Lympne Castle Wedding Photographer Matt Rock

A chilly winters wedding at Lympne Castle - Christmas - 2022

Emily and Mike were so friendly it was a pleasure working with them on their big day! Here are some sneak peek photos of their wedding at Lympne Castle.

“Lympne Castle has been providing hospitality to visiting nobles since the 12th century and in itself has a fascinating history stretching back to Roman times; beneath the foundations of the Castle are the remains of Portus Lemanis (the sea came right up to the door 2,000 years ago!) and much of the stone used to construct the original castle and next door church came from here. Nowadays we still pride ourselves in making our guests welcome and with comfortable modern additions, they can now enjoy an unforgettable medieval experience but with 21st century improvements, although some people do claim to have seen the odd ghost still happily going about their business after many centuries.”

— Lympne Castle website

---

Keep reading to find out about a SPECIAL OFFER for our Emergency Services and the NHS…

---

NEW FOR 2023

My couples have really enjoyed receiving their sneak peek photos soon after the wedding day and I’m happy to say I will be including this as standard for all 2023 weddings.

** Due to very positive feedback over the last few weeks I am now offering all finished photos in both COLOUR and BLACK & WHITE **

Now you can decide for yourself the way you want your wedding photos to be printed.

---

Emily & Mikes wedding was a very cold winters day in late November.

Kate, Aimee & the team at Lympne Castle had just finished putting up their Christmas trees and decorations ready for the 2022 festive winter weddings to begin.

My day started with the bride and groom getting ready and this is a fun part of the day for me as there’s always lots of excitement and nervousness in the air.

---

---

---

Before the wedding breakfast starts I always like to make some portraits for the bride and groom. These can be traditional portraits and more natural portraits to compliment the candid photographs I make all day and capturing the wedding as it happens.

---

It’s alway a good idea to have a microphone with the speeches in The Great Hall so everyone can hear what the best man has to say about the groom - but the secrets are safe with me - I never tell…

During the winter months when the dark nights start a lot earlier I like to use strobes (flash) to make the couples portraits. This can often give these winter wedding portraits that little something special.

---

---

See some more weddings from Lympne Castle below - music photo-films -

HIT THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE CENTRE AND TURN THE SOUND UP - aprox: 3 min long.

Anna & Carl - 2022

---

Harriet & Tom - 2022

---

Lucy & Micheal - 2022

---

Drew & Nick - December 2021

---

Amy & Nathan - 2017

---

If you got this far - Thank you for reading and I wish you a very healthy and happy

NEW YEAR!

2023 - here we come!

---

---

Wedding - Lympne Castle - Speak To Kate

Photography by: Matt Rock Photography

You can see another blog from June 2020 - Lympne Castle HERE

The Castle, Westenhanger, Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock

The wedding of Denise & Joe - Westenhanger Castle, Kent - August, 2019

“Hi Matt,

The photos are amazing! We love them all. We have been recommending you left right and centre to everyone who’s looking for a photographer too.

We are glad you had a good day and we have heard nothing but praise for your work from our guests since the wedding.

Thank you and we hope to work with you again in the future.

Joe & Denise ”

— Bride & Groom, Joe and Denise

You may know by now that I am a Kent Wedding Photographer and I love photographing castle weddings. So having been on there preferred supplier list for a few years and having my images featured on their website shows I know this Kent wedding venue well. This is one of my favourite wedding venues in Kent - and maybe the only Kent wedding venue to have a ship in it’s grounds...

The wedding of Denise & Joe was much anticipated and I was looking forward to it ever since they booked me - quite a long time in advance. We first met at an open day they attended at Westenhanger Castle and as the recommended wedding photographer I was there and able to speak with them. We ended up making some portraits that day and got on really well too which is always a good start. I think having a pre-shoot lets you gain a bit more experience being in front of the camera and these portraits can help many couples get used to their photographer too. A lot of us aren’t too keen on having portraits made of us, however couples have always given good feedback and said their pre-shoot helped reduce their nerves and anxiety on the day.

I am a documentary & candid wedding photographer throughout the wedding which is achieved by observing what happens; almost from another wedding guests point of view. I blend in with the wedding rather than controlling it. So this does not involve me telling anyone where to stand, what to do or anything else that interrupts the natural feel and pace of a wedding day. These photos will make up 85% - 90% of my work during the wedding but most couples are still keen to spend 15 minutes or so making some beautiful, natural looking portraits to compliment the candid style for their wedding album. Plus the fact that I am a portrait photographer means I’m a bit biased when it comes to shooting these, as I love to make portraits.

The day started as many weddings at the Castle, Westenhanger do.

With Champagne!

The weather was perfect too and since the day before was very wet, I wasn’t expecting the sun to shine.

But not a spot of rain was seem.

Bride preparations always seem to start with something fizzy. At Westenhanger Castle the prep is held within the large room upstairs in the main building. I say large room but I really mean 3 large rooms. Denise and her girls had use of all 3 rooms so her and her bridesmaids could have their hair & make up done in one room, the food was laid out in another and the 3rd room can be used as the dressing room or you can relax on the large double bed whilst you wait for your turn.

This all happens upstairs whilst downstairs is another of the great castle rooms which is often used for when the boys turn up. They can make themselves look as beautiful as the girls do - and never the two will meet - until it’s time to get married of course! Wedding photographs of the boys getting ready is often missed but when your wedding venue is set up like this one it means I can move from one room to the other quite easily to get those candid moments no-one else notices - but the ones we love to look back on. Oh and if you make sure you ask a barber to be one of your ushers you can pick up some good deals on the perfect hair do too.

Now the bride is almost ready, it’s time for the father-of-the-bride to come and see his little girl in her wedding dress for the first time… This can be a great time for those candid photos with lots of emotion.

Portrait - Bride with Flowers

After her Dad has had a moment with his daughter it’s time to walk her down the aisle and get married, so it’s off to the ceremony where all her guests are waiting. Westenhanger Castle has different options when it comes to ceremony rooms and an outside space too. Denise & Joe’s wedding ceremony was inside the main building. Which has a dark, atmospheric vibe with light pouring in through the windows to give us some beautiful photos.

After they had their ceremony, the confetti was thrown high in the air and the congratulations, hugs and kisses had started, there was a little spare time for the couple and their guests to have a drink, a little catch up and for the best men to go over their speeches for the 10th time. Before the wedding breakfast couples often want to spend a short time making some portraits. This can give them a little time together and a little chill time - Portraits are only about 15 minutes or so and before they know it we are heading back in for the speeches.

For me as soon as the couples portraits are done, I go back to candidly capturing the wedding again. It’s also the time of the day when everyone eats, drinks, gets entertained by the the speeches and the cake cutting.

There was also an impromptu game of Mr & Mrs! It’s funny what you find out about your clients…

   P  A  R  T  Y    

T  I  M  E

What a lovely Kent wedding, spent with friendly guests in a beautiful Kent wedding venue with perfect weather too.

PHOTO-FILM

Hit the play button in the middle to watch Denise & Joe’s - Photo-Film below.

Photo-films below - To see another wedding at The Castle, Westenhanger press play on this images below and turn the music up.

Wedding below was in 2017

Another photo-film from 2018 below - press the play icon and turn the music up.

Hit the play button in the middle to watch another wedding from Westenhanger Castle - August 2018

View the wedding blog of Kayleigh & Jack - Westenhanger Castle - September 2017 BLOG

If you would like to book me to photograph your wedding with creatively candid, natural, photographs that document your big day and maybe some beautiful couple portraits too, please get in touch HERE. I am a Kent wedding photographer however I am available to work all over the UK and I’d love to work on my first European wedding in the near future too.

Are you looking to book your wedding?

VENUE: The Castle, Westenhanger a call - details HERE

CATERING: NOSH mobile catering - details HERE - I tried the SPICY LAMB BURGER which was very - very - tasty…

IF YOU RECOGNISE ANY SUPPLIERS INVOLVED THAT I HAVE NOT MENTIONED, PLEASE DO CONTACT ME SO I CAN INCLUDE THEIR LINK ABOVE. 

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

Twilight Wedding by Rowhill Grange Wedding Photographer

Natalie & Jason’s beautiful late November wedding day at Rowhill Grange - November 2019 - Wedding photos by: Matt Rock Photography

The Clockhouse & Thatchers Loft, Rowhill Grange, Dartford, Kent

With lots of Autumn colours still falling from the trees, Natalie & Jason’s twilight Kent wedding in late November was a beautifully sunny & dry day. I love days like this when it’s cold with bright blue sky. I knew this was going to be a very relaxed day without any fuss. Because, when we met up to discuss the details of their day Natalie & Jason had already said they wanted a relaxed wedding day with natural, candid photos to look back on in their wedding album - No posing required here...

There was lots going on when I arrived at Rowhill Grange that afternoon. I was greeted with big smiles from the bride and her mum at the Thatchers loft suite in The Clockhouse.

Bride prep for a twilight wedding is always much later than normal and it felt like everyone was ready for a great afternoon wedding and a big party in the evening.

The champagne had already been popped a few times I think - the shots weren’t going to be far behind! It was the afternoon after-all.

By now, Jason and his sons had arrived downstairs, ready to welcome more guests to the The Clockhouse bar. Having the two areas close by I can move easily and quickly from the Bride to the Groom to capture both the girls getting ready and the boys greeting guests arriving and getting the last minute plans finalised.

After a few more drinks all the girls start to get ready and that is normally my time to go elsewhere for a few moments. Although sometimes venues, like at Rowhill Grange have a good area for changing, so I don’t need to go far and can still document the wedding as though I am one of the guests, and not be that ‘official’ photographer who gets in the way and barks orders at everyone... Nobody likes those photographers.

One for the road - what’s the worst that can happen?

She didn’t like that!

You can watch a short photo-film below - just press the PLAY tab in the middle & turn the volume up - there’s music too!

Once Natalie, was ready to come down, Jason & all the guests were safely ushered into the ceremony room.

- It was time for the Father-of-the-Bride to see his little girl -

This is the point at which I always imagine seeing my own little girl - who is currently only 4 years old, so plenty of time to save - in her wedding dress on her special day. So I can understand how this guy must be feeling at this point - you can even see a tear in his eye when I made this portrait, just moments before Natalie came down the stairs to see him. When I spoke to him, he seemed a little nervous but very excited to be walking his daughter down the aisle.

Once the ceremony was over and being a twilight wedding in late November, it was already dark outside which meant everyone stayed indoors to greet Natalie & Jason and congratulate them on getting married. There were lots of guests and lots of cuddles! This part of the wedding is all about capturing the guests, the laughter, the conversations, the hugs, the fights!?

No, not really. I’ve never had any fights break out at one of my weddings - yet.

Almost time for the Speeches - I love the build up to the wedding speeches and it tends to start early in the day when the best man and Groom are having lots of banter with each other trying to make the other one more nervous as the day goes on. Listening to the speeches often brings out some funny one-liners which make me laugh or an emotional story or two which can often make for great candid photos of the guests reacting to the stories. There weren’t any speeches planned for Natalie & Jason, just a few words of thanks, so I knew these speeches were going to be less formal than others. But in the end they were longer than expected and quite emotional for the people involved - as an experienced wedding photographer I am used to not having too much of a plan because weddings can and often do change throughout the day. With friends, family and a microphone the combination often brings out the emotional side to people and at times like this, if things need to be said to close loved ones - say them.

Images wise, I like to get in close for these shots - almost like a guest at the table - you can get a sense that you, as the viewer, are there in the room and even sitting at the table all over again.

Remember that at a wedding you will only get to see what happens from your perspective. So getting candid, documentary style photos from an experienced photographer can mean you see your wedding day in a totally different way from a totally different angle and these will be memories you will share for a long time, way into the future.

With all the speeches finished, the tears dried and the cake cut, the room has to have a quick tidy-up & turn around. So there’s time for a few more drinks at the bar and the kids can play outside whilst the band and the DJ’s; The Award Winning Discologic can set up their equipment. Then, it’s time for the the newly married couple to have their first dance as husband and wife.

Then the time that everyone has been waiting for…

P - A - R - T - Y

T - I - M - E

The Clockhouse & Thatchers Loft, Rowhill Grange, Dartford, Kent

If you would like to book me to photograph your wedding with creatively candid, natural, photographs that document your big day and maybe some beautiful couple portraits too, please get in touch HERE. I am a Kent wedding photographer however I am available to work all over the UK and I’d love to work on my first European wedding in the near future too.

