Hull Grange Park Wedding Photography
We had the absolute honour of spending the day with the brilliant family and friends of the newly weds Mr and Mrs Wickham. We took the opportunity to spend time in the gardens with Pippa and Ryan and capture their couples portraits, I can honestly say we have never laughed so much with a couple before, it was genuinely so much fun to share this moment with them and to capture their fun personalities and love for each other.
With the UK in full party mode for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we had the absolute honour of spending the day with the brilliant family and friends of the newly weds Mr and Mrs Wickham. It was clear from early conversations with Pippa and Ryan that they couldn’t wait for their wedding day, it was therefore no surprise when Pippa eagerly arrived early at the church before a good number of guests had taken their seats! The driver was very happy to do a few extra laps and we were back on schedule for the most beautiful ceremony at St Martin’s Church followed by the wedding breakfast at the Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel where they arrived in a stunning Rolls Royce. We took the opportunity to spend time in the manicured gardens with Pippa and Ryan to capture their couples portraits, I can honestly say we have never laughed so much with a couple before, it was genuinely so much fun to share this moment with them and to capture their fun personalities and love for each other. The speeches were full of humour and also very touching words of wisdom and advice, the whole room hanging on every single word spoken.
Congratulations once again to Mr and Mrs Wickham we wish you every happiness for your future together.
We are a husband and wife team of wedding photographers in Hull with a love of storytelling through images. If you are planning your own wedding day and like our style it would be great to have an informal chat to hear your story so far, your plans, and see if we’re a good fit for you.
Have you seen our 10 top tips to get the most out of your wedding day?
For more examples of our work please also take a look at our portfolio
See what we have been up to in our latest blog articles.
East Yorkshire Engagement Shoot - Grace and Joe
We absolutely loved our time with Grace, Joe and Beau it was damp but we had lots of fun and it was great to get to know them better and hear more about their story so far. We can’t wait to be a part of their big day and look forward to sharing the next chapter with Grace and Joe as they celebrate their wedding in August 2022!
It was so lovely to sit down with Grace and Joe in January to discuss their upcoming wedding plans, Rachel and I were also introduced to their puppy Beau… it’s safe to say I might have made a friend there, he is ace! Since our visit Beau has celebrated his first birthday and we had planned to meet the three of them for an engagement shoot in Spring when the weather had warmed up a little. We had pictured a sunny May evening and planned the shoot around the golden hour with the hope of capturing a beautiful sunset. However living in the UK we weren’t too surprised to arrive at Nut Wood woodland in Raywell, East Yorkshire to a cloudy sky and rain. This didn’t stop us though and we embraced the Great British weather, our trusty umbrella coming in very handy to keep them dry between photographs. We made sure to quickly get some portraits of Beau before he got too soggy and headed to the woodland for shelter under the canopy of the trees, this was a magical setting for Grace and Joe. We absolutely loved our time with the three of them, it was damp but we had lots of fun and it was great to get to know them better and hear more about their story so far. We can’t wait to be a part of their big day and look forward to sharing the next chapter with Grace and Joe as they celebrate their wedding in August 2022!
They did it!
Head over to Grace and Joe’s wedding day, it was one to remember!
We are a husband and wife team of wedding photographers in Hull with a love of storytelling through images. If you are planning your own wedding day and like our style it would be great to have an informal chat to hear your story so far, your plans, and see if we’re a good fit for you.
Have you seen our 10 top tips to get the most out of your wedding day?
For more examples of our work please also take a look at our portfolio
See what we have been up to in our latest blog articles.
Beach Wedding East Yorkshire
I am somebody who has always been drawn to nature, whether it be a muddy walk in wellies through trees in a forest, trekking up a mountain to get the best view of the landscape or skimming stones on a beach (9 bounces is my personal best), exploring the great outdoors is something that makes me happy. I therefore jumped at the chance to meet with Dave and Ailsa to capture their wedding portraits on the beach at Hornsea on the East Yorkshire coast.
Relaxed wedding photography in the great outdoors!
