Colleen and Molly

Change of pace for me today as I had a photoshoot with Colleen and her divine poppet Molly, it was all done on location at their house and I had a wonderful time, Molly is such s gorgeous little girl and her mummy is very photogenic too!!

There were actually so many wonderful photos from this mornings photoshoot that I had a problem deciding which ones should go on the blog!!

If you're thinking of having a family Photoshoot why not let Mandy Charlton Designs take care of it for you, I charge a £50 sitting fee and have a plethora of wonderful products available!!

Sittings usually take around 1-2 hours and are done at either your home or out on location, I've been so lucky to do lots of wonderful photoshoots this year at some fabulous locations, I just hope that I can still fit in all the portrait work next year as my bookings for the wedding photography have gone through the roof! If you would like to secure a date for your wedding next year don't forget that I have a competition running until the end of September where you can either win a £100 album or you can upgrade and have a £100 discount on larger albums!

Sounds like a good deal to me!! Oh and don't forget that I specialise in those smaller shorter weddings by having a 4 hour wedding photography package which is only £295, I think thats pretty unbeatable!! Once again details for that are on the website and if you mention that you found me through the blog I might just whistle you up something a little extra!!

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Charlton goings on-----We have a cleaner, she came for her first 2 hour slot today and managed to achieve more in 2 hours than I could in a week, needless to say she's got a regular booking and whats so fantastic is that she's coming on the same day as I have my organic grocery box delivered, me thinks I might just be getting organised!!!

Happy Weekend everyone! :)

Karen and Kevin 28/08/07 Jesmond Dene House Hotel, Newcastle upon Tyne

Yesterdays wedding was at Jesmond Dene House Hotel just on the outskirts of Newcastle upon Tyne. It's an absolutely gorgeous place to have your wedding or civil partnership and there are some lovely places around the grounds and inside the hotel for photographic opportunities.

I arrived just before Kevin and his best man Karl, you can see them here hamming it up, trying to look menacing, you can tell they're softies at heart!!

The intimate service was filled with emotion, Karen couldn't stop beaming whilst you could see the emotion building on Kevins face, the registrar was very very photo friendly and I managed to get some great shots during the service.

Afterwards there were drinks all round and then off to the gardens for some photography, I actually got so many wonderful shots of this happy wedding party that I had a hard time discarding any from the final cut.

Whilst I was doing a reckie at the house I noticed a wonderful archway with piles of logs on either side of the entrance, I managed to pull Kevin and Karen away from their guests just for a short while but I'm pretty sure it was worth it for them as we ended up with some amazing shots like this one.

If you're a friend or relative of Kevin and Karen and you want to view their private gallery then you'll need to visit my websites home page, scroll down and enter the password (surname)and you'll be able to view all 300+ photos.

Once again if you are a lurking bride then just a reminder that my Wedding Photography packages start at only £295 and are totally customisable because no two weddings are alike.

Also don't forget that if you book by the 30th of September you'll be entered into a competition to win a wedding album worth over £100, once again full details can be obtained by clicking on the contact us page of my website.

One of the nicest things about being a wedding photographer...

Is meeting so many wonderful couples and getting to enjoy the celebration of their love, I love this moment from Stuart and Michelles wedding where she was looking on as he made his speech.

I have a little downtime today whilst I prepare for tommorrows wedding so I'm catching up on getting ready some photos for despatch and another batch edited also! I also need to go to the local organic shop to get some more groceries as my husband would have us beleive that we have no food in the house even though the fridge is full of organic vegetables, in the next sentence he says he needs to eat better and I lovingly remind him that if he didn't complain say there was nothing in the fridge and then ask for take-away pizza (which BTW he didn't get, I made him Pitta pockets with tuna and organic gubbins)this wouldn't even be an issue. I'm really clamping down on proper eating this week as I want to get the children back on track for starting school next week. I have to say I let it slip a little during the holidays and didn't complain too much when they asked for sweets and constant ice-pops but this week it's back to fruit, vegetables and plenty of organic rice, pasta and other lovely gubbins. We are lucky to have an award winning organic far shop literally just around the corner. We've been shopping at The Honey Tree since we moved here and it's really the best reason I have for not moving away in the near future, also we now get an organic grocery box every friday from North country organics, this little wonder comes with all the vegetables and fruit you need (to feed an army) for a week plus meat, milk, eggs and bread and all for a bargain £39.99, mmmmmm, I love it!!

