5 TOP TIPS for helping create beautiful memories of your gorgeous day….

1.Breathe…..Breathe…Breathe……

Easy right?? Wrong…when we’re stressed or in different situations our breathe can get laboured and irregular – a mix of excitement and anticipation can make our breathe shallower so 3 super deep fill up your lungs breathes to start enabling a calming effect and clearing our mind REALLY helps

2.Schedule an engagement session or pre wedding photo shoot with your photographer

This is really helpful to get used to being in front of the camera and being directed by your photographer or just understanding how to move and laugh and relax 

(a lot of people stop breathing or hold their breathe when a camera is pointed at them so this is super useful to cross this off the list – see 1. above) it’s really popular now and well worth it, it also is a great opportunity to really fine tune with your photographer the images you’d like captured on your wedding day.

3.you want to look your sparkling best...

If you’re planning a dinner or meal the night before your wedding with guests or family and you’re planning on starting the celebrations then – why wouldn’t you right? Well, be mindful if you want to look your sparkling best on your wedding day the bubbles/beer/cocktails will show from the night before – have cucumber, cold spoons and plenty of water ready to reduce puffy eyes, swollen cheeks and dehydration

4.Enjoy...

This leads wonderfully on to my next point…..ENJOY your wedding day, I LOVE bubbles as much as the next person and part of the prosecco shortage was I’m afraid to say possibly down to me (not a lush just love a bubble) HOWEVER..I am not being a party pooper but alcohol is a relaxer….it will relax your facial muscles (awesome b’cos of all the smiling you’ll be doing) BUT keep it fresh, the more you drink, the more your face will start to fall off your chin and that I’m afraid is not a good look for photos (unless it’s midnight + the last shot of the evening celebrations) you've worked super hard at perfecting your day so just go easy until after your couple shots are captured :-)

5.Be sassy!

Finally, Flirt with the camera, be sassy, playful, silly and enjoy every second!

An American pregnancy in London.....

Ashley has written a beautiful blog piece on her experience of being an expat pregnant in London and it's super informative!! I had the complete pleasure of working with Ashley and Jeff for Flytographer creating fun 'bump' pictures in Notting Hill before Xmas and then when Margot arrived in January + at 11 days young we captured gorgeous new born pictures......

" have someone else find you a photographer. // Being in a new city means limited resources — and since none of our friends here had hired a maternity photographer before, I wasn’t sure who to ask. I started to poke around online a few times, but I was always overwhelmed… when your only requirement is “NOT CHEESY,” Google doesn’t really deliver the goods.

After one too many websites full of photos of hand-hearts on bumps in cornfields (you know the ones), I realized that DUH, I didn’t need to find other personal recommendations — Flytographer already has access to some of the best photographers in London. We booked a 30 minute shoot, and as soon as we met Jackie, it was like hanging out with an old friend. Best of all, she didn’t ask Jeff to kiss my bare belly ONCE.

Obviously, it was a no-brainer to ask her to take our newborn photos, too."

Having just returned from an excellent adventure I am thrilled and delighted to share this wonderful news that Smashing The Glass Featured Amy's Bachelorette at the Savoy & Tuttons, Covent Garden where I had the pleasure to photograph this beautiful celebration, please check out the link to Amy's tips on celebrating in style! xx

Thank You xx

Hello!

Happy New Year!

Thanks so much for checking out my website :-)

Congratulations if you've just gotten engaged over the holidays VERY EXCITING!! CONGRATULATIONS to all my wonderful, lovely, amazing couples whose proposal I captured - I'm still beaming :-D If you are enquiring about my availability, I'd love to chat with you!

I am currently away until January 25th and I will be responding to all emails and phone messages from January 26th onwards.

In the meantime please do check out my instagram  and my Facebook page, I can't wait to chat to you when I get back xx

Thank you so much, have a brilliant day,

Lots of Love + Very Best wishes,

Jackie xx

XMAS MARKET - December 2nd 2015!!

FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY!!!!!!!!
DECEMBER 2nd!! 5pm-9pm AT Victoria Market, 42 Francis St, London SW1P 1QW (Map Attached xx) I'll be exhibiting at this awesome XMAS MARKET + possibly freezing my touche off lol xx

This is super close to Victoria Station - so pop in on your way home!! The market is full of amazing artist makers with TONS of gorgeous presents for xmas! Some of us are QEST Scholars who specialise in traditional crafts and were fortunate in being awarded scholarships to pursue training in our fields (the quality is super high!!)

