Sarah Brooksby Photography

I remember all of my weddings - every special little detail, and all of the things that made them unique - but - if I had to pick just one, I would pick a wedding that I shot in the summer of 2017. The bride and groom chose a beautiful country venue with a lake - it was picturesque - but that's not why I chose it. During the speeches, the brides daughter presented the groom with an envelope, he opened it up and instantly started crying. We were all left wondering why, then he stood up and read it out to the room. The young girl had given him an application form to officially adopt her as his daughter. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room, mine certainly wasn't. It was the most beautiful wedding present I've ever witnessed being given, and the young girl and the bride erupted into tears when he said yes. They later had a big party and the bride kicked off her shoes and climbed through a bouncy castle obstacle course in her huge dress - that was certainly another memorable moment from that wedding - I've never seen anything like it - it was fabulous!

Creative, Modern, Timeless, Candid & Relaxed.

I would have to say first and foremost - my photos. I've spent many, many years perfecting my style and technique to get to where I am now, and I take great pride in my work and my editing skills. I have always aspired to become a photographer, and I absolutely love my job. It's a lot more than a job to me - it's a way of life. My camera is always in my hand, even when I'm not working. I'd also have to say that I'm so proud of the feedback that I get from my clients - there's nothing quite as amazing as the reaction you get when a couple fall in love with their wedding album, and you get that huge sense of satisfaction from giving them a lifetime of beautiful memories to cherish. That feeling is addictive - it's one of the reasons that I love my job so much.

Planning and scheduling - no matter how relaxed your day is, planning everything well in advance and having even a rough schedule for the day can make all the difference and help to keep the day stress free and all about the love.

I photographed a wedding recently where a bride had taken on the huge task of decorating the entire venue by herself - with no help from family, friends or professionals. She was a fashion blogger, and she did a fantastic job - the before and after of the venue was incredible, you wouldn't even believe it was the same place. She decorated an empty barn with a shabby chic theme, with fairy lights draped around the walls and ceiling in the most magical and beautiful way you can imagine, with an array of shabby chic decorations throughout, she did a fantastic job and the venue looked absolutely incredible. I don't think many people could have taken on that task without a mental break down - it was a plain empty barn before she got her hands on it, but afterwards, it was a proper fairy tale venue that was fit for a modern fashion princess.

My process starts when a couple first gets in touch with me, either via email, social media or by phone. We start with a consultation about what they need from a photographer on their big day, and then we talk about what would fit their day best. I work closely with my couples to plan the photography right up to the day itself, then on the day, I work closely with the couple, the venue staff, wedding planners and any other officials to ensure that the bride and grooms day goes perfectly. After the wedding, I start he editing process straight away and I keep my couples updated on their wedding album, giving them previews of the edited photos as I work to whet their appetites for the full album and ensuring that each album is edited to a couples personal taste. Once the editing process is complete, I like to talk through the photos with the couple and make sure that they have received their albums, physical media and online downloads. That feeling when a couple fall in love with their photos is the best and most addictive part of my job.

A 30 minute intimate shoot with just the bride and groom. I usually advise that this should be taken soon after the ceremony - while the couple are still on a "just married" love high - you get some of the best photos of the couple at this point, and some of the most natural, as emotions are always running high. These are almost always the couples favourite photos from the day, and are almost always the ones that they want printed out to go on the wall!

There was a bride who had made her own flowers from her favourite book - she'd used pages that were touching and personal to her, and they were a fantastic way to get a bit of her passion into their day. I've only ever photographed one wedding where this was done, and I thought it was a beautifully original idea, and it made some beautiful photos too!

Umbrellas, and lots of them! If the weather is against you on your wedding day, my best advise is to explore the inside to find some beauty spots. I've photographed a few rainy day weddings and you can always find some perfect spots inside to get those wall worthy bride and groom shots. Rain isn't the end of the world - almost all venues have some beautiful locations inside to take amazing photos, and it's said to be good luck!

My father was into photography so my interest was sparked at a very young age. I spent my youth being an amateur photographer until I decided to change careers during my early 20's. I got my first professional camera and I was instantly hooked on how incredibly different it was to using amateur equipment, and the skill and expertise that was required to get the shots that I wanted. I went through 3 diplomas and ventured out to become a wedding photographer. I enjoy photographing everything, but there's nothing as amazing as photographing love.