Stoke Place Wedding Photos Featuring Two Brides & Their Dogs
TODAY I would like to share with you this two brides Catherine and Charlotte’s fun and stylish wedding.
They first contacted me via the a gay-friendly wedding Directory, The Gay Wedding Guide a truly wonderful site where I am listed as an alternative and inclusive wedding photographer. They totally support and celebrate the LGBQT+ community.
I am very proud to be listed here as a family and wedding photographer.
The couple and their dog then decided to come to see me in London at the Chosen Wedding Fair in Islington where I was exhibiting. It is not always easy to chat when events like this are on full swing. But I was able to explain in more detail about my wedding photography style and my approach to the day.
A few days later I was happy to receive the email with the request to book me as their wedding photographer.
(You can’t see this but I have a big happy smile on my face)
The engagement photoshoot
We decided that their wedding venue was the perfect place to do the engagement photoshoot, as we would be able to relax and get to know each other better.
The wedding day
It’s a beautiful Saturday at the end of July. The weather is bright but not as roasting hot as the Mediterranean beach. I much prefer the gentle summers now.
Stoke Place is buzzing and the beautiful Scottish piper is playing, there is excitement in the air and the guests are starting to arrive.
We also have many lovely canine guests, amongst them, as well as Codie, Catherine's assistant support dog and loyal family companion.
The couple Catherine and Charlotte have chosen to have a Humanistic ceremony, the lovely and very kind Susan Dobinson was their celebrant, I was particularly touched by her style, her approach is very personal and gentle. I basically cried the whole time. Mine were tears of happiness, I felt part of the guests and family. Everybody was so friendly and welcoming. I couldn’t stop praising Susan for her wonderful way of conducting the day.
This is why I asked her permission to share her script, her way with words is like music, I didn’t want it to stop.
LOVE STORY
Susan’s words
“Standing in front of us, today, we have a very special couple, Catherine, a Canadian with Scottish roots and Charlotte, born and brought up in Britain by a French, South-African mother and an English/Welsh father. As you will hear, there is so much more to them than that brief introduction.
Charlotte and Catherine have been together for five years and have demonstrated their love and commitment to each other in a number of ways. They met in Oxford six years ago at a conference put on by the International Society for the Psychoanalytic Study of Organisations – that is a mouthful! Walking across the lawns from a Book Launch, Charlotte approached Catherine, who was accompanied by her Assistance Dog Crosby, and engaged in conversation. This led to talking over lunch and agreeing to meet up to discuss mutual work interests. The topic of skiing came up. When Charlotte suggested that maybe they should go skiing, as she was looking for a ski buddy, this caught Catherine’s attention. Being an amputee, most people would not make such a proposal but Charlotte did… she did not see disability as an obstacle nor a challenge. Nine months later, they hit the slopes and have never looked back!
It has been an interesting, colourful and enriching – but sometimes quite a negotiation – in getting to know each other. They committed to relating with consideration and this, alongside respect and honesty, have been the values they have built their relationship on. They have made time and efforts to confront emerging hurts and difficulties in order to be able to understand each other and discover ways forward that are comfortable and beneficial for them both.
Part of this approach may have had to do with years of training that the two of them have had at the Tavistock and Portman Clinic, in Hampstead – Charlotte became an influential Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and Catherine specialised in Infant Mental Health and Psychoanalytic approaches within Organisations. As they got to know each other, they discovered shared experiences of tutors, supervisors, and colleagues – it seems that this esteemed institution was the start of their journey towards each other, even before they met!
After the conference, Catherine invited some friends, including Charlotte to an art event at a pop-up restaurant. In the centre of the venue, there was a Grand Piano, but no pianist appeared! After a few rounds of desultory versions of various people playing chop-sticks Charlotte captured Catherine’s attention when she sat down and played her own brand of funky jazz-blues – this impressed Catherine and foreshadowed another awesome moment one year on when Charlotte accompanied Catherine to an OECD Conference held in Memphis Tennessee. They slipped in a visit to Nashville where they visited Studio B. This studio is where Elvis, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison and many more recorded their hits. It is set up as Elvis had liked it: prior to recording he would warm up the band by singing acapella as he played the piano. Catherine asked security if Charlotte could tinkle the ivories... permission was granted; the sound quality was marvellous and Charlotte’s fingers seemed bizarrely alive with the spirit of Elvis. Charlotte appreciated Catherine’s audacity to create the opportunity to commune with the first genius rock and roll icon.
During the early stages of their relationship, there were a number of signs that their relationship would endure. Attending Matthew Bourne’s production of Swan Lake – Crosby dog went along too - she was a big, ballet fan – and during the evening, Catherine was feeling uncomfortable so took off her prosthetic leg. She was reassured that Charlotte was totally unfazed by this.
