Wedding Photographers in Birmingham & The West Midlands
There are so many Birmingham wedding photographers (go on, Google it!) that it must be daunting for couples who are planning their wedding and have no idea where to start when it comes to finding their photographer. I often mention to couples that they spend thousands of pounds on the day itself but it’s only the photographs (and occasionally a video) that will stay with them until they’re old and grey.
Obviously, given my choice of career, I place enormous value on photography and the clients we tend to meet generally feel the same way and invest their money accordingly. Some couples spend more on their cake than they do on their wedding photography. As amazing as some wedding cakes are (see Ben the Cakeman for example), in twenty or thirty years time, having a beautiful wedding album which brings back all the memories of your wedding is priceless.
With so many wedding photographers in the West Midlands many people imagine us to be in fierce competition with each other but, in reality, many of us are friends who are more than willing to help each other out. Photographers like Emily Quinton and Claire Evans are good friends of ours and we often recommend each other to clients when they enquire about a date where we’re already booked.
A lot of people also seem to think that they have to choose a wedding photographer from their local area. I was recently asked if I would travel as far as Lichfield for a wedding. Lichfield is less than 30 minutes from our studio! After doing weddings in Devon, Cornwall, Brighton, Newark, London (see image above) and more recently New York, Lichfield seems almost walking distance! But maybe not with all that equipment! This weekend I’m shooting Kate & Dan’s wedding in Somerset 
So, how do you choose a wedding photographer?
For me, the first thing to decide is if you like their style. Every wedding photographer is different and each has their own unique view of the world. Some are very formal and traditional, others specialize in reportage photography where they document the wedding without interacting with the couple or their guests. Some photographers are influenced by fashion magazines, others by movies. For me, our style incorporates many different influences to produce a style which is unique to us.
Once you’ve found a photographer whose style you like, the next thing is to get to know them. It’s important to gel with the person who will be so involved in your wedding day and to understand how they like to work on the day itself. We hear so many stories of nightmare wedding photographers who throw strops, boss people around, take hours to do the formal photographs or don’t even turn up to the wedding! None of the photographers we know would act like that, but there are still plenty of wedding photographers around who give the rest a bad name.
Obviously meeting photographers in person is a great way to get to know them but these days you can also get a sense of a person’s style and personality through their blog. Not all photographers have blogs but, for those that do, it’s a great way to see their recent work as well as getting a sense of who they are as a person. It’s the reason I post about days out with my wife, Evelyne and my son, Elliott, as well as weddings, portraits and my band photography. You could even keep up with what I’m up to on Twitter.
There are plenty of other questions to ask when choosing your wedding photographer but, for us, most clients book us because they appreciate good photography and we get on well when we first meet. They may also love our Queensberry albums or the fact that we stay for the whole day but if they don’t like the images we capture they obviously won’t book us.
Many couples remain friends with Evelyne and I long after the wedding day has passed. Some book us to photograph their newborn babies. Some arrange to meet us when they go to a concert. And it’s great that many will recommend us to friends when they decide to get married.
Whoever you choose for your wedding photography, we hope you have an amazing day that you’ll remember for the rest of your lives…. with a wedding album worthy of the occasion
A New York Wedding
Those of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook will know that last week was one of my busiest weeks ever! It was also one of the best. Three weddings in 5 days including one in Devon, one nearer home at Somerford Hall and my very first New York wedding which was fantastic!
New York is one of my favourite places on Earth. I’ve been there several times over the years and every time is different. So when I was asked to fly over and shoot Steph and Steve’s wedding at the top of the Rockefeller Center I had pretty much booked my flight before they finished the question!
I arrived in New York two days before the wedding day so had time to see some of the city, meet some of my friends who live in the city and immerse myself in the “city that never sleeps”. On the first night we had a surprise planned for the groom too… Steve’s best friend, Andy, had told him that he couldn’t make the wedding due to work commitments, however, Andy was actually booked on the same flight as myself so we met up and, with a little help from the bride, went to a restaurant in Brooklyn to surprise Steve! I love it when a plan comes together and Steve had no idea he was planning the surprise. This is the moment of the great reveal… (Steve’s face stayed like that for the next half an hour!)
The wedding itself happened on the 5 year anniversary of Steve & Steph getting together. It was a small wedding in a big location, and with an incredible backdrop. Here are a few of my fave photos from the wedding day..
This ring belonged to Steph’s grandma.
