Top 100 wedding photographers in the UK 2020
Award-Winning Wedding Photography Bristol
A little bit of good news after being included in The Three Best Rated photographers in Bristol (the third year in a row) at the start of the year, I also found out recently that I was named as one of SLR Lounge Top 100 photographers of the UK in 2020!
This is a true honour and accolade; so awesome to be alongside so many brilliant photographers, quite a few who I also know and have worked with! At the time of writing this, the UK is on lockdown because of Coronavirus, and that's the only reason that I'm able to find time to put this blog together.
It fills me with huge pride that for 10 years now I have been producing work that not only my clients love, but that also appeals to people who were never at the wedding. Judges look at wedding photography completely differently from Brides and Grooms. Judges are looking for technical aspects that make a great photograph, whether that be composition, moment or light. So to appeal to both client and judge is something that I am very proud of, and something that keeps my desire burning to constantly produce better images.
"Martin photographed our winter wedding at Coombe Lodge and did such an amazing job. He's a really nice guy and was very helpful in discussions leading up to the wedding. His wealth of experience in wedding photography was very apparent on the day and he was very thoughtful about letting us have quality time with our guests and knowing the best times to sneak us off for photos. We have just had the pictures back and are so pleased. We would definitely recommend him to anyone getting married. Thank you Martin!!" - Dave & Nancy
Best Bristol Wedding Photography 2019
Best Bristol Wedding Photography
WHAT AN AMAZING AND CRAZY YEAR 2019 WAS!
Many thanks to all 40 beautiful brides and grooms who’ve let me photograph their weddings. It’s been a memorable year indeed. I shot so many fantastic weddings and was lucky enough to witness countless beautiful moments.
It’s an absolute privilege being invited into peoples lives for a day and witnessing so much love, joy and good times! A massive thank you to each and every person I’ve photographed this year; be it the couple, the family, friends, everyone – THANKS!
Best Bristol Wedding Photography
Below are some of the feedback I received from my happy couples:
"Martin was our dream wedding photographer and captured our day perfectly. He is extremely professional but also very friendly, caring, and passionate about his work. He created a very relaxed atmosphere to get the best formal and intimate shots of us and our lovely guests and beautiful Brympton House on what was a glorious August day. We cannot recommend him highly enough and simply love our wedding album. Many of our guests say they are the best wedding photos they have ever seen. If he is available for your day book him!" Claire & Tony - Brympton House
"Martin is a gifted photographer with a warm, personal approach who is so much fun to work with. He captured so many beautiful moments, while being incredibly discreet. It's amazing how many personal moments he was able to capture, while being completely unobtrusive. He clearly cares about the couples he works with, and it shows in his work. If you're looking for beautifully composed photos from a gem of a human" Maurenn & Liam - Thornbury Castle
"Martin is the guy for you. Martin photographed our wedding at Upcote Barn in November and he was amazing. We wanted a photographer that could capture our day in a natural and non-intrusive way and that is exactly what he did. He is also very creative and the photos that he took of us in the rain are just awesome, it takes a good photographer to make rain look good on your wedding day! Martin is such a lovely, friendly guy who is obviously very passionate about what he does. He captured some amazing moments on our special day and we couldn't be happier with our wedding photos. Thank you Martin!" Natalie & Darren - Upcote Barn
Best Bristol Wedding Photographers
A good part of looking forward is also reflecting on the past. I thought to share with you what the last year has looked like – a recap of my favourite images that I had a chance to capture for my lovely couples. It’s weird how quickly time goes by, it seems not long ago when I did my best of 2018. Anyway, come take a look at some of the images I created in 2019. Let's go!
If you are getting married in 2021 and 2022 please get in touch. I would love to hear about your wedding plans.
Best Wedding Photography 2018
What an incredible year 2018 was! I was lucky enough to photograph some really beautiful weddings and met some fantastic people along the way. It’s been my busiest year yet with tons of weddings all over Somerset, Devon and Cotswolds, and a few further afield. My cameras and I have put in some serious work with tens of thousands of images taken and I don’t know how many miles covered!
I’ve travelled more this year compared to any other as a Bristol wedding photographer. You can see my two days of Portugal adventure with Sofia & Gav and also a pre-wedding in Paris with a lovely couple from HK. There’s been plenty of trips around the UK and obviously Bristol area.
