Win Your Wedding Photography With Helaina Storey, Worth £4,500 – Plus a 10% Saving For Every Competition Entrant

Dearest soon to be weds, it is my delight, through this article, not only to be able to introduce you to a wonderful new wedding photographer, but to also invite you to apply to have your wedding photographed by her, as a gift.

Meet my lovely friend and colleague, Helaina Storey. Earlier this year, Helaina embarked on the path that was always meant for her, of becoming a professional wedding photographer. Today, she proudly and formally launches her business and her beautiful new web site.

Helaina’s transition from wedding planner to wedding photographer is testament to the transformative power of following your creative passions, and how doing so will always help you find your true calling, and excel in what you love doing the most. Helaina was most certainly was born to do this.

Before becoming a photographer, Helaina spent several years as an international luxury wedding planner. Now, she is immersing herself fully and authentically in to documenting beautiful weddings through her style of classy, modern and contemporary wedding photography.

Helaina’s photography style balances raw romanticism with editorial elegance. She is passionate about capturing genuine emotions and all those precious, unguarded, in-between moments – it is these moments and these images that you will treasure the most over time, far more so than all the decor and details, I promise you.

To celebrate this beautiful new milestone in her creative career, Helaina would like to very generously gift one lucky Love My Dress couple with a full day of wedding photography, that includes find art print selection on archival paper and a selection of digital preview images from your wedding, available within 48 hours. The value of this prize is an incredible £4,500 (full prize details are included in the terms and conditions at the end of this article).

see Helaina Storey’s new website

Helaina, as a former wedding planner, designer, and stylist, you’ve had a unique journey in the wedding industry. Can you tell us what inspired your transition into wedding photography, and what do you bring from your previous roles into your photography work?

My route into wedding photography was certainly unconventional. It took me a while to realise that I was always supposed to have a camera in my hand. Before photography, I was an international, luxury wedding planner for almost 10 years, but forever inspired by those documenting the days so beautifully.

Now I get to dance between both incredible worlds, and I’ve never been happier than when I’m immersing myself in the entire experience – guiding couples through the incredible planning journey as part of our relationship in the lead up to their special day and then capturing their most precious moments to be preserved for generations.

I like to think my previous wedding design background brings an unparalleled insight into the workings of a wedding which allows me to notice moments and details which might otherwise remain unseen, overlooked and missed forever. I also have a deep appreciation for what an intense, often emotion-filled experience planning a wedding can be and this empathy is translated into both the elevated client experience I seek to deliver to my couples and my relaxed approach to photography as a whole.

see Helaina Storey’s new website

Photography is such a personal art form. Can you share some of the moments or experiences in your life that ignited your passion for capturing special moments through the lens?

I very much wear my heart very much on my sleeve; I am immensely passionate and creative at my core and incredibly sensitive to human connection. But it also means that sometimes I struggle to articulate my own emotions with words. I view my photographic work as visual poetry and the stories and details I choose to tell and capture are often a personal reflection of my own experiences.

For example, I am unequivocally drawn to any moment between a bride and her Father in particular, because my own Father has not been a part of my life for many years. A Father beaming with pride as he delivers his speech, choking up as he gets the first look of his little girl all grown up in her wedding gown or who might perhaps have passed away and may be present on the day only in spirit and through thoughtful nods to his legacy weaved throughout the day by the couple, always leaves me with a lump in my throat.

This is always fairly apparent in my work I think. I realise the importance and significance of preserving such preciousness.

explore Helaina Storey’s portfolio

In the world of photography, every artist has their unique perspective and creative vision. How would you describe your photography style, and how would you describe the emotional impact you aim to create through your work?

I aim to balance raw romanticism with editorial elegance. My intention is to seamlessly interlace stripped-back sophistication with the richness of luxe, fashion-inspired photography and photojournalism. As a documentarian, I’m attuned to the raw, unscripted, messy middle moments that unfold organically.

It’s about capturing the genuine emotions, the unguarded glances, and the fleeting yet profound instances that narrate the real story. On the flip side, as an artist, I’m also obsessed with the visuals. Each frame is meticulously composed, a work of art that marries aesthetics with storytelling.

see Helaina Storey’s new website

What is it about photographing weddings that truly excites and inspires you? Are there particular moments or emotions you aim to capture in every wedding you shoot?

I pride myself on being able to anticipate and unearth the most precious micro-stories, creating a collection that reveals the authentic essence of your love story. It’s in the joy and surprise of you seeing these preserved moments in between, even ones you may not have been consciously aware of, that I find the greatest joy.

Crafting, editing, and delivering every gallery as a curation of extraordinary, unexpected magic that encapsulates your life as a work of art and an eternal heirloom to be enjoyed by generations after the two of you.

see Helaina Storey’s new website

Couples often value not only a photographer’s skill but also their personality and how well they connect with them. What do you believe sets you apart in terms of building a strong rapport with your clients?

