Sneha and I have been friends since we were kids, growing up together in the same church. On a church camping trip, we ended up spending a lot of time together organising games for the kids and helping out. Somewhere between the laughter and shared moments, we began to see each other as more than just friends. When we started dating, it didn’t take long for me to realise she was the one. Just three weeks in, my birthday was coming up, and Sneha surprised me with a handmade scratch-off poster of a Bollywood film for us to watch together. I only mentioned the idea in passing, but she had spent hours making it. That simple, thoughtful gesture captured who she is: attentive, caring and always willing to go the extra mile in everything she does. It’s just one of many moments that made me fall in love with her.

Sneha has a gift for making special moments extra special, whether it’s staying up all night to bake and decorate a cake for her nephew’s birthday or planning the perfect getaway for her mum’s 50th. So when I decided to propose, I wanted to give her a night and day with the same love and care she provides. With help from my friend Amir, I recreated our first date, filling my living room with balloons, candles and flowers. We’re definitely not as good at decorating as she is: at one point, the helium tank spun uncontrollably around the rooms while we dived for cover, surrounded by popped balloons and chaos! Thankfully, she loved the finished product.

The next day, on our anniversary, I took her to brunch and then to Chatsworth House and gardens. After a lovely day, we walked down to a quiet spot by the river, which Amir, my brother Nathan, Sneha’s best friend Aneesha, and I had scouted beforehand. Amir had even driven all the way from Manchester to set up the spot beautifully, complete with a rose vine and white cloths, while our amazing photographer posed nearby, pretending to take scenic photos. When we reached the spot, the moment was emotional and magical, a little too much actually, as Sneha started crying and I forgot most of my speech. I must have said enough of the right things, because she said yes!

I am so grateful to my mum, dad, brothers and my friends who helped me in every way to make this moment so memorable. Proposing to Sneha was one of the happiest experiences of my life, and I feel incredibly blessed to be marrying such an incredible woman.

Absolutely Amazing! Priti photographed my proposal, and we honestly couldn’t have asked for a better experience. From the very beginning, she was fantastic, great at communicating, helpful in the planning stages, and so lovely to work with. On the day, she was incredibly smooth and discreet, managing to stay hidden until the perfect moment. She captured every emotion beautifully and then took so many stunning photos afterwards, making us feel completely comfortable in front of the camera. I’d 100% recommend Priti to anyone looking for a photographer. Thank you so much, Priti, for making such a special day even more unforgettable! Jacob’s Google review for Priti Shikotra Photography

Your next read!

How to plan a surprise proposal with a photographer and still keep it real

The post Sneha & Jacob’s emotional, magical proposal at Chatsworth, with Priti Shikotra Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

In a nutshell, having an engagement photoshoot, or a pre wedding photoshoot, breaks down any tensions you have about being in front of the camera, and helps you and your photographer get to know one another.

Perhaps only one of you has really been responsible for booking your wedding photography, and has had a few back and forth emails with your photographer. I’m guessing you might also follow them on insta, and perhaps you’ve done a deep dive and read their ‘about me’ posts from the last three years. (Well done you!) Your partner might not be as familiar with them – but if you spend a little time together with your photographer, both of you will feel like you’re with a friend on your wedding day – and that’s SO important. You’ll relax more, which will help make your photos look amazing – and you’ll enjoy the day even more if you’re not worrying about the pictures!

I had a little email chat with one of English Wedding’s lovely members, Manchester wedding photographer Priti Shikotra. Priti told me, “Engagement sessions are such a fun & relaxed way for couples to get comfortable in front of the camera, but also a great time for myself to get to know the couple better!”

“The sessions are very much a collaborative process between myself & the couple. If they want to have the session at a gorgeous location in a nature setting I’ll get my scout on for a location! If they want a more urban aesthetic to the session I’ll guide them to locations that suit that aesthetic.”

If you book an engagement photoshoot – and please do, if you can! – do ask your photographer for advice about anything you’re not sure of, from locations to what to bring – if you’d like advice, even what to wear!

Priti says, “where needed, I can recommend outfits too as styling an engagement session somewhat helps create stronger images. The couples get to know how I work on the wedding day if they have also booked me for a wedding & if it’s a one off session like Barti & Kartik’s then it’s still a great way for them to get comfy in front of the lens ahead of their wedding.”

We’ve included some of the gorgeous photos from Barti and Kartik’s engagement photoshoot with Priti.

“We really enjoyed getting the engagement shoot done prior to the wedding, partially to experience getting photos taken prior to the big day, and also to help with the wedding preparations.

