Lancashire Wedding Photographer - Stanley House Wedding - Daisy & Phil

Daisy and Phil's Story in Daisy's words...

"Me and Phill met at college, I fancied him because he had really big muscles and after our first date I realised he was sweet and unlike any other guy that I’d met.
Phill proposed in Croatia, I knew something was wrong because he said we’d go for a walk the first day we got there (he hates walking). I thought nothing of it after that. We were sat next to the sea after our walk and I was distracted by 2 guys jumping into the sea, I thought they’d not come up for air for a while and maybe something had happened to them. Phil was telling me he loved me and then reached into his swimming shorts and pulled out the ring box because he had no where else to put it without me seeing I said yes apart from I couldn’t wear the ring for the next week as it was too big!"
 

Why Stanley House?

We went round 2 venues and when we went to Stanley house we both fell in love it was the prefect size and the staff were fantastic from the beginning.

Stanley House

 Is a Hotel and Spa wedding venue in the beautiful Ribble Valley, Mellor, Lancashire. With stunning scenery and it’s own hotel and spa on site, it’s a great venue for you and your guests to relax for the whole weekend if you want to.

The Wedding Day

Daisy and Phil had a civil ceremony at Stanley House and enjoyed the rest of the day and night there. The weather and setting were beautiful. Daisy and Phil both looked amazing, the only problem was the wedding party had gone to a restaurant together the night before and half of them were struck down with food poising including poor Phil! Meaning he was running back and forth to the toilet during speeches and lasted long enough to get some confetti thrown and have a few photos before he sent himself off to bed. The evening guests arrived and the party went on, Daisy had a dance with her Dad and then her Dad surprised everyone by dressing up as Elvis and doing some amazing Elvis performances that really lifted everyones spirits, it looked like we might have seen the last of Phil, but like a true trooper he made a grand entrance just in time to cut the cake and have his first dance with Daisy. 

Thank you for having us Daisy and Phil, in the face of adversity you guys still nailed getting married and had an awesome fun packed wedding day, I'm just so sorry Phil was ill for a lot of it. 

Also a big shout out for my wonderful second photographer Katy Mutch for being a photographic and general legend as always! 

Wedding Advice for Future Couples from Daisy and Phil

Make sure you get a cracking wedding band.

Get a parent to pay for the bar.

Don’t let your husband get food poisoning.

Enjoy every moment of the wedding and take 5 minutes to take it all in with the person your going to spend the rest of your life with (in between them being sick in the champagne bucket ).

A Shout Out For Daisy and Phil's Wedding Suppliers. 

Venue and food by Stanley House - https://www.stanleyhouse.co.uk/

Flowers - By a friend and The Flower Shop, Clitheroe https://www.theflower-shop.co.uk/

Suits - Marc Darcy - https://marcdarcy.co.uk/

Dress - Ava Rose - http://www.avarosehamilton.co.uk/lancashire/ava-rose-barrowford/

Cake - https://www.facebook.com/CakesAndThat

Wedding Band - The Dead Beats - http://deadbeatsband.co.uk/

Trafford Hall Wedding Photographer - Jo & Mark's Festival Tipi Wedding

Jo & Mark's Story...

In Jo's words... "Mark and I met when we were both living in Prague & I was bored and answered an advert to view a room I didn’t need and it was love at first sight (for me!)."

"When we got engaged, Mark took me to the bar where we had our first date and we sat at the table we sat at on that first night and he got down on one knee and proposed in Czech" 

On choosing St Thomas's Church and Trafford Hall as Wedding Venues...

"The church where we got married was my local church where I got my Brownie award and when my Nana & Grandad were buried. We loved the countryside feel of the church and the deal sealer was when we had it confirmed that my friend could play the organ for us. When we were planning our wedding we decided that we really wanted a tipi wedding so we were hunting for a venue with a large outdoor space. When we saw Trafford Hall we were overjoyed - it was perfect with all of the scenery. We were also really passionate that it was owned by a charity that helps low income families and the money that we paid would go towards helping others. They were amazing there and helped make our day really special."

Advice for Couples on their Wedding Day...

"If there was one piece of advice that I could give a bride and groom it would be to enjoy your day - it goes so fast (and everyone LOVES telling you how fast it goes) so try and grab 5 minutes with just the two of you so you can take a breather and enjoy it together!" 
 

St Thomas’s Church

St Thomas’s Church is a huge beautiful building in the heart of Lydiate in Liverpool chosen by Jo and Mark for it’s special meaning to Jo’s family, the church also boasts it’s own handy car park just over the road, which is great for guests that are driving to ceremony, inside the stained glass windows are huge letting in oddles of natural light. It’s a beautiful church to get married in and can hold a large number of guests.

Trafford Hall

Is a gorgeous red brick Georgian mansion nestled in 14 acres of land there’s plenty of space to play around with. If you wish to get married at Trafford Hall and hold your whole day there, you can do! They have a civil ceremony licence, they also have 52 bedrooms on site so that your guests can bed down after the party and rumour has it you get a free night in the bridal suite as part of your wedding package. You heard it here first! ;)

As Jo said Trafford Hall is owned by a charity so by hiring the venue you'll be helping fund the important work that the Trafford Hall's charity partners are involved with within the local community. :) 

Getting Ready

Jo and her bridesmaids got ready at her mums house. I love photographing brides getting ready at their family homes, sometimes people are worried that their might be a mess or that decorating hasn’t been finished but when you look back on the photos in years to come having them taken at the family home adds that extra bit of narrative and meaning to the photos. You can look back at the old wall paper and carpets and get all nostalgic about the old family home! Jo’s Dad popped in to give her some wedding morning gifts and see his beloved daughter in her wedding dress before they hopped in the vintage wedding cars and high tailed it to the church!

The Ceremony

There was some anticipation in the church for a while as the bus with half of the wedding guests had hit some traffic on the way and was running late! At one point it looked like the ceremony might have to go ahead with out them, but luck was on Mark and Jo’s side and the bus got there just in time, the guests quickly made it to their seats and Mark and Jo were married in front of all of their friends and family.

The Bus

It was quite a journey from St Thomas’s Church to Trafford Hall so Mark and Jo had the bus stick around to make sure the guests could catch a lift there, the bus was the place to be with plenty of fizz and some nips of hard liquor being passed around the top deck the party had officially started!

The Party

Jo and Mark wanted a tipi festival wedding reception and so had a tipi put up in the back garden of Trafford Hall. After the food and speeches they kicked of the party by cutting the cake and launching into their energetic first dance to a live band. It turned out to be quite a party! 

A big shout out to my wonderful second shooter Katy Mutch for her tremendous work as always. 

Thanks for having us Jo and Mark it was an absolute pleasure to be part of your day! xxxxxxx

 

“Katie was brilliant from beginning to end!

She was the photographer for our wedding in September and we couldn’t have asked for better. She put us at ease straight away when we first contacted her and was so relaxed and positive throughout. We knew we had made the right choice when we saw the beautiful photos from the engagement shoot. On the day both she and Katie, the second shooter, were the consummate professionals but also relaxed and friendly and so patient – which must have been a challenge at times! The wedding photos are stunning and Katie managed to capture so many beautiful moments from the day. We both cried the first time we looked at them and our friends and family have been just as moved and impressed.

Thanks so much for everything Katie.


Love Jo and Mark Gilbertson xxx”

A shout out to Jo & Mark's Wedding Suppliers! 

Tipi: event in a tent - https://www.event-in-a-tent.co.uk
Venue: Trafford Hall - http://www.traffordhall.com

Florist: The flower farm - http://www.theflowerfarm.co.uk
Dress: Cicily bridal - https://cicilybridal.com
Veil: Helen Martin veils - http://www.helenmartinveils.co.uk
Cars: Horgans wedding cars - http://www.horganscars.co.uk
Shoes: Vivienne Westwood
Bridesmaid dresses: ASOS

Band - Louise and the Love Bugs. 

https://www.bestoneentertainment.com/louiseandthelovebugs.html

Dewsall Court Wedding Photographer - Kate & Tim

Kate & Tim’s Story

In Kate’s words….

“We met at a party in London, ended up sitting next to one another on a sofa and that was it! We talked until 4 in the morning and then Tim went home and called his friend to say that he'd met the girl he was going to marry. I wasn't far behind! All our friends thought we were insane but once everyone saw us together they got on board pretty fast. Not long after we met I had a pretty bad car accident and ended up with a broken shoulder, and Tim dropped everything to look after me. I think that's what really cemented my conviction that we would be a wonderful husband - we've never doubted that we are each other's first priorities. I'm very lucky!

Tim proposed at the Botanic Gardens in Oxford about a year after we met - it was a total surprise and very romantic! He involved all of my closest girlfriends which made it incredibly special, and we finished the day having champagne in a gorgeous hotel room. I had already picked out my ring so I was absolutely dying to be able to wear it! Getting all my friends together from various parts of the country was a real feat and he'd spent about six months planning it without me noticing. He's very sneaky.”

Dewsall Court

Kate and Tim got married at Dewsall Court in Herefordshire which is an absolutely epic venue. The house has it’s own private church (that you can get married in if you want to) it is a beautiful stone building and so old it is mentioned in the doomsday book! The venue also boasts it’s own private lake and beautiful grounds and gardens to explore.

The house itself is huge and elegantly decorated with original artwork, hand painted wallpaper, beautiful sash windows letting in oodles of natural light and gorgeous scenery of Hereford’s rolling hills. There is a wonderful orangery where guests can dine over looking the grounds, a big swanky living room and it even has a snooker table in the second floor hall way! Imagine! Between eating the delicious food prepared by the Dewsall Hall staff, exploring what the house and grounds has to offer there is so much to enjoy about this venue Kate and Tim’s guests were truly spoilt for choice, just as well Kate and Tim made it a two day affair!

Getting Ready

When I arrived at the house on the morning on Kate and Tim’s Wedding day, Tim was already suited and booted and ready to rumble! Kate and the girls were up in Kate’s room getting their hair and make up done and having a nice relaxed morning. One of the many great things about Dewsall hall is the space and light, the bed rooms are huge, meaning there’s loads of space for you and your bridal party to get ready in, the sash windows let in loads of natural light too making your make up artists and photographer’s jobs that little bit easier. Plus it’s just bloody lovely!

The Barn

Kate and Tim held their ceremony at the barn at the bottom of the garden and had one of their friends who also worked as a florist (handy!) make their beautiful bouquets and dress the barn in Ivy foraged from Tim and Kate’s garden.

The Speeches and Party!

After some epic heartfelt speeches from Tim and Kate’s crew, the cheese got cut and Kate and Tim shared an emotional first dance, it was emotional for them, for me, for everyone really. Then the dance floor opened and everybody stopped crying and started to throw some serious shapes!

Kate and Tim thank you so much for having me you absolute legends! What a bloody wedding! xxxxxxxx

Shout Out to Kate & Tim's Awesome Suppliers...

• Dress: Claire Pettibone, 'La Belle' in Blush, from Exquisite Bridal Winchester. https://www.exquisitebrides.co.uk/

• Shoes: Pink Paradox London. https://www.pinkparadoxshoes.com/

• Veil: Ellie Sanderson Oxford. https://elliesanderson.co.uk/

• Hair and makeup: Em Grove, Instagram @em_hairandmakeup

• Flowers: a wedding present from our friend Amanda Mason.

• After dinner elderberry port: Demijohn Oxford. https://www.demijohn.co.uk/

• Cheese cake: Oxford Cheese Company. http://www.oxfordcheese.co.uk/

• Book: First edition of WB Yeats poetry, antique.

• Stationery: all designed by me, printed with printed.com. https://www.printed.com/

• Engagement ring, wedding rings, and antique earrings all came from DB Gems. https://www.dbgems.com/

“THANK YOU for being such a fantastic photographer and lovely human. You made our day so special and you caught so many brilliant and sweet moments, like my half-eaten toast on its tray during the morning!

We knew we loved your style, but when we got our images back you’d surpassed what we had expected. You captured the essence of the whole day - the warmth, the laughter, the tears, the awful dancing. It was a privilege to have you involved.

The parcel that came in the post was perfection - we put the slideshow on and immediately burst into tears. And the prints you’d included of my lovely grandad were a beautiful and thoughtful touch. We are so very glad we found you.”

— Kate and Tim

Hilltop Country House Wedding Photography - Kirk and Sam

Liverpool Documentary Wedding Photographer - The Racquet Club - Becca and Sean

Urban Wedding

I love shooting urban weddings, so when Becca and Sean asked me to shoot their lovely chilled out wedding at The Racquet Club in Liverpool. I knew we were in for a treat! The Racquet Club is in a great little spot. It’s near enough to the Liver buildings for you to get a good couples portrait with one of Liverpool’s most iconic buildings in the background, the sun also sets just over the water making for some epic light at golden hour. Right next to the venue is Our Lady Saint Nicholas Church who are kind enough (with the little help of a donation) to let you use their gardens for group photos and getting a bit of greenery into your portraits. If greenery isn’t your thing, the area is bursting at the seams with beautiful architecture and street art to make for more modern portraits with cool Liverpudlian City Vibes. Luckily for me Becca and Sean were up for it all!  We even bumped into the Liverpool Ghost Tour on our escapades and Becca managed to grab a photo with them!

The Racquet Club Wedding Venue

Inside The Racquet Club is a real treat, with it’s huge rooms, tall ceilings and massive long window there is plenty of natural light around to make capturing those natural moments and fleeting interaction between guests a piece of cake. Becca and Sean had the super talented Sweet Pea and Ivy decorate the venue with a beautiful display of old books, candles, delicate roses and cascading foliage. The room looked amazing! Becca and Sean also added some personal touches themselves, Becca hand made some decorations attached to some huge white balloons and they brought Sean’s obsession with collecting Vinyl into the day by having guests sign records as a guest book and had a friends live band play music for their guests to dance to into the night. It turned into quite the party as you can see from the photos.

Thanks for having me Becca and Sean, you threw and beautiful, fun amazingly chilled out wedding and you were both up for anything! It was an absolute pleasure to photograph your day. Lots of Love xxxxxx

What Becca and Sean had to say...

“Katie thank you so much for capturing our day.

We were so excited when our photo package arrived, we relived the whole day going through it you captured every moment perfectly it was lovley to look back at some of the bits we missed on the day.

We really couldn’t of ask for anything more you really got us and what we wanted from our day and from that captured some amazing memories for us to keep.”

A few wedding dates in 2018 are still available and I am now taking bookings for 2019. 

If you are looking for your Wedding Photographer and would like to get in touch, drop me a message! I have a few dates in 2018 still available and I am now taking bookings for 2019.