Robyn & Duane first saw us photographing their friend’s wedding at Hilton London Syon Park back in 2016. During a Skype chat with them about a month later, they mentioned that after seeing us working, they looked at each other and knew what the other was thinking. It was so lovely as they said, ‘other teams would need to connect with each other via headsets and Walkie Talkie’s. With you being a married couple, you have a connection, which is so much more than just colleagues in a team.’ We were over the moon by these comments!

On top of all this Robyn & Duane are photographers too – no pressure! They soon brought us up to speed with their plans for their beautiful Pembroke Lodge wedding in Richmond Park, London.

They wanted a simple occasion, infused with their personalities, which is a surefire way to ensure a meaningful and laid back wedding. Duane is an events technician and handled all of the lighting in the venue, whilst his Gran was given full responsibility of the flowers. The uplighting totally transformed the ceremony’s clean white walls for a dramatic evening reception at Pembroke Lodge.

THE DETAILS

Robyn decided to teach herself calligraphy, hand-making all of the table numbers and name cards herself. They looked amazing! It is always so valuable to invest your own time in contributing to elements of your day. This offers a great opportunity to spend time with family and friends, attaching memories to objects, which will mean so much more in hindsight.

Robyn & Duane both decided to get ready at the Richmond Hill Hotel, which was all of five minutes from the venue. Robyn looked stunning in her Vera Wang princess dress, which was a dream come true for her. Duane embraced the definition of ‘laid back’ by letting his Mum choose his suit. This must have been great for her to watch him looking so smart throughout the day.

THE CEREMONY

They decided to do the formal registry prior to the wedding day itself. This was so that the ceremony could be conducted by their local Pastor, who is very close to them. It was very comforting for them to have a familiar face performing such an important event. There were lots of touching words shared, as well as dropping plenty of meaningful anecdotes and a touch of humour. Robyn & Duane left their vows to the day itself and didn’t have anything rehearsed. Free styling this lead to a few giggles, which filled the room.

The Pembroke Lodge wedding reception was exceptional and we were actually given a unique surprise of a table for two to dine at, right next to the sweet table. This drew a few guests to take some fun photos of us enjoying our ‘romantic’ meal. Thank you so much Robyn & Duane, you truly spoilt us rotten! The catering at the venue was outstanding.

THE EVENING

The evening was a blast, especially as it was hosted by Duane’s father DJ Martin Jay and Super Trini Vibes. They are both respected figures in the Caribbean Dancehall community. The highlight of the night, for us personally, was when the entire room took part in the choreographed routine ‘Candy Dance.’ This had us darting between rows of people, grabbing shots when gaps emerged.

We were so honoured to be chosen by Robyn & Duane to photograph their Pembroke Lodge wedding. The success of the day was largely down to them having an amazing community of family and friends, pulling out all the stops in preparation. Not to mention the excellent assistance from the venue staff. Pembroke Lodge did an exceptional job to help Robyn & Duane achieve their dream wedding.

FEATURED ON NUBRIDE WEDDING BLOG

We are proud to say that this wedding has been featured on Nubride, a multi award-winning wedding blog, dedicated to adding diversity to the UK wedding industry. You can view the post by clicking here.

KIND WORDS

Sonia & Simon of S2 Images are husband and wife photography team. We photograph weddings nationally and internationally, having covered areas such as London, the Cotswolds, Birmingham, the Midlands, Surrey, Hampshire, and even as far as Malaysia! We enjoy combining our love for travel with wedding photography. If you are planning your wedding, we would love to know your plans! Please get in touch via our contact page if you are interested in our services be it national or worldwide. 

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