Wedding Photographer Waterton Park Hotel | Samantha and Barry

Samantha and Barry chose a Thursday at the end of August to tie the knot and as Waterton Park wedding photographers, we were really excited about capturing their big day.  We knew that we'd have a good time but we also knew that Sammy and Barry's photographs were extremely important to them.  We had the perfect combination of an enthusiastic and fun couple, a beautiful wedding venue, decent weather, a funny and up for laughs bridal party and plenty of time.  

As everything from bridal prep to first dance was at one venue, we arrived early at Waterton Park Hotel to start with Sammy's getting ready photos.  Her Mark Lesley princess dress was stunning and lent itself beautifully to a sequence of shots we had planned for later.  

We left Sammy for a while to photograph the boys and crossed the bridge to Walton Hall to catch up with them in Charlie's Bar.  Baz did look great in his cream suit and cream and black shoes but there was something else that he really wanted photographing, his Castleford Tigers cufflinks. Baz is a huge fan and mention of the team wasn't limited just to his cufflinks!

The civil ceremony room looked lovely for Sammy and Baz's wedding and once the formalities were over, Pauline presented them with champagne, everyone came outside and before we crossed the bridge to start the group formals, the couple enjoyed a few minutes of congratulations and a shower of confetti.

Sometimes the group photo session goes so smoothly and quickly that you have time in hand to make the most of the characters in the bridal party.  Sammy and Baz's attendants were just as much of a laugh as the couple and because everyone co-operated so well with the group photos and because this wedding was the only one that day, it was lovely to have the time to relax a little and take some fun images before it was time for dinner.

We left everyone for a short time to get a shot of the wedding breakfast room all set up in a gorgeous shade of coral and this is when we noticed that Castleford Tigers had found their way in, courtesy of Baz, who had made all the table name cards himself.  Usually, we make ourselves scarce whilst everyone enjoys the wedding breakfast but Sammy and Baz had very kindly invited us to join everyone and we were treated to a delicious meal and lots of banter with the guests on the same table who had us in stitches!  We appreciate Sammy and Baz's gesture so much and we were quite humbled when they said that they considered us to be a big part of their special day.  We did leave the champagne and wine alone though!

After dinner and some impressive speeches, we checked outside to see what the weather was doing.  It was, dare we say it, a bit too sunny for what we had planned, so we worked with Sammy on the staircase and posed her on a chaise upstairs for some bridal portraits. Once the sun had gone down, we headed outside with the couple to photograph them around the venue, including the must have location for wedding photography at Waterton Park - the lakeside archway.

When you are lucky enough to work with a couple like Sammy and Baz, who were so enthusiastic about their photographs and so brilliant to work with, the ideas for images just keep coming and we know that Mr and Mrs Richardson will have a spectacular storybook album some time soon.

With the first dance done, enhanced by the spectacular lighting which is always a feature at evening parties at Walton Hall, and some great images captured, it was time to wrap up our coverage of this hugely enjoyable wedding and we sincerely thank Sammy and Baz for choosing us to share it.

If you were a guest, please leave a comment, if you are looking for a photographer for your Waterton Park Hotel wedding, we would love to hear from you on 01977 730159, and if you'd like to follow us on Facebook, we'd really Like that.  Thank you.

All images are protected by copyright Alex & Janet Durasow.  

Oulton Hall Wedding Photographers | Natalie and James

Being Oulton Hall wedding photographers is always very exciting for us and spending the whole day from bridal preparations to evening celebrations at this lovely venue for Natalie and James's wedding was a real pleasure.  

Natalie and her girls got ready upstairs in one of the beautiful spacious suites and this was where we started documenting the day, which always begins with something we think is really important when it comes to telling a couple's wedding story - the bride preparing for the biggest day of her life and all the little details that go with it.

With the weather on our side, we were looking forward to working with James and his attendants outside in the grounds but as the boys attached buttonholes in the Champagne Bar, we decided to take a few window light portraits as James fastened his cufflinks and cravat.  The lads were good fun to work with and we had a great time photographing them, using some of the features and architecture which make Oulton Hall wedding photography so varied and interesting.

We made the short trip back upstairs to Natalie who was almost ready for the civil ceremony in the Oulton Suite.  The registrars were very friendly and obliging and we captured the proceedings from two different viewpoints to give Natalie and James a good choice of documentary photographs as they tied the knot.

Everyone came outside and enjoyed a glass of champagne whilst we started the group photo session, beginning with the couple and all their guests assembled on the grass for a big group picture, followed by a shower of rose petal confetti, provided by the couple.  If confetti photos are important, we highly recommend doing this rather than taking a chance that guests will remember to bring it with them.  Once the group pictures were done, it was time for fun bridal party photographs and one of our favourite parts of the wedding day, the bride and groom portraits.  We enjoyed a short photo shoot with Natalie and James, choosing a couple of locations around Oulton Hall's gorgeous grounds with a plan to work with the interior later.

The Oulton Suite, dressed in Natalie's choice of a soft pinky taupe, looked so beautiful and for us, a shot of the wedding breakfast room is a must for the couple's album. Planning how the wedding breakfast room will be dressed takes time and effort, not to mention a lot of money, but actually seeing it all come together is fleeting for the bride and groom, as they only get a quick look before their guests sit down for dinner.  A beautiful photo in their album is something to be treasured and we always do our best to make sure we get it.

After speeches were done and James was glad to have this somewhat nerve wracking part of the day out of the way, he and Natalie met up with us again to work around the staircase and on the gallery.  This is a time we really look forward to at a wedding and is the time when we can relax with the couple, slow things down, try out a few ideas, have a laugh and get them some really special and artistic images for their storybook.  Natalie looked stunning and James looked pretty good too!

When we returned to the Oulton Suite ready for the first dance and evening party, the room was beautifully lit, adding a lovely atmosphere and spectacular colour to Natalie and James's first dance photos.  Natalie's dad then took over from James for a dance with his daughter, before everyone who fancied letting their hair down took to the floor.

Thank you so much Mr and Mrs Roberts for inviting us to share your celebrations!  It was a brilliant day and we really enjoyed working with you.

If you were a guest, please do leave a comment.

Being a wedding photographer at Oulton Hall is fabulous and we're very lucky!  If you're lucky enough to be getting married there, we'd love to hear from you.  You can find out more on our West Yorkshire wedding photographer website and you can also find us on Facebook.

All images are the copyright of Alex & Janet Durasow.