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Ellie & David - The Darling Buds of May

July 04, 2024 / Rebecca King

I photographed this gorgeous couple at their wedding in May in 2023 (yes, it’s taken me that long to do this blog). They were married at the stunning Southover Grange Gardens in Lewes. We were gifted a beautiful sunny spring day. The bride and groom looked fabulous, and the colour theme was yellow and purple. The bride wore a very cute mini veil with a big ribbon on it. It looked so pretty, it would have been rude to not have done some lovely photographs from the back.

The bride and groom put aside lots of time for their couple shots, so we did not have to rush. It made the whole thing much more enjoyable, fun and relaxing. Unknowingly, Ellie and David gave me the best ‘Blue Steel’* I have ever photographed!

I love the wisteria at Grange Gardens and I had wanted to photograph a wedding when it has been out for a long time. It has such delicate and pretty flowers, which are such a beautiful colour. They also matched the colour theme. I was so fortunate to be able to photograph them for this wedding, especially as this year they have cut it all back, so it didn’t flower.

I always try to find picturesque natural backdrops and landscapes for my wedding photography. I think it adds so much life and colour. You cannot beat natural light in a beautiful environment.

This wedding was one of my short days that I sometimes do for local weddings in Lewes. I really enjoy these wedding days, and I think it’s a nice service to offer to couples that only want their ceremony documented, and some couple and guest photos afterwards. Ever since the covid outbreak people have been looking at their wedding planning in different ways, and designing them about what they want and not what is tradition. I really believe that your wedding should be a representation of you and what you are about. Don’t get too wrapped up in Pinterst or Instagram, and what other people have. It’s your day, so make it what you want.

*watch the Zoolander movie.

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categories / East Sussex wedding, Lewes, Instagram, Lewes wedding, Photography, Portraits, Spring Wedding, Sussex Wedding, Wedding Photography
tags / wedding hair, wedding veil, wedding bouquet, wedding shoes, lewes, Loved up in Lewes, Bride and Groom, bride, Lewes wedding, wedding dress

Jackie and Andy - Herstmonceux Castle

November 04, 2022 / Rebecca King

After a holiday and a case of the flu, I have finally got round to sharing the wedding photographs of Jackie and Andy, who met whilst working for East Sussex Fire Brigade (Thank you for your service).

I first met them in April of this year, about seven weeks before they tied the knot. We had messaged before and we knew of each other, as Jackie’s fabulous daughter is the best friend of my daughter. They girls met outside of school when they were young teenagers, so us mum’s never had the chance to meet each other. When we finally did get to meet, over a cuppa in Lewes, you’d have thought we’d known each other for years, both chatting away about our magnificent children (who are grown women now). We did let Andy join in, telling me of his lovely children and his young grandson. The conversation also went on to their new puppy, and their chickens, as they had bought me a gift of six freshly laid eggs. It’s lovely when you meet your couples and you get on well, it makes everything so much nicer. Remember you have to spend all day with your photographer, so it really helps and makes everything more enjoyable if you like them and enjoy their company.

Herstmonceux Castle was the chosen venue. It is a brick-built moated castle, dating from the 15th century, near Herstmonceux, East Sussex. It is one of the oldest significant brick buildings still standing in England. I hadn’t photographed a wedding there before so I was very excited. I love going to a new venue and discovering all the new photo opportunities. I knew there were beautiful gardens and that the wedding party would be in the cloisters and enclosed private courtyard. The wisteria had some flowers still in bloom, and the garden was full of country garden flowers of lupins, foxgloves and lavender, to mention a few. There were beautiful colours of pinks and purples and the sound of buzzing bees.

The ceremony was taking place in The Elizabethan Room it is a very intimate and charming room, perfect for a smaller wedding. It is a stone floored room with a grand fireplace, beautiful woodwork, tapestries and an incredibly ornate ceiling.

Jackie and her bridesmaids were getting ready upstairs in another ornate wooden panelled room and Andy was greeting the guests at the entrance of the castle. It’s not everyday you get to greet your favourite people on your wedding day, standing on a drawbridge, over a moat in a medieval castle.

