A Sunday Kind of Love – Blood Brothers Tattoo Studio, Mike Harris & Al Overdrive

Kat

June 27, 2010

OK, so I'm so bloomin' impatient. My sleeve tattoo technically isn't finished yet (I've got another 4 hours or so to go in 4 weeks time - I'm adding some more colour to the background and some more cupcakes and diamonds - yum) but I've waited 2 weeks already to share these pictures and I can't do it anymore! At my last session at the amazing Blood Brothers Tattoo Studios in Holloway Rd, London, photographer Al Overdrive offered to pop down and take a few photographs of me in pain/being brave/getting inked. Al won Tattoo Photographer of the Year this year and is pretty well known in the music and tattoo photography market, shooting for magazine like Skin Deep, Tattoo Master, Rock Sound and Terrorizer as well as shooting some pretty damn cool alternative weddings.

Laundrette Lovers

Kat

June 10, 2010

I've always loved laundrette photo sessions so when Brighton photographer Joanna Brown sent me this set I couldn't wait to share it... "I have been living in quirky Kemptown in Brighton for some time and have always had my eye on the Laundrette round the corner thinking it would be perfect location for a shoot" Joanna told me. "I have always thought that there is something quite lovely and romantic about laundrettes; the sound of the machines quietly whirling that combined with complete strangers just hanging out sharing a really mundane chore. So I have been patiently waiting for my opportunity to arrive and hey presto a lovely couple got in touch and I could not quite believe it. Laura and Rikki met whilst studying at Bath University and had seen each other around the campus; at the bar, in the library and also spied each other at the local laundrette; after sometime Rikki finally asked Laura out and the rest is history. They are simply an adorable couple who have a great sense of humour, Rikki even took Laura on one of their first dates to a Laundrette (how romantic). We had a hoot at the Laundrette (I think some of the regulars thought we were balmy) especially when Laura lay on the floor for one of the shots; hey it is Brighton though anything goes!"

Best of Blogs – Issue 9 ~ Emma Case

Kat

May 31, 2010

Anyone that's been following me in any capacity over the last 6 months will be well aware of my love and devotion to Emma Case. Not only have I featured as many of her weddings as possible (I can't get enough) but I've even been lucky enough to be photographed by her. I'd say we pretty much have communication every day (whether that be twitter, email, text or talking on the phone!) and I am honoured to call the talented and absolutely awesome lady my friend. So when it came to writing this month's 'Best of Blogs' article for uk photography magazine Photo Pro, who else was I going to choose? Enjoy...

Rock n Roll News – My Crazy Life

Kat

May 24, 2010

First off, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for your support over the last year or so. I know I say it all the time, but I truly am in awe at every single on of you that visits my site, comments, sends me emails of love, send me submissions, sponsors me and generally allows me to live my dream! Because of every single one of you I've been able to go part time at my day job and spend 5 days a week doing what I love. It's amazing and it's all because of you guys. After the initial over-excitement of becoming a full time blogger, I got-to-thinking; hell, what am I going to do next?! How can I make Rock n Roll Bride even better with all this extra time? Well, as with most things in this career of mine, it's all just kind of falling into place. From the very beginning the blog has been very organic and real, and has grown slowly. I hope, in a genuine way. I never started my website to make money and in all honestly, becoming rich is not how I measure my success. As long as I can pay my bills and feed my kittens I'm happy. I didn't start the blog to be the biggest or most popular and I won't be turning Rock n Roll Bride into a money making empire now this is my main income so I hope you'll be pleased to hear! I measure my success on you guys. How many people read what I write and comment on the photographs I post and how and if I make you happy. It sounds soppy and idealistic but seriously, that it. That's me.

Best of Blogs – Issue 8 ~ Steve Gerrard

Kat

May 3, 2010

For this month's article in Photo Pro magazine I wanted to highlight the work of one of my good blog-friends, Steve Gerrard. The Birmingham-based photographer is making huge waves in both the music and wedding photography world as his amazing cross-over between these two very different genres coincide as a huge benefit his couples who love his unique and innovative ideas and style. Best of Blogs Steve Gerrard has bolted wedding photography on to a successful careers shooting for music mags and, as Kat explains, his blog is designed to win him clients who love his quirky style

My Vintage Boudoir Shoot Featured in Photo Pro Magazine!

