Kate & Laurence - a Festive and Fun Family-Focused East London Wedding on the Isle of Dogs - East London Wedding Photography
“How very lovable her face was to him. Yet there was nothing ethereal about it; all was real vitality, real warmth, real incarnation. And it was in her mouth that this culminated. Eyes almost as deep and speaking he had seen before, and cheeks perhaps as fair; brows as arched, a chin and throat almost as shapely; her mouth he had seen nothing to equal on the face of the earth. To a young man with the least fire in him that little upward lift in the middle of her red top lip was distracting, infatuating, maddening. He had never before seen a woman’s lips and teeth which forced upon his mind with such persistent iteration the old Elizabethan simile of roses filled with snow.
Perfect, he, as a lover, might have called them off-hand. But no — they were not perfect. And it was the touch of the imperfect upon the would-be perfect that gave the sweetness, because it was that which gave the humanity.”
Sometimes l feel like I've lived so many lives and they tend to correspond with the geography of where I lived at any given point: in New England I was born and raised and survived and grew and ultimately outgrew when was the time was right and I found a reason to leave; in Hamburg l became my own force after living in the shadow (and protection) of others for the majority of my life— I made friends that have become lifelong secret-keepers and soulmates, connected always by the pull of new freedom and infinite possibility. And of course, Hamburg is where I met my great love and began the most beautiful adventure yet - leading me to Manchester, my home, my peace, my place in the world that has really taught me the importance of crazy given and chosen family. Manchester is where I became a wife and mother and a community member and a better, more conscientious friend.
In Kate's very moving speech last night, she framed her life in terms of her 'Christmas past, Christmas present, and Christmas future.’ This perfectly timed analogy resonated almost viscerally with me as those many colourful, beautiful, messy, perfect former and future lives flashed through me almost like a split-second live photograph. Because what was so special about yesterday's magical, ethereal, joyous wedding was that Kate and I have known each other for over a decade - enough for several iterations of the aforementioned lives. And though it was the first time I had the pleasure of meeting her beloved Laurence, we instantly fell into step and camaraderie and seeing them together, sharing and capturing their day reminded me that whilst the lives converge and evolve, the love is what remains, the connection strengthens and the story continues.
Kate & Laurence met and fell in love and began their journey of several lives together, first in Leeds then onto London, to Berlin and back to the UK last year - where they were sorely missed. When they got engaged early last year, I was THRILLED of course for my old friend but also that they had chosen me to photograph their wedding. Of course, as with most things in recent history, plans changed and adapted and were briefly precarious as restrictions were navigated, not the least because, due to the many lives, a good percentage of their dearest loved ones lived beyond our fair island nation and were thus stalled or prevented from attending.
Ultimately, what helped and perhaps saw us through to yesterday was that they’d always planned to keep they day low-key, DIY but with their signature enigmatic flair, snapshots of which burn inedible in my delighted photographer’s mind: a traditional ceremony at Kate’s hometown Isle of Dogs church where her INCREDIBLE mum Tamsin is an active community member followed by a proper knees-up East London soiree at the local rowing club, bedecked in glittery, kitschy Christmas decor by Kate’s cousin (and bridesmaid) Perdita. Kate in a 1930’s-style satin gown made by Laurence’s mum Susie whilst Laurence wore his own blue suit. Bridesmaids in luminous jewel tones offset by their meticulously chosen bouquets. Emotional, heartfelt and hilarious speeches by both bride and groom alongside Laurence’s dad and Kate’s identical twin sister, Emily who passed along Spice Girls choreo privileges to her new brother-in-law. The celebrations were filled with an abundance of (safe, jabbed, tested) family members and friends and all under the watchful gaze of be-gloved matriarch, Granny Alison, a living legend.
It’s no secret that I fall a bit more in love with my couples - it helps that I’ve adored Kate since I met her as a winsome skinny, fringed, red-lipped 19 year old in a Hamburg indie club all those years ago and yesterday I was so proud and amazed by the wonderful woman she’s become and the love and joy and sheer delight she and her new equally wonderful new husband share - Laurence is a goddamn treasure and I was bursting with glee for these humans.
What a privilege it is to get to live many lives on this earth. How lucky we are to evolve and adapt and grow and love and to connect with so many extraordinary souls. Yesterday was a bright spark of stardust in a world that sometimes feels like one big gathering storm and I feel so humbled, as always, by this job.
Thank you for having me along, you two. And thus my final wedding of a WILD and wonderful year, here’s your sneak peek.
