I always find Spring such a boost for the spirit & what a better way to celebrate springtime than with a new baby.

After having such a great time photographing her first bump Clare asked me again to take pictures of her second one. It was so lovely to be again part of her little nest with Trixie who is so much fun. Here you can have a peek at our 1st session when Trixie was still in the belly: http://www.catmonphotography.co.uk/blog/pregnancy/underwater-pregnancy-session-london-lido/

This session was very different from the 1st one as with the addition of a small child the dynamics change. It’s more lively, fast paced & funny

Here are a few images that encapsulate the love, the fun & the caring energy of this beautiful family. Well done to Roy, the dad, who was feeling pretty poorly but still managed to be there and share the moment with us.

And some more underwater images at the London Fields Lido  to mirror Clare’s love of outdoor swimming.

Big congratulations to Clare & Roy & a huge welcome to little Jack xxx

I would like to thank all my brides & grooms from 2011. It was a real pleasure to be part of your world & celebration. You were awesome

Here is a collection of pictures to celebrate 2011 & embrace 2012 with inspiration & love.

My aim is simple & profound: in search of emotions that celebrate love & life.

I’m looking for the real you, the beauty that you hold within your deepest core: your true Self.

I want to give you images that will become treasures to share with your family & friends for years to come. Moments captured that will make you relive each & every emotions to the slightest details, moments in love…

Lets be 2012 the best year, full of intimacy, love, potential, motivations & splendor.

It might have taken Laura and Simon a decade to decide to tie the knot but when they did it was a lavish, elegant affair that entertained friends and family for 3 days.                        In celebration of their life achievements together Laura & Simon created a stylish and relaxed home wedding making use of their everyday work and family locations.

Laura is the proud owner of a beautiful spa resort St Giovanni Terme, Rapolano with terraced natural hot water pools in the middle of a green valley, an estate she created from nothing in the first years of her relationship to Simon. It is no wonder then that the sunset drinks and midnight swimming pre-wedding party took place there at the spa, with guests enjoying a relaxed and playful atmosphere before the big party.

The next day Laura and Simon got married with a private, small service at the Museo Dell’Antica Grancia of the picturesque village of Serre di Rapolano close to where they live. Afterwards they took the close family and friends present at the service for an Italian-style food feast at their favourite local restaurant Il Goccino.

Most of the English friends were staying at Villa Buoninsegna and on the last day Laura, Simon and the rest of the closest Italian friends joined them for a sumptuous lunch buffet and a day of swimming, pool games and a variety of garden activities.                               In the evening, Laura & Simon dressed their home for the wedding party, a large farmhouse sitting at the bottom of a sloping wood, and took charge of every detail. Simon is an Englishman and a writer and since moving to Tuscany has fallen in love with its culinary tradition and become a bit of a master chef himself specialising in creative Italian dishes based on traditional recipes but with a contemporary twist. Despite not having time to actually cook, he personally supervised the wedding dinner & added his own personal touches: alongside the most delicious and refined dishes of the Italian tradition there was also for the delight of his English friends fish & chips and a huge barbecue with a vast selection of meats and vegetables. A sublime mix! Other quirky little details included an ice-cream van, a fire eater, a salumiere (italian old-fashion charcutiere) & a dance floor at the edge of the wood with a huge tree full of hanging lights.

The home garden party was infused with relaxed elegance: silver candelabres on one side and cushions thrown on grass on the other. A chic but informal celebration where all the guests, including the many children, enjoyed a warm, chilled evening and had the time of their life. As you can imagine it lasted till the early hours of the morning.

For anyone organising a wedding in Tuscany, here is the list of Laura & Simon’s suppliers

BOUTIQUE  Dolci Trame in Siena for { SHOES }  Maison Martin Margiela * { DRESS }  Italian Designer Gianluca Capannolo * { FLOWERS } Agrifloor, Siena, +39-(0577)-593615  * { BAND } Ballantines in Arezzo * { ICE CREAM VAN }  Il Preludio * { MEAT }  Sandro Ciofi  “ Antica Salumeria Salvini ”

For friends & family who haven’t had a chance yet to see the 3 days event, you can browse through the different days and order prints here: Laura & Simon’s wedding online gallery on the ‘client area’ on the ‘love page’ of my website. Enjoy

Just a little note to say that no I have not move away from London to a warmer climate or decide to stay in Italy or France after all this lovely weddings abroad. I have just taken a wee-break from blogging as I my little Dylan has taken priority these last few months. Who wouldn’t, he’s so gorgeous!

