Alicia & Andy

I'm very lucky in that I because I only take a limited number of weddings each year, I always meet my couples at length before each one. If I feel I'm not the right photographer for them, I'll recommend alternatives - if I am, then we get to know each other pretty well. So I don't have a stock of wedding nightmare or Bridezilla stories, unlike many photographers. However, it's still unusual to have a day when absolutely everything goes right - beautiful bride, cool groom, lots of time before the wedding with both the girls and the lads, friendly priest, great weather, lovely light, a fun bridal party, more photo time before dinner, and a beautiful reception venue.

Alicia & Andy's wedding was one of those days though - it went like a dream. It was always going to be fun - Alicia is funny & vivacious and I have at least two things in common with Andy - we're both Evertonians, and we're both into our music. I'm sure he's a better guitar player than me though. Instead of exchanging a coin with Alicia as a symbol of all his worldly goods, Andy gave her a silver plectrum. The wedding favour for the guests was a mix tape of their favourite love songs. There's some good stuff on it too.

Alicia had a large salon of ladies-in-waiting to help her - Laura, Louise and Janet Louise the senior bridesmaids, Saoirse & Caoimhe the junior bridesmaids, along with Gabriella and Alicia's two little sisters Alannhah and Eire as flowergirls. She took quite a risk in waiting until her make-up and dress were on before reading Andy's letter, which came with a big bouquet of flowers in the morning. We were expecting tears, but Alicia said she's used to receiving lovely letters, so the mascara survived. Later, the ladies-in-waiting took a break while hubby fixed the veil.

Brian Duignan swapped his still cameras for video for the day, and helped me to scramble up the wall of Lough Rynn's gardens to get the shot of the tower - in fact it was his idea. I didn't like the look of the 20-foot drop on the other side though. Ellen, Ciaran, Michael & Aisling looked after everyone as well as ever, Ellen even ferrying us to and from the gardens in the golf buggy. After the speeches, I made it back to Boyle for the second half of The Champions League final. I don't know if best man Paul got to see any of it. He's a dedicated Man U fan, but gave up his Wembley ticket to come to the wedding - that's friendship. He might have been better off in the ballroom than watching Barca, as it turned out...