Last summer I had the pleasure of working with Kimberley Gray on a clients wedding, It is lovely to share with my blog readers a little more about the actual people behind the business’s  that Tigerlily work with.

Kimberley is based in Hampstead and works as a full time wedding photograper, her website is fantastic and really showcases her diverse portfolio and style.

Kimberley has a very unobtrusive style on the day and really captures the excitement and emotion of each wedding.

Enjoy!

Tell me about the background of ktb wedding photography?

I had worked at Christies Auction House, a Chelsea art gallery and as a professional photographer of antiques, art and interiors for the book, The London Antiques Guide as well as several international magazines before becoming a wedding photographer. 

I loved how a powerful photograph, be it a small detail or a sweeping scene, could convey the style, the essence and story of something much larger. 

With this in mind, I photographed two of my friends’ weddings as a present for them, and their response was unequivocal- “Kimberly, you have to become a wedding photographer!”

Where do you take your inspiration from?

I actually take inspiration from all sorts of images in contemporary life.  I love beautiful cinematography, and foreign films, particularly Chinese. The way Chinese cinematographers frame scenes and convey relationships through images is simple, beautiful and effective.  If I see something that inspires me, I will take a note and try to use the idea at my next wedding. 

Having said that, I also take image ideas from more mainstream films and television, such as Slumdog Millionaire, Ugly Betty, the Sopranos and Life on Mars which all are very creative with perspective and story-telling. 

What is your favorite wedding photograph from your collection?

I hate having to decide on favourites, but in theory from each wedding, my favourite photograph is one which captures the love and happiness between the couple or between them and their family. 

What is unique about your photography?

I have a very natural style and approach.  I believe that the bride and groom need to feel like they are being photographed by a friend with whom they are having great fun and can help them laugh and be themselves.  I think this natural approach and sense of fun comes across in the happiness of my photographs.

What packages and services do you offer?

I am always happy to create a bespoke package for couples, but my most popular package is 8 hours of photography with a storybook album and a disk of edited and high resolution photographs to share with friends and family.

Tell us your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photo shoot to date!

I actually photographed a pagan wedding in Camden Town in my first year.  The couple were very lovely and eccentric, and so we did their creative photographs in King’s Cross.  Everyone wore medieval costume, and seeing the five groomsmen walking down St Pancras Way with capes flapping in the wind is a memory that will always stick with me!

I also photographed a wedding on a cliff on the Arran Islands in Western Ireland.  The sun came out briefly during their ceremony, so it looks idyllic in the photographs, but everything except that 10 minutes was “extreme Celtic wedding photography” – gale force winds, horizontal rain and furious, crashing waves.  I felt like I had been in battle when I arrived back at the hotel that evening.

What is the one lasting impression you want to leave in your photos?

That’s very easy – love and happiness!

I absolultley love working with clients full of good energy and totally devoted to one another.

In March this year I had a phone call from a groom-to-be who discussed his and his fiancee’s wedding plans and how they needed a planner to support the final stages of their wedding planning.

The phone call went on for half an hour; we had such a lovely conversation and I totally got their wedding vision.

So two ceremonies, two wedding breakfasts, and one house conversion into a Hindu ceremonal area  in 24 hours – I hear your mind racing with “Oh My! What a challenge…”

Camela and Duncan were fabulous clients to work with and were totally relaxed, what more can I say – the perfect clients, the perfect job.

The beautiful bride in traditional dress, make up and Henna for her Hindu ceremony.

The clients had their lounge transformed for the Hindu ceremony, which was beautiful and very touching as it was conducted by her God-parents.

The happy couple, after the ceremony had received blessings from the priest, their family and elders, the guests then celebrated with a  fabulous feast.

The happy couple

The bride and groom and their guests then moved to The Petersham Hotel, where they enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames – the weather was glorious.

The bride and groom then changed for the civil ceremony, Camela carried a beautiful hand-tied bouquet of arum lilies with bear grass, tied with a cream ribbon.

The  guests then moved to the river room for the civil ceremony, and were greeted by the sounds of a harpist and flautist with beautiful streaming sunlight through the room’s many bay windows.

The civil ceremony was equally beautiful and filled with the couple’s fun personalities.

The team at  The Petersham were lovely to work with very attentive, professional and hard working, delivering champagne, canapes and a fabulous buffet during the evening celebrations, ensuring all guests were wonderfully catered for throughout.

These fabulous images were captured by the super talented Hannah MacGregor from Funky Wedding Photographers; a total pleasure and pro to work with.

The celebrations went on late into the night and the singing waiters made an appearance to the astonishment of all of the guests as they had been mingling and serving with myself and the event staff unannounced at The Petersham.

Congratulations Camela & Duncan!

Photo Credits: Funky photographers

A little piece of eye candy from a recent Tigerlily Wedding for you all.

I will be  blogging tomorrow with lots of images and details about this lovely client wedding.

Photo credits: Funky Photographers

The latest edition of Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine has hit the magazine shelves in the UK.

I love the feature on pop up weddings and back yard weddings, this catchy tag originates from pop up bars that have been very fashionable in London over the last year.

The clever peeps at Martha Stewart have also updated the DIY section on the website, it has lots of creative ideas for wedding design, so make sure you take a peek.