STUDIO 1208

Fallin', Yes I Am Fallin'...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:39:00 +0000

We knew that we had fallen for Justin and Kate the moment we met them, and talked non-stop for about 5 hours straight. It was meant to be an hour long-ish meeting, but I was prepared to ask them to eat dinner with us if they didn't have somewhere to be! They are fantastic people, and you can tell even more by the people they keep. Gems.

It is our real pleasure to share their full wedding film with you today. Their wedding was genuinely so much fun, and there was a buzz in the air that made it even more magical. Their families and friends are a party waiting to happen - they are wild and crazy, but down to earth and kind. Our kind of people!

So what do you get when you cross Geordie Shore with the Desperate Scousewives? The answer: not Justin and Kate, but that show sounds #AMAZEBALLS. A huge congrats to these guys, and we love you!!

xx
Maria

F**k me! Im Famous!

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Mon, 06 May 2013 05:57:00 +0000

Ok, so that might seem a pretty inappropriate title for a blog post. Especially for a wedding. But then, as the bride Tabitha pointed out in her inpromptu speech, when has she EVER been appropriate?! Plus, she was actually on Deal or no Deal and WON! which by default, therefore makes her famous. So I am going to go with that title, which may have been used by David Guetta... but more than likely, first said by Tab.

James and Tabitha are simply awesome. They got married by the sea in Sheringham, Norfolk and then hired Chaucer Barn for what was essentially an amazeballs house party for all their nearest and dearest. It was a house party that was painstakingly put together by creating over a thousand different coloured pinwheels I might add, but none the less, a house party you wish you had been invited to.

So here is your first extended invite, James + Tabitha's wedding trailer.......

Nick x

We get by with a little help from our friends....

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:37:00 +0000

There is something magical about the Lake District. It's one part of the UK that always seems like it could be in a totally different country and reminds us in ways of both the Austrian mountains and even Oregon or Washington State. It has a calm about it that is simply beautiful. No wonder Justin and Kate decided to get married there, the venue overlooking the beautiful South Lakes.

After meeting lots of times over many years, but never actually getting together, these two actors finally let fate unite them while auditioning for the same play in London. From that moment on, their love for each other has not just grown, but become absolute. They can't bear to be apart, and it really shows.

The second we met them, we instantly loved them and felt like we had know them for years. We could not be happier that our newest friends tied the knot and we got to share it with them. So, congratulations to our friends, the talented actors, writers and all around awesome people, Mr. and Mrs. McDonald. Ready to see the trailer? Us too!

Nick + Maria

x

Featured! Wedding Ideas Magazine Blog...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:04:00 +0000

What a great week! There is so much going on over here, and we love it. Yesterday, the May issue of Wedding Ideas Magazine came out, which features us so beautifully in an 8-page spread! We also have images sprinkled throughout the entire magazine, which is an added, unexpected bonus! If you haven't seen it yet, make sure you run out to buy a copy so I can sign it for you... kidding, but I would if you wanted me to... but still kidding... If you are outside of the UK, check out yesterday's blog post to see the full feature.

So, today, we were told that WI decided to feature Craig and Sam's wedding on their blog too! The post takes you behind the scenes of Craig and Sam's first dance (amazing!), which was choreographed by the lovely, and very talented Kerry, owner of KLM Diamond Choreography. They were nice enough to feature the film we did with Kerry too, so it is a double rainbow for us (what does it meannnnn?!)

Anyway, jump on over to Wedding Ideas Mag's blog to read the full post, HERE! As always, a huge thanks to Alice from Wedding Ideas!

xx
Maria

Featured! Sam and Craig in Wedding Ideas Magazine...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:08:00 +0000

Wow!
We are SO excited to share the absolutely EPIC 8-page feature we have in the May Issue of Wedding Ideas Magazine. Remember the gorgeous Sam and Craig? If you missed the original posts we did featuring their wedding, then you will be able to see how beautiful it was by checking out the full story in the magazine.