When it was time for the ceremony Jackie, her Bridesmaids, who were her daughter and her step-daughter, made the way to the Elizabethan Room, we all had to negotiate an old wooden staircase. The only problem was it was a bit creaky and any high heels echoed around the room. Thank goodness for the entrance music. I was also really glad I was wearing my vans as they enabled me to climb the stairs quietly to take some overhead shots from a balcony above, and to photograph the beautiful decorative ceiling.

The ceremony was lovely with personalised vows. They didn’t leave a dry eye in the house, even the registrar was in bits. After they became husband and wife it was confetti time, outside the castle on the drawbridge. We then took couple, family and friend photographs in the courtyard, we had limited time as there was a delicious cream tea and plenty of bubbles waiting for the wedding party. So we didn’t get to explore more of the 300 acre estate including woodland, and gardens. I also didn't get to see the peacock I had been hearing calling out all day. I look forward to doing so when I return.

It was a special day spent in beautiful historical surroundings with lovely people. It’s why my job is one of the best jobs and I consider myself very lucky.

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categories / East Sussex wedding, Instagram, Photography, Social media photographs, Summer wedding, Sussex Wedding, Wedding Photography, Wedding dress, Lewes wedding
tags / wedding hair, weddings, wedding bouquet, wedding shoes, wedding dress, wedding blog, Herstmonceux Castle, east sussex, East Sussex wedding, Sussex wedding, Castle wedding, confetti, Eastbourne Wedding, Historical wedding

Fran and Martin - Brighton Registry Office and Pelirocco Hotel

September 23, 2022 / Rebecca King

Where do I start with the wedding of this fabulous couple? Firstly they are adorable, and so wholesome, secondly I had a blast photographing their wedding day, and spending time with their lovely family and friends.

The ceremony took place at Brighton Town Hall in Bartholomew Road. It is a beautiful Greek revival Grade II listed building. The bride and groom were arriving separately. I do love it when the couple surprise each other. It feels very traditional and romantic. The bridal party arrived, but disaster had struck as the sole had come loose off a bridesmaids shoe. Luckily enough at an art gallery up the road a kind person gave me some sticky pads and blue tac to get the shoe through the ceremony. Note to self…add superglue to my wedding bags for next time. Disaster averted and there was time for some pre-wedding photos with the bride and her bridal party. The bridesmaids dresses were a beautiful soft lavender, but all the styles were different to suit each person. The bouquets were a mixture of purple freesias, white roses amongst green ferns and other delicate purple flowers.

The bride wore an amazing white lace and satin dress from Dig for Victory. It was mid-length and had a full skirt with a petticoat, that flew when the bride spun. She was also wearing the most outstanding lace boots, which finished off the ensemble beautifully.

After the lovely ceremony the newlyweds and their guests walked along Brighton seafront, not only for the fantastic photo opportunities, but also to get to Hotel Pelirocco in Regency Square. This is where the reception was being held. Hotel Pelirocco is a boutique hotel with themed bedrooms from a Dolly Parton inspired room to Star Wars and Bowie.

We were blessed with the most glorious weather. Brighton is always at it’s best when the sun is shining. We stopped for photographs in one of the beautiful Victoria bus stops. They are painted in a vibrant sea-foam and are an iconic sight in Brighton. We carried on walking along the promenade and stopped for photographs of the family and friends with The West Pier in the background. I have such a fondness for the West Pier and I am still sad that we lost so much of it, and it was left to become derelict. It still looks stunning sitting in the sea, and makes a wonderful addition to any photograph. I was very happy to be able to photograph one of my favourite landmarks combined with this lovely couples wedding photographs. After all the family and friends photographs were finished, the guests made their way to Hotel Pelirocco. The happy couple and I walked to the beautiful Victorian Bandstand for their couple photographs. I love this point of the day where it’s them and me. They decided to practise their first dance whilst we were there. It was a salsa to Despacito. I’m not sure if it was the Justin Bieber or Luis Fonsi version. It was such a joy to get this advance preview, and I loved taking photographs of them dance with the stunning Seaview, and the West Pier in the background.

After the couple photographs were finished we made a short journey to Hotel Pelirocco. It is a fantastical hotel full of colour and life. It is packed of interesting curiosities, including decorated mannequin doll lamps. I recognised them as being made by Tracy at Dolly Fixtures. She’s a lovely lady who I had previously photographed for Viva Lewes.

The reception was a happy affair with lots of dancing and partying, and the official debut of the first dance.

