The wedding season is in full swing for Sam and Steve, and their special guest interview this episode is with Richard Parsons, the Gloucestershire Magician. Richard is a full time professional magician whom Sam and Steve met at the recent Guides for Brides customer service awards, where we were all working on the night. 
Richard tells Steve:

• How he became a full time magician
• How he was accepted into the magic circle
• Why couples should consider booking a magician for their wedding
• His favourite magic trick

Sam and Steve discuss their recent weddings, what to do if it rains on your wedding day and why you need to make a list for your photographer of any formal group shots you want on your wedding day.

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Sam and Steve on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Richard Parsons Gloucestershire Magician https://www.gloucestershiremagician.co.uk/
Gloucestershire Magician on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/glosmagician/
Guides for Brides Customer Service Awards 2023 https://guidesforbrides.co.uk/wedding-ideas/customer-service-awards-winners-2023

Music by Artlist.io 

In this episode Sam and Steve look at the world of wedding fairs.  Many of their wedding photography bookings come about as a result of having met couples at wedding shows. Sam and Steve discuss wedding fairs from both the perspective of couples looking for wedding suppliers, and also why wedding suppliers should aim to exhibit at fairs if possible.  Sam talks though 10 reasons why couples should attend a number of wedding fairs when planning their wedding. Steve has 10 "do's and don't" for suppliers looking to make the best of the investment of exhibiting at a wedding fair. 

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Sam and Steve on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/

Music from Artlist.io 

For their last show before Christmas 2022, Sam and Steve look back on 2022, their  busiest ever year for wedding photography. Just for fun they choose their favourites of 2022 including:

• Favourite wedding venue 
• Favourite new (to them) wedding venue in 2022
• Favourite wedding meal
• Favourite (other) wedding supplier we worked with
• Favourite item of equipment
• Favourite unusual wedding entertainment
• Favourite band/DJ
• Favourite suppler to them as wedding photographers
• A wish for 2023 from Steve
• A wish for 2023 from Sam

All of course from our perspective as wedding photographers! 

Happy Christmas and have a wonderful 2023 - especially if you are getting married! 

Sam and Steve's guests for this episode are Merry and Lorrie, a daughter and mother team who run Woolly Woods. They specialise in unique, hand made wedding decorations for hire.  They make beautiful trees adorned with felt leaves, lit with battery operated LED's. And, for every tree they rent out, they plant a real tree via Just One Tree, a not for profit climate change initiative.  Merry and Lorrie tell Steve:

• How Merry's own wedding inspired them to start their own wedding decoration business
• Why sustainability is core to their business
• All about the love and care that goes into every hand made tree
• Their plans for the future.

Sam and Steve also reflect back on a busy 2022, having just recently shot their last wedding of the year. Steve talks about his new passion for off camera flash work, and both of them name their favourite piece of photography gear for 2022. They also talk more about their new corporate photography and media business they are launching, Bicester Studios, web site coming soon!

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Woolly Woods https://www.woollywoods.co.uk/
Just one Tree https://www.woollywoods.co.uk/just-one-tree

Sam and Steve are back after a super busy wedding season with a new episode. Their guest interview is with Rachel Vine, of Veiled Productions. Rachel guarantees wedding videography with built in goosebumps! She tells Steve:

• Why couples should prioritise having a wedding videographer
• What couples need to consider when choosing a videographer
• How she got started and plans for the future

Sam and Steve also reflect on some of the weddings they have photographed this year, future plans for this podcast and also their new corporate photography/videography brand they are launching this winter, Bicester Studios.

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Veiled Productions https://www.veiledproductions.co.uk/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/veiledproductions/

Music for the show from Artist.io 

For this episode Sam and Steve take the podcasting kit  half a mile down the road to the cake kitchen of wedding and event cake specialist Cakes by Em.  In a fun and laughter filled episode, Em tells Sam and Steve :

• How she started making wedding and event cakes
• What makes her different to most other cake makers in the area
• How she convinced her parents to covert the garage at home into a dedicated cake kitchen and collection area
• Her most unusual cake request
• Her favourite cake design

Sam and Steve also announce big plans for a new business brand, providing event and corporate photography, videography and podcast production. And, as usual, Sam says "yes dear" a LOT.

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/

Cakes by Em  https://cakesbyem.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CakesAndBakesByEm/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cakesbyem_insta/

Music for the show by Artlist.io 

Sam and Steve take time out of their busy wedding schedule to meet Paul Ormond, the owner of a new festival style wedding venue on the border of Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire. A family business of Paul and his two children,  The Wed Shed at Glamping Thorpe is a unique wedding venue, ideal for couples who love the outdoor festival life, and want to have their wedding in this style. The Wed Shed at Glamping Thorpe can host your hen party as well!

In the 2nd part of this episode, Sam and Steve take time out during the dinner at a recent wedding to reflect on their busy and hectic 2022 wedding season.

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/

Glamping Thorpe/Wed Shed https://www.glampingoxfordshire.co.uk/properties/wedshed
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/glampingthorpe/

Music by Artlist.io 

Sam and Steve are on much needed short vacation near Sorrento, Italy, and take the opportunity to look back on what has been a very busy 2022 so far for weddings.  Recorded whilst on their holiday balcony Sam and Steve discuss:

• Wedding suppliers they have worked with so far this year, including some creative musical acts
• The pro's and con's of having your wedding ceremony outside 
• Why can't registrars can't seem to make their mind up on whether you still need to have the legal part of your wedding ceremony under a structure
• Weddings coming up over the next few months.

No Allotment Avenue this episode as Sam hasn't been there much since the last episode! She does give some Italian cooking tips though.

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/

Sam and Steve's guest on this episode is Lauren Cohen, a Brackley based make up artist and hair stylist.  She tells Steve:

• What a bride needs to consider when choosing her make up artist
• The study and education a professional MUA has to go through
• How she manages allergy issues
• The importance of having a trial 

Sam and Steve discuss their recent wedding photography work, including weddings at Caswell House, Christ Church Oxford and the fantastic Buckinghamshire Railway Centre.  They also chat about their recent equipment purchases - A Sony 35mm GM lens and a Sigma 85mm DG DN, and why they have pre-ordered the new Sony 24-70 Mk 2 lens. And, as always, Sam gives an update on her horticultural exploits in Allotment Avenue. 

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Sam and Steve Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Lauren Cohen Make Up Artist https://www.instagram.com/laurencohenmua/

Lauren's photo for the  episode cover art by https://www.ktsphotography.co.uk/

Music for the show by Artlist.io

Fresh from a week away in the Florida sun,  Sam and Steve are back with another episode of their weddings and photography podcast. Their interview special guest is Mark Rodgers of Cheese on Towcest - a specialist cheese provider in Northamptonshire that provides a wide range of cheeses, especially for events like weddings!

Mark tells Steve :

• About the over 800 cheeses made in the UK alone
• Why a cake made of cheese might be your best option for your wedding day
• The different options to have with your cheese
• His favourite cheeses and recommendations

Sam and Steve look back on their most recent wedding, with a mishap from Steve! They also discuss a busy wedding season ahead, and plans for future guests on the podcast. And, of course, Sam is back with all things green fingered with Allotment Avenue.

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Sam and Steve on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Cheese on Towcest https://www.cheeseontowcest.co.uk/
Cheese on Towcest on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cheese_on_towcest/

Steve's radio show https://incapablestaircase.com/steve-vaughan/

Music and sound effects from Artlist.io