Wood Hall, Wetherby Wedding Photography | Nikki and Sean's Wedding

It was our pleasure to be Wood Hall wedding photographers for Nikki and Sean on the last day of June when you'd think that you would have a decent chance of wall to wall sunshine.  However, it continued with the mixed bag of weather we've been having a lot of lately and again, shower dodging was the order of the day, just as it was when we met the couple at Bolton Abbey for their engagement shoot.  Sometimes we get lucky and the rain comes when it doesn't matter.  This time, it decided to throw it down right at the end of the civil ceremony!

We travelled to Nikki and Sean's home in Baildon first to photograph Nikki having hair and make-up done and also to take photographs of her gorgeous vintage style lace dress which was hanging in the couple's bedroom.  The light in the room couldn't have been more perfect.  

We left for Wood Hall Hotel and the although it was very windy, the rain managed to stay away right though the boys' photographs and for Nikki's arrival with her dad, Richard.  So far, so good.  

A lovely civil ceremony followed and a quick check outside as the couple were about to exit confirmed it was raining.  As it looked like it might blow over, we decided to wait it out whilst the guests enjoyed champagne and sure enough, the sun came out a short time later, allowing us to get outside and photograph everyone together, followed by a shower of rose petal confetti.  Because of the wind, we chose a more sheltered area for the smaller group photographs as the rain clouds loomed large again and we just managed to finish them when the heavens opened and everyone dashed for cover.

As Wood Hall does offer a degree of shelter at the entrance, we used this area for some photographs of Nikki and Sean before checking to see if the Vavasour suite was set up for the wedding breakfast.  It really did look spectacular and Nikki, having a keen eye for detail, had done an amazing job, including a sweetie table and framed family wedding photographs on display around the room.

After dinner, we headed outside again and the rain had stopped - briefly.  We got some fun pictures with the girls and had just got the bridal party on the grass for some more and it started again.  A big tree offered some shelter for Nikki and Sean and the bridesmaids deserve a huge thank you for helping keep them dry whilst we were working and for not caring too much about getting wet themselves.

Back inside to photograph the casino and vodka luge and check timings for the first dance with the band and a very enthusiastic and excited bridesmaid came rushing in to tell us about the spectacular rainbow which had appeared.  We had to move fast as these things tend to disappear very quickly.  A sunshine and rain mix sometimes has its advantages and wow, what a bonus to be able to capture Nikki and Sean with a whole rainbow behind them!

With the first dance routine covered, as well as the antics around the vodka luge, the last important thing that Nikki wanted us to capture was the sparklers.  As Wood Hall don't allow fireworks, this was the next best thing for Nikki.  It's a challenge lighting eight sparklers at once but it was such a laugh getting these images.

Mr and Mrs Murphy, your wedding was amazing, even if the weather kept us on our toes. Thank you for allowing us to share it with you.

To enquire about our availability as your Wood Hall wedding photographers, please give us a call on 01977 730159

Wedding Photography at The Bay Tree Hotel, Burford, Oxfordshire | Rachel and James

A couple of years ago we were photographers for James's brother, Thomas, when he married Sarah at Waterton Park and it was at their wedding that we first met James and Rachel.  At the time, we had no idea that they were planning to get married but we were over the moon to receive a call from Rachel to ask if we were available on their wedding date and if we would be prepared to travel to Burford in the Cotswolds to photograph their wedding.  As we are Yorkshire wedding photographers, this is where we usually work but we are happy to travel pretty much anywhere and on 23 June, it was our pleasure to be wedding photographers at the Bay Tree Hotel in Burford for Rachel and James.

As it's some three hours' drive away, we decided to travel down the day before so that we could settle in our hotel and also meet up with Rachel and James at the Bay Tree Hotel for a look around the venue ahead of the wedding.  This pretty hotel was impossible to photograph prior to the wedding due to the number of cars parked outside.  However, we noticed that by early evening, most of them had disappeared enabling Alex to get a couple of nice images, even though by now, it was throwing it down.  And we thought we'd left the rain behind in Yorkshire!

As this was a 3pm civil ceremony, we met up with Rachel and the girls around mid-day and what struck us was how happy and bubbly Rachel was.  In fact, she never stopped smiling all day long which made for great photographs.  Wearing her beautiful vintage style dress which suited her perfectly, she looked amazing.