And if you missed it, here is the beautiful wedding film trailer from their wedding.

A huge thanks to Craig and Sam for having us along for their incredibly fun day, and to Alice from Wedding Ideas Magazine for the immense feature! Love you guys!

xx
Maria

Jackson's Egg-cellent Adventure...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:00:00 +0000

This year, Easter was an extra fun day - it was the first time Jackson was old enough to hunt for eggs, and one of my besties, Auntie Sarah, was in town for a visit! We were so excited, and it didn't take him long to become a professional egg finder.

His excited little face just kills me!

xx
Maria

Featured! Rock My Wedding...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 10:43:00 +0000

It is so rad when you shoot a wedding and become really good friends with the bride and groom - it seems like we do that a lot! With Kate and Andy, it felt like we knew them well immediately, it was so comfortable! We are so happy that they trusted us to tell their story - this wedding was one of the most emotional, special events we have ever been a part of, and on Wednesday, it was featured on one of the UK's most popular wedding blogs, Rock My Wedding!

I really, really encourage you to read the post, written by Kate, herself. You will get an idea of how awesome the day was, how awesome Kate and Andy are, how so many people came together to pull it all off, and why it was such an emotional day.

Special thanks to our good friend Lee Allen and all of the fantastic vendors involved in producing such a perfect day. Of course, a huge thank you to the entire RMW team - Adam, you're a gem!

xx
Maria

Wedding Ideas Magazine Interviews Maria...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 20:59:00 +0000

A few weeks back, Alice from Wedding Ideas Magazine asked if she could interview me for a piece on their blog. Being so unbearably ~~shy~~ chatty, I jumped at the offer! Well, today that little interview came out, and I would love to hear your feedback!
To read the entire article, click HERE You might see your picture...

And a huge thanks to Alice for caring what I think!

xx
Maria

Let's Dance...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 09:34:00 +0000

Do you remember Craig and Sam? Do you remember their awesome choreographed wedding dance?!

Well, today we bring you a promo film for the talented choreographer, and all around babe (Jackson is obsessed), Kerry, of KLM Diamond Choreography. She is amazing, and specialises in teaching couples how to dance for their wedding. This can literally be anything from a hip hop street dance routine, to a traditional slow dance. She can even incorporate your bridal party!

She is so nice, so patient, and can literally turn anyone into a dancer - no, really, just ask Craig!!! And for the record, his handspring at the wedding was EPIC. If he can do it, so can you - hire Kerry, you will not regret it!

Special shout out to George too for his patience and his help!

xx
Maria

I Love The Weekend...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:48:00 +0000

This past weekend, we got to reunite with one of our favourite brides and grooms - Jack and Susanna. You may remember their EPIC wedding, but if not, just look here for their film trailer, here for their wedding film, and here for some of our favourite stills from the day. However, this time, we got together as friends, and it was one of the best weekends ever!

We did lots of stuff - mostly eat and laugh.

We went to see lambs being born with Jackson and Blake.

and one of my personal faves of Blake...

Oh, and there was also this....

Susanna is also an incredibly talented singer/songwriter and all around beautiful and hilarious, so we did a photo shoot. More about this later...

xx
Maria

I would walk 5,000 miles.....

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:48:00 +0000

I know that everybody gets hounded by charity around about this time of year. With Comic Relief coming up in March, it seems like everybody is holding their hand out ready to relieve you of your hard earned cash. But the truth is, without your help and support, some of these great charities would simply not be able to do the work that they do. I have always given to charity, not to make myself feel great or look good. Just because I know, that there are people out there that are worse off than me. I used to give dollars to homeless guys on the street in LA when I could barley afford to buy lunch for for myself at the time (yes being in a band was very lucrative!) I think I actually got this mentality from my Nana Doreen, who would literally give everything she owned to anyone who needed it. Money, sweets, toys... you name it, she would hand it out. She had no real attachment to anything tangible, she used to say "they are just things Nicky, you cant take them with you anyway!" This lady would save her own breakfast when we went on holiday in Spain, to give to the local stray cats at the pool! Completely selfless. I wish I was more like her even now, but its tough. It's tough to be like that, I like 'things'!

