For this wedding I was found by Toria's Mum. Toria and Chris living down under so she asked her Mum to pop to a few wedding fairs to hunt out suppliers for their special day. She found me at Townley Hall in Burnley and loved the look of my stand and my work so quickly shot my details over to her daughter and the rest is history!
Their wedding was booked at the stunning Mitton Hall, Lancashire. Certainly one of my favourite venues around this area giving you a great mix of the old and new, with lovely gardens and amazing character inside. With it being a winter wedding I knew I'd be welcomed by the smell of the open fires in the main entrance and couldn't wait to see the familiar faces that worked there to see how their Christmas and New Years had been.
Morning preparations in the bridal suite and a "I do's" under the sky lights.
I arrived to find everyone in good spirits, still buzzing from Christmas and New Year and ready for the day ahead. The winter light is always great at this time of year as it never gets too high and can give you some dramatic light and contrast allowing for some great images! I shot away capturing the morning naturally, allowing the day to unfold the way it should and before we knew it time had escaped us and Toria was talking her final steps as a Brooks! A quick dash under umbrellas through the rain took us to the main doors so she could make her grand entrance.
Chris who had been all smiles with his family and friends waited calmly at the end of the aisle and cracked a wider smile as Toria made her way down the aisle with her Dad in her custom made wedding dress brought over from Australia. They met under the skylights where the January rain tapped away but certainly wasn't going to damped any spirits today. Once officially wed they make their way back down the aisle and spent some time with their guests who couldn't wait to congratulate them. This is the perfect time to capture some candid photos of guests having a great time. It's always fun to capture the personalities of people during the drinks reception and seeing Toria's Dads beer fizz up so he had to throw his mouth over it are the moments I love the most!
Portraits and parties at Mitton Hall, Lancashire
The rain held off for a little while allowing us to run out front to capture a few natural and fun portraits before winter decided to return and the heavens opened once more. Mitton Hall's main entrance is so full of character though that you can still capture portraits inside even if you can't get out.
Soon it was time for the wedding breakfast and speeches. Chris' friend Gavin Young was providing todays entertainment and he got the bridal party to make a grand entrance into the room quickly followed by some group singing and dancing that got everyone on their feet and even onto their seats allowing for some great moments to be caught! After some heart felt speeches, including a video from Toria's good friend who sadly couldn't get over for the wedding, it was time for a few night time portraits around the venue before getting ready for round 2 and some dancing!
They'd decided against a first dance and instead just got everyone dancing right off the bat. With entertainment in the evening coming from DFC this wasn't going to be an issue. He nailed it on the head track after track that got people up dancing and having a great time!
Being a Mitton Hall wedding photographer is always a pleasure. The venue is not only stunning but the staff at James Places are helpful, polite and passionate about their jobs meaning Brides and Grooms always have an amazing wedding! If you're looking for a wedding photography for your big day then don't hesitate
Mitton Hall, Mitton, Whalley,
Lancashire, BB7 9PQ
01254 826 544
