Cissbury Ring - Judy & Stuart

October 20, 2023 Daren Baker

Another wonderful time up at Cissbury Barns for Judy and Stuarts wedding.

I was asked to come along for just a few hours to capture a small number of post ceremony photos, mainly family portraits and friends gathered in celebration.

Judy was especially nervous about being photographed & I could see her nerves as she waited to join Stuart in the ceremony. However, like many brides Judy was much more relaxed after the ceremony; lost in the emotions and celebrations and despite her telling me that she didn’t feel that she could smile naturally, she really did.

It’s becoming more popular to be asked to cover just a few hours or half a day, so if it’s something you are thinking about be sure to talk to me about it.

Amberley Castle-Sussex: Lorraine and Ross

July 20, 2019 Daren Baker

This was the first time I’d been asked to photograph a wedding at Amberley Castle, so I was especially excited as it’s one of those magical wedding venues. It’s totally romantic, lying in the picturesque Sussex village of Amberley, at the foot of the South Downs, with stunning medieval architecture and fairytale like garden backdrops. There were plenty hidden corners amongst the castle grounds too. Lorraine & Ross booked me for just a few hours to document the wedding ceremony, with some mostly natural bride and groom photographs and some further photos of their close family & friends. It was perfectly intimate and the images felt really easy to capture. Lorraine and Ross looked so at ease in the atmosphere of the setting and very natural with each other. I totally loved being there to capture these images. The amazing setting and wonderful afternoon daylight certainly helped.

Windsor Hotel-WorthingJane & Andy

August 25, 2018 Daren Baker

I'm a little late feeding back on the last of my local weddings from last year, so thought I should kick off this year's wedding blog, with some of the moments from Jane and Andy's wonderful day at the Windsor Hotel. The venue is literally a few streets down from my home, so really no excuse to be late - not that I ever have been :-)

Jane got ready at her Mums home, with her bridesmaids before her proud father escorted Jane to the Windor Hotel, in the luxury of the Rolls Royce. Jane was full of smiles all day and much to Jane & Andy’s delight, the sun shone too, so the ceremony could be held out in the sunshine of the garden.

The blue skies also meant we could head to beach for some couple shots.

The wedding day was really relaxed, with all the guests having a real sense of togetherness, which made it pretty easy for me to capture people naturally throughout the day.

Here are a few images from the day ….

Goring Church-Sussex-Stephy & Matt

July 12, 2018 Daren Baker

Stephy & Matthew live in Hong Kong and contacted me to ask if I would photograph them here in the UK, before they get married in Hong Kong next June. Unfortunately Matthew’s Grandparents will not be able to travel to Hong Kong next year, so the pre-wedding shoot was a mix of couple shots for Stephy & Matthew and some images of them with Matthew’s Grandparents, to try & replicate some of the shots, which will be missing on their wedding day.

We met at the Methodist Church in Goring, which had been kindly rented to us for a few hours. Stephy surprised me by appearing in her beautiful wedding dress, so we really did have a mini dress rehearsal for the day itself.

For the second part of the styled shoot, we headed to Goring Beach, so Stephy could seek out her first UK beach hut and see the full glory of the sunny UK seaside. We aptly ended the session in the grounds where Matthew’s Grandparents live.

Steyning-Sussex:Leigh, Miles and Blue

July 7, 2018 Daren Baker

On a beautiful lit May afternoon I met Leigh, Miles and Blue.

Leigh contacted me because she wanted to capture some memories of Miles in the natural surroundings of his childhood. The shoot at Buncton Farm, Wiston, Steyning was close to where i spent my late teenage years and I've always had an affection for Wiston, it's church and amazing woodland. Spent many an escape up on the top of the close by Chanctonbry too, so this shoot had a personal edge.

I had purposely made sure we shot in the late afternoon, to hope for a lovely late spring light. It really paid off and shows through the natural softness of some of the images, which needed hardly any re-touching.

Leigh & Miles were an absolute pleasure to photograph, with the shoot unfolding very naturally, without my direction, which is when I most love being a photographer.

I hope you enjoy the images and if you would like a similar photo session, please contact me.

A few kind words from Leigh as left on my Facebook business page:

I am so pleased with the results of my photo shoot with Daren! He captured moments between myself and my son perfectly - I am so grateful and cannot decided which photos to display! Thankyou you made the whole experience so relaxing and enjoyable!

