Wow!! What a wedding day that was. I knew from the minute I met up with Jane and Iain at Ashridge House in Berkhamsted that if we were lucky with the weather there would be endless opportunities for beautiful photos around this incredible venue.
Did we get good weather? Boy did we. The sun didn’t stop shining all day and no couple were more deserving of such a day than Jane and Iain.
As you drive up to Ashridge House it takes your breath away, you get a sense of history the minute you come down the drive. When you first look around with a photographers eye it can we slightly overwhelming as to how many great features and spots for photos there are. The grounds are endless and the house itself dates back over 700 years with Royal residents such as King Henry VIII.
We arrived early and got some beautiful exterior shots of the house and gardens before meeting up with a very relaxed Jane and her bridesmaids. They had been enjoying the morning, and the view from their room along with a beautiful bottle of vintage Dom Perignon that Iain had kindly sent as a present.
Iain was also enjoying a few glasses of champagne with his best man and ushers before driving to Ashridge in style, in a new F-type Jaguar.
The wedding ceremony took place on the famous staircase which is another main feature of the house. Jane looked stunning as she walked down the many steps with her proud father Simon to join hands with Iain. It was a pleasure to capture the ceremony as they said their vows and exchanged rings in front of all their friends and family.
With the weather so excellent we got to enjoy the reception drinks outside on the terrace whilst we did some family group shots. With the ceremony taking place at 3pm it meant that we had some beautiful late afternoon light to use for the couple portraits and Jane and Iain were perfect together as we walked the grounds. I could have shot with them both all day but it was soon time for the wedding breakfast!
The room was very decadent, and the flowers on the tables worked perfectly with the sunshine streaming in through the many windows, to create a light and relaxed atmosphere for the beautiful three course meal.
After dinner it was time for the speeches and Simon, Iain and Best man Simon did a cracking job of entertaining the guests with funny stories and sentimental words about both Jane and Iain. Once again it was a joy to capture it all.
With the sun now almost set we headed out for a few last couple photos before heading back in for the cutting of the cake and the first dance. It didn’t take long for their guests to join them on the dance floor to party the night away and give the perfect ending to an incredible wedding day.
Jane and Iain, what can I say but thank you! You have been a dream to work with from start to finish. Your ideas, your passion for photography, and willingness to let me create (even with the dress, Jane 😉 have been awesome! Hopefully you are reading this on honeymoon with a glass on champagne in hand. I couldn’t wait to share some photos with you both so here is your sneak peek storyboard!
Big thanks also to Leela Wanless for assisting and 2nd shooting. Also to Louise and Paul Shrigley (Videographers) for being such great fun to work with.