Kat

April 5, 2010

I am the worst for patience...the actual worst! I want everything now now now. So when I picked the newest issue of Photo Pro Magazine up and saw that not only was my article on one of my favourite photographers, David McNeil featured, but that my Vintage Boudoir shoot with the fabulous Julia Boggio was adoring FOUR whole pages, I literally couldn't wait to share the scans with you. I hope you likey! (click on the images to make them bigger and read-able if you want to see what Julia said about me and my posing - Yes I am a big poser) Enjoy!

Best Of Blogs – Issue 7 ~ David McNeil

Kat

April 2, 2010

I joked about this on Twitter and Facebook yesterday, but it may actually be true you know - they might as well have called this month's Photo Pro Magazine, Rock n Roll Bride Magazine because the awesome guys over there not only ran my regular 'Best of Blogs' article, but my friend and photographer, the way-too-fabulous Julia Boggio, wrote a piece about 'the art of posing'...and guess who's Vintage Boudoir session is adoring FOUR whole pages?! That's right people...it's meee! I can't wait to share those with you (on Monday) but for now let's get right into learning all about another one of my favourite UK photographers (and just so happens, best friends) David McNeil!

Sew Magazine – April 2010

Kat

March 18, 2010

When I told people I was going to be featured in this month's Sew Magazine (out in shops tomorrow), the usual reaction I got was a screwed up face and a look of confusion. "Sew magazine? but you don't sew!" Well no my dears I don't but I've always wished I was a bit more crafty and if we were to plan our wedding again, I know I'd be making some terrible attempts at diy-ing the lot. However after receiving my shiny new copy in the post this morning, I have to say I feel positively converted. I'm seriously not just sayingthis (because I'm in it!) but this April issue, a Special Occasions Special, is literally fit to bursting with fabulous wedding diy and craft ideas. From making cute little stitched thank you 'cards' out of mismatched fabric, to making your own dress - from adorable fascinator ideas and even a tutorial foryour own veil (and we all know how expensive a cathedral veil is to buy - ouch!) - this magazine would be an absolute god send to any bride lacking inspiration in the do-it-yourself department.

Best of Blogs – Issue 6 ~ Our Labor of Love

Kat

March 5, 2010

In my Photo Pro article this month I had the opportunity to write about one of the best known and most loved collaborations in blog land. Our Labor of Love have probably been featured on every blog out there and when you see the stellar work of Whitney, Jesse, Micheal, Max, Matt and co. it's pretty damn easy to see why. Matt's own wedding to Danielle was so popular when I featured it (part one and two can be seen here) and is such a perfect Rock n Roll wedding that it was an easy decision for me when deciding which of their weddings to feature. Enjoy

Thursday Treats – 25th Feb 2010

Kat

February 25, 2010

Are you kidding me? Is it actually nearly march already? C-c-c-razy! OK Thursday Treat fans..saddle up and prepare yourself for another 7 days worth of internet pretties... ♥ First up, a little 'toot toot' to yours truly - did you recognise the fuschia haired chick in today's headline image? Oh yeah baby that's ME! This lovely little drawing was sent to me by illustrator-extraordinaire Miss Dee Ahoy and I actually nearly wet myself with excitement! Thanks to Miss Dee for the utter love. Mwah! ♥ This diy wedding is awesome to the max - mismatched bridesmaids will forever be cool in my book ♥ Secret celebrity wedding! ♥ Ruffles, red shoes, big red heart - pop! ♥ Sweet, outdoor wedding ♥ Fierce engagement session (faux fur for the win!) ♥ AMAZING rockabilly style lesbian wedding ♥ Let's get colourful ♥ Fashion and home design inspired by The Red Shoes ♥ A Midsummer Night’s Dream themed wedding (these shoes are Irregular Choice - I've swooned over them before!)