Stuart and Michelle

I had the absolute pleasure of being present at Stuart and Michelles wedding yesterday, they married in Sunderland Civic Centre followed by an intimate reception at the Ropery down near the river. Stuart and his Best man Kyle looked very handsome in their morning suits.

It wasn't long before Michelle arrived looking absolutely ravishing in her cream satin gown.

Everyone was joyous and the service was lovely, intimate and full of emotion, I also had a bit of competition in the photography field from a certain young man who is the eldest of Stuart and Michelles children, I'll share more photos from this wonderful love story as we progress through the week and if you're a lurking bride don't forget if you book any of my wedding photography packages before the 30th of September you can even win your wedding album and if you mention that you found me through my blog you may even get a 10% discount.

I've been thinking about which is my favourite image of the day from the 320 I ended up with in the final cut (not bad for only 3 hours of photography) but I have so many that I couldn't possibly share them all at once.

There was of course one shot which Stuart was really keen for me to get, that was one of him with eldest son, this ended up being a harder task than anticipated as young Lewis much preferred taking photos to having them taken (hmm, sounds familiar) In the end though I managed to get a few as he watched a bouncy castle being blown up, I think you can tell from this photo that the anticipation of the castle being fully blown up was nearly killing him. I just hope that his daddy loves the shots I managed to get, I'm pretty sure he will ;)

If you were a guest at the wedding you may want to check out the gallery on my website, just remember the instructions for the password, i.e. the married couples surname!!

Right time for me to take a couple of hours to relax before another wedding on Tuesday, did I mention how much I love being a photographer?

Gift Vouchers

Can't remember whether I told you all so just in case I didn't did you know that Mandy Charlton Designs can give you wonderfully printed gift voucher to a value of your choosing which can then be redeemed for portrait photography packages or even wedding photography packages at a date of the recipients choice. Now that is Christmas sorted and it's only August!!

Don't forget for your chance to win your wedding album don't forget to book me for all your wedding photography needs before the 30th of September, this offer is available to all brides in Newcastle upon Tyne and surrounding areas.

One of the nicest couples

I've met so far on my journey as a wedding photographer up here in Newcastle is these two, I was at their house yesterday doing a few extra photos for the wedding album, it's quite normal these days to have a bridal shoot which gives brides (and grooms) a chance to get dressed up again but in a much more relaxed setting. Some people even go so far as to Trash the Dress! If you're interested in a wedding photography package or bridal shoot don't forget to check out the website. Oh and don't forget there's also that chance to win your wedding album if you book a wedding photography package before the 30th of September.

So after that packed day with no less than 3 photoshoots yesterday what am I up to today I hear you ask? Well sadly it's not even half as exciting though would you think me strange if I said that my new Bissell deep cleaning carpet cleaner arrived and today I plan to wash all the carpets!!!

Taylor and Leonie

I photographer these two gorgeous poppets this morning, they really are absolutely scrumptuous and I'm lucky because I get to spend more than 1 day with them as I'm doing their mum and dads wedding photography in Sunderland next year. We had a lot of giggles in Sunderlands Mowbray Park and I could even be heard to be roaring at one point. I think the highlight was my first brother and sister jumping at the same time, gotta love those jumping photos!!

If you're interested in my Childrens Photography then you can click on Mandy Charlton Designs, and oh I forgot to mention this but I'm having a competition, anyone booking my wedding photography packages before the 30th of September goes into a very special prize draw to win a wedding album complete with 30 7x5 photos, this staggering prize is worth over £100 so don't forget to check out, especially of course if you're looking for a wedding photographer and don't forget I cover Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Northumberland and most of the surrounding areas up to a 100 mile radius. Oh and if you are a little bit further then don't worry I do travel and my expenses are very reasonable. With my wedding photography packages starting at only £295 and my family portraits starting at only £50 don't forget to click on Mandy Charlton Designs.

