Dress Rehearsal

I’ve recently received a last minute booking for some wedding photography, and luckily for me the venue is quite close to where I live. Amy and James will be getting married at Gateshead Register Office and then having their reception at the Black Horse at Beamish – a lovely rural pub with unspoilt views and lots of quaint features.

Part of my wedding photography service is making sure I research the venues in advance to familiarise myself with the surroundings and hunt out any quirky or unique photo opportunities. So today I set off with my son to have a look round the Black Horse.

My little helper stood in as a model so I could have an idea of where the best spots would be for the couple to pose. It wasn’t the best weather today, but when you’ve got your superhero umbrella you can brave pretty much anything!

He was of course thrilled when we spotted this vintage car garage behind the car park, and I really liked the colour scheme and the leading lines of the windows.

As well as being relatively remote, with nothing to spoil the rural backdrop, The Black Horse has some lovely details that will work out great for wedding photography, such as these beautiful metal stair railings.

I’m also hoping to incorporate the outdoor bar area and these arches, weather permitting!

Having a scouting mission was helpful in not only identifying opportunities, but also to rule certain things out. I find it so much easier to prepare in advance like this, although I’m still open to requests and suggestions on the big day.

It’s quite a challenge to look for backdrops that would suit group shots, and couple shots, when there aren’t actually any people there, but I think this little balcony and staircase could make a great background for a family group.