We are going to use them for wedding invitations (e-invites) and also for decoration purposes. We met in the UK so were wanting to have one done here to share it with family and friends back home in Malaysia. The shoot was really fun and relaxed, and we were at ease the whole time.” ~ Barti & Kartik

Thank you to Priti Shikotra Photography for sharing her advice and these gorgeous photos with us today, and huge thanks to Barti & Kartik for such a lovely review and these stunning engagement shoot images!

https://www.pritishikotraweddings.com

The post How an engagement shoot can boost your confidence and stamp out pre wedding nerves! appeared first on English Wedding.

Top of my list for magical pre-wedding adventures is a couple photoshoot / engagement shoot. I’d explain why I love these so much, but I think Josh and Onyinye will cover it pretty well without me having to say a single word! Their images are stunningly beautiful, full of heart and wonderfully romantic. If you ever wondered whether an engagement photoshoot was a good idea… I think this stunning pair offer a resounding YES in every single image.

Huge thanks to lovely Katie at Clearly Wild Photography for sending their pics in to English Wedding, and to Onyinye and Josh for letting us share them! (Scroll ALL the way down for a lovely image of these two NEWLYWEDS right at the end!)

Words by Katie – Clearly Wild Photography

Onyinye and Josh met in 2018, but she firmly friend-zoned him, until 2020 when they started dating.

Josh proposed in March 2022 and they began planning their big day shortly after. They felt very strongly about having a storytelling element to both their wedding day and in their couple portraits.

We discussed an engagement shoot, which they loved the idea of, however we were initially under a tight timeline so I suggested completing the engagement shoot after the wedding day. We were able to organise the ‘engagement session’ for the evening after the wedding, which was so wonderful. They were both on such a high from the wedding day, and were completely wrapped up in that newly wed bubble, it made it incredibly easy to capture the love and excitement they had for each other.

This also meant that we were at the freedom to decide where and when their couple portraits were taken, they could stay with their guests on the wedding day, and then venture to a local beach at sunset the following evening.

We spent the most glorious few hours, reminiscing on the day before, strolling through the sand dunes and running into waves, it was wonderfully romantic.

…and the newlyweds!

Congratulations you two! You’re amazing!

The post Onyinye & Josh’s beautiful beach engagement photoshoot, with Clearly Wild Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Gorgeous couple Katia and John describe themselves as a crazy couple who love to have fun and laugh a lot together. They met in a restaurant by accident, due to a mix up of the bills, and from the moment they laid eyes on each other, they became inseparable. Their love shines from these photos – everything about them is beautiful.

This is an engagement photo session with lovely Eva Tarnok, but it could just as easily be an elopement. We love to feature both on English Wedding, so if you’re a couple and you’d like to be featured please email – contactenglishwedding@gmail.com

As a London wedding photographer, I photograph a lot of engagements, still Katia and John’s elegant and romantic engagement shoot by St Pauls Cathedral felt very special. What made it stand out for me was a playful and intense connection between them which was a joy to witness and capture. I met Katia and John in Central London an early morning, when the streets were still quiet, and the light was lovely and soft. It was a fun, organic and unscripted engagement shoot and Katia and John’s personality and their deep connection and love for each other certainly shines through the images.

~ Eva Tarnok Photography

The post Katia & John’s elegant engagement shoot by St Paul’s Cathedral appeared first on English Wedding.

Most of all, right now, engagement photoshoots are a chance to get outside, spend a little quality time together and treat yourselves to a lovely day out – and some fantastic images I promise you will treasure for ever! (They make a lovely gift for your other half as well, by the way…)

Ed, Tawonga – I hope you have a wonderful wedding in July, and I can’t wait to see photos when you’ve said your I dos! 

“Ed and I had met in passing a few times before we went on our first ever date. A mutual friend suggested setting us up and while we both agreed to it, we were also a little nervous having no idea how this would go! We had agreed to meet mid-afternoon on a Sunday. Coincidentally, we bumped into each other a few hours before and decided to just bring our date forward. Our first date was a few days after Valentines and we haven’t looked back ever since. We made a lot more effort for our second date!

We got engaged in between lockdowns so our engagement shoot was a special way to mark the occasion. Hannah was recommended to us through friends and so we booked a date with her and hoped for decent weather. On the day we finally had our shoot, we were blessed with a perfect evening of sunshine with hints of autumn just starting to show. The shoot itself (once we eased into it!) was a great and fairly laid back experience. Hannah gave us direction where we needed it and we knew right away that we would book her for our wedding! We got some amazing shots that we will cherish forever.

