Geraldine & Aaron - A DIY Dunham Massey Village Hall Boho Garden Party Wedding

Geraldine and Aaron got married this June at the gorgeous Dunham Massey Village Hall, which is a beautiful village hall in the heart of Cheshire, surrounded by rolling fields - perfect for some light breaking and entering to capture the amazing golden hour light. They had their ceremony at Sale Town Hall, which was a short bus ride away - they even provided a vintage double-decker to transport their guests. It was the most beautiful wedding and the sun shone all day long!

The excitement before the wedding

Geraldine got ready just around the corner from the reception venue in a perfectly quaint - and beautifully adorned! - cottage (Ash Farm Country House) surrounded by her hilarious and sweet bridal party, including her two sisters, and the atmosphere was so relaxed. I loved the cottage and the space was such a stylish choice totally in keeping with the 'relaxed English garden party' (loose) theme of the day. The bride then hopped into an EPIC classic James Bond-style Peugeot to get to the ceremony. Aaron got ready at home in Didsbury and was calmly greeting guests at the town hall when I arrived. The atmosphere was positively buzzing!

The serious part

The ceremony was a legal ceremony in a beautiful town hall not far from Dunham Massey. Sale Town Hall is such an iconic building and I've loved capturing the sweet, intimate weddings I've been lucky enough to shoot there. During the ceremony they had several beautiful readings from friends and family. It was such a personal service and so meaningful. Aaron's dad Jon brought the house down with a poem he read at his own wedding to Aaron's mum 30+ years before. There wasn't a dry eye in the room.

The afternoon

The reception was in a marquee at Dunham Massey Village Hall. They chose the venue because it has so many options and they just love it there. It was a relaxed garden party of a wedding, which lent itself for some awesome photo opportunities and real connections between guests. I love shooting Dunham Massey weddings because the surroundings are completely stunning. I live just up the road in Sale and Dunham is such a special place to me and my family, it's such a treat to explore in in the context of a wedding.

They had lawn games in the afternoon, and a live band in the evening. Every choice Geraldine & Aaron made for their day really reflected their personalities and it truly felt like one perfect summer party and celebration of them.. The venue was dressed with wildflowers, hay bales provided makeshift seating for the guests outside the marquee and the inside of the hall was transformed in the evening for a full on dance party to the tunes of the awesome wedding band The Treme.

For dinner they served Mediterranean sharing platters and bowl food by Taste the Love, which was loved by all the guests. Sarah from Taste the Love is an INCREDIBLE chef and her food is so hearty yet elegant. I'm always so excited when I find out she's providing the feast! The first dance was a good old traditional wedding shuffle, and they finished off the evening with some epic boogeying to classic tunes.

The most memorable part of the day was the speeches, because in addition to the tradional speeches, Geraldine, her mum & Aaron's mum all spoke some beautifully heartfelt words. A wedding is such a personal celebration and by doing things THEIR WAY, Geraldine and Aaron put together a day that was so representative of who they are as a couple but also as individuals.

The couple

Geraldine wore a simple ivory organza strapless gown (with LK Bennett flat sandals!) and Aaron wore a perfectly tailored suit by Ted Baker and they looked so perfect. Geraldine’s flowers were seasonal and a little wild and fitted perfectly with the vibe of the day and Aaron’s buttonhole was a perfect complement to the rest of the blooms.

The couple met at University and have been together for quite a long time. They got in touch with me after we spoke at last autumn's Magpie Vintage fair at Victoria Baths and their enquiry was really touching. They said they wanted a relaxed photographer, and I really liked that they seemed so much fun. When we met for an early morning hike up Tegg's Nose and shot their pre-wedding shoot in April, the conversation didn't stop flowing and we created some gorgeous images.

Geraldine and Aaron’s wedding was everything I love about weddings and had such a fun atmosphere. Here’s their wonderful wedding!

If you’re throwing a Dunham Massey wedding, get in touch!