A wedding in Crans-Montana

Natalie and Alex booked me to photograph their wedding in Switzerland. They were to get married in the stunning mountain village of Crans-Montana and had planned a small outdoor ceremony. They wanted natural pictures that recorded the events of the day with their friends and families but were a little anxious about being the centre of attention. With my discrete, natural and flexible approach to wedding photography, they were able to feel like I was just one of the guests. We also spent time on their engagement shoot, trying out poses and looking through the photographs so that they could feel completely comfortable on the wedding day.

The couple were really keen to include a wedding photography album for themselves and as gifts to their parents. Knowing this in advance allowed me to think about what would look good in their album and make sure I had plenty of detail shots and images of the atmosphere of the day.

Outdoor ceremony at l’Hôtel de l’Etrier

The day began with a beautiful blue sky and glorious sunshine. The ceremony site was set up outside in the grounds of the Hôtel de l’Etrier. A nervous Alex wandered around the guests saying hello and trying not to think too much about the events to come. Natalie had opted not to have preparation shots as she wanted to spend the time with her family. So, I began by making sure I had plenty of shots of the hotel, the flowers and the wonderful rainbow-themed reception room where the guests would be having the wedding breakfast.

As the time for the ceremony drew closer, I captured guests arriving before setting up for the entrance of the bride. Natalie chose to enter via wooden steps on the edge of the hotel, with Alex facing the other way. This meant that he couldn’t see her until she turned across in front of him in her fabulous 50s style wedding dress. The ceremony was led by two of their best friends with a number of people reading and sharing thoughts before the exchange of vows. We ended the ceremony with a full group photo and then headed to the lawn for formal groups with the mountains in the background.

Cocktail hour took place under the umbrellas beside the swimming pool. The bride and groom move comfortably between the guests making sure to speak to everybody and share some special moments before we headed out alone to get some portraits of the newlyweds.

Rainbow colours and a clubbing themed celebration

The theme of the wedding was rainbow colours, and the tables that had been set up for the wedding meal looked fabulous. Each table had its own colour, the effect of the different napkins favours and cards working amazingly. Other wonderful details were the photos of the couple that were hung around the room, as well as an area for guests to take their own pictures and add the shots to a guestbook.

Dinner was interspersed with excellent speeches from friends and family and music from a talented guest who was also a pianist. After the cake, we headed down we headed down to the spa area where a bar and disco had been set up. Big fans of clubbing the couple had supplied glow sticks balloons that were lit from within and a great soundtrack for an evening of fun.

Wedding albums for all the family

To make the most of their wedding memories and photographs the couple opted for luxury linen photo books with glossy pages and vivid colours these were the perfect option for the rainbow themed wedding. They also wanted to say thank you to their parents for all the support they have given them and so, gifted two smaller parent albums with the option to adjust the group formals according to the family.

I offer a number of wedding collections for your wedding photography in Switzerland or abroad. With high or full resolution downloads, a great selection of wedding albums and the option to add extra days and destinations. For a personalised wedding collection to fit your needs, please get in touch for a bespoke collection.