Maternity photoshoot with Ella & Andrew

Andrew and Ella had agreed not to buy each other Christmas gifts in 2023.

They had just moved up from Bournemouth to Wendover in early December, and had a baby on the way, too.

However, after initially struggling to connect with her baby bump early on in her pregnancy, Ella’s experience had recently transformed.

She now felt blessed and overwhelmed with love, and wanted to document the experience.

Happily, Andrew had secretly been in contact with me, and organised a maternity and newborn photoshoot for Ella as a surprise, which she was delighted by.

In addition, Ella told me, Andrew has always been exceptionally good at choosing and organising incredibly thoughtful gifts.

Ella said that she’s less good at organising things herself, but does make an excellent host!

As well as the couple’s maternity photoshoot with me, Ella and Andrew also celebrated Andrew’s birthday the same month (with Spanish tapas in Wendover one evening and Moroccan tapas in Berkhamsted on another!) and Ella had her baby shower, so it was a busy few weeks!

Ella had initially not been keen on having a baby shower because she’s not keen on some of the cheesier elements. However, her best friend organised the day to match her friend’s taste, with Prosecco (and alcohol-free ‘No-secco’!) followed by high tea at Dower House.

Everyone was able to mingle and get to know each other, followed by cakes (including a particularly good red velvet cake), and then everyone filled in prediction cards: baby’s size and weight, what the mum-to-be will lose (‘sleep’ was the most common answer!) and gain (‘the best love you’ll ever experience’ was Ella’s favourite).

Ella and Andrew have a shortlist of four girl’s names in mind, and Ella has personas in mind for what kind of character each of them will suit.

That means they are going to need to see and spend a few days with their new baby before they can be sure which one will be the best fit.

I can’t wait to meet their little one and find out which name they decided to go for – not long to go now! 🙂

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If you’re interested in maternity photography and you’re based in or around Bicester, Oxfordshire, please get in contact.

Sarah Plater AMPA is an award-winning qualified, certified professional newborn and family portrait photographer based in Bicester, Oxfordshire.

She is the Master Photographers Association Young Families Portrait Photographer of the Year 2022 and Newborn Photographer of the Year 2019 for the Central Region (covering Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire).