December 17th was the final wedding of the year for me, and far from it being a cold farewell to 2022, it was more a heart-warming celebration of two very special people joined by their lovely friends and family. Family was very much the emphasis at 100 Barrington in Brixton when Sally and Andrew literally tied the knot, and thoughts were most definitely with two of Andrew’s three sons who weren’t granted a visa for this special occasion.
I started the day with Andrew and his eldest son as they went for a quick trim at the barbershop, before heading back home to break out the ironing board and tackle a couple of shirts. A little while later, I joined Sally and her entourage at The Half Moon in Herne Hill who were preparing for the day with almost vigorous enthusiasm. The atmosphere at both parties summed up how the rest of the day was going to play out. It was going to be an emotional one, and it was going to be a hell of a lot of fun too…
Having left early enough to bag myself a parking spot near 100 Barrington (not something a wedding photographer ever looks forward to on a Saturday in London), I reconnected with Andrew as he awaited the arrival of Sally. Whilst Andrew’s two youngest couldn’t be there in person, the next best thing was set up a live feed to Jamaica with cameras at both ends. That was a very special touch and something that would be a common theme throughout the day.
Trying to put words together to describe the wedding ceremony is not always easy. The first word that came to mind was ‘personal’. Being a multi-faith and non-faith celebration of the coming together of two great people and their families, everyone felt included. The fact that it was not a registrar-led ceremony meant we could delve into the more personal history between S&A. I just love ceremonies like this, ‘going through the motions’ this is not.
Confetti, rum punch, and a steel drum band led us into reception with a heavy Carribean vibe. This continued well into the evening with dinner (can’t beat a goat curry and jerk chicken!) and more music from the second band that kicked off the party.
Dinner and speeches were next up, and there was plenty of emotion and laughter in equal measure.
There is a simple recipe for delivering a great best man’s speech. Be it funny or poignant, if you truly speak from the heart then it will be received exactly as it’s intended to be. Andrew’s son delivered emotion and hilarity in such quantities that I think everyone in the room was instantly caught up in it all. It was a brilliant tribute to both Andrew and Sally and something that will be never forgotten.
After dinner, speeches, and pud we all headed out to the bar whilst the room was prepared for the party. I was expecting the evening to be a lot of fun to photograph, I wasn’t wrong. The very last chapter that I was to capture of the very last wedding of 2022 was a blinder and an awesome way to see out the year.
Thank you for having me along for such a special day Sally and Andrew, and congratulations!
R
