Steph & Darren: An Elegant Delamere Manor Wedding
I talk a lot about about how much I love this job. How lucky I am to be a part of such an inspiring, fun industry. And that's all 100% true but I also forget sometimes that this is my job. Because I've been SO LUCKY to have photographed the weddings of so many WONDERFUL humans that the relationship evolves and our friendship outlasts our business partnership. And as I continue to 'work' and meet more amazing people, I'm realising just how crucial this relationship is to creating incredible wedding photos. It's why I ALWAYS insist on a Skype chat or a meeting before booking: we need to get on, you need to feel comfortable enough to entrust your memories to me. It's why I take the time to learn about your family and your jobs and what's important to you, so I can properly tell the story of your day in a way that feels organic and natural.
Another crucial step is the pre-wedding shoot or meeting that I always bang on about! When we take the time to hang out properly in the lead-up to the day, it diffuses any sort of lingering tension or anxiety about the portraits and presence of a virtual stranger taking your photo.
So when I get the chance to photograph two people as easygoing and sweet as Darren & Steph, it drives home this idea of falling in love with my job with every wedding I shoot, of working with couples who become friends and just how important that is to me. Because what can be more special about your wedding photos than knowing that you chose someone who attempted to really get to know you and care about what you care about.
Steph & Darren's beautiful Delamere Manor wedding was the perfect example of an English garden party wedding, set on the rolling green hills of the STUNNING Delamere Manor estate (fun fact: it's also Gary Barlow's former home!). There were lawn games and tree swings and a stretch of incredibly moving (and hilarious) speeches in the glassed-in courtyard reception space under a jaw-dropping greenery-dripped floral chandelier by the geniuses at Hayley's Flower Studio. There were goofy groomsmen and some serious boogeying and a twilight mini-shoot that took my damn breath away with how beautifully kind and loving these two are. In the months leading up to the wedding, super-organised PA Steph and I were in near constant communication, with the result being that I felt I knew exactly how to approach their wedding day in a way that would do the painstaking details justice. These two literally thought of EVERYTHING and because of all the preparations (and serious wedmin skills!) the day went off without a hitch whilst feeling so amazingly relaxed and easy. My fabulous second shooter Jenn and I spent the day in a bit of a giddy fog and we were so so impressed by the Delamere Manor events team's flawless service and attention to detail, we can't WAIT to be back again.
When we left, the guests were showing off some serious dance moves to the crooning of Bloomsbury Music and neither of us could stop smiling. What a beautiful day it was, how lucky I feel to spend my work days surrounded by so much love.
With shout outs to:
