Art of Romance

Pre-wedding photographs

Gary and Andra

Afternoon glow

poised for action

Romantic stroll

Cosy close-up

In the frame

The trend for British and Irish couples to marry under the warmth of the Mediterranean sun is nothing new. With guaranteed sunshine and spectacular palm-fringed backdrops to add romance to the occasion, it makes perfect sense to tie the knot in Marbella.

But, some couples are going a step further by introducing the warmth of the Spanish sun into their nuptials long before the big day. Yes - the latest trend is for couples to set the romantic mood long before the wedding, by jetting into Marbella for a pre-wedding photoshoot. And why not? The images become the perfect subject for personalized invitations, and have huge potential for wedding favours, wine labels for the big day, etc.

Top wedding photography team Gary and Andra of SwannPhoto.com recently flew in from Manchester with a couple who will marry next Spring in the UK. In a whirlwind visit, their subjects, Micheal and Nihal took off on a rainy Saturday from Manchester at 11am, touching down in Málaga at 12.30pm local time, sun shining with a crystal clear blue sky. With no luggage to wait for, the happy couple strolled through arrivals to be greeted by the photographers who had flown in the previous day, hired a car and toured around to make some final checks to the predetermined locations for the 'pre-wedding' photo shoot.

Relaxed Pace

Within half an hour the team were sitting down ordering light Mediterranean lunch on the paseo maritimo in Marbella. With a cool glass of Chardonnay to help the snack down, the couple were soon feeling relaxed for the photo shoot. Gary explained the schedule, the locations they would be visiting and what he was looking for from the visiting Novios.

Invitations

As we drove to the first location Andra discussed with Nihal the list of wedding day details which could be personalized with the images they were about to create. SwannPhoto.com supply a luxurious album of the images, but the wide choice and variety of imaginative wedding items available is ever increasing. Invitations need designing and printing as well as the menus, and Michael is keen to give his guests a taste of personalized wine and possibly some chocolates with an image of him and his beautiful wife on the wrappers. There are still a full eight months until the day when photographers will be focusing their lenses on Michael and Nihal again, but the time will pass by quickly and if stress can be avoided by good organization life will run much smoother.

Location, location, location

Arriving at the first of four locations, Gary and Andra clicked into action and with incredible professionalism, with in a blink, the cameras were firing. Andra moved the couple from one place to another, keeping them calm and in an upbeat mood, but at the same time, perfectly posed. The moment started to resemble a fashion shoot for a quality glossy - no surprise as both photographers have worked for top magazines around the world.

Sundown

As the shoot moved from place to place, the sun gradually waned giving a pink hue to the sky. We made our way to the beach which would give the opportunity of some beautiful natural backlighting. The romantic effect was perfect for the subject, but within another 20 minutes the great golden disc disappeared behind the mountains we realised that our time was up. Having shot some 600 photographs Gary and Andra were more than happy they had the images they were looking for.

Relaxing Dinner

The flights back to Manchester were leaving at 2am giving the team time to enjoy a quiet sundowner or two before heading back for a lazy Sunday at home. Having sampled the menu in a familiar Marbella restaurant on various ocassions, Andra ordered classic Spanish dishes for the group with knowledge and ease. Not only did Michael and Nihal have a memorable day to add to the whole wedding experience, but having got to know their wedding photographers, those all important wedding day shots will be even better.