Wedding & Reception Venue – The Dairy At Waddesdon
Welcome to the winter wedding of Rosie and Mike, whose special day was held at the stunningly beautiful waterside venue The Dairy on the Waddesdon Estate. This venue is wonderful at every time of year, and settings for a winter wedding don’t get much better. Rosie and Mike booked me as their photographer because they loved my atmospheric after dark floodlit night-time imagery.
Winter weddings – I’m there every step of the way! I love the atmosphere, the open fires, the low sunlight, and all those fabulous Christmas trees during the festive period!
Rosie and Mike live in Australia, so all of our pre discussions were carried out online. The first time I met the two of them was just prior to their wedding for their engagement pictures at Waddesdon Manor. I knew that their wedding would be fun, as they both have such lovely warm and outgoing personalities.
My Favourite Wedding Venues
All wedding photographers have favourite venues! Some might love the big open spaces, some of us are drawn to a particular venue’s wow interiors. Some might love the overall vibe of a venue.
I’m personally most drawn to historic properties with lovely grounds. Then there’s the sense of theatre that’s created by light forming shadows and highlights throughout the venue; sometimes this happens naturally, and sometimes I’ll create these lighting effects myself. But one thing’s for sure, give me a unique venue like The Dairy, and I’m in my element! This venue holds a special place in my heart; I’ve been recommended by them for many years, and I’ve photographed well over 200 weddings at this incredible property.
Getting Ready At The Dairy
Rosie got ready with her mother and the other closest women in her life. Those final moments of preparation for the bride are some of the most intimate and magical of the wedding day. I always feel privileged to document this stage of the proceedings. The ladies were giggling and laughing when I joined them on the morning; clearly Rosie’s bridesmaids did a great job keeping her calm and relaxed.
Meanwhile, Mike and the guys were getting ready in the main building next door in equally jovial manner. Again there were great picture opportunities of them relaxing before they made their way to the ceremony. The lads all looked really sharp in their dinner jackets – and if there were any nerves from Mike he certainly didn’t show it!
New Years Eve Civil Ceremony In The Dairy’s Wintergarden
There was barely a dry eye in the room when Rosie entered the ceremony on her father’s arm! She looked incredible, and radiated with so much happiness as she made her way up the aisle.
The sound of the bagpiper added a touch of Scottish magic, especially with the acoustics in this fabulous glass building.
Winter Wedding Photography Opportunities At The Dairy, Waddesdon
After a few pictures outdoors after the ceremony, the last ebbs of daylight faded. It was now time for my floodlighting effects in the grounds of The Dairy with the newlyweds. These were the shots that Rosie and Mike were most excited about, so when the timing was perfect we darted between various backdrops. Once we’d fleetingly approved the shots on the back of my camera, we made the mad dash back inside to warm up!
Later in the day I opted for the waterside pavilions for my pictures of the close family members. I love the gilded wrought iron work they have on the walls in this area, especially effective with my lighting effects. This area is fabulous for pictures during the winter months – an added bonus is the powerful outdoor heaters that keep everyone nice and toasty!
Yes it was cold on the day, but thankfully the light was crisp and bright. It was the kind of conditions that makes so many of us fall in love with this time of year.
The Evening Reception
After some of the most poignant, meaningful and entertaining speeches I’ve heard in a long time, Rosie and Mike made their way to the dance-floor for the cake cutting. This was followed by their first dance as husband and wife. Then it didn’t take long for the newlyweds and their guests to really get the New Years Eve partying underway!
What a beautiful wedding, what remarkable people, what fabulous smiles, what a gorgeous venue. I’ll challenge anyone who says summer is the best wedding season! An atmospheric cold winter’s wedding day is a match anytime for any summer wedding! Hats off to Rosie and Mike for venturing outdoors in the cold conditions so we could chase the light on the day! I am always so grateful when couples are willing to brave the conditions for a few more outdoor shots!
If you’re organising a winter (or summer wedding) at The Dairy on The Waddesdon Estate, I’d love to hear from you.
Kind Words
Dear Mark,
Thank you for your work as our wedding photographer!
Planning a wedding from abroad can be difficult and I’m so glad we managed to find you to help capture our day. Your knowledge of The Dairy and Waddesdon Manor was so extensive, meaning that we were able to get the perfect photos quickly without wandering around. This was perfect in the cold weather and maximised the amount of time we had to spend with guests.
When we decided to have a winter wedding one of our main worries was the photos in the short amount of daylight available. From the start you were able to put us at ease due to your experience with shooting in low light. Our photos really do your skills justice, they are beautiful and capture the warmth of the day despite the temperatures! You were the perfect choice as your experience of shooting in the dark meant you were able to capture so many shots we wouldn’t have had with someone else!
So many family and friends also commented on your professionalism on the day!
It’s very easy to see why you are the recommended photographer at the Dairy. Your professionalism and friendly manner meant you were highly praised by so many of our guests too and we LOVE the results. You made our day so relaxed and we couldn’t be happier with the results.
Thank you! Rosie and Mike xx
