Claire Bemister

I’m going to throw this right back to November 2019, back to glorious bliss! You’ll spot Cat and David around my website, and that’s because their day was misty and magical and full of all the emotions. I was extremely teary during their ceremony readings, that’s for sure. They read an extract from Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince), and I am besotted with the imagery and philosophy in it, and they carried this through in details you might not even notice, such as foxes on t

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

Gabi called me up to say she’d seen my work online and that she and Peter loved how inclusive my website felt, and how did I fancy a jolly across Surrey to photograph their relaxed wedding? I mostly chatted with Gabi over the next few months as Peter was working abroad for large unpredictable chunks of time, and it meant that some elements could end up changing last minute, but their date was set! Gabi told me that she was going to make her own wedding dress, and I was like

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

Jasmine and JC completely sold me on their super-relaxed vision for their day. They began their day at The Kings Arm's in Christchurch with the ceremony in a small pavilion, surrounded by the Priory, gardens and ruins. The sunshine was absolutely beyond glorious (I really ought to move to this Bournemouth microclimate) which was particularly fortune given what they had planned for their arrival to their reception... but more on that later. JC and his boys were all sporting wo

This shoot was the brainchild of glitter-fuelled Toni Searle Beauty and dress-designer-of-dreams Marie Chandler Bridal. And wow, what a shoot! It started in glitter and ended in the stars. The team were all inspired by celestial shoots, but we all strived to deliver it in a different way to blue and gold muted palettes, which led to deep blue and purple hues, with vibrancy inspired by nebulas and swirling galaxies. The floating flower installation by Peonies from Pluto was ju

Are these two ever NOT laughing? Show me a wedding with more giggles and I don't know what I'd do with myself... Even I was crying with laughter during the speeches, but I think probably for the sake of privacy I shouldn't reveal the exact contents... suffice to say it included an unexpected first meeting between the Groom and Father of the Bride, a ruined pair of trousers, and a mortified Bride... Kate's family made me feel amazingly welcome from the moment I rocked up for b

So, when I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking - how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and in many cases an extravaganza of guests and details and expense means that inevitably there are waste issues, or worries about whether certain things are "worth it." So, how can we do things more ethically? What should we look for in an ethical supplier? How do we do the very best that we can do? So, with these questions

J & M had the most gorgeous sunshine to celebrate in, and were surrounded by such love and lovely people that it was honestly such a heartwarming, and perfect day. Forget the Royal Wedding, we were where the party was really at! J & M broke from tradition slightly in that they both got ready together, at home - M was expertly on hand preparing lunch for everyone and delivered it to J in en expert waiter style whilst she had her hair styled, good way to start the day if you a

Oh. My. Days. If there was ever a more stunning D.I.Y. wedding, you have to show me, because I don't believe you! Martha and Ben got married at Walcot Hall in Shropshire, and it was quite an adventure to find it - a gorgeous long driveway and impressive frontage, with little hidden buildings and quirky details to be discovered everywhere you looked. Martha and her bridal party all got ready together in the massive, airy bridal suite in the main house, whilst the boys were up