Photographs of James and his attendants were next and with the weather holding up nicely and with perfect soft light, we kept the boys busy for a while in the walled garden behind the the Bay Tree Hotel.  It was lovely to see James's family again, his mum and dad, Mary and Peter, joining their two sons in the garden for photographs.

We were lucky again that the registrars conducting the civil ceremony gave us no restrictions on photography during the proceedings and it was a pleasure to be able to capture it as there were some great expressions and moments to photograph. 

The couple had asked for mainly a relaxed and informal style of photography, some family group photos, a few couple shots and a spectacular shower of rose petals. The rain clouds started gathering whilst we were outside, ominously threatening a downpour, which meant working really quickly but we managed to get everything we needed - just - before we headed off indoors for everyone to sit for the wedding breakfast.  It's quite unusual for the bride to make a speech but Rachel did and it was hilarious as she told the story of how she and James first got together.  

Soon after the speeches ended, the new Mr and Mrs Cass hit the dance floor with a fun routine they'd been practicing, including a bit of air guitar playing from James, making for some great images, before we hit the road back to Yorkshire.

We hope you're having a fabulous honeymoon and a huge thank you for asking us to be your wedding photographers.

To ask about our availability to capture your wedding at The Bay Tree Hotel, Burford please call us on 01977 730159

Wedding Photography Hazlewood Castle | Pamela and Aidan

We first met Pam and Aidan at a wedding fair before they had set a date and it was great to receive the call, some time later, to tell us that they had named the day and booked Hazlewood Castle for their wedding reception.

Now you'd hope that a wedding in the middle of June would mean decent weather but we had just about everything thrown at us on their wedding day - bright sunshine, wind, drizzle and torrential rain.  However, we took it in our stride, used brollies when we needed to and were thankful that the guys' and the bridesmaids' photographs at the church, Pam's arrival with her dad, Henry, and congratulations afterwards were able to be taken outside without having to use the umbrellas. 

We made an early start with the girls in the Lavendar Suite to capture the activity as Pam got ready, leaving a while later to join the boys in the Vavasour Restaurant as they fixed cravats, cufflinks and buttonholes.  We returned to Pam as she was getting into her amazing dress and just before her mum and dad arrived, enabling us to capture their reactions as they saw their daughter as a bride for the first time.

The pretty Edward the Confessor Church in Clifford, near York was the location for the Catholic wedding ceremony and having met the priest already, we knew that there were absolutely no restrictions on photography.  After the ceremony and congratulations, we took the bridal party back inside for a photograph at the altar as this was something Pam and Aidan really wanted.

The weather continued to hold up as we left the church but as we were driving to the venue, the heavens opened.  Plans to take photographs with the car on the lane had to be abandoned in favour of taking them in the courtyard where there's more shelter and by the time we got there, the rain had eased to more of a drizzle.

We spent a bit of time with the bridal party on the bus the couple had hired to transport the guests and made plans to start photographing the groups inside.  During this time, the majority of the guests had been shower dodging - outside for the big group shot, then back inside to avoid the rain, then outside again as the sun came out.  We were delighted that it stayed out long enough to get some photographs of Pam and Aidan in the courtyard and all except the last two groups before the rain came again, forcing everyone indoors and us into the Great Hall to photograph it all set up whilst the couple spent some time with their guests.

Pam had a special request that she really wanted some bridal portraits taking in the Flemish Hall with its striking black and white tiled floor and as regular wedding photographers at Hazlewood Castle, we know that this is where guests mingle and chat. However, we knew how to get these images for Pam and we are delighted with the results.

With the rain now just a slight drizzle which we could easily ignore, Pam and Aidan joined us outside for some photographs featuring the spectacular backdrop of Hazlewood Castle, before moving from the castle into the marquee for their evening party and first dance. Pam asked for a couple of additional group photographs and once we'd done them, we suggested something fun - a twirl to show off that gorgeous dress of hers resulting in some images we absolutely love and hope she does too.

Congratulations Mr and Mrs Hughes and thank you for allowing us to share your wonderful wedding day which was lots of fun and full of laughter.