Priory Cottages Wedding Photography - Jill and Paul

As West Yorkshire photographers, we got to know Jill and Paul a couple of years ago when we had the pleasure of photographing their baby daughter, Hattie, who has now grown into a gorgeous little girl.  We were delighted when Jill contacted us to tell us that she and Paul were planning to get married.  At that point they didn't have a date and were still looking for a wedding venue.  Jill had asked about our availability and we already had a very busy May 2014 for wedding bookings, but as luck would have it, Jill and Paul were offered a date for their wedding at Priory Cottages, following a cancellation.  They loved the venue as soon as they saw it, and the date just happened to be our last free Saturday in May.  Sometimes you get lucky!

We've been Priory Cottages wedding photographers a few times before but this was our first time photographing a civil ceremony there and the first time the weather has really let us down.  It's a very pretty venue, surrounded by open fields and countryside, and lovely when you have good weather.  

We started the day with Jill and the girls who were getting ready in one of the cottages.  Jill had chosen a stunning fitted lace dress which suited her perfectly.  The flowers in mixed pastel colours were beautiful.  She also had a spectacular pair of very high heeled shoes. 

We left the girls to photograph Paul and his best men, and we were happy to be able to work outside and get some relaxed shots of them before we returned to Jill, a few minutes before her walk into the ceremony with her dad, Derek.  We'd had a chat with the registrars beforehand to find out what their policy was regarding photographs during the ceremony and it was a pleasure to work with such friendly and accommodating people.  

It has to be said that the weather was pretty horrendous for most of the day, but as Jill wasn't keen on having the group photos taken inside, we were lucky and relieved when the rain stopped and gave us a very welcome, albeit it short, break.  It was just long enough for us to dash outside and get the group photos done, plus a few of the new Mr and Mrs Reid. The big group photo of everyone took two attempts, as the first time we tried it, we got some of the guests outside, the rain started, and understandably, they all legged it back inside!  

The marquee looked lovely in its vintage style theme and the best men's speeches were hilarious.  They put Paul through a few minutes of embarrassment but the resulting expressions did make for some great images.  We were hoping for another break in the weather after the wedding breakfast but unfortunately we didn't get one.  The torrential rain and strong wind made it almost impossible to be outside so we found an area inside the marquee for some bridal portraits before the evening party kicked off and Jill and Paul took to the floor for their first dance together.

Thank you very much for booking us for your wedding photography at Priory Cottages. We look forward to designing a beautiful storybook for you.  If you were a guest at Jill and Paul's wedding, you are welcome to leave a comment, and if you fancy following us on Facebook, we'd really appreciate it.

Please enjoy the images which are the copyright of Alex & Janet Durasow, but do not crop out our details as they are there to advertise us and our services.  Thank you very much.

Wedding Photographer Priory Cottages | Danielle and Ryan

We are delighted when we were recommended to Danielle and Ryan by our friend Alison who runs Precious Bridal in Garforth.  Her confidence in us is very much appreciated and she is always the one we recommend to brides looking for that perfect dress, bridesmaids' dresses or both.  Alison's attitude is very much the same as ours - to offer the best possible service, great value for money and to go the extra mile to make her clients happy.

Danielle and Ryan chose St Mary's church in Whitkirk to tie the knot but well before that, we caught up with the girls as they got ready.  As Priory Cottages wedding photographers, we began the day's coverage there before driving to Whitkirk for the ceremony and then returning to Priory Cottages for the wedding reception.  

What immediately struck us was the upbeat and happy atmosphere as make-up was applied and hair styled and we were made to feel a very welcome part of the preparations.  Danielle's sisters, Samantha and Victoria and their mum, Shelley, were so obliging, offering help whenever it was needed.  It's not often you get a whole cottage to yourself to photograph bridal accessories in and Danielle had chosen a pair of shoes with very high heals which would prove a challenge later on but which were great to photograph.  It's a girl thing!  She presented her bridesmaids with a thank you gift before we left for church and it made a nice sequence of images to capture.

Ryan and his three best men, including his brother Damon, met us at St Mary's exactly on time and this is always appreciated as we can get some photographs of the boys before guests start to arrive and the vicar steels the groom for a pre-ceremony chat.  This particular vicar was one of the best we've had the pleasure of working with.  He imposed no restrictions whatsoever during the ceremony and he even allowed Alex to capture the actual signing of the register which was a very welcome bonus.

Danielle was given away by her brother, Ben, and after the ceremony and a very impressive confetti throwing effort from the guests, we set off to Priory Cottages to arrive ahead of everyone.  The weather behaved itself reasonably well apart from a strong breeze and after photographing the new Mr and Mrs Barrow with the car, we started the group photo session, leaving a few minutes spare to have some fun with the bridal party and make them work for their dinner!  It was a pleasure to work with such great people and to see them enjoying themselves, making for fabulous images in the process.

The Priory Cottage marquee was beautifully dressed in elegant ivory and the presence of Mickey and Minnie Mouse and a Disney theme hinted at the location for Danielle and Ryan's honeymoon in Florida.  Hilarious speeches followed the wedding breakfast and there was laughter and tears, especially during Shelley's moving tribute to her daughter and Ryan's battering from his three best men!

We were really looking forward to spending some relaxed time with Danielle and Ryan after dinner and we had a few ideas for some images of them around a stone wall and a lovely archway which, as wedding photographers for Priory Cottages, is a one of our favourite spots.  We also had some ideas to show off a beautiful bride in a beautiful dress.

Mr and Mrs Barrow's first dance started off in the usual romantic style before the whole bridal party took to the floor to perform the best routine we have ever seen at a wedding. It was so fast that it was incredibly difficult to capture but we hope we've done you proud. Everyone from Danielle's mum, Shelley, Ryan's parents, Debbie and Paul, to page boy, Harrison, took part and guys, you certainly brought Sexy Back!!

We really can't thank you enough for going on Alison's recommendation, coming to meet us and booking us to be part of your big day.  It was a privilege to spend time with you and your lovely families and friends and we hope you love the images as much as we do. Your Italian storybook is going to be spectacular!

If you were a guest at Mr and Mrs Barrow's wedding, you are welcome to leave a comment and if you are looking for a Priory Cottages wedding photographer, you get two of us and we'd love to hear from you on 01977 730159.   You can also follow us on Facebook.

All images are copyright Alex & Janet Durasow.