Mathilda and Matthew’s wedding was one of those days that could only ever have belonged to them.
They were married at their local church before travelling back in convoy across the common land to Mathilda’s family home. Along the way, we made a quick stop for photographs with the wild fell horses as everyone continued towards the celebrations.
A church ceremony, live singers beneath a stretch tent and a barn filled with everyone they love.
Every part of the day felt connected to Mathilda’s family and their home.
As a Cheshire wedding photographer, I photograph weddings across Cheshire and further afield, and I always love seeing couples create a celebration around somewhere that already holds so much meaning.
A Church Wedding Close to Home
The day began at the local church, just a short journey from Mathilda’s family home.
After the ceremony, guests climbed into their cars and followed Mathilda and Matthew in convoy across the common. It was such a brilliant way for everyone to travel between the two parts of the wedding, with the surrounding landscape becoming part of the celebration rather than simply a backdrop.
It also gave Mathilda and Matthew a little time together before arriving at the drinks reception.
Wedding Photographs with the Wild Fell Horses
On the journey back from the church, we stopped briefly for photographs with the wild fell horses.
There was no need to create an elaborate portrait session or disappear from the wedding for a long time. We simply worked with what was already there, allowing the landscape and the horses to become part of the photographs.
It was completely spontaneous and so specific to this place. These are often the photographs that become the most meaningful because they could not have been recreated at another wedding or another location.
Live Music Beneath the Stretch Tent
Back at the family home, guests gathered beneath the stretch tent for the drinks reception.
Live singers performed while everyone enjoyed drinks and caught up after the ceremony. The tent created a relaxed space for the afternoon while still allowing the garden and surrounding countryside to remain part of the day.
The flowers were created by Wild Ivy, bringing colour and texture into the celebrations in a way that felt completely at home within the setting. From the church through to the tables, the arrangements complemented the landscape without overpowering it.
A Wedding Feast by Primal Feasts
Later in the day, everyone moved into the barn for food by Primal Feasts.
The barn was transformed for dinner, with guests gathered around the tables for the meal and speeches before the evening celebrations began.
There is something so special about celebrating in a family barn. It immediately feels personal and relaxed, giving everyone the freedom to settle in and enjoy the evening without the day feeling overly structured.
Once dinner was finished, the tables made way for dancing and the barn became the centre of the party.
A Wedding Built Around Home
What made Mathilda and Matthew’s wedding particularly special was how closely every part of it was tied to the setting.
The journey across the common, the photographs with the fell horses and the celebrations at Mathilda’s family home all gave the day a strong sense of place. Nothing felt added simply because it was expected at a wedding.
It was personal, full of character and shaped around the people who mattered to them.
Although this wedding took place outside Cheshire, it reflects exactly what I love to photograph as a Cheshire wedding photographer. Weddings where couples spend their time celebrating with their guests, while I document the atmosphere and everything unfolding around them.
