Goodbye twenty sixteen

Twenty Sixteen.  The third year of being a full time wedding photographer.  Having a recap, really, reflection in general, I find a useful practice.  It helps me to look forward more clearly.  Learning, correcting and progressing from what has gone before.  It also reminds me to be grateful.  It's easy to take things for granted.  And for me, I have to make a conscious effort not to do this.  Not to sail through a day, week, month, year even, without reflection.
With every wedding, couple and family that I photograph, I want to remember how grateful I am for the people who help me to do what I do.

In Twenty Sixteen I got to shoot at several wedding venues I had never been to before.  A couple of quirky ones to mention.  Lime Park.  Such a treasure.  I was here in the early spring to photograph Mark & Victoria's wedding.  Festoon lit cobbled streets, bunting, barns & tiny doors.  I loved it.  Adorable venue!  Next, Rossahilly House.  In the summer I travelled here, to the lovely County of Fermanagh, for Graeme & Naomi's wedding.  Set on a hill, overlooking Lower Lough Erne.  It is such a gem.  You have to drive across a runway to reach the house, which totally made me feel like I was in a James Bond movie.  Easily excited.  Graeme & Naomi's wedding is featured as a Real Wedding in my Collections.  You can see their wedding here.

 I love to shoot weddings in Ireland, and this year, there where two standouts for me in the beautiful South.  The first, Ballymagarvey Village.  I travelled here for Niall & Stacey's wedding in the summer.  You have to see this venue to believe how, both, beautiful & vast it is.  An absolute sensation.  Also the first venue where I couldn't find the reception room.  I am not sure if that is a testament to its vastness or my stupidity.  Probably the latter.  I worked alongside the lovely Moon Monkeys Productions at this wedding.  

Then there was Luttrellstown Castle, where the King & Queen of England themselves (David & Victoria Beckham) got married.  I travelled here in the Autumn for Patrick & Nan's wedding.  The driveway leading to the Castle had my mouth ajar.  I was lifting my jaw off the floor by the time I had explored inside.  If by any chance you're on the hunt for a 15th century gothic castle, this is the one.  This wedding is also featured in my Collections.  If you would like to see more, you can do so here.

Twenty Seventeen.  I am ready for you.

But for now.  Goodbye Twenty Sixteen.  

I am very grateful for you.

Esther x