A delicious buffet was supplied by the lovely ladies at Connie and Cooper Catering. It’s never a bad day when you have a C&C sausage roll. The tasty wedding cake was beach themed with a dolphin cake topper, made by Cloud 9 in Brighton.

I had the most wonderful day documenting this fabulous wedding for two of the nicest people you could hope to meet. I have really enjoyed looking back at their photographs and being able to share them.

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categories / Brighton wedding, East Sussex wedding, Instagram, Photography, Social media photographs, Sussex Wedding, Wedding dress, Wedding Photography
tags / wedding hair, weddings, wedding bouquet, wedding dress, wedding blog, wedding shoes, Brighton, East Sussex wedding, east sussex, Hotel Pelirocco, West pier, Connie and Cooper Catering

Return of the Twins

April 05, 2022 / Rebecca King

I consider myself very lucky with my job. I get to meet lots of lovely people, either on their wedding day or when photographing their families and babies.

I photographed this lovely couples wedding day, and this was the second year I photographed them and their beautiful twin boys. When I first met these two little legends one was wearing navy and the other teal, so I could tell them apart. The second time we met, again one was wearing navy and the other teal, so I thought this was going to be easy, but as it got warmer the coats came off to reveal fabulous matching rainbow jumpers. I was going to have to work harder to tell them apart, studying the shape of their faces and which one has the bigger dimples I think I know which one is which now, I hope when I see them again they won’t have changed too much.

We went to Southover Grange Gardens again, as this is where they got married. It never fails to be beautiful there, and the photographs always look different. It’s a lovely space with lots of room for children to run around. I bought along bubbles and a confetti cannon, with little ones it can get a bit boring for them to have to pose for photographs, so I like them to run and play and have fun, then it feels more like a visit to the park rather than a bossy lady making them pose for pictures and sit still. You can still get the posed photographs but they don’t mind.

It makes me so happy when people come back to me, it means they like me and what I do, and for someone that struggles with confidence and belief in myself, it really helps. I want to make my clients happy. I want the experience of having the photographs taken to be fun and relaxing, and for them to love the end result.

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categories / Children's portraits, Family photography, Instagram, Lewes, Photography, Portraits, Social media photographs
tags / location shoot, lewes, Southover Grange Gardens, Grange Gardens, family, family portraits, family photographer, family photography, children

Lewes Light Festival - February 2020

May 14, 2020 / Rebecca King

This is the first blog I have done since lockdown started. It has been hard to stay focused and enthusiastic about updating my website. I’m sure, like you, I have spent too much time on my phone, scrolling, more scrolling, reading the news and at times feeling quite lost. I, like many other wedding suppliers have lost a lot of work, it has either been cancelled or postponed. I’m hoping that things can go back to normal asap, but I know it’s a marathon rather than sprint. Too keep myself busy and still engaged with photography I have been taking pictures of the wildlife I can see from my window or on my walks (stay alert for that blog coming soon). I have also been documenting the lockdown diaries of Kermit the Frog and Gordon the Gopher. Please go over to the Mills and King Photography Facebook page for those daily updates.

I have finally, in-between making banana bread and watching Tik Toks decided to post my photographs from The Lewes Light Festival. It was held at the end of February, which now feels like years ago. We were lucky to choose to go on the Sunday of the weekend long events, as it was the only day that was dry and Storm Jorge had blown away. There were many beautiful installations that were scattered all over the town, so you also had a lovely tour of the town at the same time. There were installations at South Malling Church - a blue man who looked like Dr Manhattan by Lee Painter, Southover Grange had a giant moon, glowing purple rings by Eleni Shiarlis Lighting and another brilliant interactive light installation that ran around the stream. At Depot Gallit and Grimaldi run an interactive workshop based on the silent movie, A Trip to the Moon. The Pells Pond had some beautiful laser lights and the Pells swimming pool had a giant visual screen in the water, by Jeanne Blissrob. It looked like the monolith from A 2001 Space Odyssey. An adorable addition was a couple of polar bears at the Linklater Pavilion in the railway land, these were made by Nikki Gunson. These are only a few that were on display over the weekend.

I hope Lewes Light Festival can come back again in a post Covid 19 world, where we can be within two meters of each other and enjoy sharing in wonderful events and experiences and being back in our communities.