Enterprise Support Centre Team

Without these guys I wouldn't be where I am today, these are the guys who helped me start up my business and when they needed a photographer for a publication which they're producing they gave me a call and so this is what I did at lunchtime today, don't they look a great bunch of people, well I have to say a big thank you to the Newcastle East Enterprise Support Centre, you're truly a great bunch of people and they continue to offer advice and support as I continue my business. If you're interested in corporate photography then consider Mandy Charlton Designs for your photoshoot, just click on HERE and go to the contact us page!

Win your wedding album with Mandy Charlton Designs

One of the most expensive purchases you'll make in your photography package is that of a finished album, thats why I have a very special prize draw, all couples booking any photography package before the 30th of September will be entered into a draw to win a free wedding album, the album itself holds 30 7x5 photos and is worth over £100 so what are you waiting for, click here for more details.

With an offer that good no wonder everyone is feeling romantic!!!!

18/08/07 - Irene and Stan

Yesterday I had the pleasure of shooting Irene and Stans Diamond Wedding Anniversary, we travelled just outside of Newcastle to the Lion and Lamb in Horsely!

The bride and groom were in good spirits and I managed to find out the secret of a long and happy marraige. Of course I can't tell you what it is although I'm sure you all want to know!!

A great time was had by all and the family even arranged for Irene to have a replica bouquet of the one she had all those years ago in 1947. Didn't they look quite the most wonderful couple back then, of course they still do now and I can only hope that I'm married as happily as they are when I get to my 60th. One thing is for sure there was love in the air and a very happy atmosphere as the whole family gathered from far and wide to celebrate this most auspicious of occasions. If you're here to view the photos click here and don't forget to enter the password, also click there if you want to book me for a family event. Yesterday for the first time I did on the spot processing and proofing, a nerve wracking time I can tell you but also quite exciting so if you think you might want to see the results of your shoot in less than an hour don't forget to ask about that service.

This week is a bumber week and I'm getting busier all the time so don't forget to keep checking back to see what I've been up to in and i the meantime I'm off to have a sit down and a cup of tea!

Ash and Halima

So what can I tell you about this couple that I shared their wedding with, well they're a gorgeous couple who approached their wedding day with great responsibilty but they are all round lovely people and I'm so glad I got to share the day with them. The photo I'm sharing today is of Ash's brother who I have to say was lots of fun especially when I made his cousins and he walk the length of the back garden so that I could get a great shot of them, well it worked didn't it!!

I can honestly say that I've never even picked up my camera over he weekend, we've had a super exciting time though, we bought a new sofa and chair on Friday and then on Saturday we bought a new big TV, a TV unit and a coffee table :D

Today we went to two car boot sales where we had lots of fun, I bought a Tolouse Lautrec pasta jar, i.e it had a moulin rouge piccy on the side LOL, ooh did I tell you about my new toaster, ooh it's fabulous!! Yes I know excited by a toaster, back to my bottle of champagne I think! I can thank hubby ofr that one, he bought it for me oFriday with a huge gorgeous bunch of flowers, I loves him I do!!

True Bride Confessions

OMG, I saw this on another blog that I stalk and Wowza if you like those confession type blogs you'll love True Bride Confessions, some of them are kind of tame but some of them, wow scary brides, hope I never meet any of them!

Sshh, I'm back but don't tell anyone except the whole world!

LOL, well you see the thing is that I have such a great google page ranking that it seems a waste of a blog to have to start a whole new one for my business so I thought I would just continue but in a new vein, that my dear reader is the one all about the photography and more importantly the photography of Mandy Charlton Designs. That is where I earn a living after all!! Over the next few weeks I'll share what I've been up to over the past 6 or so weeks since my business really kicked off, spun me round and made me fall in love, love, love with weddings!

For the last 2 weekends I had the pleasure of photographing a local asian wedding, this spectacular ceremony took place over 3 seperate dates at 3 different locations, but no matter where we ended up we started (and mostly finished) the days at the parents of the grooms house and so utilised their beautiful gardens to the fullest. Don't you think the Bride is gorgeous and the groom is handsome, together they make a lovely couple and I wish them well for a long and happy future together.

Look out for more photos of this wonderful wedding as we go through the week.

Dear blog readers it's good to be back!