This Arley Hall wedding is a good one though! Picking the pictures for this blog post had me smiling away at the screen like an idiot. I always do that, looking at pictures of happy people makes me happy. I’m one of those people that always smiles at strangers too. Weirdo. This is Pete writing this by the way, Laura is much more normal.

Anyway, where was I?

Lucy & Ross got married at the spectacular Arley Hall in Cheshire. Seriously, it’s amazing. It’s used as a film set for loads of stuff too – apparently Peaky Blinders was shot here (as the home of Thomas Shelby). This wedding wasn’t at all like that. It was packed full of joyous moments. I’d say you’d get a better idea of the day and vibe by looking at the pictures, that’s probably why you’re here. Do people read this bit? Hello if you are

Yes, a few years ago! We’re so behind with blogging weddings.

“Just put a few pictures on instagram”
“People don’t read full blog posts anymore”

This is the advice we hear from other wedding photographers. They’re probably right. But something feels like it gets lost when posting just a handful of images. It’s the posed portraits that get the likes, and honestly, we’re just as excited (if not more) about the rest of the day. Wedding photographs can be aesthetic, and they can mean something. But not always both things at the same time. A blog post with lots of images lets us show the full range of our work.

People are beautiful. People just living their lives at a big party with their closest friends and family – there’s genuine magic to be found there. Like this gorgeous wedding at Syrencot below. We did photograph lots of portraits, and got many shots of all the details, but what we really love is the photo of the excited look Dan’s mum gives him in the morning, Natalie’s mum crying after the ceremony, Dan’s dad overwhelmed by his present after the speeches. These are the wedding photographs we couldn’t plan and couldn’t stage. They capture the relationships between the people, at that moment in time.

Are we romanticising? Maybe? That’s what we do though. Wedding photography isn’t a job that we turn up to and go through the motions. We fully invest ourselves in capturing the story of the families, friends, and the couple, as much as is possible on just one day.

We always find it so wonderful to photograph all the people around a couple getting married, and seeing just how much they care. It’s glorious!

TLDR – we love photographing weddings, here are some pictures from Natalie & Dan’s wedding at Syrencot

It was lovely to see one of our previous brides in the morning – Vanessa (who got married at the equally lovely Rivington Hall Barn) was there as one of Rachael’s bridesmaids. We love seeing our previous couples again!

The Venue

Yorkshire Wedding Barn is absolutely up there as one of the best wedding venues in the North of England. Big, well lit rooms, with acres of land (with our favourite bit being over the road into the fields – don’t tell the farmer). There’s so much accommodation for all the guests, meaning both the bride and groom can get ready on site.

Plus there’s a swing for all the kids, or adults (mostly adults at this wedding).

Yes, it rained. No, it wasn’t a problem!

It’s England after all! We’ve got to expect a good bit of drizzle even at a summer wedding.

As a note for future bride and grooms, it’s a good idea to have a wet weather plan. Yorkshire Wedding Barn has a lovely under cover area so we could still get everything we needed (and the sun came out after dinner for some lovely portraits in the fields). Larger group shots can be tricky without lots of space, so be prepared to split them into smaller groups if possible. The main thing is to keep calm and go with the flow! Your pictures will be beautiful anyway, and it’s your guests (not the weather) that make an amazing wedding.

The Pictures

If you’re planning a wedding at Delamere Manor, here’s a peek at how it can look – plus some little tips we’ve picked up from photographing here.

Why We Love Delamere Manor for Weddings

Set in the heart of Cheshire, Delamere Manor offers a mix of elegant interiors and sprawling grounds. If you’d love couple portraits then there are just so many options. The manicured lawns, the lakeside, woodland, a swing, and a golf buggy to drive around in!

The Bridal Suite – Beautiful Light for Getting Ready

One of the best places to start your wedding day is Delamere Manor’s bridal suite. The huge windows flood the room with soft natural light – a dream for photographers and makeup artists alike.

Tip: Switch off the room lights while you’re getting ready. It keeps the colour of the light natural and flattering, avoiding that orange indoor glow in your photos.

Arriving in Style – Guests on a London Bus

Fiona & Craig’s guests travelled from the church to Delamere Manor on a bright red London bus. As well as being a great photo moment, it also kept the car park clear and gave everyone a lovely walk into the venue’s main entrance.

Portraits Around the Grounds

Delamere Manor is a photographer’s playground – we could shoot here every weekend and still find new backdrops. Our favourite parts for this wedding were:

• The rows of trees down by the lake – perfect for some relaxed editorial walking shots.
• The sweeping lawns and terraces – ideal for group shots.
• A golf buggy tour! The venue allows couples to drive around in their buggies, and in this case the bridesmaids even had a spin with the bride. It made for brilliant candid photos and lots of laughs.

Tip: Take a little time to explore the grounds with your photographer. Even 10 to 15 minutes can result in a completely different look to your photos.

Golden Hour Magic

As the sun sets behind the back of the building, the light filters beautifully through the trees – soft, diffused and golden. We took just a few minutes with Fiona & Craig with the magical light. So worth it!

