The Wallace Collection

Copyright Tom Gold

Google

However, if you are planning a winter wedding you will be pleased to hear that all is not lost. In the seven years that I have been a wedding photographer, I have photographed over three hundred weddings and would say that around one third of those have been shot in less than ideal lighting and weather conditions.

Early on, I discovered that difficult situations often bring out the most creative results. When faced with dimly lit settings, I search out areas usually ignored, being drawn to the shadowy corners that may otherwise have gone unnoticed. Photographers always talk a lot about light, but I find the shadows to be equally as interesting and have developed a style that brings a rich subtlety to the images.

Of course, not all winter weddings start late in the day and when the ceremony begins a little earlier (around 1:00pm) there is also the benefit of  the ‘golden hour’ (aka twilight). This is my very favourite time of day and in winter it can bring the most complimentary and interesting contrast light.

Bad weather is also not as bad as it may seem. With rain comes umbrellas (the quintessential British accessory) and a certain energy that is only caught when people are trying to get from A to B without getting wet. In my experience, it hardly ever rains solidly all day (trust me!), and when it does stop, you’ll find (especially in London) that the streets have been given a shimmering coat of satin varnish, where subtle reflections give the images a new dimension.

Photography tips for winter weddings:

Try to book the ceremony early (to finish just before the twilight hour)

Make the most of the daylight hours by having ‘getting ready’ shots before the ceremony.

The use of candle light can bring amazing warmth to the images (but to have an effect it needs to be done in a big way – more candelabra than tea lights).

Have nice umbrellas on hand for yourselves and guests.

Book Tom Gold to do the photography.

Shepherd Market is a unique and charming little square and piazza developed in 1735-46 by Edward Shepherd. With a rich history and individuality, It comprises a number of small side streets with various boutique shops, restaurants and impressive Victorian pubs. This tiny little enclave is hidden away between Piccadilly and Curzon Street, in the exclusive London borough of Mayfair.

As a wedding photographer, London is always a regular fixture for work throughout the year. However I also cover a great many weddings outside of London, traveling to amazing venues all over the South East and UK, such as this wedding shot at Preston Court in Kent last year. As graphic artists, Laura and Kevin’s creative flair in the planning, made their vintage fairground style event a joy for me to photograph. They absolutely loved the images and much to their delight, so did the editor of Perfect Wedding Magazine, who decided to use them in a six page feature…

Follow @TomGold4

Have been looking forward to getting Donovan to try without the stabilisers for some time, but as with most things involving four year olds I thought it best not to push him into it (no pun intended). Luckily we recently bumped into his friend on the way home from school, who had not only removed his stabilisers, but had even mastered a few impressive stunts! (standing on the saddle and riding one handed among them!) Donovan ran home and demanded we remove the stabilisers immediately and within an hour this was the result. Success! Only a matter of time before he’s doing 180s on the half pipe…

Follow @TomGold4

Men In Waiting is a collection of 47 images taken over the past five years, each showing the moment of anticipation expressed by the groom just as the bride is about to arrive.

I thought I’d start by thanking everyone who recently left independent reviews about my work on Google. The effort that you put into writing them is hugely appreciated and I was really blown away by the amazing feedback that everyone left!

Some of the reviews below:

Laura Purdy – 28 Apr 2011

We were so happy with Tom’s photo’ s – they really added to our fond memories of the day. We were recommended Tom by a friend and he was everything we expected and more. His unobtrusive manner was ideal and he captured very natural moments rather than creating staged set-up shots which are never quite so good. Tom is a very calm person which is just what you need! – and makes everyone feel at ease. I have since recommended Tom and will continue to do so as looking at his portfolio his standard remains consistently high.

Thank you Tom!

Kevin & Laura x

Kate  - 7 Apr 2011

Tom is an absolutely phenomenal photographer, and I’m SO glad that he was a part of our wedding day. From the first time I met him, I felt completely comfortable having him be a part of our special day. Not only is he outrageously talented, but he is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. He made everyone in the wedding feel at ease, and at no point did he get up in people’s faces or invade personal space. The photos he took during the ceremony were stunning, and yet he wasn’t leaping around the altar like I’ve seen some photographers do at other weddings. He was so discreet! Plus, he dressed impeccably in a dark suit, and blended in with our other wedding guests. I hate it when you go to weddings where everyone looks lovely, and the photographer is wearing black pants and a black tshirt, and may as well be wearing a big sign that says “I’m the wedding photographer and I think that black sweatpants make me invisible”. It’s so tacky! Tom looked fabulous, and I think most of our guests thought that he was just another guest who happened to have a big camera! The best thing about Tom Gold is that you don’t have to worry about a thing when it comes to your photographs. He’ll listen to exactly what you want, and then he’ll take photographs that are 100 times better than you imagined. Prior to our wedding I had literally never seen a photograph of myself that I liked, and I was dreading having wedding photos done/. But with Tom behind the camera I ended up loving EVERY one! I knew from his portfolio that I could just relax all day and know that he’d be doing an amazing job. I swear, I cried when I finally saw the photos. Every single person who’s seen them has said that they are the best wedding photographs they’ve EVER seen, and they’re not wrong. I recommend him to everyone I know. Book him now! Thank you Tom, once again, for making the memories of our wedding day absolutely stunning.

You rock!
Kate & Clayton

Becks  - 29 Mar 2011

Having first met Tom when he did my sister’s wedding four years before in London, he was the first and only choice for our big day and we were honoured that he travelled all the way to Somerset for our wedding. Tom is the best blend of friendly, professional, calm and unobtrusive. He helps the day to unfold in a very relaxed and organic way, which is just how it should be when you are floating on cloud nine. He creates photos that are both classic and timeless, whilst being fresh and modern all at once. The only dilemma you will have is choosing which of his stunning photos to frame – what a lovely position to be in!

