Wedding Locations: Family Home & The Arden Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.
Wedding Photography Coverage: 5 hours.
Ellie & Patrick are two of the nicest people I've ever met. They were guests at a wedding I photographed last season. Impressed by the photos and my fun approach that day, they booked me for their very late afternoon Christmas Wedding at The Arden Hotel in Warwickshire.
Ellie wanted all her bridal preps captured at the family home along with her sisters and bridesmaids. I always love days that start off like this. Hair, make-up, champagne, everyone caught up in the wedding day fever! Ellie was a few months pregnant! She made absolutely sure she wore the perfect wedding dress to proudly show off her baby bump!
It was a very relaxed intimate wedding with only about forty close family and friends. I really felt part of their day. I had already met some of Ellie's family before which made the whole occasion even more special.
Their wedding took place on one of those typical 'winter' days that are cold, wet and gloomy! Cold winter days like this are never an issue for me though. There's nothing you can do about mother nature, so where possible, I always try to use the weather as part of the day.
Unfortunately though, the light fades extremely fast at this time of the year so most of the photography had to take place indoors. This, however, created more of a challenge. The light, space and locations available were all very limited. I had to think outside the box on this one!
I was only with them up until their wedding breakfast and even though the weather wasn't ideal their smiles and laughter made everything a complete joy to photograph.
The Arden Hotel is located directly opposite the world-renowned Royal Shakespeare Company Theatres in Stratford-upon-Avon. Brian May of Queen also happened to be staying here because his wife was playing in a production that evening. As he wondered through reception I thoughI I'd take a chance and ask him if I could grab a quick shot of him with them both before he left!
The Arden Hotel in Warwickshire is always a wonderful place for a wedding or reception no matter what the weather has instore. It's always a wedding venue I look forward to shooting at.
Below is the text I received following their wedding.
"Absolutely bloody love them...can't wait to get some albums made with these! Thank you so much! "
