The Darenth Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock

The Darenth, Shoreham

Kent Wedding at The Darenth

Rebecca & Xavier during their portraits

“Thank you SO much. All our family and friends said how much they loved you!
These are AMAZING thankyou so much, you do such fantastic work!
You have made our week!”

— Mr & Mrs Tinto; Bride & Groom

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Photo-film - Press play and turn up the volume - 3 minutes 45 seconds

Rebecca & Xavier received there complimentary wedding photo-film as part of my SPECIAL OFFER to our NHS & Emergency Services staff - See this offer HERE

A beautiful September wedding photographed last year at The Darenth, Shoreham.

This was a beautiful day in September, the weather was great and after meeting them at the venue for their complimentary wedding pre-shoot (part of my Emergency Services special offer) a few weeks before I knew straight away they were a lovely couple - Being a wedding photographer is even better when you work with friendly, happy couples.

My day started as it often does, by heading over to their home to meet Rebecca & her bridesmaids as they were getting ready for the big day.

Bridal prep is a good place to start your wedding photos and I love capturing everyones excitement, nerves and anticipation for what the day will have in store for us all.

Rebecca & Xavier found me via The Darenth in Shoreham; and booked me back in January 2021 - I’m lucky that Kerry & Jason who run The Darenth recommend me to their couples; which means I work there a lot and it’s a perfect place to tie the knot with many options to have your ceremony indoors or out on the lawn.

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After the ceremony they had a chance to chat with all their friends and family and have some celebration bubbles before going outside. This is a good opportunity for some group photos; which I feel is a small but very important part of the day.

I shoot in a documentary style throughout the day and I candidly capture the moments that happen at a wedding by observing what happens without getting in the way. However I believe it is important to have a small amount of group portraits made of your closest family and friends. I love to get these where ever possible before the wedding breakfast.

There was even a bit of time for Xavier to see the wedding car on the way…

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As soon as we were back inside, the wedding breakfast was ready to begin and the food was served. This means only one thing.

The speeches were not far behind.

Followed closely by the party and first dance.

Whilst everyone is having fun and eating their meal I am still busy saving and backing up all the images i’ve made up to that point before getting to work again after the meal to capture the wedding party and first dance - we can’t be too careful with these precious images and by the time I go to bed they will have been backed up 4 times in 4 separate places.

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If you would like to book your Award Winning Wedding Photography contact me HERE for more information

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Award Winning Photography: Matt Rock - @mattrockprophoto

Venue: The Darenth - @weddingvenuekent

Location: Shoreham, Kent

Videographer: @mooncastfilms

DJ: @devotedeventsuk

Other blogs featuring The Darenth

• Emma & Luke 2020

• Lucy & Peter’s wedding 2019

• Being a recommended Kent wedding photographer

• How to choose your wedding photographer

• The Beauty and power of one image

Make sure you follow me on social media - below - to see some more up to date content

BEAUTIFUL - CREATIVE - TIMELESS

Tudor Barn Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock

Wedding Photography at The Tudor Barn, Eltham, London.

“The Last remaining Tudor Barn in London”

— https://www.tudorbarneltham.com

Getting Married In a Pandemic

2020 was a year of cancelations and postponements and I was booked in to shoot a few weddings at this wonderful venue in 2020. Becky & Paul booked me to photograph their wedding a month or so before as they were originally due to be married in another country.

This was one of those surprise late booking wedding assignments…. I was recommended by a couple of different clients who’s weddings I photographed in the past and it was great to catch up with some familiar faces. Getting recommendations is a great confidence boost to any photographer - it shows that clients do really appreciate what you do. What I didn’t know until I arrived at The Tudor Barn was that two of the groom’s brother-in-laws were old friends of mine from senior school, over 30 years ago… It got even more weird when one of those friends is married to my sons teacher!

There is a lot of pressure on me at a wedding day because you only have one chance to get it right.

