Sarah Lauren Photography

Love on the railway line ~ Laura & Tim

sarah — Sun, 20 May 2012 21:14:48 +0000

Chloe & I headed up to Dorset for the most amazing wedding this weekend and here’s a sneak preview for Laura & Tim. They met at school and first ‘went out’ together when they were just 10 years old (even though Laura apparently broke Tim’s heart after a day!) As kids they would meet halfway between their houses by walking along the old, disused railway line in Wimborne. They would hang out and have picnics together. Now, years later (and still between both family houses) the same railway line was the setting of their magical wedding day. There are deer, birds tweeting, rabbits hopping around and a tree canopy overhead which adds to the beauty. I couldn’t think of a more romantic story if I tried and I might have shed the odd tear during the speeches (ok, so that’s no surprise for me, but this was particularly moving). Laura and Tim, a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to you and your wonderful friends and family for such an incredible day X

As always, your thoughts, comments or general love for Laura & Tim are welcome below x

The new Mr & Mrs Matthews-Evans..

sarah — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:55:57 +0000

Saturday was such a beautiful sunshine-shine filled day and I promised a quick preview for the new Mr & Mrs Matthews-Evans… Can’t wait to share the full set with you soon x

Emma & Ryan tie the knot in noss mayo

sarah — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 19:51:21 +0000

Yesterday was all about Emma & Ryan and boy, what a day it was. They are so warm and relaxed and looked incredible. Noss mayo was looking its best too, with the water sparkling and a laid back vibe. Emma & Ryan, here’s a sneak preview of a few favourites so far x

As always, thanks for letting me know your thoughts x

emma & ryan’s noss moyo pre-wedding shoot

sarah — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 20:22:28 +0000

Emma and Ryan are soon to tie the knot in Noss Mayo, one of Devon’s tucked away villages on the water. It’s unspoilt and steeped in history and a photographer’s dream. I cannot wait for their wedding, it’s going to be so much fun and I know I say this often about my clients, but Emma and Ryan are genuinely the most warm and relaxed of people. From the moment I walked into pub I knew it was going to be great getting to know them. Meanwhile, here are a few favourites from their recent pre-wedding shoot in Noss Moyo…

Muddifords Court launch party

sarah — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:44:08 +0000

Earlier in the month I was invited to be part of the Muddifords Court launch party as it opened its doors to the public as a venue for exclusive use weddings, accomodation, conferences and events. Becky had organised lots of local suppliers to showcase their work to the public, media, brides and grooms, and local businesses. The atmosphere there is amazing and very unique. As soon as you arrive it feels calm and I think the serene backdrop of the lake adds to this, as does the friendly welcome that you receive from Nicky & Pip the owners.

The launch day was also held on one of the first days of Spring so lots of people came out of the woodwork which was fantastic and on a personal note it really didn’t feel like ‘work’. I got to hang out in the World Inspired Tents tipis again and boy is it one of my favourite places to be! When I wasn’t in the tipis I was out taking some photos of the event and indulging a little along the way (ok, there might have been a rhubarb and custard ice cream at 9:50 in the morning). For pure photographic reasons of course! Coming from someone who can’t normally stomach breakfast until 10am, it was a personal best.

I won’t begin to list ALL of the suppliers who took part, but will instead try and give you an overall idea of the day.

Below is one of Kate Walker’s stunning dresses, from one of my favourite bridal boutiques in the area (Honiton). I also loved reading the quotes on the walls in the Cider Barn, they added to the relaxed vibe of the venue.

Flowers and Interiors By Design showcased some stunning floral displays and were really lovely to chat to as well.

Andy from Your Big Event hanging out in the Nip Inn (fab bar area at Muddifords). If you need a DJ then Andy is the man to contact..

Emma, otherwise known as The Wedding Reporter came along and I couldn’t resist taking a couple of shots of her writing with the lake in the background as it looks like such an idyllic spot. For any of you who haven’t come across Emma’s work, in her words she’s ‘a freelance writer going to the frontline of weddings in order to create bespoke reports for the couple to keep as a literary legacy of their big day.’ Her reports are truly amazing and fully transport the reader to the wedding day.

Handmade jewellery, tiaras and hair accessories from The Crystal’d Lily:

Bish Bosh Becca showcased the most stunning jewellery – I’m just glad I left me debit card back in the tipi..

The Little Wedding Helper decorated the Cider Barn with the most vivid Spring colours.

Living The Cream – the most divine vintage ice cream tricycle complete with gramophone..

I’m a big fan this beetle from VW Celebrations – why not be driven in true vintage style on your wedding day?

Julie was there from Aphrodite Cakes, tempting people with her delicious mini cake samples.

