welcome to lauren mitchell photography

23.08.08 - wedding - brian and kerry
considering the weather of late, we were all praying for good weather for this wedding as the whole day was outside in a beautiful farmland garden near hook. amy and i arrived at where kerry was getting ready - her parents house in wokingham. we were greeted with smiles and laughter which made amy and i feel very welcomed. after many laughs, and even after being shown around proud dad's den! we headed to hook.

the ceremony was under a white marquee and was full of music, laughter and emotion. is was certainly a happy occasion for all.....and the sun was still shining! afterwards the guests departed into the garden for drinks while amy and i took our candid shots before the group photos.

the grounds were gorgeous and the guests had plenty of places to explore, which also meant there were some great photo opportunities for the couple during their couple shots. i love using the environment around me, so considering we were on a farm we definitely made the most of it!

we left the wedding party to enjoy their meal - a happy day had by all. and we wish them the best of luck for the future - lauren and amy x

09.08.08 - wedding - cora and nicol
i had been looking forward to this scottish wedding since i met cora and nicol at the wedding pitch. they were a fantastic couple with great humour so i knew the big day would be fun!

the wedding service was in a lovely church in medstead and although the weather had started to turn, the church was at bursting point! there was just enough space for amy and i! there was a distinctive scottish theme as cora's father piped the wedding party outside. nicol looked great in his kilt.....almost as great as cora! amy and i were able to take some great shots of the confetti and piper.

after the service we all made our way to tylney hall in rotherwick. the grounds to tylney are fantastic and it is one of my favourite locations. even when the weather is grey there are plenty of opportunities inside for great shots. we were all tightly packed in one of the rooms, but managed to complete all the group shots...although cora's parents were late due to their sat nav!

it must be mentioned the couple's spirits weren't dampened by the weather and everyone enjoyed themselves. amy and i left just before the start of the wedding breakfast.

thank you for such a great day - best wishes to you both - lauren and amy x

26.07.08 - wedding - dave and becky
i had been looking forward to this wedding since meeting dave and becky at the wedding pitch. they were such a 'down to earth' couple and just wanted to have a good time and a pint on the day!

when teresa and i arrived at becky and dave's house we were greeted by 5 lively girls getting ready and opening the bubbley! the sun was shining so we decided to make the most of it and take as many shots in the garden of the girls as they wished. it was a fantastic start to the day.

the wedding service was held in a church in dogmersfield. dave was already inside when teresa and i arrived, feeling alittle nervous. during the service dave was so keen he blurted out 'i will' almost straight away and the whole wedding party burst into laughter!

the reception was held at hook house hotel. although this is a fairly small venue it has so much to offer in locations for photographs. after the groups shoots i spent half an hour with the couple shooting some fantastic shots. they were both 'naturals' in front of the camera!

teresa and i left them as they entered the wedding breakfast - all the best for the future, you two are great together! - lauren and teresa x

07.03.09 - lifetyle shoot
lauren had a 'thomas the tank engine' style lifestyle shoot in the studio with two adorable boys on saturday. both were full of enthusiasm as they had their photos taken professionally for the first time. both below the age of 4 we were able to get some really cute shots of them playing with their favourite toys....both favouring their thomas the tank engine trains! luckily i was able to put some of my knowledge of the childrens tv programme to good use and interact with the children even more......hoping that they might bit slightly impressed with my knowledge!

sarah and graham (the parents) had brought a number of outfits for their boys which is always great for lifestyle shoots and i would always recommend at least two or three favourite outfits to change into - the more colourful the better!

at the end of the shoot both children seemed like they could go on for a few more hours, much to the disappointment of the parents! it was a fun shoot which the children enjoyed.
thanks - lauren

09.03.09 - John Lewis Partnership Greenbee website
The John Lewis Partnership have launched a new wedding website which is packed full of great information and ideas to help any couple planning a wedding. their reporter asked me if I would like to share my 5 top tips for great wedding photos.....so here they are!

1. Test your make-up.
Always have a trial run before your big day - regardless of whether you’ve organised a professional make-up artist, or decided to do it yourself.
One great tip is to apply a little extra eye make-up than normal. Eyes are a key focal point that people look at in a photograph and adding just an extra touch will really help your eyes stand out when captured on camera - rather than getting lost within the picture.

2. Don’t rush…
Ensure you give yourself plenty of time to get ready on your big day. In my experience, it’s surprisingly how many brides end up in a mad rush to change into their dress, apply last minute make-up and put on accessories.
The time just before the ceremony is the ideal opportunity to catch you when you’re at your best. Your make up will be perfect, your dress pristine, and you can gather with your bridesmaids for shots your photographer won’t want to miss.