Everyone who runs their own business knows that reputation is VERY important and it doesn’t matter about how good you were for the last wedding. You will only be judged by the wedding you are working on that day for that couple.

So, I was recommended, which adds to the pressure, then you know two old friends are there watching you work and then you realise that your sons teacher is there too (the sister of Paul, the groom) So to say I felt a bit more pressure at this one was an understatement. Add to that the fact it was only my third and last wedding of the year due to COVID-19 meant (and I don’t mind saying this) I was a bit out of practice too.

Photographing the bride, her friends and her family getting ready is a fun part of the day and is important to capture. It is a time where I try to blend in and just be one of them. Observing the conversations, nerves, excitement and the amazing multi tasking that goes on too. I do love the candid fly on the wall nature of the images it’s possible to make at this time.

It was now time for me to leave Becky to finish getting ready and join the Groom for some photos of him and the other guests before the bride arrives for the ceremony.

I have found over the last 14 years or so that EVERY wedding is different but most of them follow a similar structure and timeline. So until this point the wedding day felt quite normal - as normal as it’s been up to 2020 at least. But the new 2020 COVID wedding format was going to appear again as soon as I arrived at The Tudor Barn for the ceremony and celebrations - A smaller than normal guest list and a bit less freedom to roam and of course Face masks…

With the ceremony over it was time for the Bride and Groom to say hi to their guests and then go outside for some more photos. Some candid photos, groups, couple portraits and most couples like to have some confetti thrown over them too.

Then it was onto the speeches - where I always find out some embarrassing info on the groom!

I do love to photograph weddings and this one was great to be apart of too. I am looking forward to what 2021 brings and I hope we can get a little more normality back in the wedding industry soon. Seeing old friends and past clients was a bonus too!

Music Photo-Film below:

Thanks for reading and as we look to March / April and the summer of 2021, let us hope it will be a bit more ‘back to normal’ and weddings can once again be a regular occurrence in our diaries.

Suppliers:

Ceremony: The Tudor Barn, Eltham, London

Dress: Together Forever Brides Crayford, Kent

Suits: Reiss

Rings: RPS Jeweller Hatton Garden

Flowers: Highflying Balloons & Flowers Welling, Kent

Need help deciding on your wedding photographer? See my BLOG below for some more inspiration.

““pandemic noun
plural pandemics
Definition of pandemic
1 : an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area (such as multiple countries or continents) and typically affects a significant proportion of the population : a pandemic outbreak of a disease
a global pandemic
Influenza pandemics seem to strike every few decades and to kill by the million—at least 1m in 1968; perhaps 100m in the “Spanish” flu of 1918-19.
— The Economist””

— — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pandemic

Getting married in a pandemic - Kent Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock

Wedding Photography at The Manor Gatehouse, Dartford - 2020

2020 was a bit of a curve ball for us all.

I was all set for my busiest year of shooting weddings since starting my business way back in 2006.

It was 2019, and I had a busy year after winning the Kent Wedding Photographer of the Year - 2019. I was all prepared for a busy year ahead; I had a minor operation booked in for the start January 2020 (which went well thanks to our amazing NHS) and my first wedding of the year was booked in for late March. So plenty of time to rest and recover before the hard work and fun started.

Then came COVID-19…

Fast forward a year to December 2020 and out of the 32 weddings I had booked in, only 3 of them were able to go ahead due to government restrictions.

To say it was a stressful year professionally is an understatement. However, I still count myself very lucky. Receiving the government grants, having some great clients who were still prepared to stick with me and some who paid their fees upfront. This meant I was able to keep my business going and look forward to a busier 2021.

We are still not out of the woods just yet, but with the vaccine being rolled out and an amazing NHS - it’s got to a positive move forward.

2020 will be a year to remember - or maybe forget.

Amy and John were great throughout all of this. They had originally booked me almost 2 years before, in 2018 and their original date was set for 10th April 2020. They even recommended me to John’s sister and I shot her wedding in 2019. But as soon as the lockdown was looking like a possibility their date was soon changed to later in the year and we postponed it to 14th November 2020. At this point we were all hopeful this virus would be under control by the summer of 2020.