My difficulty is always picking who to support. There are so many good causes out there, that it is pretty overwhelming to pick just one. As much as I would love to give to all of them, I am still waiting for my numbers to come up on the Euro Millions. Until then, there are bills to pay and hungry mouths to feed... so just like you guys, I have to choose. Most charities are for a great, worthwhile cause, and I guess at the end of the day, your own choice is based upon which charity you can really resonate with. Both my grandma's, Nana Doreen and Nanny Jean have suffered and died of Cancer, so it's a cause that I enjoy giving to.

What always excites me about charity, is when people fund raise by really challenging themselves. Setting themselves a difficult goal and working hard to complete it. So when I found out that a group of Barclay's employees were walking the famous Sandstone Trail in Cheshire to raise money for the Anthony Nolan Trust (a blood cancer charity), I wanted to help them tell their story, and hopefully raise some money. They will be navigating their way along a 35 mile stretch over 2 days in March, with no prior training, and with some of them carrying a little too much Christmas weight......

So watch their story, and if you can help, then please, please, please join me and others in donating below.

You can donate simply, with just a few clicks, securely through JustGiving. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - we raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Click HERE to donate and support Phil, Keith, Steve and Holly in their 35 mile quest to raise money for a cure.

Together we CAN do more.

Nick x

Featured...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:28:00 +0000

We are so excited to tell everyone that we have a picture in this month's Wedding Ideas Magazine! The adorable Sara and Jon can be spotted in a story featuring gorgeous wedding cakes, and theirs was definitely stunning! I love how their picture jumps right off the page because they are the only people!

Here is a look at the layout, and a picture of their cake!

A huge thanks to Alice at Wedding Ideas Magazine, and stay tuned for Sara and Jon's full wedding feature later this year!

xx
Maria

Baby One More Time...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:59:00 +0000

We spent an afternoon with Aggie, Tony and Lucas while we were in California. I photographed Aggie during her first pregnancy with Lucas, and was so excited to do it again with baby Thomas! Last time, we did a beachy, soft, dreamy shoot, which I will share sometime soon! This time, Aggie wanted to add a little more edge, so we opted for a cool location and a more styled look. She is such a babe, and so full of fire, it gives me hope that I could be foxy if I were to have another baby! Obviously, Aggie is the satr of this show, but Lucas gave a great (hilarious) performance and even Tony softened up and gave us some real smiles!

Congrats to them on a healthy, happy little boy! Thomas, I can't wait to meet you!!!

xx
Maria

All You Need Is Love...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:09:00 +0000

This blog post goes out to all of our couples who are celebrating their first Valentine's Day as husband and wife. We love you guys, and wish you many, many more years of love and joy!

Rachel + Lee April 6, 2012

Kate + Andy May 11, 2012

Chris + Claire May 26, 2012

Rebecca + Daniel June 3, 2012

Abby + Gareth June 15, 2012

Megan + Jeremy June 23, 2012

Rebecca + David June 30, 2012

Susana + Michael July 7, 2012

Sara + Jon July 13, 2012

Craig + Sam July 21, 2012

Katie + Jan August 18, 2012

Susanna + Jack August 23, 2012

Keith + Laura August 24, 2012

Jo + Matt September 1, 2012

Courtney + Kreuzer September 14, 2012

Kelly + Brendon September 22, 2012

Aimee + Sean October 6, 2012

Amy + Jacob October 14, 2012

Ashlin + James October 28, 2012

Rabab + Tarik December 15, 2012

xx
Maria + Nick June 25, 2010

Oh Baby, Baby...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:56:00 +0000

I photographed the über adorable Smith family on our last trip to California. Jason and Kim were having their first baby together, and couldn't be more excited. They decided not to find out if it was a boy or a girl, so it felt even more exciting - was it going to be Reina or Colton that they would meet in a short time and change their lives forever? Make sure you look at the whole post to find out!!

