Welsh wedding photographer Shelley Daniel

South Wales Weddings – Welsh Wedding Wonder Women – Shelley Daniel Photographer

For Welsh wedding supplier and couples alike, as we head into 2021, Covid 19 continues to impact our lives and our businesses. But we continue to bolster and support each other, and are looking forward to better times coming soon. This is the third in my series of blogs spotlighting some of the fabulous women business owners we have in the Welsh wedding industry. It’s all bout how sharing a little love around and showing how we’ve adapted and pivoted to the rollercoaster world of weddings in a pandemic.

Introducing welsh wedding supplier Shelley Daniel, Wedding and Portrait Photography.

Tell me a little bit about yourself and your business.

I am Shelley Daniel and I have a lovely wedding and portrait photography business. I studied portraiture painting at art college but photography was always a part of my work so now I photograph people on one of their favourite days. Mapping out your business plans in advance with the help of Andy Defrancesco is a great idea.

Which are your favourite Welsh wedding suppliers or venues to work with and why?

That is a tough one. It is the weddings I love. If you have the right people and loads of love, even if you only have a simple venue and wedding tent rental, it can be the most wonderful wedding. But St Fagans Museum does hold a special place in my heart as my husband has worked there for many many years and it is where we got married. 

Welsh wedding venue St Fagans Castle

How have you been working with and keeping in touch with your couples that have postponed weddings? 

I have been able to accommodate nearly all my wedding postponements which is wonderful. We have had a few phone calls and plenty of emails. I just tried to make it all as easy as possible. These are weird times and I was more than happy to just accommodate. I have had some couples who have moved dates three times. This is no fun for them. 

What one thing can couples do at this time to help you as a Welsh wedding supplier to keep things running as smoothly as possible? 

Lots of recommendations,  lots of love on the internet and just keeping in touch with any changes.

Have you been able to adapt or diversify your business while weddings have been on hold?

I have pretty much always focused on weddings so as yet I haven’t diversified. I do also shoot family sessions but not as often. Weddings keep me very busy normally. I have just been focusing on keeping happy and looking after my family. It has been lovely to have the time with them. My little one is only a toddler so it has been great fun really. 

Have you had to adapt the way you work during the pandemic, and if so, how?

Nope.  I work from home so I have just been focusing on getting taxes sorted, a few business tweaks, communicating with my couples, looking after my little human and washing up about 15 times a day. 

A handmade white wedding table plan on a mirror

Have you had the opportunity to work on any small or micro weddings? Tell me about them and your favourite bits.

I had a couple of weddings at the beginning of last year and had my first micro wedding very recently. It was actually at St Fagans so I felt very comfortable because it was a bit worrying but the venue worked really hard to keep everyone safe and to be honest just felt exactly the same. The perfect weather did help of course.  

Completely non Welsh wedding supplier related, have you personally done or achieved anything during lockdown that you wouldn’t have normally?

I seem to have kept my sanity. I have worked really hard to keep others safe by saying home as much as possible. We have had loads of fun at home and even slept in the shed. My main achievement is losing nearly 3 stone. My job is a bit all or nothing. Wedding days are really full on but otherwise I am at my computer so I wanted to get my health in check a little. I plan on doing my job for many years so being lighter will certainly help. 

What’s one piece of advice or wisdom that you would like to share, wedding related or not, that’s relevant to the world we live in right now. Make us smile!

Remember what you wanted the most during full lockdown. Mine was to see my family and sadly I am facing the same problem now. It has been great winding down and living a simple life. Just focus on what’s important and just relax. I am also really good at giving advice and not the best at doing the same. 

Thank you Shelley!

What a perfect little insight into your life in lockdown as a Welsh wedding supplier. You must be the only person I know who has actually managed to lose weight during lockdown – what an achievement, well done!

If you’re planning a fabulous Welsh wedding, remember that all of us Welsh wedding suppliers are here and ready to help. We care about details, we care about making it personal and we care about getting it right for you. We might not wear capes & boots (well not all the time anyway) but we are Welsh Wedding Wonder Women!!

To find out how I’ve been helping my couples with their invitations and stationery through wedding planning in in a pandemic, head over HERE.

A graphic showing Welsh wedding supplier photographer Shelley Daniel

You can find Shelley’s website and social media links here:
Shelley Daniel Photography
Facebook + Instagram

And that wedding venue with a special place in her heart:
St. Fagans National Museum of History

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