Alex & Gabriella’s wedding day had the perfect balance of elegance and absolute chaos in the best way possible. Between the emotional church ceremony, the hilarious speeches, the children stealing the show every five minutes, and a newlywed photoshoot that somehow ended with alpacas and horses, this Elsham Hall wedding was such a joy to photograph from beginning to end.
The beginning
The Meeting
Alex & Gabriella actually knew each other from school before reconnecting eleven years later. Their first date was bowling, which apparently did the trick, because not long after came holidays together, buying their first home, and eventually welcoming their two beautiful children, Nelly and Noah.
The way they described themselves made me laugh a bit because it suited them perfectly: fun, full of banter, and very much “we enable each other” energy. Honestly, after spending a full wedding day with them, I can confirm that statement is alarmingly accurate.
The Engagement
Gabriella was surprised to walk into their living room to find rose petals spelling out “Will You Marry Me?”, candles glowing everywhere, and James Arthur playing in the background while little Nelly slept peacefully nearby in her car seat.
Proper rom-com behaviour from Alex there. Points were definitely scored.
Wedding at Elsham Hall
Getting Ready Moments
Meet Alex
(and little Noah!)
While I spent the morning with Gabriella and the girls, my second photographer James Green headed over to Scunthorpe to capture Alex getting ready at home with his groomsmen.
The atmosphere sounded exactly how you’d hope for a wedding morning. Relaxed, excited, a few beers appearing early, and everyone slowly shifting from “this is a normal morning” into “oh wow, this is actually happening.” The black tie styling looked incredibly sharp too, especially paired with the classic white roses and the timeless church setting later in the day.
The suits from Fallen Hero worked brilliantly for the overall look of the wedding. Clean, elegant, understated, but still modern enough to suit the relaxed personality of the day.
Also, Noah’s tiny Vans deserve their own honourable mention because they nearly stole the entire wedding.
If you've seen any of my previous Real Wedding Stories, you'll know I always start with the guys first because they get ready a lot quicker (sorry girls, it's true!) and it's much easier for them to take their jacket off again and relax if they want to!
Meet Gabriella
Gabriella spent the morning getting ready at Forest Pines Hotel near Brigg surrounded by her bridesmaids, her children, and a room full of genuinely lovely energy. It was one of those bridal mornings where everyone seemed excited without tipping into chaos. Calm enough to breathe, but still buzzing underneath.
The bridesmaids wore gorgeous sage green robes that tied beautifully into the botanical styling later at the barn, while Gabriella looked absolutely stunning in her lace gown from Champagne & Lace. The detail on those sleeves and train photographed beautifully all day long, especially once we got outdoors later at Elsham Hall.
Hair styling was by Zoe Bainbridge, while Lauren Eddy handled makeup, creating such a soft, elegant bridal look that still felt natural and relaxed. Nothing felt overly “done”, which suited Gabriella perfectly.
One of my favourite moments from the morning was watching Gabriella with Nelly while everyone finished getting ready around them. The whole day felt incredibly family-oriented from start to finish, and those quieter little moments really tied everything together.
The Ceremony
Alex & Gabriella married at Church of St Peter ad Vincula, a beautiful historic church filled with warm stonework and incredible natural light pouring through the windows.
While guests began arriving at the church, Alex and the groomsmen were already there waiting outside, greeting family and friends as everyone filtered in ahead of the ceremony.
There was such a relaxed atmosphere to the morning, with plenty of laughs, handshakes, and quiet anticipation before Gabriella’s arrival. The church setting suited the timeless feel of the day perfectly, especially seeing the entire wedding party lined up together outside before things officially began.
Gabriella arrived at Elsham Hall alongside her dad in a beautifully restored vintage Rolls-Royce, setting the tone perfectly for the day ahead. As the car pulled through the grounds, guests gathered outside to catch a glimpse of her before the ceremony began.
Their ceremony was led by the legendary Reverend Dyke, affectionately known as “Rev Kev”, and there was this lovely mix of heartfelt emotion and genuine laughter throughout. Alex was brought to tears by the sight of Gabriella walking down the aisle towards him. Gabriella’s mum gave a reading shortly after they were pronounced husband and wife, which definitely set a few more people off around the church!
Once the ceremony finished, everyone spilled outside for hugs, congratulations, and one of the happiest confetti exits ever. I love photographing confetti moments when guests fully commit to the chaos instead of politely tossing three pieces into the air like they’re feeding ducks in a park.
After the ceremony, guests began making their way over to Elsham Hall while I stayed behind with Alex and Gabriella for a few relaxed portraits around the church grounds.
This is something I often recommend where possible, as it gives couples a little breathing room together before the pace of the day picks back up again. It also meant we could make the most of the beautiful church setting without lots of background distractions, giving them some quiet moments together before heading off to celebrate with everyone at Elsham Hall.
We also got a small polaroid photo, which has an important role to play later on!
Cocktail Hour
After the ceremony, everyone headed over to Elsham Hall for drinks, canapés, and a chance to properly settle into the celebrations.
