Essential Images Weddings

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-07-31T01:54:00.000-07:00

We took our couple to the lovely boutique Hotel Hotel Terravina to meet up for a cuppa and final discussions about their wedding photography timings and requirements on their wedding day, which will take place at the fabulous wedding venue Elmers Court.
After our chat we walked into the New Forest for some romantic pre wedding photographs. A pre wedding engagement shoot is complimentary with all our wedding packages Learn more

New Forest Wedding Photography

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-07-23T01:01:00.000-07:00

A sneak preview of our lovely couple at their pre-wedding shoot in Virginia Water. It wasn't a sunny day, it was very overcast and misty but with the use of a sunburst reflector we created a warm glow on the couple above. (I was lucky enough to have an assistant with me on this occasion to hold my reflector, normally I am juggling cameras and reflectors!)

We always provide a complimentary photograph from the pre-wedding shoot and the couple are struggling to choose one as they like them all!

E mail Jan for more information on pre-wedding shoots and engagement shoots.

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-07-20T01:07:00.000-07:00

The Best Man
Some authors believe that the best man derives from ancient customs of marriage by kidnapping, or from defending the bride from would-be kidnappers who may have been employed by the bride's parents to obtain their daughter's return forcibly!

Nowadays, of course, we know the Best Man as someone who:

assists the groom on the wedding day,
keeps the wedding rings safe until needed during the ceremony,
acts as a legal witness to the marriage, and
makes a toast to the bride and groom at the reception/wedding breakfast. (The Best Man used to read out telegrams from absent guests and now may read out wedding cards)

This wedding took place at the lovely Rhinefield House in the New Forest and the bridegroom and best man were checking the rings! Whew, that's a relief then they have remembered them!

Now booking for 2011 and still at 2010 prices if booked before end of September!

Learn more

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-07-19T04:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why the wedding reception meal is called 'The Wedding Breakfast'?
Well you see it is so called because it is the main celebratory meal to be held after a marriage ceremony and because pre-1867 English law required that weddings be performed before noon! :0)

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-07-13T02:39:00.000-07:00

New Forest Wedding Photographers are absolutely thrilled to have been secured for the wedding photography of a wonderful couple in July 2011. All top secret and lots of really fabulous things planned for this wedding! Very exciting and thrilling!

Book now with us for 2011 at 2010 prices! Pre Wedding Shoot, two photographers on your wedding day, DVD slideshow to music and CD of high resolution images included in all packages.

E mail now for availability and wedding prices
Learn more
We look forward to hearing from you.

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-07-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

The Mill at Gordleton is a lovely venue for a small intimate wedding. The gardens are always stunning no matter what time of year and the staff go out of their way to help and ensure everything goes according to plan!

We are unable to share the wedding photographs of our last bride and groom there as the bride is having a party in France with her family and friends and wants the dress to be a surprise, so she has asked us to keep the photos offline until the party is over!

But watch this space as soon as we can we will publish the wedding photographs from Gordleton Mill and from Milford on Sea on the beach!

The couple were so thrilled with their photographs this is what Emilie wrote (she is French and her English is absolutely brilliant, so I haven't changed anything in her thank you comments)
"Thank you so much for the 2 Dvds they are so great and so lovly. I couldnt help myself I went through every single photos this morning I love every single one of them they are so fantastic there are so many :) and all of them are so great. Thank you ever so much for having given us so wonderfull pictures, we get to keep such great memories and they reflect so well that day that was fabulous, you caught every moment that was special and just love it that I get to keep them on picture. I will have everyone tell me which are their favorite and will try to get you the pictures we want on the book as soon as possible."

We look forward to sharing the wonderful pictures with you at a later date.

Small intimate weddings or grand affairs, our wedding packages are structured around and to suit you.

E mail Jan to Learn more

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-07-04T07:07:00.000-07:00

Claire and Stephen have returned from their honeymoon and delighted with their DVD slideshow and have asked for all images to go live!

Essential Images are pleased to say, therefore, that Claire and Stephen's wedding password protected gallery is now 'live' online.

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-07-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

Claire and Stephen will receive their Wedding DVD Slideshow tomorrow, on their return from honeymoon, and as soon as they have viewed it and given me the OK...their images will be live on their personal password protected gallery for friends and family to view.

All our couples get a Wedding DVD Slideshow and an online viewing gallery, password protected with their wedding packages at no extra charge.

