Free wedding photoshoot after coronavirus disruption is offered by Swaffham photographer

A Swaffham photographer has reached out to couples hoping to get married across the county in the form of a lockdown competition.

With wedding plans being severely disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, Maddie Parker decided to lift spirits by offering a free pre-wedding photoshoot.

Each couple submitted a photo and short description of themselves to the photographer, who then posted them on her Facebook page for the public to choose a winner.

Miss Parker said: "A lot of couples have spent a year or two planning for their big day and for it to be cancelled or postponed for reasons beyond their control is very heart-breaking.

"The dates originally selected may be specific to them as family members are all available that day or some of them may not be around much longer, so it is important to get it done.

"It's so deflating when they have been getting so hyped and excited only to be told it's been cancelled at short-notice."

The winning couple were Lucy Hall and Steven Dimon from Bury St Edmunds who are due to get married on May 29, 2021.

Their entry for the competition stated: "Steven and I are absolute childhood sweethearts. We first became boyfriend and girlfriend in high school when we were 13-years-old. He’s my ultimate best friend and soul mate. We’ve grown together as people throughout the years and are opposites in so many ways but we work so well together. We bought our first house together last year and we’ve got a gorgeous little puppy, Rainbow.

"Steven asked me to marry him on our trip to Paris in February 2020. We were in front of the Eiffel Tower after a gorgeous meal out and he popped the question. It wasn’t even a question as I always knew he was the man I wanted to marry.

"We haven’t had much chance this year to really run with the wedding planning and enjoy every step of the planning together. An engagement photo shoot would be such a lovely opportunity for us to enjoy a part of the wedding process together and get some gorgeous photos to use on the day."

This photo entry into the competition received 1,970 Facebook likes, which was enough for them to secure a free one-hour-and-a-half engagement shoot with Miss Parker, as well a print and digital images worth over £125. Due to coronavirus restrictions, this has been postponed to the end of February.

In normal circumstances, Miss Parker would have had 27 wedding bookings last year, but this was reduced to just three because of the pandemic. She was named the Wedding Photographer of the Year for the east in 2019 having set up her own studio at the age of 18.

As well as offering a free pre-wedding photoshoot when the restrictions have eased, she also gave away three free hampers to struggling families the week before Christmas.

The hampers were delivered to two households in Swaffham and one near Norwich, with fruit and veg, chocolate brownies and supermarket produce included in them. The fruit and veg was supplied by the new JP's Farm Shop and Deli in Swaffham.

Miss Parker, whose partner Dean Miller is raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK as previously reported by the Lynn News, also offered a free doorstep photography service in aid of the Samaritans during the spring lockdown.

For more information on her business, which is based in Swaffham Market Place, visit www.maddieparkerphotography.com/