Wow, received this lovely thank-you letter this morning. Thank you Anna and Dan for you kind words. So much appreciated by Nina and myself.
Anna and Dan are a lovely couple and they are their family and friends were great fun to work with. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Rowley.
Dear John & Nina,
Wedding photography….argh…a chore for any wedding guest… involving lots of people milling about without purpose or direction whilst the bride and groom faff about, and the photographer tries in vain to get everyone’s attention… it’s fair to say that I wasn’t looking forward to the search for a photographer for our wedding.
And then we came across www.devonweddingphotographer.com, aka John Miles.
The pictures on your website are quite simply stunning – notable for the complete absence of awkward group poses, – but the capture of “moments” with your camera, a laugh here, a whispered conversation there, a shared giggle. We were hooked.
Meeting you is like meeting a celebrated medical professional, in whom you instantly feel able to entrust with your care. We knew instantly that we need look no further. Calm, collected and incredibly experienced in your field, you opened up your vast range of knowledge, not just about photography, but also regarding the timings and general flow of the day – you were instantly able to point out flaws in our plans, and suggest better alternatives, e.g. how long to set aside for the meal, what order to do the photos and also thoughtful little touches like allowing time for Dan and I to have share a few moments together during the day. In creating the photography plan, you accounted for all our wishes, added in your own suggestions and advisory tips, and addressed all the practical aspects e.g. sun, rain, group numbers etc, so that we were completely confident that the photography – and the day itself – would run smoothly.
On the day itself, you spent the morning with Dan and his best men, charting their preparations, and Nina was with me and my bridesmaids. I don’t normally enjoy having my photo taken but Nina was disarmingly friendly, very relaxed and very insightful regarding how, when and where to take photos. I can quite honestly say it was the most fun, non-stressful morning (one of my highlights of the day) and I arrived at the church feeling more relaxed than I could possibly have dared hope.
Throughout the day, you and Nina worked together like a dream. You carried off the group photo session with aplomb – it was short, very efficient and full of fun – with lots of banter between you and the guests, and, none of the guests was kept waiting (my pet hate)! Everyone commented on the group photo session – saying how fun it was – something none of us had ever experienced before!
Aside from this though, you went above and beyond what we could have expected, and actively helped Dan and I re-organise the seating plan when it fell through just before the meal. When others were stressed, you remained calm and helped us sort it out, and later on in the evening, when Dan and I were having a crisis of confidence about our planned lindy hop dance, it was you who encouraged us to have a crack at it – and – as we stepped onto the dance floor I knew you had been right – if we hadn’t done it we would always have wondered if we could have pulled it off.
Throughout the day, you and Nina were always there – but never there. Completely unobtrusive, they managed to capture every moment that we could have hoped for and more. Whilst other friends have waited months for their photos, you got the first taster up online just two days after the wedding, and I received the whole portfolio online yesterday – four weeks after the big day. Looking through the images, you and Nina have captured so many meaningful memories, some that we remembered, some that jogged our memories, and many that made us laugh and/ or cry.
If anyone is looking for a wedding photographer (particularly if, like us, you have become disillusioned with the usual waiting, faffing and awkward group photos, prevalent at so many weddings), then they should look no further. You and Nina are hugely talented, personable, hardworking, experienced and incredibly insightful, and we could not be more grateful.
With our thanks and best wishes
Anna & Dan Rowley