Steph looked amazing in her 50s-style dress. She chose the colour to match the backdrop of the city.
And the boys looked super-stylish in grey suits.
A lucky dollar…
The couple got plenty of attention when they decided to take the subway to the venue!
Now that’s a great place to marry!
Steph has Marilyn Monroe’s signature tattooed on her foot. How cool is that?!
After the ceremony they headed to Times Square so that the people back home could see them on the the Earth Cam.
And then it was off for a meaty dinner at Tavern On The Green.
One of the best things about this wedding was the day-after shoot. Without any time constraints or guests to to entertain we headed out into the Big Apple to get the couple some images to truly capture the amazing city that Steve & Steph love. First stop, Brooklyn Bridge.
This next photo, ladies, is Carrie Bradshaw’s step from Sex & The City. We had to remove the “No trespassing” chain, grab the picture and run before we got in trouble!
A quick stop off at Betsy Johnson’s…
.. and finally Strawberry Fields and Central Park.
Definitely a wedding to remember. Steve & Steph are one of those couple’s who are so obviously meant to be together. We had a fantastic few days and I’m so grateful they asked me to be there to shoot the wedding for them. This is one album I absolutely can’t wait to see! Cheers guys.
Gemma & Matt - Superstar Couple!
I love shooting weddings. If you’d asked me 5 years ago I would have said that wedding photography was for old men with tripods who couldn’t make a living doing other kinds of photography! How things change! I get to hang out with great people on the biggest day of their lives surrounded by the people they care about the most, all having a great time. It’s such a privilege being asked to document such an important occasion for people and we never take that responsibility for granted. And along the way we’ve made some lasting friendships. Oh, and did I mention we almost always go home with cake?!
One of our favourite weddings this year has to be Gemma and Matt’s wedding at Albright Hussey Manor Hotel near Shrewsbury. The whole day was great fun and Gemma & Matt rocked it big time when we headed out for some photos around the venue. I could have blogged a ton of images here but here’s just a selection from their day…
Gemma looked stunning in her dream dress…
Kids at the wedding = Great images..
The weather held out long enough for them to make full use of the grounds for the ceremony.
Why is it that the groom always ends up holding the bouquet?!
Mirror: Check. Gorgeous light: Check. Stunning bride: Check.
SO many brides have seen these pictures and said they’re stealing this idea…
The speeches included a few “ginger” jokes.
The rings.
After dinner, we escaped away from the venue for a short walk and came back with some of my favourite wedding images EVER! People ask me how I get the sky to look like it does but it was nothing to do with me. If you believe in a higher power you can thank him… or her!
This image is now a huge bevel edge print on our studio wall. You’re famous Gemma!
And you may recognize this from our Home Page
We loved this wedding so much it now features in our main showcase album. Gemma and Matt, we can’t thank you enough for having us at the wedding. You made our job so easy and we had a great day. You make a fantastic couple and Evelyne and I wish you all the best for your future together..
Jo & Jim - Married at New Hall, Sutton Coldfield
New Hall in Walmley near Sutton Coldfield is without a doubt one of the best venues in the Midlands to have a wedding. It’s a stunning venue, part of which is around a thousand years old, and the grounds are perfect to escape into for photos. On top of that, the staff are super-friendly and extremely professional. And they serve the best chips you’ve ever tasted! As if that weren’t enough, they can even boast being the set for part of the Bon Jovi video for Sleep When I’m Dead.
Jo & Jim’s wedding wasn’t the first wedding we had shot at New Hall but it was definitely one of the most fun. The couple are so easy-going and their guests made us feel like a part of the day rather than hired staff! They had perfect weather too.
Here’s just a few of my favourite images from the day, beginning with a quick round of golf…
But obviously Jo was the real star..
The main hall at New Hall makes for quite a dramatic setting for the ceremony… Or in Bon Jovi’s case, the party!
And the garden is perfect to relax with friends and family after the knot has been tied.
But it’s always nice to take some time to escape the crowd..
The rings.
Jim had two best men and they did a grand job, even going as far as getting matching football “tattoos” in honour of the groom..
Later in the day I stole the couple away for some cool portraits. LOVE these!!
Some couples make our job the best job in the world and Jo & Jim definitely fall into that category. We just ordered their album and I can’t wait to see the finished result. It’s gonna be gorgeous!
Thanks again J&J for inviting us to be a part of your wedding. We had a great day and wish you both a fantastic future together. Don’t forget to book us to photograph the kids when they arrive 
And I hope you enjoyed the mix CD!
