Month: January 2016

Amy was the photographer in the Cloisters & Parco dei Principi, Sorrento, Italy for Stuart & Laura’s wedding.

Trying to find the words for this blog post is difficult. Stuart and Laura first booked me to photograph their wedding in June 2014. With just 3 days to go, very sadly the wedding had to be postponed. Stuart was having to under-go a series of tests and was not permitted to travel. I soon got word that Stuart had cancer. I received several updates from Laura over the following months saying that Stuart was responding well to treatment and that they were absolutely adamant that the wedding will go ahead in June 2015 – as near to the original date as possible. In fact, the wedding was originally going to be on the 20th June 2014 and was then booked for the 29th June 2015.

I think there were many times throughout the year that neither Stuart nor Laura believed that their wedding was ever going to happen. The road was rocky and obviously there were barriers to break down. However, they were both so strong and determined and made it to Sorrento for a very magical and precious day.

Laura and Stuart both got ready at the hotel where their reception was being held: Hotel Parco dei Principi. A beautiful, lush park surrounds the hotel and it stands in a majestic spot on the rocks over-looking the wonderful bay of Naples. Both ready, it was into the old town and to the Cloisters for the wedding ceremony. Group shots and drinks in the nearby bar then it was time for Stuart, Laura and I to go off into Sorrento old town to take some very special photographs. Stuart struggled a little with the heat and his feet were so puffy but he never once complained and gave me the opportunity to capture some memories for them.

Back to the Parco dei Principi where the atmosphere was electric. Everyone was so happy and Laura had put so much effort into making the day so special – live music was playing, cocktails were being poured, the canapés were delicious, there was a big sweet table for the children. I had the chance to take the couple away again and take some photographs of them in the lovely hotel gardens.

Speeches were especially poignant with perhaps more laughs and more tears and emotion than usual. As I said, the day was magical and I have huge respect for both Laura and Stuart for the organisation (when they had so much more going on!) but also for the ability to relax and make the absolute most of their day under difficult circumstances.

I write this post now as Stuart is laid to rest. Today is Stuart’s funeral as he sadly passed away on the 13th December. It makes me so sad to think that Stuart and Laura never got to experience their first Christmas together as a married couple.

Stuart & Laura’s wedding album is yet to be opened. It was waiting for Stuart to get home from hospital so that he and Laura could enjoy and reminisce about the day together but unfortunately Stuart didn’t make it home. Laura can’t open it yet which is understandable. I only hope that when you do come to open your album Laura that it brings back the joy of the day that the two of you created.

I am not writing captions next to each photograph as I think the images below each tell their own story. Thank you so much to Stuart and to Laura for choosing me to capture their perfect day.