And the winner is......

Congratulations guys!!! He is gorgeous! And if anyone is in love with that custom-made metal hanger, let me know! Kim made it! What an adorable keepsake, right?!

xx
Maria

Sea Of Love...Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 22:01:00 +0000

On our last day in Hawaii, we decided to shoot with Aimee and Sean again, but this time, we wanted to get them in the water...

I am so glad we did! Thanks to these guys for being up for anything! And if you didn't see the other posts from the wedding, check out
Part 1 here and Part 2 here

xx
Maria

Sea Of Love...Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 14:12:00 +0000

So yesterday, you saw Aimee and Sean's gorgeous wedding ceremony and only a glimpse of the handmade details they had for our eyes (and cameras) to feast on. I was thinking a lot about how incredible it is that so many people worked so hard to make this wedding happen. So much time, and so much energy, love and crafting supplies! It isn't hard to believe though, when you meet Aimee and Sean and see how kind and wonderful they are. They have a genuine love for life, for their families, friends and each other. They are so special, and you just want to be a part of their lives!

I could literally gush about them for another entire hour, so I will stop here and just show you in pictures why they are so awesome.

Yes, there was major nakedness happening, and it was EPIC!!!

They spent their first night on a boat anchored at sea...can you think of anything more romantic?!
Tomorrow, I will share the third and final post on this magical wedding. Another little shoot we did with Aimee and Sean on our last day in Hawaii. And if you haven't seen their wedding film trailer and their full film, you can watch them here and here

xx
Maria

Sea Of Love...Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:44:00 +0000

Aimee and Sean's wedding was one of the most beautiful, thoughtful and love-filled we have ever been a part of. From start to finish, we were constantly amazed to see how so many people came together to make their wedding dreams come true. This entire wedding was handmade. Literally, everything.

Aimee's dress was made by her mom, the flowers were done by friends and family, the succulents were grown a year in advance by Aimee and her mom, the invitations, signs, favors, cupcakes, decor and FOOD was done by them and people in their lives who love them. To see a community come together for love was remarkable, and it turned out better than you could ever imagine...no, really. It was unbelieveable!

I will let you see for yourself...

HAHAHAHAHA that last shot was the best!!! Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow! The portraits, more eye-popping, handmade details, the dinner, and the paaartaaayyy! Seriously, do not miss it!

xx
Maria

Mutual Weirdness...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:31:00 +0000

Dr. Seuss once said "We are all a little weird and, life's a little weird, and when someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."

Wouldn't you agree?

Amy and Jacob are two of the funniest, coolest, most interesting weirdos I have ever met. They are perfect for each other, and I am so glad we were there to laugh along with them on that beautiful Bel Air October day.

p.s. Jacob is a comedic genius

xx
Maria

My Best Friend's Wedding...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:21:00 +0000

So, taking photos and video at any wedding is tough and usually a lot of pressure. It's a huge day, in fact maybe THE biggest day of two peoples lives. The other thing is, that it is a long and really intense day (or sometimes days!), especially for us.

When you are actually IN a wedding or even just invited, it's pretty much impossible! It's for this reason that we don't shoot weddings for family, because we would simply miss the day. But, when I knew my friends Keith and Laura were not going to have a wedding film, I couldn't let that happen. So despite being best man, and Maria being a guest.... we somehow did it. Maria was a star, capturing most of the day, and I did what I could without completely forgetting my duties.

Keith and Laura have been together 13 years and have a little boy, Blake who is just 5 weeks younger than Jackson. They are the best, most loyal friends anyone could ever wish to have, and we are so lucky to have them in our lives. I can't even begin to thank them for all the support they give us, but hopefully this film will go a little way towards it.

Keith and I grew up playing sports together, there are 5 of us boys who played football, and cricket together all the time from the age of about 8.... so we are basically family. When I left on my musical touring travels around the US for 4 years, I never thought I would be involved much in their lives anymore, let alone be involved in their weddings. It was a total honor and I hope I did as good a job, as Keith did for me on our wedding day.

