Abbeywood Estate Wedding
Rebecca & Simon choose to have an Abbeywood Estate Wedding in Cheshire and it was the peak of the driest and warmest summer for years.
I have photographed weddings at Abbeywood Estate a few times now and deeply love the natural setting and greenery which make this wedding venue so special. Previously, the couples I have photographed there, ended up wandering off the beaten track in to the woods. In Rebecca & Simon’s case everything was different.
Never two weddings the same.
It always amazes me how even at the same venue, weddings can be so different. With the whole of Abbeywood Estate being baked and a lovely straw yellow and so from the moment I arrived I knew a very different approach was needed. And then I saw the dress!
That wedding Dress!
Rebecca had told me that her dress would have quite a long train. Seeing her astonishing Pronovias wedding dress hanging in the lodge, it was immediately clear that it would be impossible to go stomping through the Abbeywood woods!
See the narrated highlights of my wedding photography:
You can’t rehearse your wedding day.
After picking out and planing your wedding with care and love, we can’t really know how it’s all going to come together until it’s time to do it for real. You only really try on your dress in the bridal shop. You don’t get to wander around a hotel or a garden in the baking sun.
No one can deny that Rebecca looks totally amazing in that dress. Who doesn’t imagine what it would be like to opt for a train worthy of Westminster. The compromise is that every move takes planning! Usually when I escape with you for a few relaxed portraits I have made a rough plan of the best spots. As we walk I make decisions, responding to the light at that moment. You just can’t do this with a wedding dress like this. It took time to get Rebecca in position and arrange her dress. This was an occasion where I was glad that I knew the venue well and knew which spots would work the best.
Abbeywood Estate Wedding Options.
Outdoor wedding ceremonies are brilliant to photograph. You can either have your ceremony in the formal gardens or by the lower lawns. Rebecca & Simon chose the later with the amazing trees as a backdrop. They also provide the perfect shade for photos on a bright day!
Suppliers:
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- Jessica Mae Make up
- @hairbyjasminx
Relaxed Wedding Pictures
I always try and capture some really relaxed portraits at the end of an Abbeywood Estate wedding. As the sun starts to set I like the lower un-mowed areas as the sun sets in that direction. It would have been really tricky to get Rebecca down there. Instead we experimented with using the same spot in which they got married. The lanterns were still hung in the trees and the light was beautiful making for some of my favourite shots of the day.
Top tips for hot sunny weddings
We all pray for a dry and sunny wedding but it actually makes wedding photography much more difficult. Being out in the bright baking sun is probably the least flattering place to be for a photograph! You will find that most wedding photographers lead you to the shade when taking your portrait shots. There are several good reasons for this:
- Direct sun light is not flattering
- You tend to squint your eyes
- The shade is a softer light
- Keeping you looking cool really helps!
Look after yourself!
I have experienced on 3 separate occasions this year brides suffering mild heat stroke. In the excitement of the day it is very easy to miss the warning signs. Not eating and drinking enough water, a well fitted dress and alcohol!
If your wedding day does turn out to be a scorcher:
- Make yourself eat and drink enough during the morning. Even if you really don’t feel like it
- Stand in the shade or use a white brolly.
- Take a 15 minute break. Head to your room and loosen your dress for a while.
Other Abbeywood Estate weddings I have photographed:
https://mark-tattersall.co.uk/blog/abbeywood-estate-wedding-photographer/
You can find out more about my approach here.
Pricing and packages here