wedding at the stunning St Michael and All Angels Church in Penkridge before the reception at a gloriously sunny Moat House.
Two beautiful people with their own gorgeous children, coming together as one family with their friends and family to celebrate, this really was a stunning wedding! And the first dance…just brilliant! Especially watching Jess + James’ friend who had coached them counting and calling instructions (discreetly!) from the side of the floor!
From the venue that is a regular in the feature of the calender, it was to somewhere new to me for a truly memorable wedding of Charlotte + Tom as they held their wedding at Davenport House in Worfield.
A day that was another unlimited coverage for me, from bridal preparations through to the end of the night – just spectacular!
Capturing the story from the preparations in the morning throughout the day to the most incredible of parties with live music from Low Riders, then two fabulous DJ sets Stuart Ojelay and Danny Rampling! What a night!
Here’s a look at Charlotte + Tom’s story with the ceremony at St Chads Church, Pattingham and the reception at the stunning Davenport House.
From the new venue of Davenport House and the crazy party of Charlotte + Tom’s wedding, it was back to the wonderful Sandon Hall for the wedding of Hannah + Henry.
Although Hannah + Henry work in London, Henry’s family life right next to Salt in Staffordshire, leading to Sandon to be the most perfect of setting for their wedding! With a day full of character and fun, from the relaxed atmosphere during the morning preparations, the wonderful touches including the fabulous car!!, to the garden games on the lawn, everything about the day was perfect.
After the wonderfully busy September, October started in great fashion with two great weddings, firstly Rebecca + Luciano’s wedding at Edgbaston and Aston Wood Golf Club.
I met with Rebecca + Luciano for the first time at The Bridal Show at The Belfry at the start of 2016, and as soon as we started talking I understood that my style of natural and unobtrusive photography would be perfect for their day…perfect for me!
Bringing two cultures together with Rebecca’s English family and Luciano’s Mexican family, the day was a true treat. So many wonderful touches throughout the day, from the wedding transport for all of the guests (a fabulous Routemaster London Bus!) and with the mariachi band setting the scene for the evening only to be completed with the Beatles! What a day!!
From Luciano + Rebecca’s wedding, it was to another of my favourite venues – The Hundred House in Norton – I love that place!!
Kayleigh + Georgina found my site after looking for photographs of their venue, and as soon as we sat down to talk about their day, it was clear we were going to have a blast! I loved how Kayleigh + Georgina planned their day with an intimate wedding and drinks reception with their closest friends and family, before the party started with the evening reception!
The weekend following Kayleigh + George’s fabulous wedding it was back to the stunning Moxhull Hall for Kelly + Adam’s wedding.
Working alongside fabulous suppliers on their day including Carefully Crafted Media on video, beautiful flowers from Fine Flowers and stunning venue dressing from Pumpkin Events and of course the entertainment from Christian Fletcher!
Kelly + Adam certainly had luck on their side on the day of their wedding, with a glorious October afternoon allowing for the outdoor ceremony in Calliopes Garden. A gorgeous wedding to capture with two of the nicest people I have had the pleasure of meeting.
To conclude October I had two beautiful midweek weddings, starting with Liam + Natalie’s wedding at a venue I hadn’t been to for a while, the beautiful Old School House in Weeford.
Liam + Natalie held their wedding at Christchurch in Burntwood before the reception at the Wyatt Pavilion at The Old School House, and with the weather once again on our side (I was damned lucky again in 2016!!)
From Liam + Natalie’s Lichfield wedding, it was back to a venue that is packed full of character and wonder – the beautiful Moseley Old Hall.
I’ve had the pleasure of working at the stunning little venue in the past, and it was a treat to be back there for Chrissie + Adrian’s wedding.
November was another busy month for us at Stuart James Photography, starting the set with Becky + James’ wedding taking me again to the stunning Pendrell Hall!
Becky + James’ day started for me with the morning preparations in Burntwood before the church ceremony and the reception at Pendrell!
From Pendrell it was to a church just down the road for my next wedding for the ceremony of Sally + Wilfred before their reception at Lilleshall Hall.
Sally + Wilfred’s wedding was fabulous to be part of, and certainly most memorable for the wonderful character and excitement Wilfred’s family brought to the wedding – Zimbabwean’s know how to celebrate! What a fabulous wedding!!
I first met the couple of my next wedding only a few month’s earlier when photographing her sisters wedding at Weston Park – I must have made a distinct impression on the family!
Kate + Aki’s wedding was a lovely intimate wedding at the stunning Hagley Hall – a venue I’m not at often enough, but truly stunning!
December brought two weddings our way to close the year, the first of which was another intimate wedding as Carol + Dave married in the Colin Lewis Suite at The Moat House, Acton Trussell.
Bringing the year to a close was yet another visit to Pendrell Hall – have I mentioned I L-O-V-E that place? :)
Becky + Liam’s wedding was the perfect conclusion for a wonderful year of weddings, full of fun, tears, laughter, giggles and beautiful weather too!
Just. Perfect.
So that was 2016 along with the initial collection here.
Such a fantastic year. All I can say to all of my couples is “thank you”! Thank you for entrusting the capturing of your story to me, and thank you for helping me have an amazing time along the way too!
To talk to me about your wedding plans for 2017 and beyond, please contact me.
Get in touch with Stuart James, Wedding Photographers Sttaffordshire : [email protected] : 0800 331 7741 : 07834 978905