I am somebody who has always been drawn to nature, whether it be a muddy walk in wellies through trees in a forest, trekking up a mountain to get the best view of the landscape or skimming stones on a beach (9 bounces is my personal best), exploring the great outdoors is something that makes me happy. I therefore jumped at the chance to meet with Dave and Ailsa to capture their wedding portraits on the beach at Hornsea on the East Yorkshire coast. Following a series of changes to plans forced on them by the global pandemic, Dave and Ailsa married at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Scarborough. Friends and family supported them through video link from their homes across the country, the joy of technology allowing people to connect and be together. With restrictions relaxed a few weeks later, I was honoured to have the chance to meet with the newlyweds and shoot some portraits on the beach to celebrate their marriage and love for each other.
Hornsea at sunset, a beautiful backdrop for wedding photography
The location for the shoot was Hornsea which I was really excited about, I spend lots of time on this stretch of the East Yorkshire coast so I was familiar with its beautiful beaches, the various sea defence structures and very changeable conditions. Arriving an hour before sunset we had planned ahead to make full use of the changing light to our advantage, a decision that would pay off in a major way!
Assisting me on the shoot I had my wife Rachel by my side, a talented photographer herself it is always great fun working on weddings together. Having the extra set of hands was really useful as we set up lighting in fairly breezy conditions, allowing us more time to take pictures and less time trying to weigh down lighting stands to stop them heading out to sea. As with any photography, I love to bounce ideas off the people I am working with and the experience all becomes much more collaborative, occasionally throwing up a few surprises too (more on that to follow).
Relaxed and fun wedding photography
We had so much fun throughout the session, it was such a pleasure to be part of this. Here are a selection of my favourite images from the day and the stories behind them…
Walking hand in hand
Early in a session I find any kind of action shot to be a really great way to get people settled into the flow of things and to forget about the camera. Here we did a short walk to go get some natural movement and I captured the action from a few angles, this shot of Ailsa looking back over her shoulder was my absolute favourite from this sequence.
Portraits against a big sky!
This image took advantage of the sea defences and allowed us to have Dave and Ailsa stood on a higher level to me with the camera, this gave a beautiful angle looking up at them with the big sky behind them. I love the symmetry in this image, we used this in an album layout across the fold and it looked fab!
Confetti in the wind
Not having guests to throw confetti didn’t stop us from capturing the fun of a confetti photo for Dave and Ailsa. As a little surprise for them, we brought along some dried petals which meant we were able to enjoy this moment and get them a super fun photograph to cherish. One break in the breeze, one handful of petals, one willing assistant and one beautiful couple sharing a cute kiss, throw these elements together and we had such a fun image which the couple were super happy with! The petals were ordered online from Polly’s Petals, these looked amazing in photographs and with them been a natural product they caused no harm to the beach or sea life. We opted for pink blush petals but we were spoilt for choice as Polly’s Petals had so many different varieties available, be sure to check them out if you are looking for natural petals to be used as confetti for your own wedding day.
A moment of calm
This image has become one of my favourites of all time and at the time of writing this, it is the header image on the home page of my website. Sat sharing a moment of calm, I quietly moved around them with the camera documenting this moment from a few angles. I love the feeling of tranquillity and how present in the moment the couple are, these are the genuine moments that I love to capture and this image would go a long way to show how I like to work.
Epic sunset!
We timed the session to tie in with the sun setting but we were still very much in the hands of Mother Nature as to what the actual sunset would look like, thankfully we were given a gift of a sky full of detail and colour. With Rachel holding lighting, I stood in a big puddle to get the best angle and the result was an epic sunset photograph and a pair of soggy shoes (totally worth it).
Creative environmental wedding portraits
With the sun down, the sky was still still full of colour although now the colours had changed to rich blues. We moved to one of the sets of wooden stairs and set up to use the structure of the stairs to frame Dave and Ailsa, giving some extra interest to the picture. Growing up I used to do a lot of street photography and was often drawn to architecture with strong lines, I still look for these compositions now when photographing weddings and portraits because they look fab and give unique images that stand out! Again we added some extra light to the image to make it pop!
“She’s your lobster”
I’ve had a few requests from clients which take me by surprise, none more so than the request from Dave to put on his lobster suit for a few pictures. The story behind this relates to an episode of the popular TV show Friends in which reference is made to lobsters falling in love and been mates for life. Getting to know Dave and Ailsa the lobster reference makes total sense, these guys truly are made for each other!
Kind words from the couple
“We were amazed when we received the photos how beautifully they captured the day and we will certainly be treasuring them for years to come. Chris took the time to understand what we’d like on the day and he did a fantastic job in making it a reality. The shoot was really well planned - Chris had given lots of thought to different shots but was also open to suggestions from us. We felt very much at ease during the shoot, helped by his obvious enjoyment of his work and his care to make sure we had a special time. We weren’t able to have many guests at our wedding but Chris has captured some beautiful moments that we can share with our family and friends.”
— Mr & Mrs Conlan
The beautiful flowers in these images were made by Sandhill Garden Centre
I have known Maria at Sandhill for several years, she is very approachable and always happy to help! She always takes the time to listen to her clients requirements and together with her team they produce lovely arrangements, anything from a delicate button hole to an elaborate spray of fresh flowers as a wedding centrepiece.
The brides bouquet was a beautiful combination of gerbera, lisianthus, thistles and a hint of gypsophila. The thistle flower added a hint of greenery and texture representing devotion and strength.
We are a husband and wife team of wedding photographers in Hull with a love of storytelling through images. If you are planning your own wedding day and like our style it would be great to have an informal chat to hear your story so far, your plans, and see if we’re a good fit for you.
Have you seen our 10 top tips to get the most out of your wedding day?
For more examples of our work please also take a look at our portfolio
See what we have been up to in our latest blog articles.
Barn Wedding East Yorkshire
If you are a creative couple looking to plan a truly unique wedding then The Barns, East Yorkshire could be the ideal venue for you. As a wedding photographer that loves the great outdoors this venue is so much fun to visit and one that I would always jump at the opportunity to visit again, this blog post is written from my own experiences and explains why I have such a soft spot for this venue.
The Barns East Yorkshire Wedding Photographer
If you are a creative couple looking to plan a truly unique wedding then The Barns, East Yorkshire could be the ideal venue for you. As a wedding photographer that loves the great outdoors this venue is so much fun to visit and one that I would always jump at the opportunity to visit again, this blog post is written from my own experiences and explains why I have such a soft spot for this venue.
How to get there
Getting to The Barns, East Yorkshire feels like an adventure in itself, approaching from Hull I exited onto the B1230 and then took a left onto Tongue Lane just after Newport. You drive along the long narrow road with views either side of stunning Yorkshire countryside as far as the eye can see. You will pass over a level crossing with a charming building attached, on my first visit to The Barns this crossing was still operated manually and it took me by surprise to see the attendant bring the barriers down to safely let the oncoming train through, this has now been modernised with automatic barriers but the crossing does still have a certain charm. Beyond this the road appears to almost come to an end as you approach a tight corner taking you to the right, The Barns are positioned on the inside of this corner and the generous car park can be accessed just before. Despite running close to the property, the road is so quiet that you very quickly forget it is there and you really do feel far from anywhere.
First impressions
Walking into the venue from the car park the first impression is that this is a property that is very much cared for and maintained to a high level. Everything looks sharp and tidy but in a way that maintains the rustic feel and character of the buildings, it is a genuine “wow” moment when you visit for the first time. The venue consists of two main barns, one is a brick building dating back to the 18th century and the other is a wooden structure that compliments this beautifully. Both barns are connected by a cosy courtyard with relaxed seating, more on that later!
On my most recent visit the groom and some of his family were staying in the onsite Swallow’s Nest Cottage, this is a new addition to the venue but it is built to fit beautifully into the land as though it has always been there. The cottage has a lovely country feel with a large kitchen boasting plenty of mirrors which came in handy for the groomsmen to fix their ties and pocket squares! The garden and paved areas outside the cottage are a fab spot for some smaller group photographs, with time on our side it was a good opportunity to get a few family shots and also some of the groomsmen looking dapper in their suits.