Useful supplier links below:

Venue: Rowhill Grange - Wedding Dress: Ring O Roses - Suits: Bespoke & Tailoring -

Bridesmaids Dresses: Lipsy - Singer & Band: Jayne Snow - Flowers: Forever Flowers By Em -

DJ: The Award Winning Discologic - Cake: Belles Bakery - Wedding photos: Matt Rock Photography

To see more of my work please take a click HERE - To see more information about prices, my style and some of your questions answered - click HERE

BEAUTIFUL - CREATIVE - TIMELESS

English Castle - Lympne Castle Wedding Photographer - Kent - UK

As a Kent wedding photographer I was lucky to be asked if I would be part of Lympne Castle as a recommended photographer. I’m proud to be part of this wonderful Kent wedding venue. From a photographers perspective there are so many opportunities to photograph a wedding here. Candidly capturing those otherwise unseen moments between you and your guests. It really is a pleasure to work here as a photographer. Aimee and the team will look after you from start to finish.

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

Lympne Castle, Kent, UK

English Castle Weddings

Aimee - 01303 261666 / 01303 267571
aimee@lympnecastle.com

Lympne Castle has been providing hospitality to nobles since the 12th century and Situated in the beautiful village of Lympne, Kent.

This Medieval castle should be considered for your Kent wedding. It’s somewhere that I’m very comfortable working at. There are so many great photo opportunities and lots of space for you to explore. Plus if the weather is not on your side the light coming into the dark panelled rooms works so well for the candid, natural images I like to make.

• Press PLAY below to see a short photo film to music - turn the sound up too.

From the first time you walk down the drive to the castle entrance you get the feel of being in another time in British history.

If you prefer a Church service there is a beautiful one next door to Lympne Castle

• Another Beautiful Photo Film below - PLAY & turn the music up…

If the weather is on your side the courtyard and gardens are a great place to have a glass of fizz whilst chatting to your guests and enjoying the views that many wedding venues can only dream of. Aimee & the team will always be there to help.

For the bride who wants to keep it all in one place; getting ready, wedding ceremony, champagne reception, wedding breakfast and the party, this could be perfect.

For your bridal preparations, do you use the cottages or the castle? The choice is yours…

These rooms are perfect for those natural, candid photos that you will look back on whilst you show your children and grandchildren.

Lympne Castle has lots of space and could cater for those large weddings but just as easily for the smaller ones too.

• You REALLY should consider this Medieval castle for your wedding

Since lockdown started on 23rd March 2020 - COVID-19 - has been disrupting our industry and we may be seeing more & more smaller weddings in the future. I can imagine a more intimate wedding at Lympne Castle would be just as beautiful and really bring together the most important people in your life along with a cosy fire place and maybe a wedding singalong or two. I have photographed many weddings at Lympne Castle and I can’t wait to get back there once we have all settled down to some kind of normal again and the wedding industry is back on track.

I personally feel this beautiful, old English Castle in Kent, UK has so much character and will bring the wow factor to your wedding. I have so much fun working here and you will not regret adding this to your list of wedding venues. Contact Aimee to make your appointment.

• Hit the PLAY button to see this photo film below - turn the sound up too.

SPECIAL OFFER

Like and share my Social Media pages below

How do you choose your wedding photographer? →

Congratulations on your engagement

Finding the right wedding photographer can be hard and as soon as you start looking for venues you may be looking for your photographer too - there are lots of us out there...

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

How & when do you choose your wedding photographer

Me on a roof - photo credit: Colin Lavery

A great place to start is by sending them an enquiry form like the one below

Give them a ring…

My mobile number: 07970 668592

Or you could start by looking at their portfolio of images.

Websites, music slideshows photo films & social media posts are a great way to get an idea of style, quality and consistency of their work. I am an experienced wedding photographer based in Kent & I photographed my first wedding, which was an Essex wedding back in 2006 as an un-paid assistant.

Yes, get the violins out…

Fast forward 14 years, 2 Photographer of the Year Wedding Awards, (2019 and 2020) and hundreds of weddings under my belt and here we are.

Photographer of the Year - 2019

Kent, UK

Natural Wedding Photographer 2019 / 2020

Most of my couples tend to book me around 9 to 18 months before the wedding day. Some prefer to book 2 years or more in advance and some just a few months before.

Personally, I would recommend securing your wedding photographer as soon as you have found the one who’s work you love, so as not to be disappointed.

This is usually done by paying a booking fee to secure the date - remember to get a receipt for any money you spend and check the photographer has adequate business insurance too.

