Claire Bemister

They say rain on your wedding day is good luck, and it blew in like a gale for Charlotte and Ryan (the luck was probably appreciated given they were also moving house that week)! But even the biggest gust couldn’t blow the cheer out of their loved ones, or the smiles off their faces, and sure enough the sun came out in time to party. They were married at Henley Town Hall, with Marlow most definitely making sure she was not missed out of any key ceremony moments! Charlotte and

Weddings with a relaxed rock vibe? It can be done! In a small pub or hotel room? Definitely! As Jess, stylist from The Italian Dream made clear - choosing a fey key details that really reflect you can make all the difference in creating your vibe for the day. Here, bridal separates enable a relaxed look with easy outfit changes for ultimate personality. And personality is not in short supply with the suit either - it definitely has wow factor and brings that rock vibe to the

Katherine and Matt had a gorgeous, fun filled and completely personal wedding at Greenacres Chiltern. The only wedding to happen at Greenacres in 2020 (thanks Covid!), you could feel the joy in the air. It was so nice to be able to shoot the getting ready for them at The Crowne Plaza, with hair and makeup provided by the lovely Sam Bushell Makeup and Lisa Murphy Hair and Makeup. I particularly loved their dried flower bouquets. That getting ready together is such a special pa

Remember when weddings weren’t allowed, but then they were, but then only 6 people? Well, Kirsty and Robbie eloped with their parents as witnesses to Reading Town Hall! It was certainly an experience for them in their planning, navigating ever changing rules, and for me it was a new experience to be strictly seated (no standing) in one spot to document the ceremony. But their ceremony was still full of love, still full of emotion, and still the beginning of their marriage. Th

Ever fancied a little peek inside other people's prints boxes to see what little surprises they get? Well, now's your opportunity! All my wedding packages include a gorgeous wooden box, housing a wooden USB of all you images and a selection of 20 prints. But that’s not all! Oh no, every box is a little bit different because every couple also has a little surprise to discover inside too. I try to keep these personal to you, so perhaps you love tea and there are some handmade t

I have a lot of love for Jake and Mary! Jake and Mary are both awesome, and I had an absolute ball photographing their day. Getting ready was such good fun, and I really felt like part of the crowd - we had a good couple of hours to cover this part of the day at a relaxed pace and it makes such a difference because all your loved ones are so used to me before we even leave for the ceremony that the documentary images just roll so naturally and with such joy in them that they

Tina and Brian met me for a coffee in Guildford and that was when they told me their story. Having been together for years and raising their families together, they were finally having a wedding that really suited them and focussed on the important things in their life - family, friends, and having a truly relaxed good time. Everyone got ready in the cottage, with girls in the top room up the higgledy-piggledy stairs (they must have practiced in their heels, I'm sure!) and th

Is there anything better than a face full of happy tears? Michele organised a really personal surprise proposal to Helena in less than a week, and with the help of all of his neighbours up and down the street -a covert operation! Michele recruited volunteers and neighbours and managed to fill the streets with messages of love and appreciation for Helena, before dropping to one knee right outside their home. To ensure that no surprise was spoilt on the home stretch, he shared

I was invited along to this “half-birthday party” in Reading, Berkshire to celebrate a happy 6 months earthside to all these lovely bundles of joy! What better excuse to gather all the families together before some of them start to head back to work, and once everyone’s found their groove, and before the mania of 1st birthdays all hit at once in another 6 months time?! It was such a lovely opportunity to get candid, real, storytelling photos of all the babies and families, (p

Marie Chandler Bridal and I were chatting. We were talking International Women’s Day, the centenary of the first transatlantic flight (2019), and Amelia Earhart. We wanted to shoot something minimal and industrial and strong, and not typically bridal. We wanted to celebrate the strength of women, and freedom and aspiration. We looked at aeronautical museums, but it felt too obvious. We found an amazing abandoned skeleton of a warehouse building, but it was owned by a chemical

Melissa and Andrej decided to tie the knot amongst immediate family at Weybridge Register Office. The best bit? The day was a total surprise for the kids, and they were thrilled! The ceremony was super relaxed, with the family joining Melissa and Andrej up at the front, in the window seats after they exchanged vows for the second half of the ceremony, and I thought that was such a lovely thing to do, to be all together in such an intimate space. Once this lovely pair strode o

Jenny and Aaron are incredible. Their day was so packed full and right in the middle of the Devon countryside to be near family. I travelled down early morning with my fabulous assistant/second shooter, Eliza and as we weaved our way this way and that way I was suddenly very grateful to have grown up in countryside lanes myself! I dropped Eliza to Jenny’s bridal prep, and then made my way to find Aaron and the boys for a brief coverage of groom prep. I say brief... when Aaron

A styled shoot often looks so effortless, but it usually requires a huge team to coordinate and work together towards one vision, so if you'd like to find out a little bit more about what happens behind the scenes, then read on! Sarah (Sarah Shuttle Creative) asked me along to Millbridge Court to come and capture some of the behind the scenes, and I jumped at the chance - it's a beautiful venue and I was eager to put my documentary hat on in a styled shoot scenario. Sarah org

Wow. Poppy and Elliot eloped to Weybridge Register Office for a super sweet and intimate ceremony with their absolute closest family and friends. It was full of laughter the whole way through, and I really loved how they all came up to sit in the window and be close to each other for the second half of the ceremony after the ceremony. It felt so right, so relaxed and pretty perfect for them. I think a particular favourite moment was their friend skipping through the gardens w