Engagement and wedding photography at Bailbrook House Hotel, Bath
When this couple asked me to photograph their wedding at Bailbrook House Hotel in Batheaston (just outside Bath), I leapt at the opportunity. Before the big day, we met at the venue in order to plan which locations would work well for group photos on the wedding day. It also gave them a picture to use for their invitations.
No excuse now for guests to turn up at the wrong hotel!
The hotel's rolling grounds and gracefully landscaped gardens provide several ideal places to take some engagement shots. One of my ideas was for them both to each produce a drawing showing how they see the other, which caused a great deal of laughter!
Bailbrook House is a handsome Georgian building, and its front entrance provides an imposing backdrop for group photos.....
... and confetti shots:
...as does the garden:
with its majestic trees just asking to be sat on!
The interior also contains some fine period features for wedding photos in a classical style:
Bath local wedding photographer at the Roman Baths, Royal Crescent, Parade Gardens, No 15
Couples looking to celebrate their wedding in Bath sometimes feel spoilt for choice when selecting which of Bath's gorgeous wedding venues to go for. One option is to do what Jim and Rea did, and spread their wedding out across several locations in the city! First up was an apartment in Great Pulteney Street, rented for Rea's early morning bridal preparations.
Immediately after that, it was on to the Roman Baths, where Jim and Rea had booked the sunrise slot for their wedding ceremony, giving them exclusive use of the 2,000-year-old building before it opened up to the day's tourists.
With the flame torches lit up, The Roman Baths looked spectacular, providing an ideal location for portraits of the whole group of guests.....
... the bride and bridesmaids....
... and of course the happy couple.
Coming out of the building onto the street, the guests provided quite a confetti shower!
Next, it was off to Royal Victoria Park, one of Bath's many romantic photo locations. But why walk....
... when you can go by horse and carriage?!
The umbrella wasn't just a photographic prop by the way, it really was chucking it down! Just a minute away from Royal Victoria Park is one of Bath's most iconic pieces of Georgian architecture, the Royal Crescent.
Small groups of onlookers wished Jim and Rea well as they posed for the camera, although not all of them were quite so camera-shy!
Next on the itinerary was the Parade Gardens, which fortunately features a covered portico, providing an intimate backdrop for the group, and some very welcome shelter from the rain.
The final destination was the magnificent hotel at Number.15 Great Pulteney for the wedding feast.
And
Congratulations to the lovely couple!
Why my customers would recommend me as a photographer
This week, I notched up 40 reviews on Google, all 40 of which are 5 stars. I'm delighted to have received this feedback. You can read for yourself my reviews on Google here... or you can just read my summary of what my customers have to say in this blog post!
I've been through the comments systematically and have identified the top seven reasons why my customers choose and are happy to recommend me. So here's the countdown on the top 7.....
The top 7 reasons why my customers recommend me as a photographer
Number 7 Speed of service: 'a quick turnaround'
I know that once you have engaged a professional photographer, you will be keen to see the results ASAP. Each photograph is individually edited, and I do this as soon as reasonably possible after each shoot, so that you will have your photos very promptly.
Number 6 An enjoyable experience: 'lots of fun, relaxed atmosphere...'
I love the job I do, and I'm confident that comes across when I work with people. I always want people to enjoy being photographed, and one of the best ways to achieve this is by making my portrait sessions fun, whether I am photographing children or adults!
Number 5 Value for money: 'And all for a great price'
I ensure that I provide top quality service and photographs at a reasonable price. If you're interested in hiring a professional photographer in the Bath area, do please get in touch and let me know your requirements, so that I can quote you a price.
Number 4 Fully meeting customer needs: 'she managed to adapt quickly to each request'
No two briefs are the same, and I always make sure I have a clear idea of what kind of pictures you are looking for, whether for personal or business use.
Not everyone is entirely comfortable having their photograph taken, and I fully understand that...
Number 3 Establishing a rapport: 'she worked really hard to make me feel at ease'
One comment that comes up over and over in my reviews is the way in which I am able to make people feel relaxed when I take their portrait. My style is to chat and engage with people when I photograph them. This is both because I am a sociable person and enjoy meeting and working with new people. And it's also because I appreciate that some people feel slightly anxious about being photographed when they come to me to have their portrait taken, and it's only when they feel more relaxed with me and in front of the camera that their personality really emerges. My aim is to put you at ease so that I can take photos which show you as you really are.
Number 2 Professionalism:
As well as having high-end professional Nikon equipment and Profoto cableless lights, I always ensure that I am well prepared for any photo shoot, and will always have prepared ideas for locations, poses and props in order to meet and exceed my customers' needs and expectations.
Number 1 Quality of photographs: 'superb results'
Many of my customers, like D in the review shown here, have been delighted with the photographs they have commissioned me to take, and I pride myself on the composition, quality and variety of images I take for my customers.
But rather than just taking their word for it, do please look for yourself through my portfolio, where you can view galleries of portrait photography including family groups, professional and corporate portraits taken in my studio in Bear Flat in Bath as well as at other locations, wedding photography in Bath and Bristol, event photography in Bath, Bradford-on-Avon, Swindon and Bristol, architectural photos of Bath and much more.
40 five-star customer reviews for Bath photographer Beata Cosgrove
I was delighted to pass a milestone this week, with my 40th consecutive 5-star rating on Google.
Reviews from customers are an excellent way for a photographer (or any other business) to let prospective customers see what past customers really think of the business. And they're an invaluable tool for anyone who wants to hire a photographer to make an informed choice about who to choose.
You can read for yourself my reviews on Google here.
Engagement and Wedding photography at Homewood by Bath photographer Beata Cosgrove
Engagement and wedding photography at Homewood, near Bath
When couples hire me as their wedding photographer for a half or full day, I like to offer an engagement shoot as part of the package. I don't charge extra for this, and it gives me an opportunity to spend some time with the couple in a more relaxed setting. This means that the couple can get to know a bit more about their photographer, and I can find out in more detail about their plans for the big day. Holding the informal engagement shoot at the wedding venue also gives an opportunity for us to scout for suitable locations for pictures of the whole group, as well as more intimate pictures of the bride and groom together on their big day.
So when A & A approached me to be the photographer at their wedding, I immediately arranged for the three of us to meet at Homewood near Freshford, just outside Bath, in order to meet and photograph the couple and to find out more about them and the wedding day.
We walked around Homewood's gorgeous gardens, and had no difficulty identifying several locations which we agreed would work well for larger group shots for the actual wedding, the next time we were to meet was the wedding day, where I also took some heart shaped group pictures.
One of the first things I learned about A & A is that they are huge cycling fans. So much so that they had in fact themed and planned their wedding to reflect this passion. At one point after the ceremony they emerged from the hotel to walk through a sabers' arch.....
... made entirely from raised cycle wheels, as the confetti rained down over them. So how could the groom and his best man resist posing for the camera as if on bikes too?!
And the guests too!
I find that different groupings of people work well in a variety of settings.
Homewood's porticoed entrance also provided an attractive architectural backdrop for wedding group photos.
In fact, the whole building is gorgeous, and you can see more of my photos of Homewood here.
After the photo sessions, it was back indoors for a fabulous meal and speeches.
Congratulations to the lovely couple!
Do feel free to browse my weddings gallery to see more examples of my work.