Ok, I’m a big fan of sweets so needless to say I fell in love with Cloud 9′s candy table. Thanks Sam for making my kids very happy when I got home that evening!

Rebecca & Brendan from WED Magazine joined us for a while (below right pictured with Ed from World Inspired Tents). All brides (and grooms)-to-be need WED Magazine in their lives. Enough said.

South West Vintage China and Mrs Gill’s Country Cakes looked absolutely stunning in the tipis and we had real laugh – such wonderful people.

What a fantastic day and evening it was! Thanks for looking and be sure to check out Muddifords Court, it’s such a beautiful and unique venue.

Nicky, Gary & Marni, plus special guests..

sarah — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:50:55 +0000

I first met Nicky and Gary whilst on a Pre-wedding shoot at Dartington Hall with Liz & Chris (whose wedding I photographed a couple of years ago). Chris and Gary are brothers so they were all meeting up for a drink after the photoshoot. After Liz & Chris’ wedding I then bumped into them again whilst photographing Polly & Tobias’s wedding and we laughed at what a small world it is in Devon. Anyway, I was delighted to be asked to photograph their big day and the pre-wedding shoot was such a laugh. Neither of them were big into having their photo taken, but I’ve managed to convince them otherwise which is a big relief. Phew. Bring on May!

They chose their pre-wedding shoot location pretty easily as they had their first day here at Cockington and it’s also where Gary proposed.

p.s did I mention that I love dogs? ‘Could Marni join us on the shoot?’.. ’Oh go on then (twist my arm)’… She was a pro and her pink collar and lead toned very nicely with Nicky & Gary’s outfits and the bottle of rosé. Take a look at Nicky’s pooch top in the last few photos – love it!

I’m a big fan of both colour and Spring and the following shots pretty much sum up why..

Matthew & Kim’s Pre-wedding shoot, Clevedon Pier

sarah — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:12:38 +0000

It was blowing a gale and my head started to spin from time to time as we could see the Bristol channel below through the cracks in the planks. It was well worth it though for one of my favourite pre-wedding shoots last year. Matthew & Kim chose Clevedon Hall near Bristol for their wedding and it made perfect sense to head to the old pier nearby for their shoot. It’s so stunning and apparently the only fully intact Grade 1 listed pier in the whole country. Although fully restored I was secretly quite happy to reach solid ground again so we headed to the beach next to it for more photos. I love the sense of fun in these shots and how relaxed they both seemed (clearly not sharing the same fear of heights as me then!)

Spring has officially sprung in our garden…

sarah — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:03:00 +0000

Loving all the ladybirds in our garden this week.. I still get excited when I spot them or one lands on me and I love watching Isla mesmorised by them. Known as a symbol of good luck, I love that I often spot them at weddings. One day I’ll sort through all the ladybird photos in my photo archive and dedicate a whole post to the little creatures. For now though, here are a few photos from the garden yesterday. Spring has definitely sprung and I’m excited to see what it will bring.

Charlotte & Jason – Budleigh beach and fab trainers

sarah — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:15:08 +0000

Having recently posted Charlotte & Jason’s wedding at The Great Barn on the blog, I thought it would be a good time to share a few from their Pre-wedding shoot on Budleigh beach. It was the most blustery, chilly evening on Budleigh beach but we managed to laugh our way through it and it was still fun for them (I think!..) This was the first chance for us to meet properly, so I was so happy when they got out of the car to see how relaxed and smiley they were and I was equally loving their choice of trainers (being a bit partial to trainers myself..) In a geeky kind of way, I love the way they tone in with the boats in the shot below.

Charlotte & Jason, thanks for being such good fun and for braving the cold that evening. I have no doubt that it helped you guys to relax into the photos on your actual wedding day..

Sarah x

Vicky & Colin’s Sidmouth Wedding

sarah — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 20:41:05 +0000

I thought I would sneak in a quick blog post of one of December’s weddings before any more daffodil’s pop up and Spring really is upon us. Vicky and Colin tied the knot in Sidmouth early in December and it was a stunning day from start to finish. We had been warned of high winds and torrential rain, but thankfully it held off and we managed to have a wander around the gardens overlooking Sidmouth beach and Jacob’s ladder beach – bliss!.. and it certainly blew the cobwebs away being perched up on the cliffs on a December day. Following our stroll and photos of just the two of them, we headed back to Vicky’s parents’ hotel for their reception in a marquee in the grounds. Their guests warmed up with mulled wine and lots of laughter before the meal.

Vicky looked amazing in her slinky Maggie Sottero number form Piroutte in Exeter, and her five Bridesmaids so elegant in black dresses teamed with fur shrugs. I stuck with Vicky and the girls whilst the preening took place and Chloe headed off with the guys for a brisk walk to the church and a drink in The Anchor to help steady the nerves.