As this new date approached however it was clear that things were getting worse - not better. So they made the difficult decision to move their wedding date for a second time and bring it forward to 30th September 2020. Which as it turned out was a great move on their part as another venue lockdown was just around the corner…

Below are some of my favourite memories from their wedding day - 30th September 2020

So that was the moment it all happened - all the years of planning a wedding, postponing it twice, a pandemic and the compulsory wearing of face masks.

It all came down to the fact that two people just wanted to get married!

That’s it!

There was not going to be any lavish after party with 150 guests, no big embarrassing speech from the best man, no DJ, no first dance and no honeymoon.

Just two young people who were desperate to get married and start a new life together as Mr & Mrs.

Then it was all down to the local pub for burger & chips & few drinks.

It was great to be part of Amy & John’s special day and although it was not as they would have chosen, I felt they still had the best day, spent with close friends and family. I mentioned before that i’d photographed John’s sisters wedding back in 2019, so for me it was good to catch up with the family again too.

I made a music photo-film from their wedding and you can see this below.

Thanks for reading and as we look to March / April and the summer of 2021, let us hope it will be a bit more ‘back to normal’ and weddings can once again be a regular occurrence in our diaries.

Suppliers:

Ceremony: Manor Gatehouse, Dartford Registry Office, Dartford, Kent - A Kentish Ceremony @kentishceremony

Pub: The Malt Shovel, Dartford, Kent @maltshoveldartf

If you know any suppliers that I have missed, please contact me me as I would love to include their details here.

Need help deciding? See my BLOG below for some more inspiration.

“pandemic noun
plural pandemics
Definition of pandemic
1 : an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area (such as multiple countries or continents) and typically affects a significant proportion of the population : a pandemic outbreak of a disease
a global pandemic
Influenza pandemics seem to strike every few decades and to kill by the million—at least 1m in 1968; perhaps 100m in the “Spanish” flu of 1918-19.
— The Economist”

— https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pandemic

How will Wedding Photography change after 2020? #COVID-19 #stayathome #livethedream #2020

Are you part of our NHS or Emergency Services? Special Offer - see more information here

This might sound like a tough question to answer - because it is - I hope it doesn’t change too much and for too long as I quite liked it as it was. I hope that wedding couples still see the benefit of having good quality wedding photography to look back at in years to come.

“Is having lots of experience and being good at what you do going to be good enough?“

Maybe...

“Do the awards you’ve got help you survive and attract new clients that love your work in the future?”

I hope so…

“Does positivity and belief in yourself help you keep going when it all seems to be for nothing?”

Yes, absolutely… I’ve been coming into the office almost every day since lockdown so that I can stay as focused & keep as positive as possible for when it starts to return back to some normality. Take a look at some lockdown photos i’ve made on my INSTAGRAM page - Macro photography is very interesting and makes you appreciate the little things.

Capturing the humour of a church service with candid moments like this is fun.

So, you have been wanting to get married for a couple of years and finally you book a date with your dream venue, you’ve tried on some beautiful dresses & cool looking suits and chosen your favourite wedding photographer. :) Now it’s time to get all the other pieces of this big wedding jigsaw puzzle in place and try to encourage your Fiance to look a little more interested in the colour of your seat covers you’ve spent £400.00 on.

All the invitations have been sent to your guests and the reliable 80% of them have RSVP’d - YES! Great! - you are now ready to come together for a massive celebration of two people, two families and hundreds of friends, all looking forward to meeting up at the same place on the same day to help celebrate this wonderful couple and special occasion.

Then…

#2020 #COVID-19 #STAYATHOME #NHS #EMERGENCYSERVICES #KEYWORKERS #GOV #FURLOUGH

I mean, who had ever heard of the word ‘Furlough’ before 2020?

Vicar waiting for the bride to get to church for her ceremony.

