Jennie & James tie the knot at the Guildhall, Windsor and hold a fabulous wedding party at the Harte & Garter Hotel

The changing of the guard and the grand elegance of the Windsor Guildhall set the scene for an eventful day. The bride and groom were accompanied by their attendants, firstly by walking to the registry office and then enjoying a walk through the streets of Windsor to The Harte & Garter.

St Mary's Aldermaston

Bridal preperations

The Apollo, Basingstoke.

The  impressive Hampshire Suite seats 250 for your ceremony. There is also three smaller rooms, Stratfield, Wellington and Vyne, to cater for the more intimate wedding receptions. The wedding breakfast is held in the Hampshire Suite – with elegantly designed surroundings, up to 180 guests can enjoy your choice from a selection of sumptuous menus. The Suite allows for up to 250 guests for an evening reception buffet and drinks. The Hampshire Suite also hosts its own bar and foyer area for use throughout your special day.

The Elvetham

I really enjoyed shooting Malissa & Jon’s wedding at The Elvetham

This was a very family orientated day with lots of emotion and great to photograph. Melissa made her preparations at home and then I went over to the Elvetham to  get a few shots of the boys before Melissa and Dads arrival for the ceremony.

The weather was cold with a few rain showers which made for a tough but very rewarding day as both the bride and groom were great fun throughout.

alanbowmanphotography

alanbowmanphotography

Overlooking the picturesque town of Farnham and located in the 12th century Farnham Castle, one of the most important historical buildings in the South of England, Farnham Castle provides a beautiful setting for that special day.

Farnham Castle provides a unique setting where family and friends can celebrate your special day in style and the backdrop of the building and grounds offers opportunities for unforgettable photographs.

Wedding banquet at Farnham Castle.

Arrive in style

Elegance

The venue

Ceremony

At the beginning of the year Alan Bowman introduced the Art Book Portfolio which they supply free of charge to all wedding couples following their wedding day. The book has a wonderful magazine style layout with all the photographs of the day and can include text descriptions of the day’s main players and the church readings, vows and a copy of the order of service.

This style of album has been a great success and much appreciated by the thirty or so wedding couples they photographed in 2009. Check out some of the recent reviews they received on the Guides for Brides web site.

Congratulations go to Teri & Richard who where photographed by Alan Bowman Photography in 2009, as they have won through to the finals of the wedding of the year competition! (see the August- September of Your Berks & Bucks Wedding edition).

Teri and Richard Viney were married at the Old Mill Aldermaston.

Situated in one of the most picturesque locations in Royal Berkshire, The Old Mill is set in twenty stunning acres surrounding the beautiful River Kennet.

It has become one of the top locations for both wedding ceremonies and receptions in the United Kingdom.

Congratulations also go to to a second couple, Carolina & Mark who also won through to the finals of the Your Hampshire Wedding magazine wedding of the year! Carolina and Mark Partner were married at the lovely St Lawrence’s Church in Alton on the 19th June 2009 and held their reception at the Barceló, Basingstoke Country Hotel, near Hook in Hampshire. This is what they had to say about Basingstokes Wedding Photographer, Alan Bowman.

“We met quite a few wedding photographers when we were planning our wedding and we immediately felt comfortable with Alan. We had a pre-wedding shoot at the hotel, which really made us feel at ease on the big day. The photos are amazing and the “Art Book” portfolio is fantastic.”

Recognition of their years achievements started early in January with the wedding of Amy and Colin winners of “The Wedding of their Dreams”. This vivacious young couple won the top prize of a complete wedding at the luxurious Oakley Hall Venue in Basingstoke. Alan Bowman photography had the pleasure of capturing the day on film and the added accolade of a wedding feature in the real life wedding section in one of the top wedding magazines!

Alan Bowman had the joy of photographing many weddings in the Hampshire and Berkshire area, some of the finest these counties have to offer.

Wokefield Park for example benefits from over 250 acres of Royal Berkshires finest parkland. Very close to this wedding venue, there is a beautiful and quaint church, very popular with those looking for a traditional wedding with their wedding reception at Wokefield Park.

