Netley Hall Wedding Photographer

Netley Hall Wedding Photographer

This was my first time as a Netley Hall Wedding Photographer. Kim and Ryan asked me to along to capture their special day in my creative, relaxed and unobtrusive documentary style. There were to be some formal portraits, but as is always the case, these were not driven by me, but by my couple. A list was gathered, and these were executed in a timely fashion, so as not to disrupt the more natural flow of the day. My speciality, as a wedding photographer, is to observe, anticipate and make compositions of real moments that happen on the day. Forever searching for those creative angles, those reflections and patterns. Every nuance, every smile, look, tear, hug, and moment, is then captured, for you to relive time after time, after time.

One of the greatest compliments I was ever paid was by a bride whom on receiving her wedding images, told me, she had memories she didn't know. How wonderful is that?!

I always set out to capture every wedding this way, utilising my past ten years experience of documenting weddings alongside modern silent cameras. As well as my training as an illustrator and artist, where I worked for the previous 20 years prior to taking up wedding photography. All these skills, and more, are for my couples benefit.

A Few Frames of Netley Hall by a Shropshire Award Winning Photographer

Kim and Ryan had their ceremony at Netley Hall, and I can see why, the staircase she descended was just incredible.

This is were they said their vows and became husband and wife, such a beautiful setting.

As the day progressed I suddenly became aware of some familiar faces....this was to be one of the most memorable weddings in my entire career. There in front of me stood, hidden in plain sight, a bridesmaid, only now I realised this bridesmaid is to be a bride herself....and yes, I am her wedding photographer. Then one of the groomsmen suddenly looked ever so familiar...a groom from my past weddings in fact. As the day progressed more familiar faces suddenly appeared to me, all in all I recall, including Kim and Ryan, 6 couples whose weddings I had either captured, or was about to capture....the crowning glory was when the band turned up.

And in walked the groom from a wedding just a few weeks before.....good job all these beautiful souls are happy :)

I had a little Q&A session with Kim last night....read on to find out more about this wonderful couple and how she came to be one of my brides, check it out after the following images from their beautiful day.

HOW DID YOU MEET?

Me and Ryan first met through Family, he’s really close to my cousins (one of whom also had Phil as their photographer for his wedding) and has always been around in the background at family party’s etc but the timing was never right. Then when the time was right (and we were both single) Ryan messaged me and the rest as they say is history...!

TELL ME YOUR PROPOSAL STORY:

Our proposal story...let’s just say the boy did good. We went away to Rome and Venice for a holiday and we were actually in Venice for my birthday. Little did I know Ryan was planning to propose in Venice so the morning we got there he couldn’t wait to ask (and get the ring out of his pocket) Unfortunately his plan to put a personalised lock he’d had made onto one on the bridges before dropping down on one knee didn’t go to plan as it was illegal and most of the locks had been removed with signs clearly stating locks were not to be put on to the bridges (we still did anyway but after the proposal!) So Ryan decided once on a gondola he would pop the question, however I kept delaying the gondola ride to look around Venice not realising that a nervous Ryan just couldn’t wait to ask and with eagerly anticipating parents waiting at home. However eventually we got on a Gondola and the Gondolier asked if we wanted a photo at which point Ryan got up and handed over my phone switching it to video recording to film Ryan getting down on one knee and asking me to marry him after a lovely speech. My reaction is so embarrassing but I love having the video as a memory as it all happened so quickly and was such a blur. I spent the entire gondola ride in complete shock and asked so many questions. A truly romantic and special moment I’m so glad we have captured forever.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE YOUR WEDDING AT THE NETLEY HALL?

I have quite a large Family and I had it in my head that I couldn’t get married where anyway else I knew had but also with us both living in Shrewsbury (along with the majority of our family), I didn’t want to venture too far. With both these things in mind Netley Hall came up during an online search and we booked to go and visit. I was instantly sold the minute I walked into the house we got married in, the grand staircase just sold it too me, it just felt so different from anything I’d seen before. At that point I don’t think I cared what the rest was like I just knew I had to get married in that house. Don’t get me wrong the huge lake and outdoor space which I knew would be amazing in summer was a good selling point too but the staircase has already sold it! Walking around I just knew that we could get some amazing pictures that I’d cherish forever. It was the only venue we looked around and I have no regrets when I look back at my amazing photographs!