Harry Potter themed wedding
The theme for the day was Harry Potter which was very tastefully done and looked truly magical, blending beautifully with the rustic textures of the buildings. This is were The Barns East Yorkshire comes into it’s own, offering you a stunning blank canvas in which you can make your own with your own themes, ideas and décor. The team will talk through ideas with you, using their experience to recommend vendors to help make your ideas come to life. If you prefer the hands on approach then you will be given full freedom to make the venue your own, the team even allow you access the day before to get everything set up which is a massive bonus.
A rustic wedding to remember forever
Guests begin to arrive, congregating in the courtyard before heading through to the brick barn where they can get a drink from the well stocked bar. As you would expect for late October in East Yorkshire, it was quite a cold day! That said, the heating was on in the barns making it lovely and warm, the contrast in temperatures making the barns feel even more cosy. The ceremony takes place in the brick barn which is visually stunning and a joy to photograph. There is so much to love about this building, exposed brick, high ceiling, exposed beams, even the chairs look good! This is brilliant for a photographer because I can shoot from just about any angle knowing that the backgrounds will look fab! With the bride arriving, guests are seated and the groom receives a few last words of support from his best man, at this moment the large door at the back of the barn will be opened ready for the bride to enter. All eyes are on the bride as she arrives into the barn and walks down the aisle, these moments always pass so quickly but are so precious and are a privilege to witness and capture. Having the ceremony in the barn is such a special experience, your own piece of history adding to the long history of the building. With vows spoken, papers signed and all sealed with a kiss, it is now time to celebrate!
Confetti photographs
Exiting the barn each guest is given a generous handful of confetti and line either side of the walkway ready for the confetti photographs, I love this part of the day! The trees along the walkway almost form a tree tunnel, add to this a newly married couple, lots of excitable guests and hundreds of colourful pieces of confetti and you have all of the elements needed for some seriously fun photos!
With your guests all together and on their feet this is a fantastic opportunity to get the group photos done, we’ll go into this part of the day with a clear list which will have been planned ahead of the day, this way we can get each photograph quickly. The Barns offer a good choice of places to stage these group photos, personally I like the rustic walls of the barns because this is a backdrop that you don’t really get anywhere else, the textures look amazing and your group photos will really pop against this. This can be tailored depending on the size of your group and there are lots of other spaces to use, the large barn door looks brilliant and there are plenty of trees if a green backdrop is preferred.
Relaxed and fun couple photographs
With group photos finished and guests happily talking amongst themselves over a drink, this is a perfect opportunity to spend a short time getting some couple photographs which you will be proud to share for years to come. As mentioned a few times already, the barns and surrounding grounds are full of fantastic photo opportunities, we’ll have a loose plan and locations in mind so that we make full use of this time together. I’ll have my own ideas but if you have your own suggestions please shout them out and we’ll make sure to capture those for you too. I will always approach this part of the day in a relaxed manner, often this is the first time on your wedding day that you will have spent alone so I don’t want to take anything away from this moment for you. We’ll use a few locations and a variety of angles so that you have lots of photographs to cherish. As with all venues, the lighting changes dramatically throughout the day which will open up a wide range of new photo opportunities, I’ll communicate clearly with you and suggest a few ideas for additional couple photos at intervals during the day. Perhaps we get a beautiful sunset, or you may wish to use some of the venues lighting for some night time photos, there is no pressure from me to do this but if you would like these extras then I will do all I can for you.
Rustic wooden barn, evening celebrations
With the couple now back with their guests I take the opportunity to head into the wooden barn in which the wedding breakfast and evening party will take place. Wow! This room is spectacular! 4 long tables, all beautifully decorated in a way which would not look out of place in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. Clearly lots of time has been put into the small details so I make sure to capture images of everything to add to the overall story of the day. The lighting in the barn is fantastic, twinkly fairly lights highlighting the beams and textures of the walls, candles adding highlights to the tables.
