2020 - Unprecedented

Unprecedented

/ʌnˈprɛsɪdɛntɪd/

adjective

never done or known before.

2020, where do we start?

In previous years my annual round-up often opens with a line like, “What A Year!”. On each occasion, this has been a fitting expression of the year I’ve had as a wedding photographer, but I guess if I’m totally honest, an expression that only has direct relevance to those who were part of it. The couples, the guests, the suppliers, we all knew what a good year it was. Anyone else reading may just see it as a positive and exuberant strapline. However, when we talk about 2020 and someone uses the phrase “What A Year”, every person on the planet probably has some sort of instant connection and emotion. A year like no other in our lifetime; an arguably negative and stationary blip on the human history timeline. It truly has been: Unprecedented.

Instead of attending 32 full day weddings celebrations, I managed to capture and be a part of just 8. However, those 8 celebrations will forever be close to my heart and truly special to me. At every wedding I felt like I was a guest; such privilege just to be there. I could go on about the negatives, the postponements and the social distancing making events like these nearly impossible to plan or enjoy. Instead, I’d rather celebrate what happened and what is actually possible when love is involved. Watching a world-class fireworks display in the middle of a storm. Listening to speeches as they crossed multiple time zones. Witnessing one couple’s sheer determination and triumph as they moved their entire wedding within a week so that numbers didn’t have to be compromised. All these things and more showed me the power that is accessible when love is involved and it is genuinely inspiring.

To be able to capture moments at each of these weddings really lifted my spirits throughout this tough year. Then, to elevate them even further, in November I was awarded the incredible title of Wedding Photographer of the Year 2021 for Yorkshire and the N.East by The Wedding Industry Awards. This is a wedding awards system which is praised for its uniqueness in that the judging and assessment are based not only on the opinions of industry professionals but also on the feedback from actual couples. As the number of weddings taking place this year was considerably less for everyone who entered, the awards were based on two years of work. I can not thank my 2020 or my 2019 couples enough. Thanks to your trust, enthusiasm and posotive feedback, you have helped me achieve this incredible accolade and success during what can only be defined as a difficult and strange year for the wedding industry. Thank you!

To those couples who couldn’t get married this year then fear not, your day is coming and it will be beautiful. Hopefully, this collection of images will show you that even in these strange Covid times, weddings are still the incredible events which we all know them to be, filled with family, emotion and happiness. Love is not cancelled.