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-06-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

What a glorious day once more for the bride and groom, beautiful sunshine at the sweet little Church in Fawley! Unfortunately, we were not allowed to photograph the ceremony, the vicar was adamant, but we made up for it with some fab shots of bride and groom in Beaulieu.
The bride made all her own stationery, it was beautiful and her bride's bouquet and bridesmaids' bouquets too were made by her. She also made the wonderful centre pieces on the tables at Montagu Arms Hotel Beaulieu. And the bride's Mum made the gorgeous wedding cake.

The Natural Confetti company once again came to our rescue, when the cute little bridesmaid said to me 'excuse me, I haven't got any confetti' so tucked away in my camera accessory belt was an envelope of confetti that I always keep on hand to ensure no-one gets left out!

All wedding pictures will be online once bride and groom get back from honeymoon.
Back soon with pictures!

Please visit Our wedding website for more photos and information on our wedding packages.

E mail Jan for our availability
We look forward to hearing from you.

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-06-24T02:56:00.000-07:00

Wedding photography is hard work but very rewarding and we always feel that we have made friends with each couple we photograph. The romance, laughter, emotions and fun of the day never get missed by us. We are totally focused on the role we have as wedding photographers and ensure we capture photos which the bride and groom have requested and more!

We just love to know that we have done our job well and created photographic memories to bring years and years of pleasure to our couples. And when we get praise from clients it is a well received bonus!

Our bride and groom in Romsey wrote us a lovely testimonial and are happy for us to share it with you:

Jan/Malcolm - thank you so much for the DVD - it is amazing! We've watched it twice already, it just captures so much. You've both been brilliant and your hard work and time taken on it really shines through. We really appreciate eveything you've done - we couldn't have asked for a nicer couple to spend the day with! Perfect momento for our perfect day! Max and Justin xx

Maxine has been a follower on Facebook and when I visited Essential Images business page I was delighted to see her comments.

Can't put words without a photograph so here's another one of Maxine and Justin!

For more information on our New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photography please visit

Our wedding website
or E mail Jan direct for availability and wedding prices
E mail Jan
New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photography

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-06-21T08:04:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to photograph Emilie and Simon on their wedding day at The Mill at Gordleton, Sway in The New Forest. What a fabulous day and a couple so full of romance we just couldn't stop taking photographs.

The ceremony was held outside and after the wedding ceremony we went off to the beach in Milford, bride, groom and close family. It was just amazing! And from the beach we went back to the pretty gardens in Gordleton and the couple had some lovely romantic shots there. We usually have to ask couples to kiss, not on this occasion we had to ask them to stop so that we could a picture of both their faces. Bless them, very sweet! Let romance live on!

Emilie is French and her sister read some lovely words by Victor Hugo called "Aimons toujours! Aimons encore!"

which I believe means 'Love Always, love still'
Please someone tell me if I am wrong. When I have found the English version I will share it with you.

The DVD slideshow has now been seen by the bride and groom and their family and they absolutely love it, watched it through a few tears I believe. Here are a few pictures from the day!

Congratulations to Emilie and Simon, who have now moved to Simon's home in America.

Our wedding photography comes from the heart, we capture natural photographs as the moments happen. We rarely use flash photography, we love using existing light and we move around our subjects taking pictures telling the story of the day as it enfolds.

We still have a few available dates for 2010. Please

E mail Jan for details.

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-06-14T07:47:00.000-07:00

Remember the lovely Claire and Stephen?

We took their pre-wedding shoot photographs at the fabulous Exbury Gardens.

Their wedding is very very soon at All Saints Church, Fawley and then their wedding breakfast is at The Montagu Arms in Beaulieu, the New Forest. They are hoping for lovely weather so that we can get some romantic photographs of them at Beaulieu river and in the pretty gardens at Montagu. If the weather is against us we always have our trusted white umbrellas and pretty parasol to keep you dry!

All our wedding packages include a pre-wedding shoot, giving us all the opportunity of getting to know each other and you the chance to relax in front of the camera. We always work with two photographers ensuring moments of magic are not missed.

For more information on our wedding packages, please

E mail Jan

We do still have a few dates available for this year,

E mail us for our availability.

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-06-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

Just how do you get into a split screen VW camper van??? Our bride will show you!

Like this......?

or this..........?

or maybe...?

or when all else fails.....head first!

The DVD slideshow telling the story of the day arrived with the couple today and they are absolutely delighted. Hence a sneak preview on the blog!