Guests are seated for dinner and I take the opportunity to have a quick scout around to plan a few other images that could be achieved in the evening. I mentioned at the start of this blog about a courtyard with relaxed seating, what I didn’t mention yet was the fire pit at the centre of this area. Traditional leather sofas are so inviting to relax on, all lit and warmed by the roaring fire which is maintained by the staff throughout the day, I made a mental note that this was an area we simply had to use for a few quick photos later in the evening.
Speeches took place at the end of dinner, I made sure to position myself to capture the guests reactions and emotions as they shared stories of life, laughter and love. An interval in proceedings gave the opportunity to quickly get the firepit images planned earlier, I was so happy to be able to capture these for the couple as it is a unique image that is not achievable at most other venues.
Dancefloor photography
As the day comes to a close the party was in full swing, the dancefloor was full of life and I made sure to position myself to capture all of the action, such a fun way to end a beautiful day.
Final thoughts
The staff were incredibly helpful all day and couldn’t do enough to ensure every element of the day went smoothly, there is clearly huge pride taken in the venue and this makes for a truly enjoyable experience for all who visit.
We are a husband and wife team of wedding photographers in Hull with a love of storytelling through images. If you are planning your own wedding day and like our style it would be great to have an informal chat to hear your story so far, your plans, and see if we’re a good fit for you.
Have you seen our 10 top tips to get the most out of your wedding day?
For more examples of our work please also take a look at our portfolio
See what we have been up to in our latest blog articles.
For more information on the venue please head over to the official East Yorkshire Barns website, if you have any questions I’m sure one of the team would be very happy to help.
Dunedin Country House Wedding
It may be considered Yorkshires little secret but for those that have been they will know this is one of the best wedding venues in East Yorkshire. Read why this venue is so special and why I love it so much for for wedding photography!
East Yorkshire Wedding Photographer at Dunedin Country House
It may be considered Yorkshires little secret but for those that have been they will know this is one of the best wedding venues in East Yorkshire. As a photographer I am in a unique position where I get to spend much of the day with couples and their guests seeing the public side of the venue whilst also liaising with venue staff and seeing certain bits which happen behind the scenes. I feel this gives me a full picture of a venue as I am given the chance to see it from multiple angles. The following blog is written from my own experiences and I hope will explain why it is such a fantastic venue for a wedding in East Yorkshire.
Weddings at Dunedin Country House
Driving into Patrington on the A1033 from Hull, Dunedin Country House is on your left and is set back with a pristine gravel driveway. On arrival the first thing to grab my attention was how grand and beautifully maintained the House is, this is a stunning property that is photogenic from all angles. The next thing that became instantly noticeable was the extremely warm welcome by the staff, they couldn’t have been any more helpful and could not do enough for us throughout the day. The nature of wedding photography requires us to work closely with event coordinators on the day to ensure timings are followed and the day can flow seamlessly, therefore having such friendly people to work with is always nice and makes for a really enjoyable experience.
Bridal prep photography
On our most recent visit the bride and some of the bridal party stayed the night before at the modern annexe which is situated next door to the main house and can be accessed by a convenient gate between the two properties. This provided a bright and generous space for the bridal preparation to take place on the morning of the wedding, we had space to move freely and capture natural moments as they happened, all with the elegant décor as a clean backdrop. If the groom is getting ready over in the main house it allows us the chance to utilise the handy gate and quickly head over to get some images of him getting ready too!
With preparations for the day well under way and with the ceremony approaching, your guests will arrive to experience the warm Dunedin welcome for themselves. The newly decorated bar is a beautiful area for your guests to have a drink and catch up with each other, this area has a really modern feel with a mirrored bar and extravagant chandeliers which all add to the overall relaxed atmosphere. Guests may also gather in the seating areas outside which overlook the beautifully tidy gardens. The staff at Dunedin will use their experience to ensure everyone is inside and seated ready for the brides arrival, as with every other space in the building the ceremony room has very sophisticated décor that will compliment any colour scheme. The white panelled walls not only look fantastic but they are a gift for photographers as the natural light enters through the large windows bouncing off the white walls to give a beautifully flattering soft light which looks fantastic in your photographs.