Best of Blogs – Issue 5 ~ Steep Street Photography

Kat

February 8, 2010

Screen printing, custom designs, image overlay, graphical collage effects – these are all ideas one wouldn’t usually place alongside wedding photography. But Kelty of Steep Street Photography, based in the eclectic and creative Portland, Oregon, is seriously bucking the trend and doing her own thing. As a child, Kelty chose to spend her time obsessively designing, creating and crafting – it’s a very lucky person who is able to bring their childhood hobby into adulthood and to make a career of it. She explains “I grew up with dirty feet, knotty hair and an art project going full steam ahead. And as much as I enjoyed hocking my creations to my friends, family and neighbours, it wasn´t the loose change or the Haribo candy it bought that caused me to leap out of bed every morning and stay up till the wee hours of the night, obsessively beading dangly earrings anchored by rubber eyeballs or mini schnauzers, gluing moss into perfect shapes for a diorama scene or stapling binding after binding for my next illustrated novel. Come to think of it, the most fun I´ve ever had, back then or since, has been making things and a large part of that happiness has been sharing those things with others. I´m not sure how many people in my life still cherish (or even possess, for that matter) a Nature Stick, a water-colour portrait, a persuasive-bordering-on-pushy brochure or a rainbow-braided bff bracelet, for example... but making whatever it was with them in mind was basically my purpose in life back then.” Skip forward 20 years to the present day and her quickly emerging successful career as a web designer, artist and wedding photographer is a reality. Kelty is certainly what one might call an experimental and spontaneous photographer and artist. She chooses never to settle for the easy option or to follow the popular wedding crowd. She is always pushing herself to create art that reflects her client’s personalities and ideas, and to generate small seedlings of imagination into a reality. “My inspiration comes from the couple I’m working with. It really depends on what the couple likes. The style of Hannah and Alex wedding images came out sort of goofy spy/comic book inspired because that's what they love. I know they like bright colours and popping shapes. I'm inspired a lot by the couple's personal style, and try my best to translate and reflect that into the work.” From the outset, Kelty chooses to let the client and the environment determine the shots. Posed ‘smiling at the camera’ shots are a big no no, pushed to the side in favour of more naturalistic, spontaneous and organic imagery. “I like a blend of far away shots to let the environment speak for the couple, mixed with up close, personal moments” she told me. What intrigues and ultimately excites me the most about Kelty’s work however is her post-production techniques. I have never seen anything like it. One of my favourite examples is the wedding of her sister Hannah to Alex. The experimental aspect of both the wedding itself, the photography and the post production all came together to tell a story that is exciting, eclectic and perfectly personal to the couple. “I love when my clients are open to mixing their photos with other elements, collaging a bit and putting a new spin on what could be an average photo.” Kelty told me. “Hannah and Alex needed 8 cd covers made to use as favours for their guests and let me do whatever I wanted with the photos of them to create 8 little worlds for them to live in. I created the collages in Photoshop using photos of the couple, other photos I've taken, torn out magazine pages, scanned textures and other elements. The covers came out wonderfully and were also printed large and hung as art in their home!” The style is one you may already be familiar with. You have probably seen similar ideas being used in magazines or in advertising…but wedding photography? The idea is in actual fact a simple one; it’s the execution, the situation and the subjects that make it so exciting. “It’s simply digital collage. I layer photos and scanned textures in a Photoshop document and then print it flat. It's hard to hand collage something like that, but Photoshop allows me to collage much richer designs because I can make some layers more prominent and solid, and other more transparent and layered. I think this is what gives the dimension, richness, imagination and energy to the collages” Kelty admits to not being the most effective blogger when she first began. It is hardly surprising when she was so busy being crazy-creative in her work. With a life full of photography, editing, web designing and other art projects, who would also have time to be obsessed with blogs? However luckily for me, her sister Hannah submitted some of her work to Rock n Roll Bride last April and so my obsession with her photography and style began. I believe I actually even blogged about my ‘girl crush’ on her a while ago! The amazing thing about blogging, really unlike any other media is the snowball effect it can generate, almost immediately. Once Hannah had submitted her sister’s work to both myself and other bloggers, it not only started popping up all over blog land, but people who saw her work on the professional wedding blogs similarly wanted a slice of the action and began sharing it too. Her experimental ideas have literally created a wave that has rippled its way through the blogosphere in the last year. After seeing Rock n Roll Bride and other blogs, a new outlet for her work began to emerge. “I had just begun blogging and discovering the wedding blogs like yours.” She told me “Other photographers and fans have given me a real purpose in my blogging. It feels amazing having such talented people out there who are willing to share, guide, and inspire me.” After the discovery of blogs, she’s never gone back “I like blogging because it makes me feel more connected to my friends and clients. Knowing I have a forum to post my work to inspires me to improve every time and the feedback that I get from friends and viewers is priceless. Blogging has helped my business more than any choice I've made so far. It has connected me to hundreds of like-minded creative types with lots to share and I couldn't be more grateful for the exposure. I think wedding blogs are getting cooler and cooler. I especially like blogs like Rock n Roll Bride who post unusual weddings, DIY elements and images of people. They're a treasure trove of information and inspiration that I'm sure helps hundreds of brides plan something personal and different. I've also noticed that TONS of married or single people are fans, which proves that it has a universal appeal in its artistic side. People of any age, marital status, location or job can apply the photos, tips and stories to their own life, which is totally rad.”