He will be waiting there a long time I think.

Lets just hope he can have a quiet word with his boss and sort this mess out soon!

It is easy to see how this affects people and our lifestyle. This really has affected everyone in some way. Some people will lose a little and some will lose a lot. Some people and businesses have gained out of it, with the way online usage has changed. Some have helped a little some have helped a lot. There are even those that have tried to gain out of others misery by preying on the weak and vulnerable.

But generally it’s times like these that people shine and stand up & help others. Especially the NHS and Emergency Services. We are all lucky there are people out there like this. I am sure you, like me know someone that works for the NHS or Emergency Services.

A Special Offer to say thank you to them is here.

I have friends and family who work with these great - yet under respected public services.

The Portraits above are some images from my Fire Brigade Project which I started in December, 2018 - I’d love to extend this to all Emergency Services and NHS staff in the future too if I can get access.

Stay focused… now back to weddings

If you are planning a small wedding or even looking to elope; just the two of you - and a photographer, I think going to be able to get married sooner than if you have a large wedding day planned with hundreds of guests. So maybe that is one way that the wedding industry will change in the short term. More people will have smaller weddings I think. Back in 2012, I was asked to photograph a small wedding with only 8 people and although it was very different to what I am used to it was still a lovely day with many opportunities to get some great photographs.

So why not contact me to find out if I am available to photograph your small wedding or elopement.

It will be different, but great fun.

So yes,

Weddings will change.

How?

For how long?

Who knows?

But as a photographer who shoots mainly in a candid, documentary style with the added bonus of some beautiful couple portraits, it’s really about you and your special day more than how many people are there.

Just let them enjoy the photographs!

The Darenth Wedding Photographer - Kent Wedding Photographer

Lucy & Peters’ wedding of December 2019 was my last wedding of 2019 held at The Darenth in Shoreham, Sevenoaks, Kent, UK.

This is one of the venues I am recommended at - The Darenth - I love to work here and know it well.

** See my NHS & Emergency Services special offer here **

• Watch Lucy & Peter’s photo film below - turn the volume up.

PLAY

Lucy & Peter arriving at The Darenth

This wedding feels like a long time ago now due to the lockdown we are currently experiencing.

Strange times!

Lucy’s wedding day started at Tabsfield B&B in Eynsford, Kent, where Lucy, all her bridesmaids and close family were getting ready for her big day. Tabsfield B&B is a great place to start your wedding celebrations. There are lots of rooms with lots of space and beautiful grounds to use and it was close to their Church in Otford and their reception venue - The Darenth.

Below are some of my favourite story telling photographs of them all getting ready.

More candid photographs below from some of my favourite images during the Church service

Documentary, Candid Wedding Photography

All the photographs above were made in a candid, documentary style, telling the story of the wedding day without influencing what they did or when they did it, just watching & anticipating what I thought would happen.

I don’t interfere with how a wedding looks - I try to capture the natural flow and beauty of the day - Nobody likes a bossy photographer!

After the ceremony there is a bit of time for a few group photos of the couples nearest & dearest - which aren’t candid but I do feel they are very important images of people to document during a wedding and should be made in a friendly, happy way to really bring out the personalities of the people in them - some confetti too of course - if allowed - always check with the venue first.

After the vows have been said and the confetti has been left for someone else to clean up we all traveled onto The Darenth for the reception drinks and evening party.

I don’t think the driver liked me or my joke. :)

Before the meal we went outside to shoot some beautiful couple portraits of the Lucy & Peter.

Making candid, documentary photos really makes me happy. But as an experienced portrait photographer I love to make some portraits too - fusing these two styles together in a way that really compliments the candid images. Although these portraits are directed by me I still try to make them as natural as possible and they will blend in perfectly with your wedding album.

Of course there are many couples who do not want to have their portraits made in this way and the whole day can be candid; which for me as an award winning documentary photographer is great too.