For me, it’s not just about capturing images; it’s about immersing myself in your story, your why, and your unique dynamics. Beyond the lens, I take the time to understand your narrative, personalities, and every little piece that binds you together.

I’ll meet you at the pub, I’ll run around the city with you, I’ll send you screenshots of gowns (or suits!) you’ll look stunning in. The loveliest compliment I often receive from my clients and friends is that my energy is infectious. I approach each collaboration with the genuine intention of making people happy, capturing not just moments but the very souls of those I photograph.

We’re partnering with you on this amazing giveaway – can you tell us more about it? Are there any limitations on entry? And for our readers who are considering entering the competition, can you share more about your commitment to excellence and your dedication to capturing couple’s love stories in a way that they will cherish for a lifetime?

I am so excited to be launching the new website and brand and as a thank you for the phenomenal encouragement and support I have received to date, I felt a giveaway on such a huge scale to match my gratitude was warranted. So I’d like to gift full wedding day coverage anywhere within the UK to the value of my £4,500 package, with destination coverage anywhere across Europe or Worldwide also being available, but with travel expenses being chargeable to the couple in that scenario. The only other limitation is that the wedding must be taking place in 2024 or 2025 and of course entries will also be subject to my availability.

For me, photography is more than just capturing beautiful images. It’s about capturing the raw emotion and authentic moments that make up the essence of your love story. My vision revolves around a relentless pursuit of magic, going beyond simply seeing the beauty in everything. I live to seek it out, chase it and capture it.

Refusing to miss a moment, my work blurs the boundaries between capturing real, authentic, can’t-live-without-you love and creating magazine-worthy editorial photos. Deep human connection meets considered composition and a dedication to capturing the art of living your life to the fullest.

see Helaina Storey’s website

As part of this promotion, couples will be sharing details about their weddings and why they’d like you to capture their special day. What do you hope to see in the couples’ entries that will make them stand out to you?

I would really love to know what draws them to my work in particular and as much detail as possible about them as a couple, their unique love story and their vision for their celebration.

Ultimately, I would wish to work with whichever couple sets my own soul on fire and with whom I feel the greatest affinity and a wholesome, heartfelt personal connection. It’s so so important that works both ways as wedding photography is such an intimate, personal and often vulnerable experience.

Lastly, Helaina, what would winning this competition mean to you, and what are your hopes for the couple who will have the opportunity to have their wedding photographed by you?

I would hope whoever enters this giveaway couldn’t possibly visualise having their day captured by anyone else. For me, during my own wedding planning journey, it was so key for me to work with artists and creatives who’s work resonated deeply, rather than choosing suppliers solely based on logistics and budget etc (whilst budget is of course a very important factor that needs to be considered carefully when planning a wedding).

It would mean a great deal to me, to be able to offer the gift of my wedding photography to a couple for whom my imagery truly stirs something emotionally, or for whom it might otherwise be beyond their means, or a couple with a particularly unique story to tell, or someone in extraordinary circumstances, which means their wedding photography might have an even deeper meaning to them than most. Essentially, I just want to fill a couple’s heart’s with joy through my work.

see Helaina Storey’s new website

Terms & Conditions

These terms and conditions should be read before entering your details in the form at the top of this page.

1. This competition will will open on Monday 11th December and end at midnight on 29th December.
2. Only one entry per person/couple allowed.
3. The winner will be announced via the Love My Dress social media channels on 2nd January 2024.
4. Entrants must be following @helainastorey on Instagram.
5. Any engaged person may enter this competition, providing their wedding is due to take place in 2024 or 2025. Entries will be subject to the availability of Helaina Storey.
6. Entrant’s weddings can be set to take place in the UK, Europe or at any location worldwide.
7. The winner will receive:
   – Full day wedding coverage (8-10 hours)
   – Beautiful online high-resolution gallery
   – 400-600+ individually edited images
   – Unlimited downloads
   – Digital storage facility
   – Fine art print selection on archival papers
   – A preview delivered within 48 hrs
   – A meeting with Helaina prior to their wedding, either in person, in Kent or London, or via a Zoom call.
8. All non-winning entrants to this competition will be entitled to receive a 10% saving on Helaina Storey Photography fees, providing they book Helaina Storey no later than 15th January 2024 for their wedding.
9. This competition has a main prize value of £4,500, with uk-wide travel and accommodation included. However, for Europe and Worldwide weddings, expenses for travel and accommodation would need to be covered separately by the couple.
10. Prizes are not transferrable or redeemable for cash.
11. By entering this competition and submitting your details via the form above, you agree to be added to the Helaina Storey and Love My Dress® mailing lists – you will be able to unsubscribe from these lists at any time.
12. By entering this competition and submitting your details via the form above, you give both Helaina Storey and Love My Dress permission to contact you and to store your details in their databases (note: we will never pass your personal information onto third parties).
13. All reasonable efforts will be made to contact and notify the winner, but if they can’t be reached within a week of the competition ending, Helena Storey reserves the right to offer the prize to another entrant.