A never-to-forget country wedding, marquee reception and riverside, firework lit party

Writing this, it’s difficult not to descend into superlatives and hyperbole. It’s no secret that I have a soft spot for photographing a country wedding, marquee reception and damned good party but Olivia & Chris’ wedding near the Suffolk coast had it all and then some.

Olivia looked stunning in her Rosa Clara gown, Chris handsome in a traditional morning suit, the setting was the ancient church at Iken close to the Suffolk coast, the marquee reception in the garden of Chris’ childhood home, and more personal touches than you can shake a stick at. The evening featured a cracking soul band followed by fireworks and dancing on the banks of the river Alde (DJ’d by the best man).

It was a photographer's dream! Having lots going on makes it easy for a wedding photographer to blend into the background - I'm not the centre of attention, and guests aren't aware that I'm there - allowing me to capture all those spontaneous, candid moments.

Plus, and I know self-praise is no-praise but hey, we all need to blow our own trumpets from time to time, the international judges of the Wedding Photojournalists Association liked the look of this wedding as well and awarded a coveted Masterpiece award for the purple-dancefloor pic below. Scroll down to see it.

As always, here’s a selection of favourites from the day. One to live long in the memory and look back on with a smile.