I'll be displaying my gorgeous photo packages, selling vouchers for sessions next year, running a competition and promoting ‪#‎SmallBusinessSaturday‬‪#‎thiscan‬'tbemissed!! please share with friends and family and DEFINITELY come say "HI" grin emoticon

OH! + it's outside so please bring warm hugs and hot water bottles lol grin emoticon

‪#‎qestscholar‬ ‪#‎artistmaker‬ ‪#‎photography‬ ‪#‎smallbizsaturday‬‪#‎familyphotography‬ ‪#‎weddings‬

The Knot – Great Questions to ask your Photographer

There are lots of great questions to ask your photographer when you meet with them in order to decide whether you’re a great fit and you have THE ONE who will capture your day. 

The following questions were posted on 'The Knot' and I think are brilliant so I am sharing them here – along with my answers

  • Do you have an album I can look through? Yes, I have several I am more than happy to share with you
  • How many weddings do you shoot a year? This varies year to year but generally between 12 – 15
  • How long have you been in the business? I’ve been working professionally for over 10 years and started with wedding photography when I lived in Dublin in 2002 and photographed a gorgeous wedding at The Shelbourne Hotel on St Stephens Green.
  • Will you be photographing the wedding solo or will there be more than one photographer? (A second shooter can capture spontaneous moments while your main shooter works to get the shots on your must-get list.) This depends on the package you choose, for larger weddings I always recommend a second shooter, for smaller, more intimate weddings I will capture them myself and bring along an assistant
  • What’s your backup plan in case of equipment failure or if you get sick? I carry a double of everything in my camera bag to cover all bases and ensure I am firing on all cylinders, so if I felt even slightly sick the week of your wedding I rest up to ensure I’ll be fit and ready for action on your wedding day, (as an extra back up I am also a member of the BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photography) and have access to a huge network of photographers)
  • What are our options regarding packages? In my “Wedding” page I give an idea of price points but it really depends on what you are looking for to fit in to your day, my couple tend to begin around £1795 - £2225 and go upwards
  • Does the price include an engagement shoot? My full day packages include an engagement shoot, if you have selected a half day package this will be an additional fee
  • What’s the process after the wedding? Within 72 hours a small selection of images from your day will be viewable in your online gallery and 10 days after that your whole gallery will be ready to view.
  • Will I get digital files? If these are included in your package, yes.
  • How long before the files are available to me? 6-8 weeks
  • How much do prints cost? I have a large selection of print and image finishes available, including framed prints and gorgeous acrylics which really create amazing fine art pieces, these range in price from £10 to £1500 depending on size and finish  
  • How much do albums cost? Albums start at £325
  • What’s the turnaround for proofs and final albums? I can send you a proof book within 14 days and once you have chosen your album images there is a 6 week turnaround time once you have signed off on the final design, on average allow about 8-10 weeks incase of any tweaks you'd like to make
  • What sort of touch-ups do you do? I tidy up all prints and images for your album and for an additional fee of £25 per hour I can offer skin touch ups and further editing.
  • Do you offer mini albums? Yes, I have a gorgeous selection for you to have a look at
  • Do you offer online proofing albums so that my guests can buy prints without going through me? Yes, I offer an online gallery which is password protected and I personally give each of your guests a password card with the login details on
  • What’s the payment policy? I require a deposit of £150 to secure your date and then full payment 30 days prior to your wedding, we can also split the remaining balance so you can pay in two or three parts before your big day
  • Will there be additional fees for travel and lodging? For all weddings outside of the UK, travel and accommodation will be an additional fee, for weddings outside of London and the Home Counties this will also be an additional fee
  • Is there a cancellation policy? Yes, you may cancel at any time and you will be liable to pay to me compensation based on a percentage of the Package fee depending upon when the notice is received: 121 days or more – Booking fee only, 91-121 days – 50%, 61-90 days – 60%, 31-60 days – 75% and 0-30s prior to your wedding – 100%

Jon & Juliet's wedding featured in Wedding Magazine

WHAT A WEEK!! :-)

So I celebrated my birthday and two days later picked up a copy (or two) of 'Wedding Magazine' which featured Jon & Juliet's September wedding I photographed in Suffolk. Beautiful weekend, gorgeous stunning setting and full of amazing unique details - apple place names, delicious wedding cakes.......

Spread over three pages it's in the 'Real Life' section of the magazine and I'm so delighted for Jon & Juliet and just totally stoked! Do check it out in all newsagents!! The new look Wedding magazine is full of inspiration :-) xx

I've got a lot of catching up to do...

sooo..........I have no excuses, I should have been posting a couple times a week and keeping up with my blog.....I haven't and I feel like a naughty school girl (which completely goes against my 'head girl' status, I'm shinning my halo furiously right now lol)...sooo...

.I've been photographing the most beautiful weddings all over the country and being asked to submit work to magazines, I've done fun mini-sessions and received amazing compliments from my clients :-) I've had ex students get in touch out of the blue and it's been so fantastic to catch up on where they're at AND I've been capturing Bachelorette parties and engagement proposals...which has been such an honour and a real blessing and over the next week I'm going to write about all of them...for now....here are some pictures from these wonderful occasions <3 xx