Given the uncertain times we find ourselves in, our hope is that we’ll get married in July! As we don’t know how things will unfold, we’re simply taking every day as it comes and keeping positive. We dream of an outdoorsy summer wedding with great weather, lots of food and most importantly, that we can have our friends and family there with us.”

If you’re considering an engagement shoot and want to know more, try our recommended reading!

Seven genuine reasons why engagement shoots are brilliant

Why you should have an engagement shoot, and how to make it amazing!

The post Real love stories: Tawonga & Ed. Photography by Hannah K Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

These two met 15 years ago, parted ways and then got back together a couple of years back. This photo shoot was to celebrate their engagement – and I love how it captures them as a couple: not posed, just natural, in their element and wonderfully, infectiously happy together! (Also – fur babies on engagement shoots is a must. Just saying…)

Whenever I share an engagement shoot I’m bursting to say: do this. Just book one. Now. They’re a brilliant way to get to know your photographer, to relax in front of the camera (so it won’t be such a big deal at your wedding) and to get gorgeous, real life memories captured forever.

Thanks to Ruth & Liz for rocking your pre-wedding photo session, and to lovely Hannah Timm Photography for sharing these beautiful images with us.

Have a great weekend!

“We met each other about 15 years ago back in our home town in Devon. After briefly dating back then, we both went our separate ways and got back in contact with each other in 2018.

We found our shoot with Hannah so much fun! Despite both of us hating having our photos taken, Hannah made us feel so at ease! She has a wonderful way of capturing the moments that are the most special between you as a couple.

Our wedding will be just a lovely relaxed affair with all our special friends and family who are a constant support to us as a couple. We are both already really excited to see what Hannah photographs on the day!”

The post A back to nature, woodland engagement shoot – Ruth & Liz, with Hannah Timm Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Joshua & Dean made me realise this all the more. It’s not the styling touches from weddings that brought me here. It’s the love I get to see in my inbox every single day. It’s that special glow a person has when they’re with their soulmate. And no matter what we’ve been through, love carries us and holds us and helps us to learn and grow. I don’t doubt the past year has made many couples stronger; postponing weddings and scaling down guest lists means we’ve all had to focus on what’s really important, and that’s being together, making a commitment, and planning for our forevers.

Today’s engagement shoot with Joab Smith Photography makes me long to be out on the hills at sunset (yes, preferably with a bottle of fizz and a pizza!) – it’s as romantic as can be. I recommend engagement shoots to our readers every time I publish one: they’re the best chance to really get to know your photographer and how they work, to learn how to relax in front of the camera, and when we no longer have to stay at home, to have some romantic time out in the countryside together. I think we’re all ready for that?

Huge thanks to our gorgeous couple Joshua & Dean for allowing us to feature their epic engagement shoot, and to Joab for sharing his photographs with us today. I hope they make you as happy as they’ve made me!

The post Joshua & Dean’s Malvern hills engagement shoot, with Joab Smith Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Akinwale planned everything perfectly, with London proposal photographer Matt Badenoch ready and waiting to capture the moment. Afterwards they had a stroll around the city for some more beautiful photos to celebrate their engagement!

Oluwaseun is my dream woman. She has an unimaginably deep recess of kindness and love. While I was planning the surprise proposal, my biggest challenge was keeping it a secret from her. That’s because we have grown to share most things with each other.

I’m glad it turned out so beautifully well. She was quite astonished and even looked more beautiful than ever as she said Yes! Thankfully, Matt was hiding in the background taking magical photos of those precious moments.

~ Akinwale

Akinwale’s proposal felt surreal, it still does. I love surprises, so the fact that it was a surprise was a very sweet icing on the cake! It was a perfect proposal for me because Akinwale was so thoughtful and he had actually ensured that all the little things that mattered to me were present, while at the same time ensuring that I had no clue what was going to happen.

Asking me to marry him in a city we both love and in one of my favourite places in London was so quite a romantic thing to do. The fact that the proposal was on a date that was important to the both of us made it an emotional one for me. The added surprise of having a very talented photographer capture our beautiful moment, as well as the sizzling photoshoot thereafter made me so happy, as he knows how I do love to keep memories like tin pictures.

I am so happy the future I looked forward to is finally here. I cannot wait to marry this man.

~ Oluwaseun

All images are by London wedding photographer Matt Badenoch

Oluwaseun and Akinwale’s romantic London proposal

The happy couple’s engagement photoshoot around the city of London

The post Akinwale & Oluwaseun’s dream proposal in London, captured on camera by Matt Badenoch Photography appeared first on English Wedding.