Spring Weddings | Polly Alexandre Photography

Eva and Matt – Wedding at Cambridge Cottage, Kew Gardens

February 9, 2015

Eva & Matt met when they were both students at LSE in London. Given that their love story officially started back when they were students, it was only fitting that Matt should revisit their University Library to propose to Eva. The couple chose me as their Photographer with a brief to capture the smiles, the happiness…and special moments of their big day. Images that felt sweet and happy and would reawaken the feelings from their magical day in years to come when they looked through their album.

With both the wedding ceremony and reception to be held at Cambridge Cottage in Kew Gardens, Eva chose the classic, timeless Connaught Hotel in the heart of London for her location for bridal preparations. It has a classic and grand feel indoors which she loved and it was the perfect location to host the extensive Chinese party games, which were a lot of fun indeed as you can see!

As one of the fun Chinese traditions includes playing a series of games before the wedding, Eva wore a crimson red dress and later changed into her beautiful white wedding gown by Pronovias.

The couple had shared that they just loved the black & white shots that they had seen previously on my blog taken during the wedding reception, so that is just what I did for them. I love the way that one is drawn into the emotions and moments with black & white. There is something about omitting the distraction of color that really lets us focus in on what really matters – love, expression and pure emotion….

To Mr & Mrs Z: It’s been a pleasure to get to know you along this wonderful journey in your lives….you are just a dynamic couple with big plans for the future and I can’t way to hear how it all unfolds. May the love you share carry you along this journey together in joy and happiness…..

Credits: Brides Dress: Pronovias; Make Up: Jo Freeman; Florist: Robbie Honey; Cake: Rachel’s Cakes; Videographer: Bloomsbury Films; Bridal Preparations: The Connaught; Ceremony and Reception: Cambridge Cottage, Kew Gardens; Band: Wandering Hands

Charlotte and James – An English Country Wedding

October 21, 2014

Charlotte and James married at a Surrey church followed by a reception held in a marquee in the grounds of her childhood family home, where she grew up in and where her parents still live. Her mother is a passionate gardener and incorporated plants and vegetables from the garden in the decor – from a hay bale barn area for sipping drinks, with a beautiful display of botanical prints on the wall, to the indoor drinks reception tent, with vignettes of gardening tools, plants and more botanical illustrations. Charlotte wore Mira Zwillinger and carried flowers with local wilds flowers incorporated to honour the woods on the property with their abundant wild cows parsley. A wood fired pizza van, made from a vintage Citroen van came to deliver late night snacks, and planes with coloured smoke flew at sunset in a magical fly by display.

Charlotte and James, your wedding was the perfect blend of romantic and relaxed fun, utterly personal and unique, and so beautiful, relaxed yet elegant. Wishing you endless fun and romance for many more years to come….

Shot 100% on film.

Credits: Brides Dress by Mira Zwillinger; Hair: Beverly at Eclipse; Make Up: Arabella Preston; Florist: Scarlet and Violet; Cake: Jacky’s Cakes; Ceremony: All Saints Church; Catering: Cavendish Events; Band: The Staxs

Ying & Hong

December 6, 2013

” I love him because he is pure heart”

Ying, about her husband Hong

Ying and Hong are both from China, but actually met in the UK, when they were at university, on the same course. Such a bond this pair have they have both worked and lived together….not that anyone at the company where they work guessed they were a couple…they kept their relationship a such a secret the first many knew was when the two colleagues announced they were getting married!

It was Ying’s dream to play violin at her own wedding in an English castle, and it’s a dream that came true. The beautiful setting of Highcliffe Castle in Dorset was the setting for this fairytale wedding that Ying dreamed of…and her violin teacher, Terry, came along to play a specially chosen piece with her during the wedding breakfast. Alongside this beautiful hearttouching perfomance, they watched a beautiful animation about their love story and listened to funny and touching speeches. Ying was adamant that she would have wedding photographs on the beach……what might not be obvious from these pictures is that this was actually March….. in England… and when I arrived at the venue the hail was so bad we couldn’t actually get out of the car.

The weather however, like all good love stories, had a happy ending. From hail to rain, from rain to cloud, and from cloud to glorious sunshine…all on the one day. By the time Ying and Hong were pronounced husband and wife, the skies were blue and the sun was shining.

Ying and Hong, you are the sweetest couple, and I wish the sun shines in your lives together forever.

Credits: Wedding Venue: Highcliffe Castle; Brides Dress by Vera Wang; Shoes: Rupert Sanderson; Hair: Severin Hubert; Make Up: Make Up by Katie; Catering: Merlins

{The whole wedding was shot on film}

Featured in You & Your Wedding Magazine

April 8, 2013

Emma & Lee’s gorgeous Balearic wedding was held at Paissa d’en Bernat in Ibiza, and I’m honoured that it was featured in a recent issue of You & Your Wedding Magazine. Loved relieving this one!

You can see more of their wedding on my own blog here.

Leoma and Gary – Wedding Photography at Combe House

December 6, 2012

Leoma & Gary clapped eyes on each other at a friends 30th Birthday party and then again with friends they they ended up dancing the night away together. Their first date was at the Russian State Circus. Leoma was a student studying fashion media at the London College of Fashion and Gary was doing a graduate programme in the city.

The couple celebrated their marriage at the gorgeous Combe House Hotel in Devon…as the hotel was not just their reception venue, but also a hotel where their guest could stay for the weekend, the wedding has a weekend house party vibe to it, and meant they could kick off festivities with drinks and dinner the night before the wedding.

Leoma excelled herself in designing a beautiful wedding, with so many beautiful details from the stationary, to then flowers, and plenty to amuse the guests from the vintage bus to the church, to balloons, fireworks and a candlelit cheese supper in the stone flagged hall…… way too much to share here but here is a little taster of their day in pictures….

With great determination Gary tracked down a silver-blue open topped vintage Austin Healey for their wedding car, and the couple drove themselves away from the church. I love how it coordinates with their teal, ivory & pale blue colour scheme (for sure Leoma was behind that!)

Leoma so enjoyed planning and creating the visual design of her wedding, especially the flowers, and it was the beautiful blooms that actually inspired Leoma to finally pursue a lifelong dream in floristry. Soon after the wedding, she took an intensive course and started a new venture Harpers Bloom.

Here’s hoping both your marriage and business blossom beautifully Mr & Mrs Harper! xxx

Venue: Combe House Hotel, Devon. Ceremony: St Michaels Church, Gittisham. Bride’s Dress: Jenny Packham, Hair & Make Up: Ellie Tobin; Florist: Emma Vowles. Cake: Cake Matters; Videographer: Peter Cox at North Devon Weddings. Band: Celine & Adam Isaac (you may recognise Adam from The Voice!), Photo Booth: The Photo Lounge