Enjoy looking through my latest Kent Wedding photography blog
Chiddingstone castle wedding photographer
Chiddingstone castle in Kent
Chiddingstone castle wedding photography
Catherine and Nathaniel’s wedding at chiddingstone castle in Kent took place in September 2021 and was spectacular. We had the most gorgeous light come through towards the end of the day and the circle in the orangery was probably one of the most epic photos I have ever taken. Big Kudos to the couple who lived and breathed their vegan philosophy throughout and I loved how integrated their dogs were in the day, from couple photos/group photos and even their own doggy wedding cake
The preparation
Nathaniel chose to get ready at his house - prime responsibility was to get the dogs ready as well! Whilst catherine was able to use the preparation room upstairs in the castle.
That first reveal
I always ask my brides if they want a first reveal to Mum/Dad/Sister - someone close to them - It often creates a wonderful moment and as a dad to two small young girls I totally get the importance of just making sure your loved ones get prioritised for this moment - it is once in a lifetime.
St marys church, Westerham: ceremony
The ceremony took place in westerham (this is not the church that yo can walk to from Chiddingstone - just contact me if you would like to see photos from there). It is a gorgeous church, lots of light and very spacious
The afternoon photowalk
We still had the beautiful flowers at chiddingstone in September so I definitely wanted to bring them into the story. The orangery there is also a fantastic building so we decided to take a walk there to get some snaps. It was awesome to have our furry friends join us as well for these photos.
Documentary photography
Documentary photography is a big part of what I like to do - and there are so many different rooms for guests to explore, there is always something going on, plus with the stunning grounds here it really makes for a gorgeous wedding day
Golden Hour portraits
Wow did the sun get the memo or what during their wedding - the light was absolutely stunning - we were only outside for ten minutes and it was simply perfect.
The evening
Flowers:
https://www.thefloweralchemist.co.uk
Hair -
https://www.herohairstylist.com/
Dress -
https://www.bromley-brides.co.uk/
More on chiddingstone castle -
Exclusively yours, for the most personal of Castle Weddings in Kent. With 35 acres of informal grounds; sweeping lawns, wild woodlands and breath-taking views of the Kent countryside; Chiddingstone Castle is a perfect place to celebrate your day. Set within the idyllic village of Chiddingstone, you can hold your ceremony in the castle grounds, our rooms, or in the 13th century church of St Mary’s.
Nestled in rolling countryside, yet within easy reach of London and the M25, Chiddingstone Castle is one of Kent’s finest historic houses and a much sought-after wedding venue.
Botleys Mansion wedding photographer
Botleys mansion in Surrey
Botleys Mansion Wedding photography
Matt and Beccas wedding at Botleys mansion was amazing, we had everything, gorgeous weather, all the smiles, laughter, dancing - it was a real post restrictions celebration that did not disappoint. Botleys Mansion is an incredible place to get married, the ceremony room is regal, the prep rooms are spacious and light and the orangery at the back with the most epic staircase entrance is simply incredible.
The preparation
Botleys has some very large rooms available for the wedding prep, for both partners - there was plenty of space for Becca’s prep, meaning multiple bridesmaids, mum, MUA and hairdressers could easily fit in the room and still have space. The bathrooms are large as well - important for when you are in your wedding dress and need that little extra space to move.
That first reveal
I always ask my brides if they want a first reveal to Mum/Dad/Sister - someone close to them - It often creates a wonderful moment and as a dad to two small young girls I totally get the importance of just making sure your loved ones get prioritised for this moment - it is once in a lifetime.
Botleys Mansion: ceremony
The Ceremony room at Botleys is beautiful and regal, with beautifully matching chairs, chandeliers you really get that special feeling of walking into somewhere special, it is a larger room than the photo reveals and with the windows open on a hot day, there is a lovely cross wind - it feels nice and cool in there.
The confetti walk
Botleys has a fantastic way of organising the confetti shot. They take the bride and groom through the back entrance (ooerr) and position them under the amazing staircase there in the archway ready for them to come through . This is special because you can position your guests up and over the stairs as well as I can arrange a tunnel walk of guests - this gives you the best of both worlds - that initial confetti explosiion as well as walking through all your guests
couple portraits aka Matt’s Photowalk
This is the chance just to get a few minutes alone time - my couples always comment on ow nice it is just to be the two of them for a few minutes. Matt and Becca and me just went on a simple stroll around the grounds, utilising the epic building and the contrasting trees and surrounding park as beautiful and very different backdrops.
Documentary photography
Documentary photography is a big part of what I like to do - and there are so many different rooms for guests to explore, there is always something going on
Golden Hour portraits
There are lots of options if the sun behaves at Botleys, anywhere in the front courtyard is lit up by sun and you also have the huge park in front of that which can be bathed in golden sunlight - Ten minutes is all I need to create some gorgeous photos for you
Flowers - https://seventh-heaven-events.co.uk/
Dress - https://www.sophiegracebridal.co.uk/
More on Botleys mansion - https://bijouweddingvenues.co.uk/venue/botleys-mansion/
Botleys Mansion is an exclusive use wedding venue located in Surrey. It is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies both inside and outside and offers a choice of stylish celebration and entertaining spaces in which to host your ultra-glamorous wedding. With capacities ranging from 50 to 250 across various rooms in the house, Botleys Mansion also offers flexibility along with an impeccable service when it comes to hosting your celebration at this wow-factor wedding venue.
Located just 30 minutes from London and set amid 56 acres of rolling Surrey parkland, this magnificent country house wedding venue marries history with the absolute best in modern style
Don't worry about wedding day weather
Jo had her heart set on those beautiful fading sun golden hour photos you get just before sunset. So we had planned this in for the right time, but when that time came their little baby (just four months old) was struggling, he wanted cuddles and feeding and by the time he was settled the sun had dipped below the horizon.
For each wedding I always bring along all my equipment and said (imagine me in a superhero stance!) “don’t worry I will recreate it”.
Let me introduce Harry and Jo and let you in on a bit of a secret. That’s not actually the sun!
Whaaaaatttt (i couldn’t work out how to add gif’s to a blog post so that’s the best i can do!
Let me Explain
Before each wedding I plan some of my shots. I ask my clients to create mood boards and fill out a questionnaire so I can really get to learn what they love about photos and how they want their wedding photos to make them feel. Jo had her heart set on those beautiful fading sun golden hour photos you get just before sunset.
So we had planned this in for the right time, but when that time came their little baby (just four months old) was struggling, he wanted cuddles and feeding and by the time he was settled the sun had dipped below the horizon.
Jo was so heartbroken
For each wedding I always bring along all my equipment and said (imagine me in a superhero stance!) “don’t worry I will recreate it”. So I set up a flash, i added a warm gel to the front of the flash and added a sphere to diffuse the light. That was all placed behind the couple and I got down low and started shooting. As i was shooting and checking the exposure I could see how gorgeous they were looking. If someone else took this - i wouldn’t have a clue it wasn’t the real sun.
So never worry about the weather or if things don’t quite go to plan - as long as you have a photographer who can deal with any situation then you can still get the photos you dreamed about.