Donegal is such a beautiful place to shoot a wedding. Based in Belfast, I am very fortunate to get to cover pretty much the whole of the North of Ireland as a wedding photographer.

Karen and Steven’s wedding was in the beautiful village of Urris. Afterwards they held a fabulous marquee event on Doagh Isle where friends and family relaxed amongst the stunning Donegal landscape, before heading back up the road to the very welcoming Ballyliffin Lodge Hotel for speeches and dinner.

What a pleasure it was to cover this wedding – on the road home I reflected on what had been a great day. Here are some of my personal favourites from the wedding.

Sandrine et Didier se sont mariés à la mairie de Quimper et ont ensuite célébré leur mariage avec famille et amis au Domaine des Rhododendrons à Elliant, dans le Finistère en Bretagne.
Ce fut un très joli mariage. La maman de Sandrine a eu l’honneur et la chance de conduire la cérémonie de mariage de sa fille et nous a fait partager un discours très émouvant qui nous a beaucoup touché.
Les amis de Sandrine et Didier leurs ont preparés de nombreuses surprises tout au long de la journée et l’une des plus insolites fut l’arivée au domaine en parapente de Marc, le témoin de Didier.

Pour moi les invités contribuent énormément à l’ambience d’un mariage, celui-ci n’en manquait vraiment pas: tout le monde a passé une excellente journée.

Voici quelques unes de mes photos préférées de la journée…

Sandrine and Didier married at La Mairie Quimper before heading to Domaine des Rhododendrons near Elliant in Brittany for their wedding reception. This wedding was so lovely – Sandrine’s Mum (who was also the celebrant) made a very touching personal speech during the ceremony. A La Domaine their friend Marc came in from the sky on a paraglider and everyone had great fun all day. To me it’s the people that make a great wedding and this one was just fantastic.

Here are some of my favourite photographs from the day.

Laura and Colin married each other at the beautiful Cunningham Memorial Presbyterian Church in Cullybackey before heading up the road to Galgorm Manor for their wedding reception. The weather was pretty changeable but thankfully the rain managed to keep away and we ended up with a lovely wedding day.

Laura sent me this lovely email after seeing her pictures on return from honeymoon:

Hi Dylan,
The photographs are amazing! So pleased with them. I have watched the slideshow at least a dozen times and still get emotional! The photos bring back so many wonderful memories of the day and I wasn’t even aware you were there. Thanks so much.
Best wishes,
Laura

“I think photographs should be provocative and not tell you what you already know. It takes no great powers or magic to reproduce somebody’s face in a photograph. The magic is in seeing people in new ways.” Duane Michals

When I hold a camera in my hands (especially at a wedding), I’m often reminded by the shooting philosophies of Henri Cartier Bresson.

“Photography is not like painting” he told the Washington Post in 1957. “There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative,” he said. “Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever.”

There were some really lovely moments at Julia and Nick’s wedding last Saturday. Here are some of my personal favourites.

This wedding was a real treat for me. My clients Catherine and Niall, are two of the most delightful people I have ever met. Niall’s speech later in the day at Ballygally Castle was one of the most emotional I’ve heard all year. And Catherine’s three bridesmaids really shared every moment with the bride.

The weather was beautiful – warm and sunny – perfect for relaxing on the lawns of Ballygally Castle. Here are just a few of my favourite images as I continue the editing.

Last Friday saw me back in the beautiful Corick Country House Hotel (I’d also photographed Ciara and Jonny’s wedding at Corick House back in March). It’s always a pleasure to work here – the location is fantastic and the staff are always very friendly and welcoming.

Grainne and Leo tied the knot earlier in St Colmcilles just outside Armagh – the very same church Grainne’s parents were married in all those years ago.

Grainne’s Dad Joe looked proud as punch walking his daughter up the aisle!

Here are just a few of my favourites from their day.