Getting Ready for a Soughton Hall Wedding

The morning started with Becca getting ready at @eincynefin, surrounded by all the excitement that comes with those final few hours before a wedding. I always love this part of the day because there is so much happening without anyone really needing to make it happen. Hair and makeup are being finished, dresses are being buttoned, drinks are being poured and everyone is gradually becoming aware that the day they've spent so long planning is actually here.

After spending the morning with Becca, I headed back to Soughton Hall to meet Joe and his groomsmen. One of my favourite things about photographing a wedding at Soughton Hall is that feeling of arriving at the venue and seeing the Hall come into view. It really is such a spectacular backdrop, and seeing Joe and his groomsmen walking through those beautiful gates was the perfect beginning to the next part of the day.

A Personal Ceremony at Soughton Hall

The ceremony, led by @mollysceremonies, was one of the most special I have ever photographed. It wasn't simply about the legal part of becoming married. It was a real reflection of Becca and Joe, their relationship and the people who have been part of their lives. At the beginning of the ceremony, they lit memorial candles for family members they had lost. The candles remained burning throughout the day, which I thought was such a beautiful way of including those people in the celebration even though they couldn't physically be there.

Their relationship story was then shared with everyone in the room, giving their guests the chance to hear their journey together in a way that made the ceremony feel incredibly personal. They also included a handfasting ceremony, with readings in both English and Welsh, which felt particularly meaningful given their connection to both cultures. And then, to finish the ceremony, everyone joined together to sing All You Need Is Love. There are some moments at weddings where you can feel the atmosphere change, and this was definitely one of them. The whole room singing together was such a brilliant way to finish a ceremony that had already been so full of meaning.

Taking It All In

After the ceremony, there was a quick trip downstairs to sign the legal documents with the registrar and officially make everything official. But rather than immediately moving on to the next part of the wedding, Becca and Joe headed off for a little car ride together.

I really loved this decision. Wedding days can move incredibly quickly, and suddenly you're married and surrounded by everyone you love, with the next part of the day already waiting for you. Having that little pocket of time together gave them a chance to actually take it all in. Just the two of them, away from the guests for a short while, with the opportunity to realise that they had just got married. From a photography perspective, these are exactly the sorts of moments I love. They aren't complicated or staged, but they become part of the story of the day.

Drinks Reception at Soughton Hall

When they returned to Soughton Hall, everyone gathered for the drinks reception in front of the Hall. The setting really couldn't have been more beautiful, with the house providing an incredible backdrop while guests enjoyed drinks and caught up with one another.

This is another reason I love photographing weddings at Soughton Hall. The venue gives you so much variety throughout the day without ever feeling disjointed. You can move from the grandeur of the Hall to the surrounding grounds and create completely different photographs, while still keeping the day feeling relaxed and natural. For me, the drinks reception is also one of the best opportunities to photograph the people who have come to celebrate with you. Rather than pulling everyone away for photographs, I can move through the crowd, capturing conversations, hugs, laughter and all those little interactions that happen naturally when everyone is together.

And, of course, it gave Becca and Joe a chance to properly settle into being married and enjoy their first drinks reception as husband and wife.

Into the Evening

From there, the day moved into the evening celebrations, and the atmosphere only got better. There was brilliant food, lovely speeches, plenty of laughter and, eventually, a packed dance floor. After all the planning and anticipation, this is the point in the day where everything starts to feel a little less structured and everyone can simply enjoy themselves.

Looking back at Becca and Joe's wedding, though, it is the personal details that I remember most.

The memorial candles burning throughout the day, the bilingual readings, the handfasting ceremony, the entire room singing together and that little car ride they took immediately after becoming husband and wife. None of these things were there simply because they would look good in photographs. They were there because they meant something to Becca and Joe, and that is exactly what makes a wedding day memorable.

Soughton Hall Wedding Photography

Soughton Hall is such an incredible setting for wedding photography. The Hall itself has so much character and history, while the grounds provide plenty of space and variety for photographs throughout the day. There are the grand, impressive photographs that you might expect from a venue like this, but there are also countless opportunities for something much more natural and personal.

That is really at the heart of how I approach wedding photography. I want your photographs to feel beautiful, of course, but I also want them to feel like you. I'm not interested in turning your wedding day into a series of photographs that could belong to anyone. Instead, I want to document what actually happened, from the big moments you've spent months planning to the tiny interactions you probably didn't even notice on the day.

I'll always make time for portraits, and I love creating photographs that have that slightly editorial feel, particularly when I'm working somewhere as beautiful as Soughton Hall. But I don't want you to spend your wedding day constantly being directed from one photograph to the next. The majority of your gallery should be about the people, the atmosphere and the story of your day.

It's the photograph of your dad seeing you for the first time. Your friends laughing during the drinks reception. Your grandmother dancing. The hug you didn't realise anyone had photographed. The slightly chaotic dance floor at the end of the night. Those are the photographs that, years from now, will transport you straight back to how your wedding day actually felt.

And that is what I loved so much about photographing Becca and Joe. Their Soughton Hall wedding was beautiful, but it was the meaning behind it that made it unforgettable.