Special Thanks
It’s an absolute privilege being invited into peoples lives for a day and witnessing so much love, joy and good times! A massive thank you to each and every person I’ve photographed this year; be it the couple, the family, friends, everyone – THANKS!
I always strive to provide the best for all my couples and go above and beyond for them all. I am greatly appreciative to my couples for their trust in me and also for recommending me to their friends and family ;) It was great to see at Ed & Abi's wedding, five of my previous wedding couples!
It was a pleasure to shoot at some amazing new venues (Quantock Lakes, Frampton Court, Rockbeare Manor). As well as my regular venues Brympton House (four times!), Thornbury Castle, The Great Tythe Barn, Priston Mill & Wellington Barn.
Best Wedding Photography 2018
Compiling a collection of photographs which are my highlights of 2018 has been very difficult. There have been so many amazing moments, and to cut these down to 100 images has been incredibly tough this year!!!
I welled up when I watched this movie back for the first time. I’ve made lots of friends along the way this year and enjoyed documenting so many special moments.
2019 is shaping up to be a cracker and is already 90% booked, so if you are getting married in 2019 please get in touch soon to avoid disappointment.
I am lucky to be a wedding photographer in Bristol & Somerset and I cannot wait to see what 2019 brings!
So this is it, 100 images from the year. In no particular order, these are some of my favourites, which in itself is a subjective thing. These are some of the shots that make me smile and re-live a moment.
You can see my previous ‘best of’ collections here: 2017 & 2016.
Bristol Mansion House - Karen & Richard
It was thrilling shooting Karen and Richard’s Bristol Mansion House Wedding. The couple was recommended by the Mansion House to their wedding planner based on my experience in Bristol Mansion House Wedding Photography.
The Mansion House in Clifton perfectly incorporates the romance and grandeur of the Victorian era with luxury, style and exclusivity in a cocktail mannerism, making it the perfect setting for a perfect Clifton wedding.
Speaking of Karen and Richard’s Bristol Mansion House Wedding, here’s how it went down…
The day started out with Karen getting ready in her bridal suite. Her bridesmaids were her three beautiful daughters who kept her company and helped her as she got ready. The atmosphere was fairly calm and relaxed. Karen’s unique and beautiful short bridal dress was supplied by Veils of Berkeley.
Bristol Mansion House Wedding Photography
I love the entire atmosphere of their outdoor wedding which comes across so perfectly in their images. All the elements made the day great but everything came together with the hard work of their wedding planner – Caroline of The Planning Lounge.
The flowers were supplied and beautifully arranged by Megan of Megan Lilly Flowers. The simple posy style bouquet of mixed roses and astrantia in pale dusky pinks, blush and ivory with soft green foliage were elegant yet subtle. The delicious food and drinks was supplied by Parsnip Mash, which is well know for the quality of their food in the whole of South West.
Clifton wedding
There was plenty of great music throughout the day, starting from guitarist Matt Bee who played at the ceremony and drinks reception to DJ (Tom from Crossfade) and Bristol based band called “The 45’s”. Friends and families evidently enjoyed the great music. They swayed nicely to the blend of beats.
Karen and Richard’s Mansion House wedding was perfect and they were full of smiles all day long. Their lovely wedding was also recently feature on The English Wedding Blog.
"We got married at The Mansion House in Clifton, Martin was brilliant, he has a calm nature and made us feel at ease, he captured the atmosphere and people’s emotions with stunning pictures. We would recommend Martin without hesitation."
If you are planning Clifton wedding or you are getting married at The Mansion House, please get in touch to talk about your requirements in more detail.
Click to view more Bristol Mansion House weddings.
Brympton House Wedding - Fern & James
Brympton House Wedding Photographer
As a seasoned Brympton House wedding photographer, I had a chance to get to know the couple at the engagement session at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich.
Fern and James are the kind of couple you just know are truly made for one another, so capturing their Brympton House wedding was a real honour!
The bride, her bridesmaids and flower girls got ready in Cerne Abbas in Dorset where Fern grew up. It was the perfect moment to relive growing up years. Fern looked lovely in her dress and was so excited to see her gorgeous husband to be when she approached him down the aisle. The ceremony was incredibly touching as it really was obvious for the world to see how much this lovely couple adores each other.