Arundel-Sussex:Rosie & Rich

September 23, 2017 Daren Baker

Earlier this month I met up with Rosie and Rich for a pre wedding shoot, ahead of their wedding day, set for next spring. The main idea of the shoot, was for them to both get used to the camera lens but to also have some less formal images before their big day. The shoot took place at the Arundel Castle Cricket ground - although there were no signs of any cricket or the castle! 🙂
The setting, autumn colours and brief moments of changing light, gave us some quite a nice range of images. Such a lovely couple and a pleasure to photograph - looking forward to the spring now and their special day at Highdown Vineyard.💟

If anyone is interested in a couple shoot or pre wedding shoot please contact me!

Horsham-Sussex:Gill Pike florist

April 1, 2017 Daren Baker

I met Gill at a Sussex wedding venue in preparation for an upcoming themed, Alice in wonderland wedding. I had been asked by another local supplier, Special Creations by Jane to photograph some details of the day, including some of Gills floristry delights.

It was during the photo shoot that Gill asked me if I would be interested in photographing some of her wedding props and accessories, so she could potentially sell and display the items on her website.

So, on a sunny February day I travelled to the countryside "Gill Pike florist camp" and took a series of photographs of vintage glassware, milk churns, vintage ladders, milk churns, jugs and crates. I took a number of photos inside with the use of a portrait LAMP, with soft window light and a bunch of photos outside in the sunshine, using the natural backdrops.

So this was a product photography shoot, something a bit different, fun and challenging. Gill was a delight to work with, generous with her hospitality and her floristry workshop is really something very special and unique. See Gill's website http://www.gillpikeflorist.co.uk for full contact information.

Here are some of the photographs from the day:

The products are beautiful and add a magic to any wedding day.

Ghyll Manor-Sussex:Tracey & John

March 24, 2017 Daren Baker

A sunny Sussex is always going to make a great day for a wedding and fortunately, the sun shone for Tracey and John.

The Wedding venue was Ghyll manor, a charming 17th century manor nestled in the Sussex countryside, in the village of Rusper, near Horsham.

I arrived early to photograph Tracey getting ready in the hideaway Ghyll cottage, which made for some wonderful bridal prep photographs.

It's always good to meet new suppliers at weddings and I was lucky to meet Jane from Wedding Hair At Home, who did a wonderful job in styling the bride and bridesmaids hair.

The Terrance Room held the Ceremony with approximately 80 guests. It's quite a tight space when everyone is present, so photographing Tracey and Jon had it's challenges but I love the way I captured the little looks and the smiles throughout.

Wedding styling on the day was created by the wonderfully talented Jane @ special creations by Jane - sample of her beautiful work in the terrace room, photographed below.

The last image is the look of love and really encapsulates the radiance of the couple during their first dance. I love this photograph because they look really lost in each other, enjoying their own moment, even though there are 80 or more onlookers.

St Mary's Church-Horsham-West Sussex:Georgina & Chris

January 28, 2017 Daren Baker

I was lucky enough to meet Georgina and Chris at a wedding fair in Brighton West Sussex and was delighted to get the chance to work with them!

I knew photographing Georgina and Chris was going to be a joy, as it was so clear that they were incredibly excited about their day and genuinely smitten with each other, which I knew would make for some really natural, beautiful photographs.

The pre wedding shoot took place in the same location as the ceremony would be held, at St Mary's Church in Horsham, West Sussex. The church holds fond memories for me personally, which makes it a really special venue.

The 12th century church is set in a quiet, picturesque location at the far end of the causeway and is the oldest building in the town. Inside the church is spectacular and holds some modern twists amongst some of the ancient interior.

The photographic shoot was a chance to set the scene, to test the likely light, outside on the day and for Georgina and Chris to have some less formal photographs, which they could use as invites for their Sussex wedding.

I love the colours and obvious love between Chris & Georgina, which all came together in the shots. Her are a few from the day.

Black and white engagement shoot, Horsham Sussex

Look of love, engagement portrait, Sussex

Engagement shoot outside St Mary's Church Horsham Sussex

Yellow, engagement shoot, Horsham Sussex

Brighton-Sussex:Weddings & Dreams

May 26, 2016 Daren Baker

Weddings & Dreams Bridal Show @ the Waterfront Hotel, Brighton

Special creations by Jane hosted the Waterfront Hotel Weddings & Dreams Bridal show. It was a great opportunity for me to get to network with other professional and friendly exhibitors, as well as lovely brides to be!

Special Creations and Claire from Creative Creation also came together to organise a fashion catwalk show to launch a new range of pre-loved wedding dresses. East Sussex Dance choreographed a stunning catwalk show, with the ever fabulous Lipstick & Gunpowder providing make up and hair styling make overs! Thanks also to Lucy from Lucibelle Tiaras, who provided the .... Tiaras!

Here are a few photographs of the catwalk show and various exhibitors stands. I have tried to tag everyone pictured but might have missed someone. Please feel free to give me a nudge! If you would like a copy of any of the images please get in touch.