I had the exciting pleasure of attending Dan & Ashton’s glam-fuelled, 007 Bond premiere themed wedding! The newlyweds were married at The Stallingborough Grange and it was truly a wedding to remember!
Like most weddings, we began in the bridal suite where Ash and her lovely bridesmaids were excited for the day and drinking champagne as they had their hair and make-up done. Ash was so nervous, but everyone around her kept her smiling and reassuring her that the day was going to be absolutely wonderful.
Ash told me that no one at all had seen her wedding dress yet, that it was a complete secret from everyone, so I went to the room where it was being kept and got a sneak peek as I took some photos of the one-of-a-kind gown.
While I waited for Ash to finish in hair and make-up, I popped to their home to see Dan and his best men enjoying a bacon sandwich! Dan was as relaxed as anything, but what really caught my attention was Felicia the dog, who was happy and very keen for a fuss!
I got Dan’s detail shots then headed back to Ash, who was ready to put her dress on!
Ashton looked absolutely stunning in her white lace and pink feather dress. Ash was growing increasingly more nervous, but she said she was most nervous of seeing her dad because she just knew she would cry and ruin her make-up!
I got some lovely candid shots of Ash getting ready, then we walked with her back to her other hotel room to see her bridesmaids, who were eagerly waiting to finally know what the dress looked like. We were careful staying ahead of Ash to make sure we didn’t bump into anyone by accident before the moment was perfect.
The bridesmaids all squealed when we opened the door and revealed Ashton standing in the hallway, but the first thing Ash said was “I can’t believe how gorgeous you all look!” and I thought that was so amazing and unique of her that in her big moment, her focus was on how lovely everyone else looked.
We safeguarded Ash back to the other hotel room once more, and got ready to bring in Alan, father of the bride. Ash trembled as she stood there holding her bouquet, and as before, as dad walked in, they both burst into tears and she said “You look amazing, dad!”
It was truly a beautiful moment, one I had to climb onto the bed to film the moment they decided to move in and hug each other!
The ceremony was as memorable as the rest of the day. The bride walked down the aisle to Ed Sheeran – Perfect and there were tears in the front row before the ceremony even began.
There were many laughs throughout the ceremony; starting with me accidentally knocking over a candle (and I’ve never been so mortified!), the best man giving the groom the wrong ring, the couple’s personal vows to each other and the couple’s general level of humour in the relationship between them.
To paraphrase a little:
Dan finished his vows then turned to Ash with a cheeky smile and said “Good that, wasn’t it?”
Ash: “You’re the person who makes me laugh every day, and the person who makes me angry every day, and that’s why I drink” … “I promise to always love you even when I dislike you” … “I promise to always put your needs before the dog’s”
A teary Ashton finished her vows and Dan leaned in to sneak a kiss; Ashton pushed him away saying “we’re not allowed yet!” which got a huge laugh from everyone in the room. Their ceremony was so fun, unique and extremely memorable!
The couple were greeted with champagne as their four teary children rushed towards them for cuddles and kisses. It was a beautiful moment with so much going on which is why I am so glad I was able to catch it on video for them.
The lovely Sam Simmons played guitar and sang as the guests all congratulated Ash & Dan, everyone was in great spirits and I spent the time getting candid shots of everyone present without being spotted!
The issue with weddings later in the year is that we quickly lose the lovely natural light! So we had to get the family formal shots right away. The lovely James took the formal photographs but I focus mostly on candid imagery, I get the in-between moments, especially when doing video because they are so much more fun to use and watch in the final film. I generally keep the camera on the scene until there’s a laugh or a funny gesture that I know will be the clip I will use. Here, we told the 5 siblings to look at the most annoying person!
The room had quickly been transformed into a high-end glamour space which perfectly represented the theme of the day. Everything was black and gold with a feather, bit of sparkle or candle wherever you looked. Ashton told me she didn’t want anything too traditional, and wanted colours that you never usually see together and she was absolutely right, the whole space looked incredible.
The new Mr & Mrs Webber were announced in and received so much noise and enthusiasm from their guests. The father of the bride spoke first, followed by the groom and then the two best men did their speech together in an incredibly funny and well-thought-out way!
It’s a very busy day for any couple; so I like to make sure they have around 20 minutes to just be alone and undisturbed – stealing them for photographs is a perfect opportunity for this!
It’s very easy to tell someone to “act natural and forget the camera” but it’s much harder to do this once you’ve been told. Instead, I do forced candid imagery, which means I’ll tell the couple something like “just walk towards me slowly and look at each other” – this means they are walking and smiling their way, not my way. It gives them the freedom to hold hands, link arms, say something funny, whatever is natural to them. This is very important to me because my passion is capturing the true love and nature of my couples; very few people are professional models and many are even uncomfortable of the camera, so just asking them to focus on each other and do a little walk is far less intimidating.
Soon after the newlywed session, All Occasions Casino arrived with a roulette and blackjack tables! This was a wonderful surprise for the guests, including the children, who all quickly got involved to win various prizes.
I have to say this is one of the most energetic weddings I’ve ever had the pleasure of attending! The dancefloor always had people on it having a great time which was great for a filming perspective too!
The couple had their own signature cocktail on the bar menu, a crisp wall and a large, ornate mirror on which guests were writing well wishes in permanent marker.
The newlyweds cut their extremely unique wedding cake together and proceeded immediately into their first dance. They danced for a short while before waving their guests all onto the dancefloor to join them, and almost everyone in the vacinity did!
The dance ended up with the bride and everyone else all singing loudly to the groom, which made everyone laugh a lot (including him!)
Kind words
“Absolutely incredible photographer and videographer! We were told to just be natural and Aimee captured every valuable moment. She is an incredibly talented lady and has such a calming presence. Thank you so much we are truly in love with your creations.”
– Ashton, bride.
The day in general flew by so quickly, that’s how you know you’re having a great time! Ashton, Dan and their families were all so much to work with and were all extremely welcoming and helpful when it came to their wedding film.
I got in touch with the newlyweds shortly before finishing their wedding film to ask them if they’d be willing to let me watch their wedding film with them for the first time and they very kindly said yes!
I’ve always wanted to witness just how much joy my work brings to people, and they even let me film it to help share the value of wedding films with my future couples. I took them a bottle of pink prosecco to thank them for their trouble.
Huge congratulations and thanks to the new Mr & Mrs Webber, for trusting me to capture their special day and for being so wonderful to work with. I wish you all the best for your marriage!
Why choose Stallingborough Grange Hotel for your big day?
As a wedding photographer I have the pleasure of working at so many venues and have the privilege of working with lots of incredible staff. From ‘prep to party’ it can all happen at Stallingborough Grange; it’s a perfect blend between the traditional and the modern.
★ Aimee is Stallingborough Grange Hotel’s officially recommended wedding photographer ★
They are a family owned business who look after you, your guests and your staff alike. They’re kind enough to never say no when I flutter my eyes at them for a coffee!
The hotel itself is like a larged thatched cottage looking building with a cosy rustic bar and restaurant; upstairs the rooms are all light and modern but with twists of glamour and a timeless charm throughout. These rooms make a great area for your pre-wedding photos, and the honeymoon suite is stunning.
The Buttercross Suite is the huge dedicated wedding building, where you can have your ceremony and reception all in one place. The staff can transform the place while your guests enjoy cocktails and canapés outside. It’s neutrally decorated with a chandelier and the ceiling lighting can be changed to suit your colour scheme. A perfect blank slate for those with their own vision!