Catherine’s assistance support dog, Crosby, had been a highly valuable and loyal companion for 15 years. Catherine’s love and respect for Crosby was a special bond that grew during her recovery from her amputation as she learnt how to walk again. This was then nurtured during her busy, professional life that involved much travel and many meetings with Crosby by her side and under the table - often letting people know when she thought the meeting should be over!
Soon after, Charlotte travelled to Australia to visit her daughter Hannah. On her return, Catherine offered to collect her from Heathrow at 5:30 am in the morning which felt very special to Charlotte who began to appreciate the benefits of the Canadian style of looking after friends and family!
The following week, Charlotte joined Catherine and Crosby on a drive up to Rotherham to visit a litter of new-born Labrador puppies; they chose one and named her Codie – our Dog of Honour.
On the way home, they stopped in Bicester to visit the McCullaghs. Christina, decided to show Charlotte photos from Catherine’s twenties. As an important part of her own support network, Catherine was pleased that Charlotte received the McCullagh/Skarbeck family seal of approval – Christina’s telling her that she “really liked Charlotte”. This was further ratified by the head of the Skarbek family, Marys (pronounced Merish) who affectionately named Catherine’s new partner ‘Apple Charlotte’.
Other friends could also see how well matched they were: One friend, who is here today, Janet, knew each of them independently and enquired rather candidly, when Catherine had asked if she knew of Charlotte. “Are you two getting it together? Something about the two of you works.’ Standing here today, she was clearly correct.
The relationship developed at a pace and Catherine invited Charlotte to go skiing with her in Lech, Austria where Catherine skied well enough to keep up with Charlotte and they had a wonderful time together. On their return, time was spent shuttling between their separate homes. Charlotte’s Crouch End home saw lots of canine activity and when some of her precious hand-built ceramics were smashed by an over-enthusiastic wagging tail, Charlotte took it in her stride, never became cross or shouted at Codie and Crosby, and this truly warmed Catherine’s heart.
About a year later, Charlotte suggested that they make a home together. They visited a house for sale which they both loved – its character, space, light … felt completely right for them. Catherine’s beloved Crosby also chose the house, planting herself is what is now Catherine’s office and didn’t want to leave! Crosby spent her last two years of life there – being carried into the beautiful garden when she was no longer able to walk by herself.
The significance of them agreeing to live together cannot be exaggerated: the commitment and legitimacy this established was of great importance to them both.
As they settled into their new home life Charlotte began to fully appreciate the extensive range of Catherine’s talents: such as managing computers and
on-line life; her extraordinary talents for organisation and planning and making things happen and, most notably, Catherine’s admirable capacity for loving consideration and commitment to helping people who are struggling and in crisis.
For both Charlotte and Catherine, to state that their closest friends are considered family and family is very important. Trips to New Zealand, Tasmania, Canada and Australia offered opportunities for them to build relationships with those overseas who are loved and significant. They worked hard on introducing respective friends and family to them as a couple, seeking to create a supportive and loving network.
For Charlotte, the warmth, generosity and interest shown by Catherine’s Canadian and Kiwi network has been an experience of welcome belonging. Today they feel that this effort and engagement has nourished their relationship journey. They hope to continue to take on future adventures, travelling to interesting places in order to explore new horizons.
They both love music from Opera to Rock and everything in between – several trips to WOMAD, with Teresa and Deena, have been inspiring and fun and the Brides’ mutual appreciation for Bruce Springsteen and Joni Mitchell has cemented their relationship!
As a committed couple, the next step was for them to formalise their union. Becoming engaged felt like a pivotal step in bringing the two sides of their lives together. On the twenty-second of September, last year, Charlotte proposed to Catherine. It was a very emotional occasion but there was an immediate sense that this commitment deepened the love and trust of each other: they feel very fortunate to have found each other.
These two amazing women have found love and strength in each other. To have support for their union from those dearest to them has been immeasurably important to them both and they sincerely thank and honour their international family present today. They are on a journey, in step, very much together, as they create adventures and explore the opportunities that align their path.
As with all journeys, there has been learning already as experiences of turbulence can produce moments of harmony, when met with loving intention: as successful, independent individuals, they give each other space but are happiest when together.”
My photographic style
I believe in celebrating originality, diversity and embracing life in all its forms.
Through my photographs, I aim to capture the energy, essence and magic of the people I meet – all the little things along the way that have made you who you are. I want to empower clients to express yourselves – how you feel, what you love, bringing you out of your shell. I’ll help you shake off any fears or worries and empower you to step forwards as yourselves.
There is so much I will treasure of this special day, smiling faces, a stunning venue, delicious food, I kind celebrant, friendly dogs, but mostly I will keep with me the intensity of this beautiful love.
Thank you so much, Catherine and Charlotte for giving me the chance to witness and record your beautiful day, so full of intense energy.
Please, get in touch if you are looking for a gay friendly wedding photographer in London.