Wedding at Sherborne Abbey
The ceremony took place in stunning and majestic Sherborne abbey while the wedding reception took place at Brympton House, where I photograph weddings on regular basis as a renowned Brympton House wedding photographer.
When I arrived at Brympton in Somerset for Fern and James’ wedding, it was obvious that the years of planning and saving for the day really paid off as the place looked stunning. I love Fern and James’ choice of colour scheme, it suited the venue perfectly!
Summer wedding at Brympton House
No doubts, Brympton House is a beautiful romantic wedding venue & understandably, one that I love working in as a Brympton House Wedding Photographer. The house and its grounds ooze class and gentle English charm, a delicious mix of the historic and the modern. After the wedding breakfast and brilliant speeches, all the guests moved to The Stables for the evening entertainment which included a carousel, fire dancers, ice cream stands, etc. The venue turned into a funfair park!
Many thanks to the wonderful vendors such as Cakes by Samantha who made the couple one of the most beautiful cakes I’ve ever seen; Caroline Castigliano who made the bride’s gorgeous wedding dress, the Brympton House team who handled the Flowers and Lucy from Malt & Marble Events for a flawless co-ordination on the day.
I loved the time I spent photographing them together as their official wedding photographer Brympton House because their natural and gentle affection of each other made my job an absolute breeze!
"We appointed Martin as our wedding photographer after having heard great things about the quality and professionalism of his services. Martin could not have done a better job of capturing both the organised photos and the atmosphere of our day. The photos are spectacular and I could not recommend Martin highly enough to anyone looking for a wedding photographer!" - Fern & James
If you’re considering hiring Somerset Wedding Photographer for your Brympton House wedding photography, please don’t hesitate to contact me to discuss your requirements.
This epic Brympton House wedding was also featured on The English Wedding blog and The Wedding Community
Summer wedding at Caswell House - Gemma & Neil
Caswell House Wedding Photography
That was my first time as Caswell House wedding photographer. Neil and Gemma’s wedding was a beautiful sunny summer Caswell House Wedding in Oxfordshire. Being in charge of their Caswell House Wedding photography last summer was a wonderful experience for me because I had never photographed at this venue before the couple found me on the internet and booked me without even meeting up.
On the big day, the bride and her bridesmaids got ready in B&B near Burford.
The ceremony was held at St John the Baptist; an Anglican, evangelical church in the historic town of Burford. The couple was joined and blessed inside St John the Baptist’s historic and magnificent church building which happens to be one of the most famous buildings in the Cotswolds.
Before then, let me give you a quick walk down the memory lane. The couple met and worked at RAF and where they were based was just a few miles away from their Caswell House venue, very convenient indeed.
Caswell House wedding photography
After the ceremony, we proceeded to Caswell House; a stylish and exclusive Cotswold barn wedding venue with a romantic ambience. The romantic surroundings with flagstone floors, honey-coloured Cotswold stone walls, oak beams and renovated barns were absolutely stunning. The landscaped courtyard provided the perfect setting for the guests to enjoy their drinks reception while I clicked away in ecstasy. There were quite a lot of kids at the wedding, so the atmosphere was really playful.
After a very touching groom's speeches and hilarious performance by Best man, we went to the fields nearby for some more pics just before the sunset.
Big congrats to this amazing and happy couple who found me on the internet and fell in love with my work! I worked with them to create beautiful memories just to ensure their Caswell House wedding was as they have always imagined it would be.
If you are getting married at Caswell House and you looking for Cotswolds wedding photographer, please get in touch to talk about your wedding requirements.
"What an amazing photographer Martin was! His professionalism and dedication throughout the day was unmeasurable. We have the photos of our dreams that will be cherished for a lifetime, all because of him. He stayed longer than was asked of him and was so good at what he does, I don't recall even seeing him during the day, yet the photos were there! You can see the pics all on his website of our day at Caswell house and see for yourself. Well done Martin, and once again.... Thank you!!!" - Gemma & Neil
Summer wedding at Priston Mill - Gemma & Lee
Wedding Photographer Priston Mill
I photograph quite a lot Priston Mill weddings and it’s one of my favourite venues so when the couple found me on the Priston Mill recommended supplier list and contacted me, I knew this wedding would be a beautiful one and it didn’t disappoint.
