When it comes to work, here are few things more exciting for me than going on a location shoot for the new season look book. Normally I have to stay at home and look after the baby (because as shop manager that’s what I’m supposed to be doing!) but this time I got the opportunity to come to the famous, and very beautiful, Elmore Court in Stroud, Gloucestershire.
We had a relaxed enough start as Rowena, Issy and I, after meeting gat the boutique to collect ALL THE THINGS, arrived at Paddington with plenty of time before our train. Alex (one model) met us, we got a trolley for the huge bag and box, and we loaded up on snacks and coffee.
We were a bit worried for our departure as they still hadn’t called the platform for the train… 15 minutes left… 10 minutes… and then with 6 minutes, they called it as platform 3. What felt like the entirety of Paddington then rushed for the barriers.
Issy and I hustled through the wide gate and hurried to find space, which we eventually did almost the front of a 12 coach train. We got everything on with a couple of minutes to spare when my phone rang, with a very distressed Rowena at the end of it. She’d forgotten about the huge box on the trolley and couldn’t manage it with the huge bag.
It was like something out of a movie! I threw what ever it was I was holding into Issy’s arms and told her to stay put, and jumped off the trains and PEGGED IT to the barriers… Doors were being closed, platform wardens were warning me as I sped by, as I tried as hard as I could to get to a very folorn and laden down figure, struggling through the barriers.
I made it to her, grabbed the box, threw it in the nearest door, held one end of the huge bag and pulled it onto the carriage with her. The guard shut the door behind us, and the train immediately pulled away. We made it. Phew!... And oh, look, we're on the carriage with the bar! (I got the beers in)
Other than more stairs and platform interchanges for connecting trains, it was quite a relaxed journey from that point. By the end of it all models, equipment and team were together in our ridiculously pretty hired cottage.
We had a little drink to unwind, scheduled shower slots, and then hit the hay before our early start. I was sharing a room with Issy, who impressed me with both her pajamas, and her efficient hair curling routine.
As soon as I opened my eyes the next morning I could hear rain. Not ideal, considering our shoot schedule involved nearly entirely exterior shots!
Ben the videographer came and captured some footage of everyone looking rather sleepy at breakfast, and then before we knew it we were out the door and on our way to Elmore Court.
Pulling through the gates was rather impressive. Elmore Court stirred up some serious Jane Austen vibes for me! It’s a Grade II listed building and unsurprisingly, one of the UK’s most popular wedding venues.
After gaping at the rooms, (The furniture! The oil paintings! The high ceilings!) We got down to the business of being fabulous. And this is serious business indeed. We had a tight schedule that we had to stick to!
Happily, by the end of the day we had blazed through everything we needed to shoot, eaten our combined body weight of ploughman sandwiches, and played many games of the Hokey-Cokey with the sunshine. (It’s in! It’s out! It’s in! It’s out!)
We needed to get out quickly and cleanly so that the models could get to the station (and onto their next obligations, busy jet setting gals that they are!), so we were all back at the cottage by 6. Ben showed us some footage of the day, which had us oohing and ahhing.
(The finished product is ready to watch (squee!) and here for your viewing pleasure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Inos2QfVkOY)
I was doing the majority of the posting on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter, so everyone got the chance to catch up and giggle at the pictures. I hope you all liked them too!
We didn’t stay up late- a couple of beers and a slice of pizza and we were all ready for bed...Not very rock and roll, but with another early start the next day so we could get to London, it was definitely the smart choice to go to bed.
We didn’t want to leave; Elmore Court certainly stole a piece of my heart, but count on the fact that we’ll be going back. Oh yes!