I met Jackie and Lindsay last year near Paddington Station, and we got on so well I was several hours late for a date night with my wife! That should give you some idea of what a friendly, generous couple these ladies are, and how excited I was to photograph their wedding. I’ve shot at the Andaz a few times now, usually with the hotel’s old wedding planner Carly helping me out. Carly, however, had to move back Australia, and in her place is the lovely Sam. This was Sam’s first wedding at the Andaz, and although it was manic I think it gave her a taste of how awesome the venue can be when you have a star couple getting married there!
I had a bit of a larger team working with me on this one – the brilliant Iain Gomes came along as my second photographer, while I kept my assistant Will Steadman busy helping me. We had a bit of a game of ‘hide the bride’ in the morning, as Jackie and Lindsay were getting ready in separate rooms at the Andaz. This led to some hi-jinx as we tried to keep them from crossing each other’s paths on their way to talk to the registrar. It was also great fun to compare timelines with Iain, as he and I stayed with different brides. You can see from the photos that Jackie and Lindsay were doing exactly the same things (make up, putting on the dress) at the same time, just in different rooms.
Unlike most weddings, Jackie and Lindsay did see each other before the ceremony. I have a soft spot for ‘first looks’ (some of you may remember Simon and Sarah from The Dorchester, who did their first look on Millennium Bridge several years ago). They’re so full of emotion and joy; part of me wants to capture those moments but the other part wants to give the couple time alone to bask in what they’re about to do. In this case, that emotion was only heightened because Lindsay and Jackie have been through a lot to get to this day. I think you can tell from the photos how honoured and touched every single guest was to be present when these beautiful women tied the knot.
The day really was a dream to photograph. Lindsay put an emphasis on getting a lot of photos of the guests having fun, which was a really easy job considering that I don’t think there was a single frown to be seen during the whole day. Even the speeches were totally inclusive: Lindsay and Jackie gave a joint speech where they got everyone to stand up before thanking them each in turn – you were only allowed to sit down once you had been thanked. It was a great way of sharing their love and gratitude with their friends and family. The day was rounded off perfectly by one of the best bands I’ve seen – they got absolutely everyone up on the dance floor for a raucous end to the celebrations.
It just remains for me to congratulate Lindsay and Jackie on a wonderful day. Iain, Will and I were really honoured to have been part of it.
Venue: Andaz Liverpool Street, Dress: Jenny Packham, Flowers: Jam Jar Flowers, Stationary: Roopa Sachidanand, Second Photographer: Iain Gomes, Assistant Photographer: Will Stedman
Click below for all the photos…
More adventures soon,
Alex 😀