Under the Spotlight – Rosie Parsons

Kat

January 11, 2010

I love sharing the work of photographers and wedding vendors that not only really really rock, but who I definitely think you need to use for your own wedding! Rosie Parsons not only fits into this category but is someone I consider one of the best friends I've made since starting Rock n Roll Bride! Not only is she kicking some serious ass in the UK wedding world at the moment (she was featured in the same issue of Cosmopolitan Bride as me this month - with two of her weddings being used and with her taking part in a feature about how to love the camera) but she was also the genius eye behind one of my favourite ever photo shoots (so much so I use one of the images as my profile picture everywhere!)

Best of Blogs – Issue 4 ~ MangoRED

Kat

January 10, 2010

It doesn't get tired seeing your name in real-life print! I am loving writing my monthly article for Photo Pro Magazine and being able to share some of my favourite photographers with the world. This month I not only shared a magazine with Katie Price who is on the front cover (she's a big deal here in the UK - unfortunately!) but I was able to write about the amazing MangoRED. Long term readers of Rock n Roll Bride will know how fanatical I am about Ryan & Randall's work. I love them! Ok...so, without further ado let's get on with this show...

Rock n Roll Bride Featured in Cosmopolitan Bride Feb/March 2010

Kat

January 1, 2010

Happieeee New Year! As you nurse your sore heads I have some very exciting news to share...and what a fantastic end to 2009/start to 2010 it is. I have been featured in what is undoubtedly the best bridal magazine in the UK - Cosmopolitan Bride! Oh the excitement. I hope you Enjoy my tit bits of advice and words of wisdom all about how to plan the perfect Rock n Roll wedding. I just have to say a huge ass thank you to Gemma & Miranda at the magazine for asking me to take part and to every single reader of my little blog for believing in me because after all without you coming here to read my incessant ramblings none of this would be possible. You are all literally making my dreams come true.

Thursday Treats – 24th Dec 2009

Kat

December 24, 2009

Credit: The Rockstar Diaries With Christmas literally hours away (eeek) you'd be forgiven for thinking I'd be winding down for the year and blog land would slowly have become a lonely little place. Naaahh my darlings! I have found a bumper number of awesomeness to share with you, to round off your pre-Crimbo week with a BANG. This may actually be the biggest Thursday Treat ever. I'll be talking a few days off for Christmas but will be back early next week as usual. The posts may come a bit for sparsely but I will certainly be here. I hope you enjoy perusing these little gems and I'll see you on the other side. Happiieee Chrrrismas... ♥ I might have to start this Thursday Treats with a bit of a brag. Over the last 7 days I have had not one, not two but three aaamazing write ups on blogs I love, admire and regularly lust over. Go check out Underneath the Petticoat, Clarabow's Blog and (squeeeel) Gala Darling's iCiNG blog. I friggin' love blog land! ♥ Jane Taylor Millinery creates bespoke vintage style head wear in South West London. Her head wear has been features in Cosmopolitan Bride, You & Your Wedding, Harpers Bazaar, Tatler, Glamour, Asiana Magazine, Vogue and many many more! Check out these beautiful pieces and you'll see why....

Thursday Treats – 10th Dec 09

Kat

December 10, 2009

Best of Blogs – Issue 3 ~ Dixie Pixel

Kat

December 4, 2009

Cosmopolitan Bride

Kat

November 29, 2009

As I said on Thursday in my treats, I wanted to scan a few of my favourite real weddings and fashion shoots from the latest issue of Cosmopolitan Bride to share with you all. Not just because I'm mentioned in it (hehe) but also because Cosmo is by far the coolest, quirkiest and funkiest wedding magazine in the UK. It is in fact the only one I still buy. To everyone over the pond and beyond I hope you enjoy this unashamedly girlie delve into the world of the British bride.

Thursday Treats – 26th Nov 2009

Kat

November 26, 2009

Complete with Dirty Magazines!

Kat

November 14, 2009

This singer gal and Goth/Industrial/Techno DJ dude has a rockin' engagement session in a record store, complete with dirty magazines! The couple, who are both into tattoos, piercings and music even opted to show off their art despite the freezing cold day!