Wedding Photographer Hazlewood Castle | Helen and Kevin's Wedding

Helen and Kevin's wedding was our last of 2019, taking us right up to Christmas, and our third consecutive wedding at Hazlewood Castle Hotel.  An enormous amount of planning went into the couple's celebrations and at our final meeting a few weeks before they told us about everything that had gone into making their big day amazing, calling for a very long and detailed set of notes to follow to make sure we didn't miss anything important. Usually when it's a civil ceremony the bride gets ready at the venue but as Helen had planned a spectacular arrival the bridal preparations took place at a hotel a distance away where, after some difficulty getting past security, we enjoyed a lovely, calm and relaxed couple of hours with Helen and Sophie, her incredibly helpful best friend and bridesmaid. Often the bridal preparations are hectic and things run late so it was really nice that this time everything ran so perfectly and we were able to capture some special moments as Sophie helped Helen into her dress, before we left to start phase two, Kevin and his party at the venue. During this time Helen was  collected and driven to the bottom of the lane by Kevin's dad and then she arrived in style in a carriage drawn by four spectacular horses wearing red plumes to match the couple's colour scheme. Before her arrival we had some fun with the lads until we spotted Kevin's dad's car arriving, signally time for the groom to make himself scarce.  His strutting entrance to into the Old Dining Room for the ceremony made everyone laugh but then emotion got the better of Kevin as he saw his bride for the first time.  She looked stunning!  We'd talked to Kevin about how to pack photographs of everything they had planned before dinner into the daylight available on a late December wedding day but he had it all covered and we have to commend him for his organisational skills, his and Helen's cooperation and for arranging a longer than usual drinks reception to give us the best chance to get what we needed before we lost the light. There is a first time for everything and this was the first time we'd had a groom communicate with his best man by walkie talkie, and with Gavin, the two of them did an awesome job.  It was really funny though when Kevin radioed Gavin to ask him to get Helen a cup of tea, as she was feeling the cold! What a fabulous day with so much to capture - the spectacular horse drawn carriage, a falconry display, a casino, the Great Hall exquisitely dressed for the wedding breakfast in a completely different style to anything we've seen before, a choreographed quick step, a live band, fireworks and a wonderful couple who really did put everything into helping us to do a great job for them.  It was full on but we loved every minute and we left our last wedding of 2019 on a massive high.  Thanks a million Mr and Mrs Wright for inviting us to be your Hazlewood Castle wedding photographers.            

   

  

Hazlewood Castle Wedding Photographer | Herezel and Simon

Zel and Simon's wedding took place on the last weekend in October, just before the clocks went back and Zel especially had been hoping that the autumn leaves would still be attached to the trees so that the couple would have the spectacular backdrop of beautiful colours in some of their photographs.  As Hazlewood Castle wedding photographers, we've covered autumn weddings at this venue before, we know how fabulous it looks and we were delighted that Zel got her wish. 

The girls were having make-up done when we arrived to begin our coverage of the bridal preparations in the Jasmine Suite.  Zel's fabulous dress was perfectly arranged on a mannequin and we had some laughs as we photographed her accessories and the girls enjoyed the champagne.  We were invited to join in but declined as champagne and professional wedding photography don't really go together! 

We knew that Simon was arriving by helicopter and this was something which had to be captured so we left the girls a little earlier than usual so that we could be in place beside the main lawn well in advance of his arrival with his brothers.  

The couple married in a civil ceremony in the Victoria Room with a small number of family members in attendance, after which there was a short break whilst Zel changed her veil to a longer one and everyone took their places in the chapel for the blessing, conducted by the wonderful Reverend Ian Walton who is such an accommodating, friendly and good humoured vicar.  He is the only one we have ever worked with who invites the photographer at the front of the chapel to step forward for the ring exchange in order to get the best photographs.  What a diamond he is!

Our plan after the ceremony was to take the group photographs in the courtyard as this area offers some shelter from the cold and the wind.  We had our fingers crossed that we wouldn't have to move inside just yet and although the rain was well and truly threatening and a spot of two was felt immediately after the big group and confetti, it did hold off - just.

The bridal party joined us for some fun photographs and even though the ground was pretty soggy, they were all fantastic and worked with us to get the photographs Zel and Simon wanted.  Once they had left, it was couple time and our favourite time at a wedding when we can work with the bride and groom alone.  At this time of year, daylight is limited to what you have before the wedding breakfast and it means that working fast is essential to make the most of it.  This includes any action shots and Zel doing a twirl to show off her fabulous dress was one of those.  

Simon and Zel were fantastic company, lovely to work with and very understanding when it came to us having to work quickly to maximise their choice of photographs around the grounds, including, just for Zel, some featuring those spectacular autumn colours.  

After the wedding breakfast, the couple requested some photographs in the Elderflower Suit before they headed back downstairs to their evening party, buffet and first dance.

Thank you for booking us to capture your lovely autumn wedding and congratulations to you both!

To book us as your wedding photographers at Hazlewood Castle, please give us a call on 01977 730159 and please follow us on Facebook.