Skipping back in time a bit from the last Christmas wedding I posted, to some wedding photography at Tonbridge School for Joss and Mikey back in the autumn. If I have a run of weddings at the same kent wedding venue, I’ll often mix them up a bit for a bit of variety!

Tonbridge School is an independent day and boarding school in the centre of Tonbridge, Kent, and has to be one of the most impressive wedding venues in Kent. The impressive Chapel of St Augustine makes for an unusual ceremony, as the guests all sit sideways in the pews (where the boys would normally sit) – this actually allows a photographer quite a good view of most of the guests during the service, which can be quite a rarity.

I started the day at Joss’s parents house in Tonbridge for bridal preparations. The girls were still at the hairdressers so I made use of the lovely directional sunlight for the dress and detail shots. The girls arrived back with a bang, a bundle of excited energy, for some champagne and then into makeup. Whilst the makeup artist worked on Joss, the other bridesmaids all did their own makeup, all at the same time, all at different places around the room, which was a little different but made for some great variety.

Once the makeup was finished, Joss put her dress on – again, the lovely directional light from the french doors really helped for some great photography. I then left the girls to join Neil Mclennan who was second shooting with me for the day – Neil had already captured loads of images of the school and its setting, and captured the groom portraits – again quite unusual, apparently Mikey just kept asking friends to be ushers, so the boys eventually numbered around the 15 mark!!!!!

Neil continued with candids whilst I waited for the arrival of the bridesmaids…and waited…and waited…apparently there was a problem with the vintage car so they eventually arrived in a hastily organised taxi! The car problems were sorted for the brides arrival, and then into the ceremony. The chapel is lovely and airy and has great natural light, although it’s not often you have too much light in church – the sunlight was extremely bright and directional in places, an unusual challenge!

After the service the guests made their way outside to greet the bride and groom through an arch of hockey sticks and then confetti!

Part 2 will be posted in a few days, so come back then! Here are my favourites from the first part of Joss and Mikey’s day.

If you’re getting married at Tonbridge School and would like to discuss your wedding photography, please contact me

David Burke is a Kent Wedding Photographer who specialises in photojournalism coupled with stunning bride and groom portraiture. David works throughout Kent, East and West Sussex, Essex and Surrey and is also available to photograph weddings throughout the UK and abroad.

All photographs copyright David Burke Photography 2013