Pre-Wedding Prep – Holiday Cottage Near Dorton House
Dorton House have recommended me as a wedding photographer for the past few years. As a result, I was privileged to be asked to photograph the wedding of Emma and Matt in the beautiful venue.
Emma and Matt tied the knot in the lovely chapel at Dorton House. They then proceeded to their reception next door in the stunning Jacobean manor house. They really couldn’t have wished for better April weather; in fact, we had glorious blue skies all day!
I attended the nearby local holiday cottage where Emma was getting ready with her parents and bridesmaids. The spacious farm cottage was stunning, and in such a beautiful remote location. It was surrounded by rolling hills and baby lambs. Not only was it an amazing setting for the family to get ready, but the picture opportunities were fabulous!
Wedding Ceremony In The Chapel At Dorton House
Emma’s full length gown was beautiful, and she looked truly amazing as she made her grand entrance into the picturesque chapel at Dorton House.
She looked so radiant sharing a kiss with her new husband after the heartfelt vows in front of their close family and friends. They looked every inch the happy couple as they walked back down the aisle as husband and wife.
This gorgeous little chapel in the grounds of Dorton House is as idyllic as can be, and it’s just a very short stroll from the main house too. This was ideal for the family and friends when it was time to continue on to the drinks reception afterwards – most church to reception journeys involve a 15 minute car journey!
Drinks Reception On The Lawns
The drinks reception and photographs took place on the lawns in front of the manor house. The spectacular setting at Dorton House really couldn’t be more perfect for a wedding! The mix of sweeping lawns, jaw dropping architecture, and stunning flower borders make my life all the more easy!
The lively wedding guests also made for some amazing candid pictures too, there were opportunities for my camera in every direction. As fun weddings go, this was as good as it gets, I just loved the relaxed and buzzy atmosphere!
Capturing The Perfect Light
I am so grateful to Emma and Matt for agreeing to step outside briefly after the main course when the evening light was perfect.
I made the most of this opportunity by taking them to the nearby pond. It also gave them an opportunity to step back from the celebrations for a few quiet minutes together. This short excursion resulted some of my favourite shots from the day.
After the magical moment and the expressions on faces, light is the most important aspect of a wedding assignment to me. I’m always searching for beautiful natural light, and when it isn’t happening I carry my own lighting to create dramatic special effects.
You’ll see good examples of this in the pictures on the grand staircase and my floodlit exterior shots, where I’ve used this lighting in very dark night time conditions; if I’d used a flash gun the images would look nowhere near as dramatic!
Meal, Speeches & Evening’s Entertainment
Jamie and his team at Dorton House created an extraordinary meal; the food was delicious and beautifully presented.
The fabulous speeches on the day had everyone in stitches, and the various speakers delivered their special words with such confidence. The picture opportunities for me were great, both the speakers and the guest reactions were priceless!
Once the dancing was underway, it didn’t take long to realise that these guys knew how to party! For the whole evening, the dancefloor was packed with the wedding guests dancing to the latest disco tunes. Then after a few more glasses of champagne, the dancing kicked up a notch or two as numerous dance classics were played over the sound system.
The Finished Album
I’m really thrilled with all of their pictures; they were so lucky to have such a glorious sunny day.
I’ll never forget Emma and Matt’s reaction when they saw their finished wedding album for the first time – if only I had my camera on me!
Emma and Matt, I wish you both a truly happy married life together. Judging by the smiles and laughter you shared on the day, you are so clearly well suited to one another.