A fabulous wedding day, full of fun, emotion, smiles and lots of laughter on a glorious sunny day!

What a privilege for us to share this couple's wedding day and take fabulous photographs.

For more information of our wedding photography please visit

Our wedding website

Email Jan for availability

New Forest and Hampshire Photographers

2010-06-09T00:29:00.000-07:00

Oh such a sweet wedding on Saturday in Romsey. Very emotional and the groom's daughter made such a lovely reading that everyone had a tear in their eye! Oh dear even me behind the camera!
I wish I knew what the reading was..couldn't take a pic of it as I had to get down on the floor behind her so that my partner could take pics from the back of the hall! Our lovely couple have gone on their mini moon so won't be long before they get to see their lovely wedding DVD then we can share some pics with you!

It was lovely! After the ceremony at Romsey Town Hall, we walked through Abbey Gardens and on to Kings Court House and then the couple and their family went off to Ampfield Golf Club in a Split screen VW! Such fun!

Ampfield Golf Club

Watch this space for a sneak preview of wedding pics!

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-06-08T01:20:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful day on Friday for a super wedding at The Mill at Gordleton in Sway, in The New Forest. It was so beautiful that the bride and groom were telephoned by the wedding venue, asking them if they would like to have the ceremony outside! Fantastic, they said, and telephoned us to see if we were ok with that too! Of course we were, we will take photographs wherever the couple want us to be and we are always flexible and ready for last minute changes!
The gardens at The Mill at Gordleton are so pretty, especially at this time of the year. The story of this couple was full of romance and it seemed so appropriate for them to have a romantic ceremony in the gardens on such a glorious day!
In all our packages we include a pre wedding shoot. However, on this occasion we hadn't had the time to do it as the groom was in America and the bride in France right up to the last minute, so we hadn't even met them. All our communication and arrangements had been made via emails and the groom's Mum!
Between us all and our forward planning, ensuring everyone was clear on all details from bride and groom getting ready, group photographs through to the speeches everything went according to plan and it was a perfect day!
We have some fab photographs! However, it will be a while before we can share them as the couple are flying off to America and, as always, the bride and groom view their wedding images first!

For details on our wedding photography please contact Jan or Malcolm on 01590 610549 or email to
Learn more

New Forest Wedding Photography

New Forest and Hampshire Wedding Photographers

2010-06-01T07:07:00.000-07:00

Essential Images would like to wish their clients, Anna and Woody a very Happy 1st Anniversary! How time flies!

On a glorious sunny day at the end of May last year, they got married at Highfield Church, Southampton and then on to The Pavilion in Romsey for their wedding breakfast. A lovely bride and groom, fab weather and fun guests!

New Forest Wedding Photographers at Ramada Jarvis Hotel Horsley

2010-05-28T03:02:00.000-07:00

A sneak preview of our lovely couple at Horsley on Saturday!

I think the Registrar got a little surprised when there was no waiting for her to say to the groom 'you may now kiss the bride' ....the bride just wasn't going to wait, she gave her groom a kiss as soon as she arrived by his side! Very sweet:D And as I thought the moment was a little mischievous I decided to do a little photoshop enhancement to give these two images a slight haze as if we were just peeping!

And then there was the young lady who must have taken absolutely ages to apply her eyelashes! Little diamonds!

Stunning!

And when it is all over.......moments you see, moments you miss, the details, the love and the romance of a wedding day all captured in photography to melt your heart.

Wedding Photography from the heart

New Forest Wedding Photographers at Horsley

2010-05-24T08:28:00.000-07:00

A fabulous wedding on Saturday when Safia and Steve got married at the Ramada Jarvis Horsley. Wonderful sunny weather and lovely smiley people and very cute children!
Lots of lovely photographs just waiting for the bride and groom to return from their honeymoon when they will receive their DVD telling the story of their wonderful wedding day, no pictures will be published until they have had the chance to see their pics! Watch this space!

New Forest Wedding Photographers at Ramada Jarvis Hotel Horsley

2010-05-21T03:17:00.000-07:00

Looks like the sun will be shining on our lovely couple Safia and Steve tomorrow at the Ramada Jarvis Hotel in Horsley. A lovely sunny day is forecast and very warm. Lots of water for us, the wedding photographers, I think and cool linen will be the order of the day! We will take along our lovely white and cream parasols just in case anyone wants to shelter from the sun and, of course, make some very pretty pictures!