To be honest, as long as i’m making portraits I don’t mind if they are candid or directed… I just love photographing weddings and people.

Time for the wedding breakfast and time for me to stop making photos for a while… Well sometimes!

Chef above & waitress below both hard at work during food service

Photographing the speeches can be tricky but enjoyable. You have spent all day with the Best Man and the Father of the Bride and one thing that is always on their mind are their speeches. They can’t think about anything else sometimes which is really interesting and funny to watch.

I get to know a bit more about the couple too with some great stories that are told; positive words of advice, funny stories & some sad ones too.

P - A - R - T - Y…..

If you got to the end of this wedding blog - thanks for reading!

As a thank you for getting to the bottom, if you like and follow me on social media (see links below) book me to photograph your wedding and pass my information on to a friend or relative that you know who may need a wedding photographer too. I will make your very own music slideshow of your wedding as a complimentary gift - like the one of Lucy & Peter’s at the top of this BLOG post - with the code: LUCY&PETERBLOG-MRP - you can see the cost & value of my wedding work using the link HERE.

Fill in the form below inc. the offer code and I’ll look forward to speaking to you about your wedding soon.

Wedding Photographer - Special offer - NHS or Emergency Services?

Are you part of our NHS or Emergency Services?

MULTI AWARD WINNING WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

** Offer extended until 2025 **

Portrait Photography - Retired Firefighter

“Matt is an amazing photographer, from the moment I saw his work I wanted him to photograph our wedding and he didn’t disappoint! Everybody commented how polite, funny and professional he is!
I normally hate having my photos taken but with Matt I couldn’t feel more comfortable! Thank you so much Matt, I’ll say it again you are a legend ❤️. Love Mr & Mrs Freeman xx Ps: Izabella our daughter (6 years) says The Photos are sooo pretty ❤️ Xx”

— Chloe Freeman - 2021 Bride

** SPECIAL OFFER **

As a thank you from me to all our NHS & Emergency Services staff; including both the frontline staff & back office workers, I am offering as part of my Multi Award Winning Wedding Photography Service, some great complimentary products that will help make your wedding even more memorable.

If you are getting married in 2021, 2022 & 2023, now extended to 2024 & 2025 weddings - I am offering you some great complimentary goodies that will go perfectly with your wedding photographs & album.

• I AM NOW EXTENDING THIS OFFER UNTIL 2025!!

Documentary Wedding Photography

Leave your details below and we can chat more about your wedding plans.

Be sure to ask me about the special offer - EXTRA’S PACK.

Many members of my family and all of my immediate family have worked for the NHS and Emergency Services. My dad is a retired firefighter and my mum (now retired) worked for the NHS. So I do understand and know first hand what it is like to have family on the frontline.

• Irregular working hours

• Night shifts

• Interrupted sleep patterns

• Emergency overtime when you have booked a table at your favourite restaurant.

None of these things make it into the news & not many people think twice about it.

Until now…

It is apparent now - more than ever in my life time, due to the COVID-19 virus how much we all rely on these services and the people that are working in them. Without whom we would be in a worse situation right now.

Wedding Portrait - 2019

It is because of our NHS, Emergency Services and lots of other key workers that are keeping this country going that I am able to try and keep my own business ticking along during these hards times.

Pre-shoot at Allington Castle, Kent 2019

So with that in mind I want to do my little bit and say THANK YOU to our NHS & EMERGENCY SERVICES.

I am offering all our NHS & Emergency Services staff; including both the frontline staff & back office workers, a complimentary EXTRAS PACK with every full day wedding coverage;

This includes:

• A beautiful music photo-film

• A wedding Pre-shoot,

• A discounted print box

total value =

£590.00

If you are getting married in the near future and you qualify for this fantastic offer, or you have a colleague that is getting married, please get in touch and you will be able to get Award Winning Wedding Photography with even more value included. Proof of your employment will be needed at booking.

Spectacular view from Guys Hospital, London Bridge, looking over London from the 25th floor - 2019