Morning viewers... A bit of a twist on the real wedding format for you all today...

Gary Lashmar the man behind super cool photography outfit Marshal Gray has written the account of Carly and Aaron's big day at St.Michaels Manor and it's a fascinating read...

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Gary from Marshal Gray: I charge my batteries and I double check my memory cards and I check that I've charged my batteries and then I double double check that my memory cards are formatted.Then ... I check that I've got my lenses and although I never use zoom lenses I wonder if I should pack one - just in case. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't. I then check I have my lens cloth.

Check, check check. And then... I check that I've checked everything.

Eventually I head out and from there on I'm pretty much holding on for dear life.

Bridal Prep

I love bridal prep and today the excitement mounting is palpable in the room. The bridesmaids can be either relaxed or flapping about like they should be doing more than they're actually doing. My bride, Carly, was absolutely relaxed and the other girls in the room were equally as chilled. The bride was getting ready at home and I always prefer this for bridal prep as the detail is so much more personal. I photograph anything and everything and sometimes I feel like I'm Sherlock Holmes, gathering evidence against the couple, so that in later years their children, and perhaps their grandchildren will be transported back to the day in a way that is very real to them. Carly looked radiant and to be fair she is so so easy to photograph. Her hair was virtually dancing for the camera.

The Ceremony

Aaron looked damned cool, dressed to impress and more, in an awesome blue suit. Us photographers are selfish and when we get a couple doing it differently it ramps up the inspiration levels. Aaron was relaxed and being playful with his guests, friends and family, who had travelled from far and wide. I was a little late arriving pre ceremony and I moved up a gear, moving amongst the guests, creating frames. I want to capture the emotional charge that precedes every ceremony.

When Carly arrived it was like a movie star arriving at the premier of her new film. The staff at St Michaels Manor greeted her and took her to see the registrar.

And then we were into the service.

I tend not to overshoot at this stage. It's difficult for me to be anonymous at 6ft 3 and still my intention is to be still and to let the ceremony unfold naturally and shoot that. My couples tend not to book me for formality and still if the registrar sets up the signing of the register I will shoot it. I'm not there to make anybody look silly. The service was fun and relaxed with several light hearted readings. Very soon the registrar began. No matter how many weddings I shoot I am always moved by this occasion. I tend to shoot weddings with a very alternative approach and somehow, the ceremony, lends itself to a more traditional approach that I think absolutely should be respected.

Portraits & Beyond

Before I knew it we were outside. The couple took 10 or so minutes to be with their guests. Tears of joy, of relief and possibly more than a little exhaustion were evident and Aaron & Carly were in their element.

We took some formal frames with parents and then It was on to the bride and groom portraits. For me this is a time for the couple together, possibly the only time they'll have together before they leave for their honeymoon. I set up several of the frames and as much as possible I want the couple to be natural together. We'd had some rain during the ceremony and now the stars had aligned. The sun was grinning, despite the cold, and we were outside making the most of it. Carly and Aaron were awesome. Remember ... this was a December so the weather was more than a little biting. It's so important to me as a photographer who shoots a lot of photojournalism that my couples get great portraits also. Sometimes this takes work. My couples are always introduced to this concept and Carly & Aaron were one of the most easy going couples I've photographed in recent times.

The evening was upon us and the dancing took hold. Spontaneity and more than a few glasses of champagne combined to create an awesome end to the day.

A unique day, a great bunch of guests and a simply amazing couple.

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