Tip: Ask your photographer to sneak you out for 10 minutes at sunset – or if your photographer asks you to pop outside for a few minutes because the light is amazing, do it!

Planning Your Wedding at Delamere Manor?

We’d love to photograph your day here. We know all the best spots for portraits and the tricks for making the most of its incredible light. Our style is all about capturing you and your guests at your very best, without making the whole wedding day a photo shoot. Get in touch here.

Full of emotion and colour, this was just a perfect wedding day. Islington Town Hall was the place Eliza and Rory had already celebrated some momentous events in their life, so it brought extra meaning to have their legal ceremony here too (another, bigger wedding is in the works). The best part of the day has to be the impromptu dance party on the bus (and the core strength needed to do this should not be underestimated!). As central London was closed to traffic, we had a lovely little stop off at St Paul’s Cathedral – which is also Rory’s favourite building, so everyone was happy.

Here a few preview images from their wedding:

The day started at West Park hotel in Harrogate for the bridal preparations, while Adam was getting ready at his sister’s house nearby. They had booked both of us, which made capturing the action at both locations nice and easy!

The ceremony was at St Mark’s Church in Harrogate, which is a massive space! Beautiful architecture, and lovely light (for pictures). Some of our favourite shots of the day are Sharon & Adam dancing out down the aisle

Then it was party time at the gorgeous Crathorne Hall, with ice cream, games, and some really lovely speeches – before the dance floor kicked off in style with a dress change for the bride for the first dance. We had a cheeky little sunset make an appearance too. Can’t beat a sunset picture!

Here are just a few of our favourite pictures from this beautiful wedding at Crathorne Hall:

Amy & Nick were an absolute joy, both to photograph and hang out with. So funny, so full of energy. It wasn’t only the bride and groom either, everyone present appeared to be having the absolute time of their lives. I want to photograph these guys every day!

Only the wedding reception that was held at Eden Barn. Amy and her bridesmaids got ready at Low Ploughlands which was bright and spacious. The light here was so good – which is pretty much the most important thing for beautiful pictures! Hair and makeup was by the amazing Daniella Makeup & Hair. Everyone then pilled into a VW Camper to head to St Theobald’s Church – another beautiful spot.

After tying the knot, the guests all jumped on a bus to the reception while I had a few minutes with Amy & Nick for some portraits near the church (it was too pretty not to!). Once we got to Eden Barn it was time for drinks and mingling with all the guests, with some time taken to admire the beautiful flowers by Aspen & Ivy and all the fabulous decorations Amy & Nick had chosen. I wish I could remember who made the cake – it was amazing!!

The speeches were hilarious, I hope they found room for the full size cardboard versions of Nick somewhere in the house . There was a magician entertaining everyone (even the Eden Barn bar staff!). Then the party really kicked off with an amazing band from Après Music, there was a roving sax and drum player. It was simply brilliant. I didn’t want to leave! It was great to work with Just by Michael on video duty too.

Here are some of my favourite images from this amazing wedding at Eden Barn:

Despite being a February wedding, the weather was surprisingly warm so we actually got to explore some of the grounds for portraits. We checked it was bridal hair safe first though. Got to avoid the frizz. We loved that Mottram Hall has lots of secret paths where you can find absolutely stunning bits of woodland. There were still leaves on the ground too so we got a little bit of those autumn vibes (in the middle of winter!).

Jess & Andy’s beloved sausage dog, Simon, couldn’t make it to the wedding so he was the theme of all the tables – with a little picture of him on each on. He was missed! Their second son (a human one this time) did manage to make it though, despite his busy napping schedule. Kids in suits are the cutest. The couple very wisely organised a nanny for the day so they could enjoy everything to the fullest.

Venue: Mottram Hall
Makeup: Louise Maddison
Florest: Ethical Floristry By Rachel
Cake: AK Bakes
Video: Above the Action
Toastmater: Peter Burrows

Here are lots of our favourite wedding photographs at Mottram Hall:

Thanks so much for letting us be part of your wedding, Jess & Andy! Hope you’re having an amazing honeymoon!

Laura, meanwhile, was photographing Chloe and her bridesmaids getting ready in the main house at Merrydale Manor. A rather classier affair. It was such a lovely moment when Chloe came down the grand staircase to her waiting bridesmaids and parents – they were suitably amazed!

Our main memory of the day has got to be Chloe & James’ enormous smiles. After all the nerves of the ceremony were over, they were just beaming all day. It’s such an honour to photograph a wedding like this, seeing all the love between everyone – where there’s just happiness all around. Sounds cheesy, but that is the real joy of being a wedding photographer – being able to capture this happiness in a photograph forever.

As soon as we saw The Rush turn up we knew we were in a good night. Gavin and the rest of the band always bring it! If you need a wedding band, you should definitely book them (they haven’t paid me to say this, I just love them).

Shout out to our good friend Stefan at YSD on video too. That cheeky smile is always a pleasure to work with!

Enough of my rambling, here are some of our favourite pictures from their wedding at Merrydale Manor: