Claire & Dan’s gorgeous autumn wedding day took place at Newland Hall, late on a Friday afternoon, sparking a great start the weekend!
Claire had asked me to come to Newland Hall in the early afternoon of the wedding, so I kicked off the day by photographing those little detail shots, which make a great addition to a wedding album. Her shoes, jewellery and accessories became the focus here, with plenty of amazing finishing touches to keep me busy.
Claire’s beautiful bouquet of pops of navy, peach and cream was accompanied by quirky bridesmaid wands, which were definitely different, adding to the uniqueness of their day. She also presented her leading ladies with gifts, with an assortment of Yanky Candles and Ferrero Roche warmly received by all.
As usual, some hustle and bustle ensued as the bride got ready, which was somehow very organised, helping to keep the atmosphere calm before the ceremony.
One of the highlights of the day was Dan’s superb entrance, as he arrived with his best man and groomsmen in a prison van, which is definitely a new one for me and guests alike. This was a surprise from Claire, who I guess wanted to ensure that he couldn’t get away and made it to the ceremony on time.
The weather this time of year can be unpredictable to say the least, but thankfully we were presented with a dry day and nice lighting, which meant that the ceremony could go ahead outdoors. This also meant perfect lighting for photos as the couple said their “I dos”.
Following the beautiful ceremony, I took a few minutes with just Claire and Dan to capture some photos on the grounds, before we ran out of daylight.
The amazing details continued at the reception, with pops of colour and amazing decor throughout. The floral peacocks were a highlight for sure.
Another lovely gesture was presented to guests at the reception. As they were waiting to be served their wedding breakfast – a BBQ – two magicians wowed them with card tricks, bending of forks, spoons and mind reading, which went down an absolute storm.
Next, the speeches kicked off with Dan thanking guests, which was then followed by a humorous speech from best man Keith who did a fantastic job at keeping everyone entertained.
Another surprise for Dan was a life sized cardboard cut out of himself, which got guests laughing as Keith recalled stories of their time together. He also presented Dan with his go-kart medal from the stag-do as Dan was so disappointed not to have won. The speeches were concluded by Claire’s brother, who also shared some great stories of his and Claire’s time growing up.
The first dances began with Claire dancing with her dad before joining Dan to really kick off the evening celebrations.
Congratulations Claire and Dan! What an amazing day from start to finish.