Thank you Tom.
Becks & James

Gudliev & Isabel - 31 Mar 2011

Living in Norway we had to rely on the web to find a photographer. Once I saw Tom Golds site I hyperventilated until the booking was secured We had only a small wedding with the children, and we are still amazed of how much Tom managed to do with so little… He showed to be a crucial part of our experience. We give him our warmest recommendations!

Georgia and Matt – 30 Mar 2011

We could not have wished for a better photographer for our wedding. Tom had produced sensational images when he did my sister’s wedding the summer before, and entirely lived up to the confidence we put in him. He is extremely discreet, personable and talented. He got fantastic shots of Georgia and I, our wedding, family and friends, and we now have an album to treasure. We were particularly impressed with the results because we had a winter wedding, which we knew made photography much harder because of the low light. Tom managed to get pin sharp images without the use of flash, despite the challenging indoor settings. We could not recommend more highly.

Thank you!
Matt and Georgia

George – 25 Mar 2011

Well all I can say is…SENSATIONAL!!! Tom Gold really did exceed all of our expectations in the beautiful photography he created on our wedding day in August 2010. He managed to capture a flowing motion of the day with elegance and grace, which has given us an unforgettable portfolio of memories that will last a life time! I would definitely recommend Tom Gold if you are looking for inspirational, unique and classy photography that really is in a league of it’s own!

Georgina & Jonny Husband

Charlotte – 25 Mar 2011
We recommend Tom to all our friends! Working in the creative industries ourselves we knew Tom was a great photographer once we saw his work and knew he was the only guy to capture our special day. He was brilliant on the day and took some timeless and beautiful photography which we always feel so proud to show friends and family. We always recommend Tom to anyone we know getting married and love his photos so much that we are getting him back in the Summer to photograph our baby once he/she arrives!

Charlotte & Ned, London

Rumbers – 25 Mar 2011
Tom was the perfect photographer, discreet, fun, and more to the point, gave us a huge number of fabulous photographs to remember the day. If you like candid, reportage style photographs, capturing all the hidden moments as well as the more formal set pieces, Tom’s your man.

Franklyn – 25 Mar 2011
A fantastic wedding photographer! Tom’s photos speak for themselves, they are excellent. He is a wonderful photographer and covered our wedding in December 2009 in Bristol. We were very happy with the results, he has a great eye and is a rare find. I would recommend him to anyone, as a keen amateur photographer myself I was very keen to find someone who could produce beautifully composed photographs. He’s also a very easy to get along with and goes out of his way to get the best shots. He even came down to the venue early to check out the best locations. His prices were reasonable and since he gives you all the images in full, you can easily get copies at your convenience. If you’re getting married and want great photos I’d call Tom every time. (Sadly I’ll only get to use him once!)

Emma Hall  - 29 Mar 2011

Tom is second to none. His work is outstanding and he is a pleasure to have at your wedding! His unobtrusive presence and friendly personality mean that he can bring out the best in people when needed or blend into the background to capture every moment. I have commissioned photographers in my work life and I have worked with some really good ones, so I wasn’t going to settle for anything less than the best for my big day. Tom is the very best and we were all delighted with his work. His attention to detail and determination to capture the best moments does not stop at the end of your wedding day. He puts so much effort into the editing and presentation of your shots. The end result is something to treasure. My advice is don’t get married without Tom!

Emma

Clare & Tony Ashton  - 29 Mar 2011

I have recommended Tom to over 10 friends for their weddings, so think that shows how much we love his work!! I have known Tom for several years and his standards never falter. He can just capture the most special and precious moments in such a quiet way. He puts the most nervous at ease and the final results are stunning. I will continue to recommend Tom and wonder if he will still be shooting if and when our littl’un gets married!! Thanks Tom. We are thrilled you were there for us on our day.

Will  - 28 Mar 2011
Tom is a consummate pro and a joy to work with. His wedding photos perfectly captured not only the details of our day, but also the atmosphere: whenever we look at them – which is often – we are immediately transported back. His reportage style is peerless: there wasn’t a single funny, impromptu or touching moment which he didn’t capture and yet most of the time I wasn’t even aware he’d been there – quite a feat when you consider the dude must be like seven feet tall! I recommend him to friends without reservation and I commend him to you: if your day is even half as special as ours was, you’ll be glad you had Tom there to capture it.

Lauren  - 28 Mar 2011

Tom’s style of photography is reportage and he is truly amazing at capturing a feeling within his pictures. He managed to captured every moment of our wedding day with magical prints that take us straight back to the day when looking back through them.
My only brief to Tom prior to our wedding day was that I’d like a classic photo, with style, that never dates and if he could manage to get just one of those I’d be happy.
Tom exceeded all our expectations as it was so hard to choose a favourite from all the photos he took as they were all so incredible.

Sarah Burr – 26 Mar 2011
The best thing about our wedding (after marrying my hubby of course). Tom Gold is an incredible photographer. Our wedding was the best day of my life and we are so lucky to have chosen him to record the day. I would (and have) recommend him to anyone I knew getting married as he has such a beautiful eye for capturing the special moments of your special day. Not a week has gone by since we were married where I don’t look back at a photo or two and remember the wonderful day we had. I am so glad Tom captured it for us.

My Google Places page can be found here:

Tom Gold – Google Places Reviews

More reviews on my Free Index page can be found here:

Tom Gold – Free Index reviews

Wedding Photographer London – Tom Gold

54 Badlis Road, London E17 5LQ