On a cold and frosty January morning we headed out to Bristol on a speculative consultation for Jo and Ross. When we got chatting Jo admitted she felt a little foolish for getting a photographer all the way from Bournemouth to come out to see them, especially as she was getting married in Gibraltar! It was no bother - we love going somewhere different to meet with couples. Not only that but Ikea was only a five minute drive from their house, and the prospect of going somewhere warm and sunny was just the tonic whilst we were wrapped up in thick winter coats and scarves.
It was pure coincidence that the hotel venue in question -
The Caleta Hotel, Gibraltar had previously been the location for a childhood holiday - fifteen years ago or so! It felt strange to know exactly what the location was like so far away but it proved handy, especially as the couple were only to visit the place for the first time a couple of days before their wedding (meaning we couldn't do our usual consultation one month before to recce the venue).
Bags packed and equipment successfully piled onto a crammed and chaotic Easyjet plane, when we touched ground at Gibraltar airport (a bit more like an elaborate shed) we knew this was going to be testing for both our backs and our deodorant. Damn - it was hot!
A leisurely day before the wedding meant that we had a good wander around the hotel and catch up with the bride and groom. With a lot of communication between us for months nothing was too much of a surprise and we found plenty of good locations and fine-tuned the day's shooting prep. In the afternoon we even managed to wander into town for a shandy and to go visit those cheeky little monkeys on the Rock.
The morning was great fun - splitting off so one of us photographed the groom's party and the other the bridal preparations it was an early start, but this meant that the heat was just right for the wonderful outdoor ceremony. Things started heating up a little later, peaking to around 34-degrees plenty of stamina was needed - dressed in lightweight cotton we could only imagine what is what like to be donned in a three-piece suit or wedding dress (stunning though they looked).
Just after the ceremony we were taken aside and told about a little surprise the Bride's mother had arranged for the wedding party - we were to go on a little trip up the Rock in a minibus but we weren't allowed to mentioned it to the Bride and Groom all day! So, after all the speeches (the funniest we've ever seen) we quick changed into the second costume of the day (it really was that sticky) and went up onto 'Monkey Rock' for a fun, spontaneous shoot. The Botanical Gardens looked like they were padlocked up but we kept ourselves entertained nevertheless.
After the third costume change (like some kind of cabaret photographer) we joined that party again to capture the fun and frolics of the first dance, then left them to it whilst we consumed a well-earned pint of San Miguel and our dinner.
It was a great couple of days and well worth the adventure, careful planning and delayed flights, so thank you Jo and Ross and congratulations.
Weddings abroad are definitely the way to go, especially if the British / Bournemouth weather carries on the way it's going. If anyone's thinking of getting married in Fiji, The Cook Islands or Mauritius, go on - give us a bell!
