I was thrilled to photograph Bernie and Russell’s wedding at Kenwick Park Hotel located just outside Louth in Lincolnshire. It was great to be back at my local stomping ground, Kenwick Park Hotel and it is always a pleasure to work there.
As with all the wedding stories I capture, I started with the bridal preparations, which took place in the bridal suite of the hotel. Bridal Prep gives me an opportunity to get to know the bridal party a bit more and gives lots of opportunity for storytelling as Bernie was having her hair and makeup finished. During the bridal prep I was able to nip downstairs to catch up with Russell and his best man, (his son), and his ushers whilst they were having some dutch courage at the bar.
It was then time for the ceremony so I made sure I was back upstairs to capture the moment Bernie’s Dad saw her for the first time before he walked her down the aisle. It was an honour for friends and family to witness Bernie and Russell’s big day at Kenwick Park, a ceremony full of smiles and laughter, and where her two daughters both gave a moving reading.
Once the ceremony was over, Bernie and Russell shared canapés and reception drinks whilst mingling with their guests and enjoying the sunshine. It was then time for the group shots and bride and groom portraits. During the wedding portraits, I always make sure I spend time with the bride and groom walking and chatting around the grounds trying to capture them at their most relaxed and intimate.
The sun showed its face and made the day nice and bright, which Bernie and Russell were really pleased about, and it helped make the photographs nice and bold.
The time had come for the reception to finish and the speeches to begin so the wedding party took their seats and waited patiently. Photographing the speeches is a challenging part of the day because it’s all about the words, so as wedding photographers we have to do our best to tell the story of the words with our pictures.
Once the evening got going the dance floor was a perfect place for the guests to end the day. You couldn’t wish for a more perfect day for Bernie and Russell and I wish them all the best for the future.