New Forest Wedding Photographers booked for Romsey

2010-05-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

We always go along to our venues at least once prior to the wedding, even if we have had the privilege of doing wedding photography there before. Things change all the time so we like to make sure we are aware of any changes that may have taken place.
However, Kings Court in Romsey and Ampfield Golf Club are new venues to Essential Images and although I met our lovely couple at the venue last week, I went along once more to get acquainted with the garden, light etc and make myself known to the staff at Ampfield Golf Club.
After the ceremony at Romsey Town Hall, the couple and their guests will be walking to Kings Court for drinks. It will be absolutely lovely, it is the sweetest, prettiest garden with many nooks and crannies, arches and colour! Just stunning!

The possibilities for photographs are endless in this stunning location.

The staff were extremely friendly and helpful at Ampfield Golf Club

Let's hope the sun shines for Maxine and Justin on their wedding day just as it was today when I visited. Although I am sure whatever the weather it will be a fabulous day!

New Forest Wedding Photographers at Exbury Gardens

2010-05-07T01:24:00.000-07:00

Claire and Stephen had a particular wish prior to their wedding day...and that was a pre-wedding shoot at Exbury Gardens. Their wish was granted. A fun couple and some glorious colour in the gardens at Exbury made for a wonderful pre wedding shoot.

Their wedding takes place at All Saints Church in Fawley in June followed by their wedding breakfast at the lovely Montagu Arms Hotel Beaulieu.and we are looking forward to getting some more fabulous photographs of this lovely couple. More photos can be viewed in the album on Facebook Essential Images Page where you can join us and keep up to date with what is going on at Essential Images Photography.

Pre wedding shoots are included in all our wedding packages, whether it be a small intimate wedding or grand affair. It's a great chance for you to relax in front of the camera and for us all to get to know each other prior to your wedding day.

Contact Jan or Malcolm on 01590 610549 for our availability
alternatively E mail for availability and wedding prices

New Forest Wedding Photographers at The Mill at Gordleton, Sway

2010-04-29T03:56:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to have been asked by a lovely couple to photograph a wedding at this fabulous venue.
We are particularly looking forward to this wedding as the story of the couple is very romantic, but not for publishing, suffice it to say I don't think there will be a dry eye in the house!

The Mill at Gordleton is a beautiful house with lovely gardens. My son and his wife stayed there a little while ago so I thought I would go along last night to remind myself of the location. I wasn't disappointed, Liz was as friendly and welcoming as ever and the garden was as lovely as I remembered it. The ducks and ducklings were putting on a show, mother duck seemed to constantly be losing her ducklings and calling them back!

When I first saw this duck I thought it was an ornament, it was so still!! Then she started quacking and I did have a chuckle to myself! After which I relaxed my camera finger and wandered in the lovely gardens just watching the wildlife and wished I could have sat at one of the very inviting tables with a glass of wine. Maybe another day.

For more information on our wedding photography packages please visit

Our wedding website

or contact us direct by E mail

New Forest Wedding Photographers in Beaulieu

2010-04-27T01:11:00.000-07:00

Our lovely couple Maxine and Justin at their pre wedding shoot which took place in Beaulieu at The Montagu Arms in the lovely gardens. Although I just love close ups to capture the fun and magic between couples so sometimes it is irrelevant to me whether the background is good or not!

However, I do manage to step back on occasion to get some of the beauty of the gardens as well

as the couple! :)

Please visit Our wedding website for more photos and information on our wedding photography

E mail us for availability

New Forest Wedding Photographers in Beaulieu

2010-04-25T11:14:00.000-07:00

When I got up this morning I thought I was going to have to get the faithful white umbrella out again for our pre-wedding shoot this afternoon. But the sun shone brightly at Montagu Arms Hotel and we got some lovely shots of our fun couple, Maxine and Justin, in the beautiful gardens.

We are very excited about Maxine and Justin's wedding as it is a little different!

For more information on our wedding photography please visit

Our wedding website

or contact us for availability

E mail us direct

New Forest Wedding Photographers at Ringwood Registry Office

2010-04-23T06:09:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some fabulous photographs of our lovely couple, Chrissie and David on their wedding day at Ringwood Registry Office. Glorious sunshine and a wonderful day.

this is our new 'infant assistant' :)

The wind blew and took Chrissie's veil straight over her head so I quickly called David to manoeuvre

himself underneath the veil and give the bride a kiss (actually he didn't take much persuading!)

For our availability please

or visit us at our wedding photography website

Essential Images Weddings