Andrea & Tom - The Main Event
Tom and Andrea (Annie) had their wedding at the beautiful Billesley Manor Hotel near Shakespeare’s home town of Stratford-Upon-Avon. It was our first time at the venue but it’s certainly one of my favourite wedding venues in the area and, thanks to some glorious weather, the wedding day was almost perfect. I say “almost perfect” because unfortunately our beautiful bride was quite ill later in the day and had to rest for a couple of hours before heading back to do some damage on the dancefloor!
For any couples getting married, I’d certainly recommend you consider Billesley Manor as a great choice of venue…
Some pressies for the girls…
And Annie’s ready to marry her man..
Details, details…
Tom sees his bride for the first time…
Congrats!
The venue set up lawn games for the guests. Great idea!
Is that the cast of Sex & The City??!
Watch out for paparazzi!
We’re not sure we approve of sponsorship during the speeches!
The rings..
Once Annie was feeling a little better, we escaped with the couple for some more intimate portraits…
The evening reception was one of the best we’ve been to. The band, The BB Collective, played a great set and any party with inflatable guitars just has to be a winner!
Congratulations again guys and thanks for having us at the wedding. The album’s going to be fantastic!
Why Trash The Dress?
The media seem to be picking up on the whole Trash The Dress craze which seems to have divided opinion quite strongly from the discussions I’ve had with brides and, more often, their mothers! Plenty of people see the whole affair as quite outrageous and wasteful, destroying a beautiful and, of course, expensive wedding dress just for the sake of some photos. I totally understand the argument and would never try to change somebody’s mind if that’s how they feel.
However… there is an equally valid second opinion which is becoming more and more popular…
It all comes down to what happens to the dress after the wedding day. Does a bride put the dress away thinking maybe one day she’ll get it out and reminisce about her wedding day? Or maybe she thinks she could pass it on to her daughter in 30 years time (yeah right!)? Or does she plan to put the dress on eBay and make some of her money back? Trust me, dresses rarely sell on eBay for more than a tenth of what you paid for it. Some girls may think they could dye the dress and crop it to make a funky little evening dress. Most though, in my opinion, have no idea what to do with it and end up putting the dress somewhere to gather dust.
So, why “trash the dress”? In actual fact the whole Trash The Dress name is a little misleading. Around 80% of shoots under that banner result in the dress needing nothing more than a clean. Occasionally, of course, brides actually relish the chance to really TRASH the dress and get some unique and dynamic images in the process. Just look at Alt F’s site to see what I mean. A Trash The Dress session allows you time to get amazing photos of yourself in that gorgeous dress without the worry of wedding day time schedules. It allows you to use locations anywhere you choose rather than in or around the wedding venue. And if it rains, unlike the wedding day, you can reschedule the shoot or even use the rain as a dramatic element for the photos.
Like I say, I’d never try to convince a bride that she should have a Trash the Dress session if she’s not sure about the idea, but for some girls, I think it’s a shame not to!
I’ve had researchers from ITV’s “This Morning” show asking if any of my brides would be up for doing their Trash The Dress session on TV, and today Radio WM called asking if they could feature one on the station (not sure how they want to do that on radio but still…).
If you fancy really getting the most out of your wedding dress and having plenty of fun in the process, please give me a call to chat about ideas. Feel free to leave any comments in this post if you have any thoughts on the whole Trash The Dress idea.
Becky & Paul - Superstar Couple!
I know, I know!! My blogging has slacked again. Things have been so busy, blah blah blah…
But here’s the thing… Next week sees the launch of the brand new, super-slick, all singing, all dancing Chris Garrett-designed, funkadelic Steve Gerrard Photography website. The blog will be a major part of the new design so I am going to be updating it all the time. I promise! No, really!
Just check back next week and see the new-look site for yourself.
In the meantime, I’ve been meaning to blog Becky & Paul’s wedding for a while. They were married last month and had their reception at The Belfry. Their wedding was fantastic for several reasons… It was relaxed, great fun, the weather was glorious, had super-friendly guests, the staff at The Belfry could not be any better, but mostly because Becky & Paul are like our dream couple. We got on with them so well and they went out of their way to help us get great images for them. I believe we succeeded…
The night before the wedding Becky managed to cut her hand on a glass and didn’t leave hospital until 4am. Here’s the damage…
Paul sees his bride for the first time…
A few shots outside the church before heading to The Belfry…
Work it!
