Wortley Hall Wedding Photographer | Charlotte & Ed

Charlotte and Ed got married at Wortley Hall on 31st August, and they couldn’t have picked a better day for it. Blue skies, sunshine and everyone very much in the mood for a party. I also got the drone up while the weather was being kind, which gave me a lovely view of Wortley Hall and the outdoor ceremony setup from above.

Wortley Hall suits the way I like to photograph weddings. Everything is close together, so portraits never take you far from your guests, and there are plenty of lovely spots around the gardens when the light is right. A few minutes away, a few photographs, then back to the celebrations. That’ll do me.

August can give you just about anything in Yorkshire, but Charlotte and Ed got the good version. It was warm, sunny and bright enough for everyone to make the most of the grounds.

The morning was relaxed, with Charlotte getting ready inside while Ed and the lads were outside. I love photographing those bits as they naturally happen, rather than setting up little moments for the camera.

The ceremony was outside, which on a sunny August day at Wortley Hall is a pretty good result. No umbrellas, no last-minute Plan B, just everyone out together in the gardens.

We also had a proper confetti run. And by proper, I mean enough confetti to actually see it.

A few petals here and there is lovely, but when everyone grabs a big handful and throws at once, that’s when it really comes alive in a photograph. Charlotte and Ed’s guests went for it. Once everyone starts throwing together, the fun takes over. People laugh, somebody throws a bit early, somebody gets a face full of confetti and the whole thing becomes wonderfully chaotic.

We took Charlotte and Ed away for a few portraits in the gardens, but not for long. Most couples would much rather be with their guests than spend ages away having photographs taken, so I keep portraits short and relaxed.

Good light, a bit of space and a little gentle direction if they need it, then I give them time to simply enjoy being together. That’s usually when the best photographs happen.

There was also a lovely connection at this wedding that I wasn’t expecting. Charlotte’s dad, Ivor, was a police officer at the same time as I was serving.

Anyone who worked with him probably knew him better as Gripper, thanks to a handshake like steel. More importantly, when a call got a bit lively, Gripper was exactly the person you were glad to see turning up beside you. Solid, dependable and very reassuring to have around.

So ending up at Wortley Hall years later, photographing his daughter’s wedding, was a lovely coincidence. I’ve photographed hundreds of weddings now and every so often I bump into somebody from another part of my life, but this one really made me smile.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to check whether the handshake was still as strong.

Dinner didn’t stay calm for long either. Charlotte and Ed had singing waiters during the meal and before long pretty much everyone was up. Singing. Dancing. Laughing. Exactly what you want.

Once that happens, my job is mostly to watch and enjoy it. Somebody fully committing to the song, somebody else laughing along, people turning round to see what’s going on, whole tables joining in. You couldn’t stage those photographs if you tried. And I’d never want to.

By the time we got to the first dance, nobody needed much encouragement to get onto the dancefloor. I like to let first dances just happen. Once the music starts, I work quietly around the couple and let them enjoy it.

Once it was properly dark, we headed outside for sparklers. Sparkler photographs always look effortless afterwards. They aren’t. You need everyone roughly where they should be, every sparkler lit at about the same time, and ideally nobody singeing the sleeve of the person next to them.

Once that’s sorted, I step back and let it happen. Charlotte and Ed walking through everyone with the sparklers glowing around them made a beautiful finish to the day.

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