WHAT WAS IT YOU LOVED ABOUT YOUR OUTFITS AND ACCESSORIES THAT MADE YOU CHOOSE THEM?

I LOVED my dress, I’m not a real girly girl and am definitely more of a trouser than dresses type of person. It was definitely a style of dress I never thought I’d go for but as soon as I put it on I fell instantly in love! I have an amazing photo that shows the dress off beautifully with its long train all fanned out which I absolutely love, not to mention the photos of me coming down the stairs with it. So many people complimented it on the day and I just felt amazing in it. I kept my other accessories really minimal as the dress didn’t require much, I wore 2 bracelets one brought by my mum and one by dad which were really special to wear. As for Ryan he spends most of his time either on a building sight or on a motocross bike so seeing him all dressed up and in a suit was a real novelty. He knew exactly what type of suit he wanted with a slight check to it making it different from a normal plane suit. He also had cuff links made with a photo of his grandad (who is unfortunately is no longer with us) on his own wedding day so that was really special to kinda have him there with us as part of the day. Ryan also had an engraved pocket watch which finished off his outfit perfectly.

TELL ME ABOUT THE VISION YOU HAD FOR YOUR WEDDING INCLUDING YOUR THEME/COLOUR SCHEME/STYLING/FLOWERS:

I’m not one of those girls who had their wedding planned from a young age, I always knew I wanted to get married and had seen so many nice images online but when it came to organising my own wedding I didn’t know where to start. I knew I wanted Rose Gold as part of the colour scheme as I love this colour and find it goes beautifully with blue so that was the colour scheme decided. With the flowers I told the florist (who was thankfully family/friend) my colour scheme and pointed out the flowers in the shop I liked/didn’t like and left her to the rest, thankfully she knew my vision better than I knew myself and they came out beautifully. The wedding did also have a slight motocross theme but kept on the subtle side. I felt weddings can always be very much about the bride (seeing as we make the majority of the decisions) so wanted to include Ryan also, and seeing as motocross is such a big part of his life we named the tables after motocross tracks, had photos of him at said tracks as table place names and had Mini motocross bikes personalised to sprinkle on the table (alongside lots of rose gold, navy and flowers). I just felt those couple of little touches made it OUR day and personalised to us.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST DANCE AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE IT?

Our first dance song I just LOVE. The song was Kodaline- The One. I first heard it we had not long been together and I joked to my friend that “this will be mine and Ryan’s wedding song” not knowing that I actually meant it. If you listen to the lyrics i just felt a connection with them and felt they spoke true to us. Yes it’s romantic in parts but it also says about the ups and down in life. I still love it now and anytime I hear it it brings back that special time. I don’t really think it’s a song that that many had heard either which I liked as know one quested correctly which song we would have.

WHAT WERE THE MOST WONDERFUL PARTS OF THE DAY FOR YOU?

There’s too many to list, I loved the start of the day getting ready with all my girls and my mum, I loved (though was very nervous) walking down the staircase seeing all our amazing friends and family knowing I was walking down to marry Ryan who i couldn’t quite look at. The best times were probably the times we got to go away together for photographs just so we could talk and be together. Sitting down to dinner looking out at everyone who made our special day and actually having time to talk to Ryan who was very nervous about his speech by this point. His speech was definitely one of the highlights of the day for me (definitely not a highlight for a very nervous Ryan though). Just being with Ryan surrounded by all our friends and family really meant the world to me.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE PHIL FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER  AND WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE OF YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY ON THE DAY?

Phil had covered 3 of my cousin's weddings (and is actually covering another cousin and my step sisters weddings coming up) so I had seen his work through seeing their amazing pictures. I just knew I had to have Phil as his photos were stunning and were completely the style I had in mind for my own wedding photos. I loved how Phil had a vision of how certain photos would look and knew exactly how/where we should position ourselves to get the best photographs! He came with us to the venue prior to the day so he’d already scoped out where we could get the best pictures and certainly didn’t disappoint on the day!

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR BEST BIT OF ADVICE TO OTHER COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING?

My best piece of advice would be don’t sweat the small stuff. Your never going to please everyone so don’t try to, it’s your day so make it about you. Come the day certain things might not go to plan but the only person who knows that will be you. What will be will be, just enjoy the day and make sure you spend time with your other half too as it’s so easily done to not with so many friends and family around. Overall do what you want to do and don’t worry on the day, that’s what you pay everyone else to do!

by Phil