For those looking for a civil ceremony, Wokefield Park’s Mansion House itself is very well set to cater, no matter what the wedding party size, with over 6 separate licensed function rooms catering for anything up to 350 guests, there will be something here for you! As wedding photographers venues like this provide a real treat!

The space and flexibility of photographic opportunities here is fantastic!

The Elvetham Hotel Hampshire is a stunning 19th Century mansion undoubtedly one of Hampshires finest venues. Steeped in history with old fashioned values and levels of service, yet thoroughly modern in its approach. It has dedicated staff and independent thinking, every event is treated with the individuality it deserves and every guest with utmost respect.

The area of 35 acres surrounding The Elvetham is much the same today as it was recorded in the Domesday book. A formal garden was created in 1860 and a mile long avenue of Wellingtonias were planted. Amongst its many other trees and flowers is a famous Magnolia Soulangiana said to be the largest in England. After many years of neglect the gardens were restored in 1962 and now include a broad walk of Irish Yews, a croquet lawn, eighty ornamental trees, a kitchen garden and many other attractive features.

Alan Bowman has found that at The Elvetham your special day will be truly memorable, with exceptional service, attention to detail and a unique backdrop for your photo album. This magnificent 19th Century mansion is a licensed wedding venue for up to 200 guests and lends itself effortlessly to both small and intimate gatherings as well as extravagant celebrations under marquee. Set in 35 acres of beautifully manicured gardens and grounds, The Elvetham is a licensed wedding venue where the possibilities are endless!

The Old Mill, Aldermaston, Berkshire is situated in one of the most picturesque locations in Royal Berkshire, The Old Mill is set in 20 acres surrounding the River Kennet. It was built in 1800 and was used as a flour mill until 1920. The original iron wheel was removed during the 1939 War. Again it is mentioned in the Doomsday Book and this unique location is the top venue for all types of occasions.

Run by the Arlott family for more than 60 years, The Old Mill has earned a reputation for traditional home cooking and friendly service. The Old Mill provides a great backdrop for your special day, it is quite literally, a photographer’s paradise. They can cater for receptions of up to 150 guests, and both the Mill and Stable rooms are licensed to hold civil wedding ceremonies.

The Old Mill is the perfect venue for your dream wedding to become a reality!

Trunkwell Mansion House near to Beech Hill in Berkshire, dates back to 1190 but was pulled down and rebuilt in 1878.

The house is evident in the early records of Beech Hill. The 1881 the Census revealed that Trunkwell was a small village in itself.

Even today it stands in 34 acres of beautiful Berkshire countryside. It offers the exclusive use of the Victorian house with beautiful manicured side garden for intimate weddings and for larger celebrations they have a beautiful Venetian Garden themed permanent Marquee with stunning manicured garden complete with furniture.

They only hold one wedding per day ensuring the couple getting married get complete dedication and focus. They are registered for Civil Wedding Ceremonies and Civil Partnerships.

In fact, the marquee is one of the largest venues for Civil Ceremonies in the Thames Valley with a capacity of up to two hundred and if you require a larger facility they are even able to erect a second marquee which will hold up to one thousand guests!

The Barcelo’ Basingstoke Country Hotel near to Hook in Hampshire, was formerly a private residence, The Barceló Basingstoke Country Hotel is now a 100 bedroom country house property set in delightful grounds.

You can only describe the Barceló Basingstoke Country Hotel as beautiful. It’s a country house hotel set in delightful grounds, making a lovely backdrop for your wedding photographs.

Picture the elegant Naseby Suite adorned with beautiful flowers, romantic candles and tables and chairs matched to your colour scheme, or for a more intimate party, the beautiful Woodland Suite overlooking the pretty Courtyard which is ideal for an evening BBQ. Both the Naseby and Woodland Suite hold civil ceremony licences, have a private bar and each have their own entrance.

They are big enough for elaborate decorations, a dance floor and stage area to host your evening entertainment.

As you can see, Alan Bowman Photography has had a stunning year, with new venues, awards and some very happy wedding days behind him in 2009, he is very much looking forward to a great 2010!

Amy and Colin at Oakley Hall in Hampshire

You can read all about Amy and Colins perfect day and see many more photographs by Alan Bowman in the September / October issue of Hampshire Your Wedding.