Now, I must admit it was pretty weird editing myself, but thankfully there was plenty of dancing and semi-nudity to take the edge off. I don't know why we always end up wasted and with out tops off, but we sure have a lot of fun :)

So... here is is: My best friend's wedding.

Nick x

What A Life...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:41:00 +0000

Happy New Year everyone! It has been quite a year for STUDIO 1208 - we have met so many great people, made so many friends, and created some gorgeous art. It has been challenging at times, and at others, like paradise. There is so much in store for the new year, and we are so excited to announce that we are opening a physical studio location! More on that later.

I wanted to share one of our last weddings of 2012 with you guys today - the follow up to Ashlin and James' "coming soon" wedding film trailer. Sometimes I think about that moment when people meet their future husband or wife for the first time. You just never know when it is going to happen, and looking back on the night Nick and I met for the first time brings a smile to my face - I was so unsuspecting, and so was he.

Ashlin and James have a great story. They met at an interview - James interviewed Ash for a new job, and as was mentioned in a (very funny) speech, when she walked in, he started recruiting in more ways than one...

They really are so good together, so loving, and absolutely there for each other through thick and thin. And he calls her the ginger ninja! So glad to have met these wonderful people, and we wish them a fantastic, full life together!

Stay tuned for their photos coming soon!

xx
Maria

Featured...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:11:00 +0000

Hey guys!

Today we are thrilled to say that we are featured on Wedding Ideas Magazine's blog for David and Rebecca's gorgeous wedding.

If you didn't catch their wedding film trailer and full film before, please check them out below! Their film trailer is one of the most epic we have ever done!

trailer

full film

*photography on Wedding Ideas Magazine blog by Katherine Ashdown*

xx
Maria

We Had A Really, Really, Really Good Time...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 11:15:00 +0000

Oh what can we say about Aimee and Sean? To know them is to love them. Seriously! We will never forget our time spent together in Hawaii, and the way they went out of their way to take care of us and make us feel like family. We love these guys, and are honored to have been a part of the best party Hawaii has ever seen.

And now everyone can see just how amazing it actually was...
From the natural beauty of Kailua, the incredible handmade details (and food!!) everywhere you looked, surfing, pineapple fields, Sean arriving on the African Queen, amazing vows, and a photo booth, to jumping into the ocean with clothes on...or no clothes at all and dancing all night, it was perfect and totally them.

xx
Maria

She's A Waterfall...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Ashlin and James are a really cool couple who wanted a city wedding, as they met in Manchester. They couldn't have picked a more perfect venue - The Great John Street is a really unique boutique hotel that offered them exactly what they were looking for, a chic venue with a city vibe...and the view was to die for.

Nevermind that it may have been cold and wet outdoors, inside it was warm and full of love, laughter, amazing food and great music. We can't wait to show you the rest...the details, that DRESS!

xx
Maria

We Are Your Friends...

noreply@blogger.com (STUDIO 1208) — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 22:45:00 +0000

Kelly and Brendon got married on a gorgeous day. Not quite Summer, and not quite Fall...although it still felt a lot like Summertime! The two of them are laid back and fun, but also glamourous and polished too - there was no shortage of bling or gorgeous details.

One of the coolest things I get to do in my work is be hired by someone I have known for a long time - in this case, nearly half my life. Kelly's big brother and I were in the same grade - we went to high school together and were really good friends. The entire Shea family was a huge part of my high school experience, and because of the awesomeness of Facebook, we have been able to keep in touch even though our lives have twisted and turned, bringing us all over the map.

To watch an old friend make the ultimate commitment to someone, and to see her so happy is a very powerful thing, but to actually be in charge of documenting the occasion, is the ultimate honor. Kelly, it was magic to watch you. You were stunning. Thank you all for trusting me with this responsibility - I wish you and Brendon a lifetime of health, wealth and happiness.

How fun, right?! A huge thanks to my second shooters on this one!

xx
Maria