Being fussy does NOT mean being a Bridezilla / Groomzilla so let's get that out of the mix. Being fussy is knowing what you want (or more importantly what you want when you see it) and searching for the ideal thing. In my case, that means I'm searching for MY ideal wedding couple. Not any wedding couple and not any ideal wedding. MY ideal wedding couple.

I'm as fussy as they can be when it comes to who I want to spend my working day with and spend the next couple of weeks editing photographs of and then the next couple of weeks after that designing the included wedding albums and then spending an hour or so when I deliver your final wedding album.

In short, if I don't like you - you will know within the first 10 mins of our meeting. I'll tell you. I'll save you your time and money and my time. I'll thank you for your tea (and if it's not decaf tea so weak you can see the bottom of the mug with no milk or sugar you are losing points anyway) and leave. If I don't spy a Jaffa Cake or two it's a few points off. If the simple question of "Is Bon Jovi suitable for a dance in the evening?" is met with derision and "NO!" then it's more points off and I'm much more likely to say thanks and leave.

You two, like me, do not want to spend possibly 16 hours with someone you don't like. So If I'm wasting my time...tell me! I won't be offended! I'll still help you find other suppliers, chat about wedding ideas and bridesmaids dresses and suits for the guys and colour schemes for flowers and centrepieces...I just won't be there to photograph your wedding. And I'm really really OK with a "You're not our type".

(have you noticed the points system I use by the way...!!)

My Contact Form - Fuss Free

You'll notice on my wedding photography contact form I have a limited amount of personal info I ask for. I don't want to know everything about you upfront. I want to spend time chatting and getting to know you in person. I don't ask stupid wedding-related questions because at this stage I don't need to know and it's probably against the Data Protection laws anyway. All I need to know is what your date is and where you live.

• I don't want to know your photography budget - if you are getting in touch it's because you can afford my asking price (and run a mile if any contact form asks for your budget...the chances are the wedding photographer will "have a deal currently running that matches also exactly your budget" regardless fo what your budget is.
• I don't want to know where your wedding venue is. It makes not the slightest difference to me.
• I don't want to know how important you think wedding photography is compared to, for example, a Baileys Fountain or a Vodka Ice Sculpture. I'll be able to tell how important photography is to you as soon as I walk into your house or when we first meet.
• I don't want to know who is paying for the wedding. None of my business who pays for what. You are my clients regardless if you get the money from the Bank of Mam & Dad. They have no say in how YOUR wedding pans out with regards to my work.
• I don't need to know your total wedding budget - again, just not interested. I'm not a snob who only goes to "the most expensive weddings daaaaarrrling". I don't have a brag sheet to say I've photographed weddings costing £50,000 and have photographed some Z- list celebrities when I meet other wedding photographers.
• I don't want to know why you are drawn to me. The fact you got in touch means you are. (look into my eyes, not around the eyes but intop the eyes....!!)
• I don't have a "bucket list" of places / .ocations / types of weddings either. If you are in love that's all Im intereste in.

My contact form is fuss-free because you can't beat meeting someone face to face. Zoom / Teams are all well and good but OH MY GOD what a PITA they are to really chat!

I just want to chat with you both about your wedding plans. Simple stuff. Where, how many guests, what time is the service, how many bridesmaids do you have. (Then I fall over laughing when I see your face after telling you it takes an hour per adult female for hair & makeup, and you have 5 bridesmaids, 2 mothers and yourself and are getting married in a church 35 mins away at 11 am in the morning in a dress that needs an expert to tie it up. )

When I'm Being fussy

When I'm fussy is when I meet you. And when I say meet - I mean meet. In-person the old fashioned way. I'll easily drive up to 2 - 3 hours away for an initial meeting. It's THAT important to me.

I use an internal points system to help me gauge how much I would like to photograph your wedding.

Seriously. I do. I'm that fussy. Money is great but not at the expense of a crappy working day due to people I don't like. Life is way to short.

I want to get to know the real you two.

Your likes, dislikes, your sense of humour, your tea (decaf = + points) making skills, your Jaffa Calke buying skills (McVities original please = +points) and your taste in music (Bon Jovi & anything from the 80's = +points). I want to see how much you are in love, how much you talk about each other, how much you want to plan the perfect wedding.

If you drop in things like "I'm / we're influencers and we can pay in exposure" then you lose points, shit loads of them - you are getting nothing from me for free. If you casually drop in your wedding dress is by [nsert some really famous designer] and is costing ££££££££ you lose points. If you talk about the overall budget you lose points. If you talk about how much you like Baileys Fountains and ice sculptures and some band that once performed in X-Factor and have booked those first, you will (probably) lose points.

Talk about mountain climbing, hill walking, dogs walking, wild camping then you'll get points.

Talk about X Factor or Love Island and you lose points.

Got a great sense of humour? Loads of plus points.

Don't like witty sarcastic answers? Mmmm minus points.

Don't want family or group shots? Why did you get in touch in the first place??!!!!

Only want me for a few hours? Chances are if the tea is good I'll finish it and leave. if not I'll just leave. I don't work on an hourly basis as a rule.

I'm sure you will have a list of questions to ask me, and I'm sure you will have some way of "ranking" me against other wedding photographers. I WANT THAT! I LOVE THAT!! I NEED THAT!!!

So BE FUSSY. BE that couple who want to make sure they get the right suppliers.