Becky & Paul know I’m always trying to do something different with my ring shots so when we borrowed the rings Becky said, “I can’t wait to see what you do”. No pressure then…!!
Errr… that’s dripping water…
Did I mention the weather?
After dinner it was time to escape with the couple…
Yowser!
We love rule-breakers
Becky you superstar!
First dance… and a shared moment with Dad…
And later we escaped again and used the inside of the venue, along with our video light…
Seriously guys, Evelyne and I had such a good day with you both. Thanks for having us there and we wish you every happiness for the future.
After the wedding I got a lovely email from Paul’s mother saying “A big thankyou Steve for all your time and patience throughout the day you are a true professional at what you do, I cannot wait to see the photos the day was perfect, thankyou once again Pauls mum x”
…followed shortly after from an email from the couple saying
“Just a quick email before we fly off to say thank you for all your hard work and effort on our special day. We are so grateful to you both and we have had so many people come to us saying how good you were, not just with your photography but also how you interacted with the guests. We are so impressed with the amount of time that you spent with us and cant wait to see the outcome, we know its going to be amazing. Numerous couples who get married withing the next few years have asked for your details, I hope you dont mind but I have passed them on!! Becky from the Belfry was also very impressed and informed Becky that she would be unofficially recommending you !!! result !! ”
Result indeed. Thanks guys.
Emma & Pete
More and more we’re booking weddings further afield than the Midlands, which is great. As much as we love living in Birmingham, it’s always good to have an excuse to escape. This year we’ve had weddings in London, Devon and in December we have a wedding in New York. Emma and Pete got in touch with us after quite a thorough search for a photographer and, as they live a couple of hours away in Newark, it was another excuse to escape and visit an area I’ve not visited much before.
They’re happy to spend time to make sure we get great photos for them and their pre-wed shoot was one of the most fun pre-wed shoots I’ve done. We started off exploring the streets of Newark while trying to dodge the rain…
We were on our way back to their house when I spotted this field with that great sky. Favourite!
Their wedding also took place in Newark and this time the sun was shining. Emma looked amazing. I mean, just look at that dress!! Pete scrubbed up pretty well too
On to the church…
Then we headed off on our own to get some portraits of the new Mr & Mrs Dowse..
Unfortunately this gorgeous building is also the cheesiest nightclub in Newark according to Pete. What a waste!
Check out the table plan - hand-made by our blushing bride…
And what an amazing venue for the reception…
Later in the day we decided to grab a few more photos of the couple…
Great couple, great venue, great weather…. Thanks for a GREAT day guys. The album will be stunning.
A London Wedding
I had been looking forward to Paul & Simone’s wedding ever since they booked us last year. It’s our first London wedding and the couple had already suggested jumping in the white London cab they’d booked for the day and getting photos out and about around the city… My kinda thinkin’!
The wedding was at the RSA and the day ended up being a particularly fun wedding as they’re such a laid-back, friendly couple and I came home with some of my favourite wedding images ever!
Definitely one of my fave groom portraits yet..
And Simone looked amazing in that dress…
After the ceremony it was out into the London streets…
This one is already a huge wooden print for their wall…
I wasn’t gonna miss the opportunity to use the Street Art exhibition at Tate Modern…
“Frank” even sang the song “Simone” just for the bride
Paul and his best man..
Thanks for having me there on the big day guys. It was a pleasure. I wish you both every happiness for the future..
Liz & Simon - The Main Event
You may remember my Devon Knows post from May featuring photos of Evelyne, Elliott and I enjoying some rare English sunshine over my birthday weekend. We were down there for Liz & Simon’s wedding which took place on my 40th birthday. They even got me a cake!
It was a really great wedding with a lovely bunch of people and Liz & Simon are the kind of people we could easily be good friends with. The weather was glorious and in the evening the light was just perfect. Here are a few images from their day…
Simon did himself proud with a little gift left for Liz as she got ready… from Tiffany’s no less!
After the ceremony we headed down to the pier in Torquay for some more unusual shots. I love doing shoots like this!
Enjoy!
The reception venue was 45 minutes drive away nearer to Plymouth..
OK kids, strike a pose!
In October Liz and Simon are off traveling the globe for 12 whole months. I’m SO jealous!! They’ll have such a good time. Thanks for having me at your wedding guys and for making my birthday fun even though I was working