JoanneGower
Wedding Photography

Category: Wedding Photography

A Cave Castle Wedding with Augustine and Sam

Yesterday we had our first wedding of 2020. Augustine and Sam were married in the Sandringham Suite at Cave Castle Hotel, at 1pm.

We started our day with Sam and his best man Ben. Sam’s dad also joined us for the groom portraits and there was much laughter.

Afterwards, we headed inside to do a few pre wedding bridal portraits of Augustine. She was enjoying a celebratory glass of champagne with bridesmaids Clementine, Debbie, Shauna and Holly.

The ceremony took place in the Sandringham Suite which has lots of character but no natural light so it provides a bit of a challenge for photography. The reading was delivered by Augustine’s sister Clementine and afterwards the happy couple enjoyed a celebratory drink with their guests.

It was a little blustery and cold outside, so we worked quickly to ensure guests were not handing around for too long.

Augustine and Sam opted for traditional coverage. So once we had completed their bride portraits, it was time for us to leave.

We wish Augustine and Sam a very happy married life together and look forward to sharing their wedding photography with them very soon!

Rebecca and Ian’s Cave Castle Wedding

On Saturday we photographed our final wedding of the 2019 at Cave Castle! What a fabulous occasion it was!

We started the day bright and early with bride Rebecca and her mum Gail, and bridesmaid Jade. The ladies were busy getting ready when we arrived. Kim Shanks did Rebecca’s hair and Toni Naylor did her make up. As the preparations were underway, we photographed Rebecca’s beautiful dress that she bought from Molly Browns of York.

We were very happy to find that not only Rebecca was ready early for her bridal portraits, but Ian also arrived early for his session as well! This meant that we had plenty of time to create some special photographs for both of them.

Ian had three best men; Alex, Scott and Tom, and when we arrived to photograph Ian, they were busy writing their speech outside on the terrace!

The wedding service was lovely. However, due to the rules of the East Riding Registrars, we were only permitted to take a few photographs. However, we were permitted to take some photos of the readings and ring exchange. Afterwards everyone enjoyed a celebratory drink on the lawn whilst we got on with the family formal photographs. This was completed quickly, thanks to the support of toastmaster Michael.

Rebecca and Ian opted for a traditional line up so that they were able to greet their guests before the wedding breakfast. During the meal, pianist Phil Culkin entertained everyone. Before the speeches, Ian opened a bottle of champagne with a saber, a technique known as Sabrage. The pop of the cork received a big cheer!

Speeches were delivered by both dads, the bride and groom and all three best men, to much laughter and applause. The Charm Offensive delivered the evening entertainment whilst guests partied.

We had a wonderful day with Rebecca and Ian, and their family and friends. we wish them every happiness in their future life together.

Laura and Adam’s Elsham Hall Wedding

On Saturday we had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Laura and Adam who were married at the fabulous Elsham Hall in Lincolnshire. The forecast for the day was a little unpredictable with heavy rain forecast, and the start of the day was very wet indeed! Laura and her bridesmaids began the day at the Forest Pines Hotel and we arrived in driving rain. All was calm inside, with hair and make up well under way when we arrived. Laura was calm and collected and was ready in her beautiful dress from Webtobe early enough for us to do her bridal portraits. Sometimes things run over at this part of the day, and it is such a shame because it can result in few, or in some cases no, bridal portraits. This was not the case for Laura who gave us exactly the amount of time we needed to capture her in all her glory. The room was a little small for the grandeur of our bride but we still managed to create some stunning portraits for her! Afterwards we headed outside to take our journey to Elsham. Once more the rain came down and when we arrived, the team at Bride Beautiful had everything under control with a bucket of umbrellas at the ready! We did our photographs of the groom and his best man Lee and usher Mark, under the recently constructed pergola entrance, so’s to protect them from the rain. Guests began to arrive and we waited excitedly at the bottom of the drive for the first sight of the wedding car which was provided by Silver Star Wedding Cars. The bride arrived and was escorted by dad Arthur and mum Pauline. The ceremony took place in the beautiful barn and afterwards the happy couple took a celebratory drive so that they could enjoy a few quiet moments together. By this time the rain had ceased and we were lucky to have some autumn sunshine to do the all important family group photographs. Afterwards we took a brief walk in the gardens with Laura and Adam, in order to do their couple portraits before they headed back into the barn to greet their guests, and start the celebrations. The barn looked stunning for the meal that was provided by Chris and the team at Your Chef, with guests from the wedding party undertaking carving duties in expert fashion! The traditional speeches followed the main course and after desert, guests headed into the Garden room to take tea, whilst the team from Bride Beautiful prepared the Barn for the evening celebrations. Laura and Adam cut their stunning cake from Dotty Cakes before taking to the floor for their first dance with music supplied by Power Play Discotheques Grimsby. Our thanks to Emma, Lynne, Tanya and Alex at Bride Beautiful who looked after everyone including us, perfectly. A big shout out to Chris from Your Chef who not only gave us a little bit of wriggle room when things ran over, but also provided us with a delicious hot meal, that was very welcome after nine hours on our feet! We had a lovely day with Adam and Laura, and we wish them every happiness in their future life together.

Pre wedding photography with Laura and Adam at Elsham Hall in Lincolnshire

On Tuesday we met up with Laura and Adam who are getting married later this month at Elsham Hall. It is one of our favourite places to work, not just because of the fabulous gardens which provide ample opportunity for wedding photography, but because the team there are so efficient and so friendly, that it always makes our job that bit easier and much more enjoyable. Working with Laura and Adam was also a treat, since they are a relaxed, fun couple who are happy to work with us and try out a few new locations for their photography. The meeting we had to discuss their requirements for the big day was quick and easy since Caroline at Elsham had taken all of the hard work out of it for us, having provided a perfect schedule which allowed sufficient time for photographs – this only happens at Elsham Hall! On a typical wedding day, David and I usually have to go into turbo charge to get everything that we need to for our clients, because there is not really enough time for photographs! Its all part of the fun! To say that Laura and Adam were easy and relaxed in front of the camera is an understatement and I am very excited about working with them on their special day to capture some magical photographs that they can treasure for ever.

The Blessing of Lara and Matthias

On Saturday we had the absolute joy of photographing the wedding blessing of Lara and Matthias, and what an elegant affair it was. There was no doubt that the stunning choice of Beverley Minster and Burton Agnes Hall would give this occasion a sense of grandeur and dignity, but for David and I the real pleasure was in working with some of the most charming and courteous people we have ever met. Everyone treated us very well and we were looked after so beautifully, there were many moments when we had to remind ourselves that we were actually working, and not simply enjoying a fabulous occasion with friends! The happy couple were legally married earlier in the year, and recently held a celebration in Portugal. The blessing and celebrations were organised by the brides mum Susan, and what a fantastic job she did! We started the day at the Minster when we met up with the happy couple. We had not met them before and from the very first minute, we knew that we were going to be part of something very special and quite unique. Their love for each other was evident throughout the day, and they were such a delight to work with. After the service we took the usual formal family group photographs before everyone headed out to Burton Agnes Hall. Upon arrival, guests enjoyed a celebratory drink and were served with utterly delicious canapés supplied by Ragassan Caterers, whilst the Northlights String Quartet played in the summer sunshine. Once the bride had changed her beautiful sari, it was time for everyone to be seated for the meal. The opening prayers was offered by the Rt Reverend David James, and welcome speeches were given the brides father Joe, and the grooms father Hans. It was at this point that we took our leave and headed home to work on the photographs. To say we had a lovely day with Lara and Matthias is an understatement. It was a truly wonderful occasion and a privilege to be part of it. I wish them a long and happy life together and thank all of their family and friends for taking such good care of us. This is one wedding that we will hold in our hearts for a very long time.

JoanneGower
Wedding Photography