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Anna Rose Heaton is a wedding and family photographer, but also a trusted retoucher of other wedding photographers in the East Midlands. Her photography style is best described as romantic and she gets stunning images you won't have even thought about, or seen her taking! She’s a diamond and she loves a pun, so we're kindred spirits!

I love that Anna's Instagram feed is just full of beautiful authentic happy smiles, that were just so blissed out in a specific moment and she caught that moment forever in a photo. Smiling is lovely, as is Anna :) I asked her some questions about her business and the lockdown, and she's kindly answered here :)

Joanna contacted me in late August about her wedding in October 2020, asking if I'd be available do her wedding makeup for her micro-wedding. She was marrying Jeff no matter what COVID-19 tiers we were in; if it was still legal to get married during the pandemic, she'd be saying "I do!" They had to cut their list from 30 to 15 attendees but there was no way they were letting that get in the way of them getting hitched!

I've worked with some fantastic photographers in my time, but there are few that I recommend unless I've met them and know them to be thoroughly awesome people. Ed Godden is one such person! I met Ed when he photographed Maya and Jamie's big day in 2015. Any time I get a wedding booking where I know he'll be photographing it, I do a little leap for joy. JUST LOOK AT THOSE PHOTOGRAPHS! Ed's been in the business a while so he's quite the wedding photographer alumni, but he's not faced a pandemic before either so I caught up with him about how's his 2020 been so far...

I was considering writing this as a blog myself, and I may still do it one day but today, this blog comes to you from my client Heather in a review she left me on Google... have a look here if you don't believe I didn't write this DREAMY review myself.

Nupur got married at Allington Manor in October 2020, bringing forward her whole wedding by a week to avoid further disruption to their big day from restrictions and rules related to COVID. It all played out beautifully though and Nupur and Paul had their day!

Philippa and Peter got married in July 2022 at The Old Vicarage in Southwell. A gorgeous venue, but one this time I wouldn't be visiting! Philippa chose to get ready at her parents home and then travel over to The Old Vicarage to get into her dress, and then have some time taking photos. I love it when brides do it their way! I've also known Philippa for around 10 years so it was lovely to catch up with her, some of her family that I've previously met too, and one of my past brides. Here's what she said to my interview questions!

I never work on International Women's Day. It's the 8th March, and every year - along with my birthday, and my work anniversary, and Christmas - I buy myself a nice cake and a bottle of champagne! I absolutely make sure that I book the day off in my diary in advance. I wholly believe in celebrating myself on International Women's Day and think you should too! Especially as this year it falls on a Friday.

Last year I wrote a blog recommending some of my favourite female wedding suppliers who're doing great things. This year's theme is #InspireInclusion - here to celebrate those people who raise you up, bring you under their wing, who'll speak about you in rooms you're not in, and who will cheerlead you when you're rocking and comfort you when you're sobbing. There's very few people that will do that so selflessly, so this blog is here to celebrate those that I've found provide that incredible support and do things every day that will inspire inclusion in all that they do. 

Agate got married back in August 2019, and I'd seen a few snaps from her photographer over on Instagram and I knew they'd be beautiful. Back in January when I knew I needed to get back on my blogging game, I got in touch with her photographer to ask if I could peek through the photos. I found time to do that what with a pandemic, and now here I am, blogging about that very wedding!

You might recognise Louise on my blog, as she's been featured a couple of times now - both as a bride and on my International Women's Day blog this year! This time she's here in her professional capacity as a a professional Humanist celebrant, aka Kickass Gatherings!

Hayley and Stu got married in August 2022, having delayed their wedding from 2020 due to the pandemic. They married at the lovely Swancar Farm, but she got ready with her wedding party at home in Wollaton. Hayley first contacted me back in 2018 so it was really lovely to finally get her ready for her big day!

I'm bringing back my recommended supplier interviews! There's still a few on my recommended list that I haven't interviewed, so I figured I'd catch a few more for 2023. Starting with the lovely Robyn aka Perfect Silhouette Hairdressing. I wrote about her for International Women's Day too as she's making great waves both in a hairstyling way, winning National awards, and for the LGBTQ+ community in setting up All In Love; an inclusive wedding fair in Lincolnshire. Here's a bit more about her and her business!

Red Robin Cakery is ran by the lovely Sophie, who's been baking for nearly seven years. I've only met Sophie once (during lockdown when she was creating incredible brownie boxes!) but we always seem to end up having weddings together and realise later in the day on Instagram when I see which venue she's been to drop off a cake that morning!

Well, this is a bit lovely isn’t it! I've won an award at the Hitched Wedding Awards 2023.

Emily and Mitch had their wedding at Inkersall Grange Farm back in August 2021. They'd postponed twice due to the pandemic but we're determined to have all their family and friends around them for their festival-themed wedding! They had their legal paperwork done secretly the year before so as not to spoil their big music festival themed day, and then absolutely smashed out a weekends worth of partying in one night!

Martin Cheung is an East Midlands based wedding photographer. He loves big smiles, laughing with his couples, and generally making everyone feel comfortable, happy, and chilled out. It's truly the best recipe for a wedding morning, which is why he's one of my recommended suppliers. 

Sarah from Rock n Roller Hair is a font of all knowledge relating to wedding hair. She's also the absolute go to person for all things hair extensions, as she's trained in ten different methods. Who know there were 10 methods to even know about?! She's super calm to work with on a wedding morning, and we always have a giggle together. I asked her about her experience in the wedding industry and how she's finding lockdowns and not being able to work...

Lottie and Emma got married at the lovely Cockliffe Country House in July 2023. They'd originally planned for 2020, but then EVERYTHING happened and they postponed to 2021. Seeing how things we're in early 2021, they decided to postpone their wedding reception to 2023 so that COVID could absolutely chuff off and they would be safe in the knowledge their wedding celebrations would be as full throttle as they initially planned!

And it absolutely was, but they had damn good reason to celebrate. Not only had they dealt with the pandemic, they relocated back to Nottingham after living in London for 10 years. Lottie also underwent emergency urgent spinal surgery the week of her legal ceremony. A rough couple of years, but these two were ready to let their hair down...!

Lottie and Emma both answered these questions seperately by email so don't know what the other answered, haha!

Moira has been working as a hairstylist for over 15 years, but specialised in bridal hairstyling for around half of that time. It's always a joy to work with Moira on a wedding morning, knowing what a calming prescence she has and cheeky sense of humour like me.

As she's a recommended supplier of mine, I wanted to interview her so you know more about her!

What a way to celebrate the Easter weekend - I've been recognised as Outstanding at Weddings Inc. in Nottinghamshire for the Make-up Artist category!