On the 7th of June I woke up to the rumblings of thunder and heavy rain on my window and my heart sank. I have shot weddings in rain before now and it has worked out really well, looked very atmospheric, but it does certainly put me into a nervous disposition! I worry more so for the reaction of the bride, groom and other guests – their cheerfulness, despite bad weather, is what makes for good photos – but that isn’t always available if it’s bucketing down and they’re cold!
So I went to Little Hay Farm in Lichfield, where the Bride-to-be was casually getting ready. She seemed absolutely unfazed by the rain, I was so relieved! Kate is an outdoor girl for sure. She had already been up and out to feed her horses and her mum was pottering around in her slacks doing chores. What a laid back group of ladies!
The ceremony was at 2pm at Packington Moor in Lichfield, Staffordshire. An absolutely beautiful venue. By the time we got there it had stopped raining and as we were sailing through the vows, low and behold, the sun came out! And despite what the weatherman said (more showers, thunder & lightning) the sunshine and blue skies stayed with us for the rest of the day!
Anyway, I should stop being so British in just talking about the weather… after the ceremony ended, we all flocked outside where drinks and canapes were had and which filled the air with delicious aroma! They had a fantastic solo singer and guitarist playing at that time as well, it just made such a delightful atmosphere.
Taking photos of Paul the Groom and his Groomsmen was very funny. Paul No.2 (Paul the Groom’s Best Man) had the idea of ‘Ape to Man’ – certain positions were not the easiest for certain ones to get into without splitting ones trousers. However, it was achieved without any tears!
The Bridal party and her fellow horse riding friends were just as much up for a laugh with the photos. I found a large stack of hay bales and a ladder. It didn’t take really any convincing before they were all up there!
As for Paul and Kate, they were such good sports. They even donned their wellies and trudged through mud in order to get into the field (I hope you think it was worth it!). I personally love that shot. To be honest, they were so easy to photograph being such a handsome couple! It was a pleasure to do their photos.
All in all the wedding was a wonderful one. The decor was stunning, for which a big congrats goes to Sonia their talented Bridesmaid. The gorgeous wedding cake you will see below was made by Paul’s mum too!
Paul and Kate, I wish you every happiness in your marriage together. You are a wonderful couple and it really shows that you’re best friends as well – how beautiful!