Held on the last day of July, Gemma & Lee’s Priston Mill wedding was absolutely charming and gorgeous, typical of a wedding between two love birds. The bride got ready at Radford Villa, lovely B&B not far from the venue. Gemma was an absolutely stunning bride; her beautiful features enhanced by the talented Ellie Hitchens who did her make-up.
The beautiful flowers were made by Sweet Lavender Blue, and the colours of the bride’s bouquet matched the groom’s boutonniere. The bridesmaids wore a rich blush pink flowing gown which matched the groom’s tie. The stunning headpiece was created by Abigail Grace design. The colours were a perfect complement to both Gemma and Lee, highlighting the beauty of their eyes!
The wedding got off to a wonderful start with friends and families excited to be part of their big day. The groom is an enthusiast of beer making, so the couple incorporated this into their wedding and each table was named after a different beer. Naming the tables after a different kind of ales was a unique feature which was quite intriguing for the guests.
There were also a lot of garden games to keep the guests entertained and after the speeches, the couple put their wellies on and we went for mini-sessions at the fields nearby.
After cutting the beautiful cake by Cemlyn Cakes, the guests danced off to music by The Beehives band.
Sunny Summer wedding at The Tythe Barn
"From the moment we first met with Martin to discuss our wedding at Priston Mill, we knew he'd do a great job and we weren't disappointed. His experience of the venue really helped him capture our day perfectly as he knew where had the best lighting at certain times of the day and his talent at 'telling the story' of our day really brought our images to life. His relaxed and unobtrusive style helped us both feel at ease in front of the camera and he was great at organising our guests to take the perfect shot.
From discussing our requirements at our first meeting to editing our photos for the album afterwards, Martin was quick to reply to e-mails at a time when we had a lot to organise and I would thoroughly recommend Martin Dabek to photograph your big day and capture everything about it that you wish to remember, perfectly. Thank you!"
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you are looking for wedding photographer Priston Mill to discuss your wedding photography requirements.
Pennard house wedding photographer - Kate & Paul
Pennard House Wedding Photographer
I absolutely love to work as Pennard House wedding photographer so, sit back, relax and enjoy because this one is going to knock your socks off.
Kate and Paul, a lovely and fun couple, recently took their vows in Pennard House it was truly a dream wedding to remember! The love shared between this couple was palpable in the atmosphere, making this idyllic, country setting the perfect place for them to say “I do.” The venue is only a few miles away from the place where the famous Glastonbury festival takes place and with tipis, it was simply the perfect choice for Glastonbury festival goers like them.
Kate and Paul got ready at the venue before walking to the Church of All Saints which is only a 2 minutes walk away from the venue. Very handy and no excuse to be late ;) Full of love, laughter, and joy, this couple had an amazing time exchanging their vows in the presence of their family, friends, and loved ones.
Pennard House Wedding Photography
It was a perfect Pennard House wedding which wouldn't be as great without all the amazing supplier involved. Sharon from Interiors and Flowers by Design was taking care of all the floral design. Kate’s dress was by Charlie Brear from Perfect Day Bride and her hair was made by lovely Amelia from The Styling Lounge, Bristol. The team from Caroline Gent Catering was brilliant from start to finish. The food was delicious as always not to mention the presentation! It was Caroline itself who recommended me to the couple after seeing my images from the last wedding that we covered together.
Just after a meal, I spotted really nice light and took the couple for a 5 minutes mini session in tipi area just in time for a very entertaining sets of speeches in front of the house. At the reception, the DJ warmed up the guests with great music before the first dance and then the band took over afterwards. As a surprise to the guests, the couple hired Bucking Bronco which was a great hit! The couple insisted for me to have a go too, so I couldn't really say no ;) If you are in need of Somerset wedding photographer then please get in touch.
Summer wedding near Glastonbury
"We were recommended Martin for our wedding photographer by our caterer. He was wonderful to work with- he managed to work with all of our guests in an unintrusive manner and everyone thought he was great! We even managed to coax him on to the bucking bronco that we'd hired at the end of the night- we have the photos to prove it! Our photos are brilliant and he was great to work with. Thanks Martin!!" - Kate & Paul
This lovely Pennard House wedding was featured on English Wedding Blog & Vow magazine