Country house wedding
As the bride enters through the large double doors, the bright and airy feel of the room offers the perfect atmosphere for your ceremony. I’ll use the bright feel of the room to our advantage, moving around quietly to capture all of the emotions and details as you say your vows and become officially married.
As you leave the ceremony followed by your guests, this is an ideal opportunity to get everyone together for the group photographs. With your guests gathered in front of the house there is the opportunity for the photographer to get access to the balcony above the main entrance, access is through one of the bedrooms so it must be agreed with the occupant of the room in advance though. This useful vantage point offers an excellent viewpoint which allows large groups to all be in one photograph with everyone’s faces clearly visible. With the large group photograph captured we can then move into the stunning gardens where there are many options available to use as backdrops for your smaller group photographs.
Garden wedding photography
The gardens are also a beautiful area to explore together for your couple photographs, there are lots of photo opportunities and in a small amount of time we can get a wide variety of beautiful images for you to be proud of. The gardens are on multi levels which adds to the interest, from the lawn by the house you can walk down the photogenic stairs to a walkway that leads perfectly up to the ornate white arch which looks amazing in photographs. The surrounding shrubs and trees are all extremely well kept and there is a certain symmetry and pattern that lends itself to creative portraits.
As you re-join your guests to enjoy the stunning surroundings I’ll use the multi levels of the garden to my advantage, capturing genuine moments as they happen. As your friends and family share moments together I’ll move around documenting the emotion and story of the day.
Wedding detail photos
Since your ceremony finished the staff will have worked quickly to turn the same space into a stunning room for you to enjoy your wedding breakfast surrounded by your friends and family. All of your details will have been carefully put into place with the care and attention that by now you will take for granted at Dunedin. Before your guests are seated I’ll make sure to get some photographs of the finished room in all of its glory, I’ll get wide images of the full room and also lots of close-up images of all of the little details.
With your guests seated you will be welcomed into the room as husband and wife to the sound of applause and cheers, as you are seated you will be well looked after with exceptional service from the Dunedin staff, from experience I can say that the food is a real treat! I’ll make sure to capture all of the laughter, tears and cheers of the speeches whether these happen before or after your meal.
As the day progresses, the lighting continuously changes. Depending on the season we will see the sun drop to give us the beautiful warm light that occurs before sunset, then as the sun goes down we’ll see the house lights come on and again the look of the whole place changes. Every type of light offers different opportunities and I will give creative direction to ensure we make the most of each of them if you wish to do so. I don’t like to disrupt the flow of your day so if I do see any photo opportunities I’ll ask you first and then make sure we get them completed quickly so that you can get back to your guests.
Wedding evening celebrations
With another quick change by the Dunedin staff, the room will be ready for the evening celebrations to commence. Whether a slow shuffle or a fully choreographed routine I will capture your first dance and I’ll stay well positioned to photograph all of the proceeding action on the dancefloor.
Best wedding venue in Hull?
Dunedin Country House is such a welcoming place and everyone that visits will feel right at home. It is grand in appearance but has many cosy areas to relax that complement the larger areas perfectly, there is a lovely flow to the property which allows plenty of space throughout a wedding day with people moving easily between areas inside and out. The staff are all very friendly and will ensure that you and your guests are made to feel relaxed and looked after.
This really is a gem of a property and one that is a pleasure to photograph.
We are a husband and wife team of wedding photographers in Hull with a love of storytelling through images. If you are planning your own wedding day and like our style it would be great to have an informal chat to hear your story so far, your plans, and see if we’re a good fit for you.
Have you seen our 10 top tips to get the most out of your wedding day?
For more examples of our work please also take a look at our portfolio
See what we have been up to in our latest blog articles.
For more information on the venue please head over to the official Dunedin Country House website, if you have any questions I’m sure one of the team would be very happy to help.
