1. Laura & Jonny’s Wedding

Yesterday I photographed a really, really stunning wedding at The Millennium Hotel, Mayfair. The couple were supermodels and everything about their big day was perfection. But when I do a wedding photography, the real beauty for me is in the body language of the bride and groom. Jonny cried inconsolably when he saw Laura for the first time. It brought tears to my eyes. They held hands all the way through the ceremony.Noone could have prized them apart. And Laura made a speech at the end of the party about her husband which had the guests oo-ing and ah-ing with delight. Whatever magic I create with my photographs is nothing without bundles of love and tenderness emanating from the couple.
Laura & Jonny had picked a new band called Musica to entertain family and friends. They are a sister band to Gilev who are well known on the Jewish Wedding circuit. Musica’s repertoire was just left of field to the normal wedding rhythms which made them so refreshing to listen to. And the guests didn’t stop dancing. Even at midnight the dance floor was still packed.
Laura and Jonny flew off to Bora-Bora today on honeymoon. I’m still living in hope that one day a couple will invite me with them to continue the wedding coverage!

2. When 1 + 1 makes 3

One of the highlights of my career is the ongoing relationship that I have with many of my clients.
When couples come to see me to book their wedding photography, I often take them around my photographic studio and explain that this is where they will come back and visit some years later when they have children. They all look at me and smile either with that “Yes hopefully” gaze, or “Let’s take this one step at a time” look.

This week I got a call from Michelle. “Hey remember me?” she asked. I know that I’m getting older, but my memory isn’t that bad yet. I photographed Michelle & Ron’s beautiful wedding in the grounds of Inner Temple exactly 2 years ago. “We’ve just had a gorgeous daughter who is 10 days old today” she continued, “and I would like some photos please”.

The following day Michelle came round with her mum and this tiny, beautiful, blond haired, pink baby. We had a lovely session where I photographed the baby from every conceivable angle using a continuous lighting system that I have from Photon Beard. I find that this type of lighting works better when photographing babies. The baby doesn’t flinch every time the flash pops, because the light source stays constant. It creates a warm working environment, and the bright lights seem to keep babies awake for longer.
Thank you Michelle for coming back to use my services once more, and for introducing me to your beautiful daughter.

3. Lee & Bernard’s Wedding at The Landmark Hotel
Today was Lag B’Omer, which is the 33rd day in the period which begins on the second day of Passover and concludes on Shavuot. It is the only day within that period when Jewish weddings can take place.
This morning I photographed Lee & Bernard’s wedding at the Landmark Hotel, Marylebone Road. It was a beautiful, little wedding in the Tower Suite, where surrounded by their closest family, and bathed in sunshine which cascaded through the atrium onto their chuppah, they finally tied the knot.

As Lee said to Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg “we have been blessed” as she pointed to their children and grandchildren.
After the ceremony but before a sumptuous lunch created by Michael Rose, I captured some family groups in the Marble Hallway. You should have heard Bernard chuckle as I asked him to hold his wife’s hand!
It is photographing joyous occasions like this that makes me wake up in the morning and love my job.

Hayley Lehmann is a Wedding Photographer Professional Wedding Photographer and School Photography.