But here I am back with the spring full of new projects & loads of blogs in the waiting.      2011 is & will be majestic in spreading the love…

ELEGANT & IMAGINATIVE HOME WEDDING IN SOUTH OF FRANCE

Melanie is half English, half French and spent her childhood between France and Japan before moving to England and meeting Tom while traveling Australia. When it came to choosing the theme of their wedding day Melanie and Tom decided to pay tribute to Melanie’s multicultural background and have a West-meets-East ambiance. Merging French natural flair with English humour and an Asian twist Melanie and Tom’s wedding was the most perfect example of a home country wedding. Warm, relaxed, fun yet impeccably stylish. The venue ‘Le Péquelin’ was Melanie’s family home in a small, charming village ‘Le Castera’ near Toulouse, South of France. While the gardens were beautifully lit with Chinese lanterns, the main hall was ingeniously furnished with tables borrowed from the local community hall that had been expertly dressed to match the elegant vintage look of the bridal outfit.  A proper barbecue with a hog roast lent the dinner that little rustic touch that had everyone immediately relaxed and ready for the fun. And fun we had! Melanie and Tom rocked the house until the early hours with all the guests wearing different wigs, from ragamuffin hairpieces to French berets. We all had the time of our life.

To see the full wedding album CLICK HERE

Ludovica e Dario might just be the new Romeo and Juliet with a happy end. Not only did they meet in Shakespearean Verona but, as our classic characters, their love story had to overcome a few obstacles to blossom. As you might know Italy is deeply divided between North and South, both politically and culturally, with nasty feelings sometimes running between Northerners and Southerners. Ludovica is a ballet dancer from Naples, in the deep South of Italy, while Dario is a violinist from a town near industrial Turin, in the North. They met 7 years ago while both working on a production at the world famous Arena Amphitheater in charming Verona and fell in love at once.  Not a year passed by that their baby son Giorgio was on its way to enlarge their little family, already including their two beautiful dogs. Five years on Giorgio is waiting to see his little sister Stella, peacefully waiting in the belly at the time I took these photos. Well, what else can I say? Love conquers it all!

Pushing, kissing, ignoring, needing, loving, hiding, hitting and laughing are all natural ingredients of toddlers growing up together. Don’t we all remember those little funny episodes we shared as brothers and sisters and that years down the line inspired a few jokes at family reunions? When captured on camera these moments become great household memories and add up to the make-up of the family.

As parents we know kids grow tooooooooo fast and that’s why every single detail is precious.

The gorgeous family in the pictures is Kendra & Toby and their adorable children: Farley & Lula. With children the motto is “Let the imagination run wild & follow me on the journey! “.

It is always magical when a strong, long lasting relationship is born with my clients. I met Kendra & Toby when I photographed their wedding and since then I had the privilege to photograph every new step of this amazing family. ♥

Something I would recommend when you want to organise a lifestyle session.

With toddler & babies, one of the prime factors in organising a successful session is time management. Naps & feeding time are something to work around if we want to create a positive space to have fun. No one is happy when hungry or tired. So don’t forget to discuss this with the photographer when booking your session. Have fun.

Here we are again in this little peice of paradise in Tuscany. Our lovely couple Sarah & Dino with their son Elyah have chosen Podere Finerri as their venue of choice to celebrate their union. It was the perfect choice as it fullfilled Sarah’s dream to get married under an arch in an open landscape. It was fun, relax & full of joy.

American couple Raquel & Barrett opted to get married in the simple & elegant setting of Tuscany countryside, preferring a small gathering of close friends & family to a big party back home.

In true Italian Style, they had the most romantic & spontaneous wedding celebration; blessed by sunshine & great food. Raquel & Barrett combined a family holiday with their wedding, staying at Podere Finerri for a week before the big day. By the time the wedding took place everyone was truly relaxed & inspired by the beauty of the landscape. The guests danced the night away after many emotional speeches.

Earlier this summer I was engaged in taking a pre-wedding photo shoot of two couples in Asolo, Italy. These 2 couples (Melanie & Tom + Kara & Jerry) have more than friendship in common – the two brides are engaged to two brothers, Tom & Jerry, and will both get married this year. They do get married in two different countries though – France and Italy. The pre-wedding shots took place in a lush and elegant hotel – Hotel Cipriani -  in the historical town of Asolo, one of the Giro d’Italia’s stage, the world famous cycling competition. The 2 brothers are very fond of cycling and every year they go to Asolo to witness the athletes getting to the finishing line. In this occasion I was shooting a wedding in Tuscany, not too far from Asolo, therefore it seemed very natural to take their pre-wedding photographs in a place so close to their hearts.