Shelly and Fred’s wedding is what I call a zigzag Wedding. By this I mean they got ready at the Abbey Hotel in Redditch then travelled to Birmingham City Centre for the Ceremony and then returned to the Abbey Hotel for the Wedding Breakfast and Ceremony. That’s not quite a zigzag is it? But you get what I mean.
So the Abbey Hotel in Redditch. Plush, palatial, personable with polite staff. Shelly got ready with her Bridal Party split over two rooms. There was a torrent of activity between rooms with the added splash of balloons and sprinkling of rose petals. The atmosphere was joyful with the Bridal Party humming around in support of the Bride. Everyone was happy with several jokes and laughter during the hair and makeup sessions. This randomness of joy suited my candid approach to photography as I begun documenting the day.
Fred and the Groomsmen were at the other side of the hotel where the proceedings were calmer. The Groom and Groomsmen’s dressing ritual of bow ties and flower/flower pins was quieter and relaxing affair. Then I was summoned again back to capture Shelly putting on the finishing touches to her amazing dress.
December weddings are always cold especially approaching the middle of the month as winter begins her grip. However, such is the excitement of weddings once the wedding party is acclimatised to the cold it’s onward with the adventure for this Zambian couple. As the huge white limousine pulled up to the Registry Office Shelly had quiet moment in the car before exiting it with a flurry of support from the Bridal party and family. The Registry Office’s staff were very accommodating and ensured Fred did not see his Bride’s dress before the big reveal walking down the aisle.
As with getting ready the Ceremony was a very humorous, loving and filled with Shelly’s laughter. This would continue during a moment of serendipity that I captured when the previous wedding party ‘photobombed’ the wedding portrait sessions outside complete with a ‘Just Married’ cardboard placard.
Zag – back to The Abbey Hotel. The Bridal Party donned garments of 1930’s chic complete with the wedding car. The wedding breakfast was interlaced with speeches, quizzes and more laughter. After the dancing, singing and more dancing mixing contemporary with traditional Zambian.