Guests were welcomed with live music from Michael Mulholland, whose singing and acoustic set worked so perfectly for the relaxed atmosphere of the afternoon. There’s something about live music during cocktail hour that instantly changes the energy of a wedding. People linger longer, chat more, and the whole day starts to feel beautifully unhurried.
The canapés disappeared very quickly, which is always a strong sign from wedding guests. I also appreciated being fed the salmon pancakes enormously, even if my camera probably saw more of them than I actually managed to eat that day.
And yes, they absolutely did have a second confetti walk! They simply couldn't decide whether to have it at the church, or at Elsham Hall, so they did both. Good on them!
Family Photos
We held family photos outdoors against the gorgeous greenery at Elsham Hall, carefully choosing a shaded area so nobody was squinting into the sun or overheating in formalwear.
Family photos can sometimes feel like the “admin section” of a wedding day, but Alex & Gabriella’s families made it genuinely fun. There was constant chatting between groups, children running around between setups, people joking with each other, and absolutely zero dramatic disappearing relatives, which honestly deserves recognition in its own right.
Huge shout-out as well to bridesmaids Jacqueline and Kelly for helping wrangle people together. Every wedding needs at least one organised person with the authority of an air traffic controller.
Wedding Breakfast
The barn at Elsham Hall looked incredible once guests were seated for the wedding breakfast. The exposed brick, candlelight, soft greenery, and elegant neutral styling all worked together so beautifully without feeling overly formal or staged.
Alex & Gabriella entered the room to huge cheers, waving napkins, and the kind of energy that instantly tells you the evening is going to be a good one.
Their menu included slow-cooked feather blade of beef, pan fried salmon, and roasted vegetable lasagna, followed by wedding cake served as dessert, which I genuinely think is one of the smartest wedding decisions possible. Why wait until later for cake when you can immediately improve dessert time for everybody?
And here it is! The polaroid photo completed it's honourable duty as Alex and Gabriella's wedding cake topper! Frankly, I think they're geniuses for having a literal wedding photo ontop of their cake. What an adorable idea!
Their semi-naked cake from Annabia’s Bakeaway looked gorgeous styled against the rustic brick backdrop too, decorated with soft white florals and greenery that tied in perfectly with the rest of the décor.
The speeches followed dinner, beginning with Gabriella’s dad Gino, before Alex and best man Lee took over. There was a really lovely balance throughout the speeches: emotional moments mixed with plenty of laughter, stories, and gentle roasting. Exactly how wedding speeches should feel.
Newlywed Photoshoot
Golden hour arrived with beautifully soft light, so we headed out around the grounds of Elsham Hall for their newlywed portraits. And honestly, this venue just keeps giving from a photography perspective.
We started near the water before wandering through the gardens, stopping by the little cottage, and eventually ending up visiting the animals. Only at Elsham Hall can you casually move from elegant lakeside portraits to feeding alpacas in full wedding attire.
Gabriella & Alex were so easy to photograph together because they naturally bounced off each other the entire time. Loads of laughter, constant little comments to each other, relaxed body language, and absolutely no awkward “what do we do with our hands?” panic. They just enjoyed being together, which always makes the strongest photos.
The portrait session never felt like a photoshoot. It felt more like the two of them finally getting a quiet half hour together after the whirlwind of the day.
First dance
Alex & Gabriella opened the dancefloor with Arctic Monkeys’ Baby I’m Yours, beginning the dance alongside their two children before slowly pulling everyone else onto the floor with them.
I loved this part of the evening because it summed up the entire wedding perfectly. Elegant without being too serious. Emotional without becoming heavy. Just full of warmth, family, laughter, and people genuinely enjoying being together.
Reception
Once the dancefloor opened properly, the atmosphere stayed high-energy right through the evening. Guests packed the floor immediately, drinks were flowing, and the barn at Elsham Hall transformed into this warm golden blur of music, dancing, and happy chaos.
Those final dancefloor moments are always some of my favourites to photograph because by that point everyone has completely stopped worrying about cameras and is simply having a brilliant time. But for the most part, guests were enjoying the gorgeous summer air and a laugh with a cheeky bevvy!
Wedding Photography at Elsham Hall
As a wedding photographer, I get to explore some truly gorgeous venues across Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, but Elsham Hall always stands out to me for how much variety it offers within one location.
You’ve got the rustic barn with its exposed brick and warm candlelit atmosphere, the lakeside views, the walled gardens, open greenery, hidden little corners for portraits, and even animals wandering around the grounds for something a bit different. It somehow manages to feel elegant, relaxed, and full of personality all at once.
From a photography perspective, it’s brilliant because every part of the venue gives you something visually different without needing to travel between locations. Whether you want timeless portraits, relaxed candid moments, cosy evening lighting, or countryside scenery, it’s all there.
Heidi and the team are always wonderful too, which genuinely makes such a difference to the flow of a wedding day. They even look after us as suppliers!
If you’re planning your own Elsham Hall wedding, I hope this gave you a little glimpse into what the venue can look and feel like when it’s filled with good people, happy chaos, and a couple completely enjoying themselves.
And if you’re still looking for your wedding photographer, you can always browse my portfolio, explore more real wedding stories, or get in touch with me to discuss your wedding plans.