Website & Social media

Website: https://www.mattrockphotography.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattrockprophoto/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattRockPhotography/

A little side-note about this year...

2020 was going to be my busiest year for weddings since I started my photography business in 2006 - 14 years ago & the year 'Matt Rock Photography' was born.

Then the words COVID-19 started to infect our vocabulary, our ears and our country - Even the prime Minister, Bori Johnson caught it.

This is a very sad and scary time for many of us and a very busy time for others. Especially our NHS, Emergency Services & key workers. I have been lucky to stay safe with my family, which i'm thankful for; home schooling the kids, helping out other members of my family where I can and exercising in the garden too of course.

From a business point of view, it's been hard... The negative potential of this for my wife and I isn’t worth thinking about as we are both self employed. My wife’s business is in fitness & Yoga is an industry that has been affected really bad too. But we can't control it and the worst thing anyone can do is panic - so we carry on like everyone else and improve.

However, currently as of 30th April 2020, 50% of my couples this year have had their weddings moved to later in the year, re-booked to 2021 and of course there has been a couple of cancelations too. But I try to help out & find alternatives. The key to survival for me is that we all help each other out during this difficult time. We can all try to agree on a new wedding dates if needed and I will not be charging any fees to re-arrange wedding dates either. Working together will help everyone and we will get through it at some point in the future.

So, on that note, you must also make sure to look at wedding insurance and what it can offer you if the worst happens.

---

2020 is almost fully booked as there won’t be many dates left when we get back in to the swing of things.

2021 is looking busy too, so book early if you can. I think there will be more weddings coming over from many of the 2020 cancelations & postponements too.

When you have booked your photographer always get a receipt to prove what you have paid & get a signed contract too.

Wedding ceremony at the beautiful - St. Augustines, Westgate-on-sea, Kent

A couple of other ways that may help you choose your photographer are:

IS THERE CONSISTENCY IN THE PHOTOGRAPHERS WORK

Remember, your wedding will be completely different to any examples you see online - it’s your wedding after all. So when you look at a photographers portfolio you may not know the people in the photographs, but even someone else’s photographs can bring out that emotion that makes you want to ask what were they doing? How were they feeling? And why? So ask to look at galleries of whole weddings; start to finish. Are they consistent? Or do they look as if two or three photographers have done the job?

YOUR BUDGET

This is important too of course and only you know the answer to this question.

I have set fees which can also be tailored to your specific day and will cover most weddings which you can see here. You can book a full day - coverage only, or if you want to included a photo-book or an album, you can. There is also the option to have a midweek wedding coverage.

I work with a great wedding album lab that produces the very highest quality books and albums for which I design. The perfect way to show the kids and grandkids how great you looked ‘back then.’

RECOMMENDATIONS 

Did the photographer come recommended: by a friend, relative or venue?

I get recommended from previous clients who’s weddings I have shot and this year I am booked in to shoot my 7th wedding all from the same family from back in 2015. As well as that, being on the recommended list at seven wonderful Kent wedding venues is great too. I have been recommended by the staff at a venue called Southend Barns in Chichester (near Bognor Regis) after shooting there for the first time in 2016 - Beautiful venue and really friendly staff - see some photos below from 2018.

Southend Barns, Chichester - https://southendbarns.co.uk/weddings/ - 01243 641247

Finding your photographer from the suppliers list of a wedding venue is a great way to start. Even if the wedding is in another part of the country.

Matt Rock Photography can easily travel throughout the UK and Europe.  

CHAT TO YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER  

I often discuss the details of my clients wedding with them over a coffee or on the phone before they book. However when my name has come from a recommendation they will often secure the date after just a couple of emails which is great too.

Then I send out the contract, day plan and a list of other information I need.  

PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE

Make sure your photographer has enough professional insurance as most venues will need a certain level of cover to allow someone to work at the venue.

You can request to see my insurance details at any time - I’ll be happy to forward the information to you or send it direct to your venue.

The socials…

Website: https://www.mattrockphotography.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattRockPhotography/ -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattrockprophoto/

MULTI AWARD WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER

Kent wedding Photographer of the year 2019

LTG Natural Photographer of the Year 2019 / 2020    

Good luck searching for your photographer

t: 07970 668592 - e: matt@mattrockphotography.com - w: www.mattrockphotography.com

To see my first ever BLOG dedicated to the NHS & Emergency Services click here.

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