3. Talk to your venue.
Wherever you’ve chosen to get married, from a church to a listed building, try and find out the details of when your photographer will be able to take photographs. Some venue and priests can be very strict. And some may not allow photography during the whole service.
It's best to let your photographer know early on about any limitations, to avoid any possible embarrassment during your day.

4. Planning a receiving line?
If you’ve got your mind set on a receiving line, don’t forget to let your photographer know when you discuss timings. Receiving lines can take up a huge amount of time, which will shorten the moments you’ll have left for other photographs.
By making your photographer aware, they’ll be flexible with their timings and be able take all the photographs you want.

5. Have fun!
When choosing your photographer, don’t just look at their portfolio - think about their personality. Do you share the same sense of humour? Are you happy for them to follow you around all day? Because, apart from each other, you’ll be spending most your time with them!
Recommendations are ideal, as your friends will tell you exactly what they thought. I've always found the best photographs come when we’re all laughing and having a good time.

If you wish to find out more about what Greenbee - Weddings can offer please follow this link http://weddings.greenbee.com/

14.03.09 - wedding - david and heather
we arrived at heather's mums house in the morning where we were greeted by a big smile from her mum. heathers hair appointment was running late so we started photographing the gorgeous dress, shoes and all the accessories she had! the weather was clearing after a night of rain so we used the bright weather to capture some great shots of the shoes and flowers. heather finally arrived with her bridesmaids, and they all had to change into their dresses promptly ready for their individual photographs!

.the church was filled to the brim as over 100 guests were attending, which created a lively and fun atmosphere. the ceremony was thoughtful and emotional and the priest allowed us to take shots from any position in the church which was fantastic! after the ceremony we were able to use the church surroundings for some shots of the couple....I love using the textured brickwork of the church, the natural lighting available and the low camera angles to create some really dramatic and romantic shots of the couple.

all the guests made their way to the oaklands which is where the reception was being held. heather and david arrived in their open top car to be greeted by guests waiting for them outside. they gathered with their guests for half an hour or so while I photographed all the table decorations and flavours, made by heather herself.......you could definitely tell that heather loved purple by the colour scheme of the wedding! the ushers were a great help, ushering everyone outside for the group shots....and although heather had given me quite a list of shots she wanted, we were able to get through them very quickly.

we left the couple to enjoy the evening with their family and friends.

it was a great day guys! - congratulations to you both. lauren & teresa x

28.03.09 - wedding - vicky and adrian
the wedding of vicky and adrian was held in the small village of old alresford. the couple had flown all the way from australia to get married in front of friends and family. the morning started cloudy and damp but that didn't damped the spirits of the bride and bridesmaids as they all busily got ready for the ceremony at 2pm. after photographing the preparations and the bride and bridemaids individual portrait shots we headed to the church to meet adrian and the guests.

the church was situated on a hill overlooking the rest of the valley, where we could see some very dark clouds coming over, not something any wedding photographer wants to see! while I waiting for the bride to arrive, teresa was inside the church photographing the nervous groom and the guests as they entered. the bride arrived a little late in a beautifully decorated camper van as the sun was still shining. the ceremony was thoughtful, full of laughter and in places, emotional, but enjoyed by all.

outside the clouds had cleared so it was perfect for taking all the group shots - which was a little bit of a challenge while the church bells were sounding!! but it didn't put anyone off and after finishing with some couple shots everyone made their way to the reception which was being held at south winchester golf club.

after taking some more candid shots during the drinks, we left the couple walking into the wedding breakfast greeted by their guests. it was a great wedding and the weather was kind too! best wishes to you both.

lauren and teresa x

09.04.09 - Wedding - Caroline and Lee
The day started with a little rain but this didn't dampen the spirits of the bride who was with her bridesmaids busily getting ready at one of my favourite venues - Cain Manor. The bridal suite in Cain Manor is such a large room which is perfect for taking all types of shots......which was lucky as all the individual shots had to be done inside! Caroline didn't seem nervous at all during the preparations, as she chatted and laughed with her family.

The ceremony was very meaningful and full of happiness. Even Caroline's mother had written a poem for the special day. Everything went to plan, and by the end of the ceremony the clouds had blown over the the sun was starting to shine. Time was a little tight so we started the group shots just after everyone had walked out into the sun. The wedding party were all in high spirits and the groups shots were all done in under 15 minutes...... Teresa and I then took Caroline and Lee around Cain Manor for their couple shots.

The weather was still on our side so we were able to capture some great couple shots and Caroline and Lee enjoyed it too.....even Lee who hates having his photograph taken!! We always try and make it as fun as possible :)

We left the couple ready to begin their Wedding Breakfast with their guests. Caroline and Lee - have a fantastic honeymoon! We enjoyed the day as much as you....all the best for the future.
Lauren and Teresa x