Blog Archives

,

Wedding at Soughton Hall, Mold, North Wales

I came to Soughton Hall to photograph the beautiful wedding of Phil and Aleisha and it’s a place that I’ve fallen in love with. Based in Mold, North Wales, the stunning Georgian building is surrounded by acres of Welsh countryside and is full of character and history.

 

About Soughton Hall

Soughton Hall is a Grade II listed family home that was built in 1720. There are 15 bedrooms, allowing your nearest and dearest to stay overnight, as well as many beautifully decorated rooms, including the Drawing Room, Library and Dining Room. For summer weddings, there’s the option to say your vows outside on the lawns or in the secret garden.

 

Phil and Aleisha’s Wedding

The weather was a little overcast on the wedding day, with touches of sunshine, but this didn’t matter – Soughton Hall has plenty of stunning indoor spaces to use, and the bride and groom hired out use of the marquee too. As a photographer based in North Wales, it’s actually easier for me to shoot in overcast weather, which is lucky considering it rains a lot in this country! The rain held off so we could get plenty of shots outside, including in the secret garden.

Aleisha chose a beautiful corset-back princess dress. Her bouquet was mostly a mixture of white and pink roses that were hand-tied with some white ribbon. The pink roses in her bouquet perfectly matched the blush pink colour of the bridesmaids dresses.

 

Wedding dress hanging on a door frame next to shoes and bouquet

 

I adored Aleisha’s shoes which had small pink flowers on them and looked so pretty.

The bridal prep room at Soughton Hall is the perfect place for you to get ready surrounded by your bridesmaids, your mum, your friends, whoever! There’s plenty of space and it can be a really fun time to get ready together, with enough mirrors and natural light for everyone. I captured this beautiful image of Aleisha looking out the window while drinking her champagne.

 

Bride getting ready at Soughton Hall and looking out of the window

 

In my opinion, there isn’t a colour that goes with pink better than blue. The groomsmen wore blue suits complete with pink ties and handkerchiefs to bring the whole colour scheme together. Their buttonholes were white roses that matched the bride’s bouquet.

 

Groomsmen walking outside Soughton Hall

 

The ceremony itself took place inside Soughton Hall and Aleisha’s mum walked her down the aisle.

 

Mother walking bride down the aisle at Soughton Hall

 

 

The ceremony room has decor that is perfectly fitting with the building’s character, emphasising the stunning ceiling rose with a large chandelier. The wallpaper is modern while also keeping some feeling of grandeur.

 

Bride and groom kiss during wedding ceremony at Soughton Hall

 

The venue has plenty of beautiful outdoor spaces to take some photos of the newly-weds and their guests. Phil and Aleisha chose to have some group photos as well as some fun ones of themselves in the grounds, playing on Soughton Hall’s swing. You can see that Aleisha chose to swap her simple heels for a pair of pretty trainers complete with bows!

 

Group photo of wedding at Soughton Hall

 

Bride and groom playing on the swing at Soughton Hall

 

When you hire Soughton Hall, not only do you get use of their stunning hotel, but also the marquee for use during the wedding breakfast and evening. Phil and Aleisha kept the pretty-in-pink theme by adding bouquets to the wedding tables and pretty table names. The chair covers were made from delicate lace that adds a vintage feel to the whole area.

 

Wedding breakfast - decorated table with bouquet of flowers

 

Phil and Aleisha chose to make their wedding cake a statement by placing it on a large swing suspended from the ceiling, surrounded by stunning foliage. The cake was the centrepiece of the dance floor and was the backdrop to their first dance. Guests often don’t get to see the cake, as it is cut and whisked off to be portioned out, so this was a lovely way for guests to be able to see it in its full glory. I especially love the iced characters of Phil, Aleisha and their children, complete with the colour scheme of the day.

 

Wedding cake suspended from the ceiling at Soughton Hall

 

Congratulations again to Mr and Mrs Dennan!

Do satin wedding dresses photograph well?

Your wedding dress will likely be the most special and important item you’ll ever buy, so you want it to be absolutely perfect. However, many brides seem worried about the prospect of a satin dress, thinking that it may look unflattering or come out too shiny in the photographs.

Well, I’m here to prove that your satin wedding dress will look beautiful in your photos. Below, I’ve identified some ways that you can make sure your dress comes out looking as beautiful in the photos as it does in real life. I hope you find them helpful and that you can find the perfect satin wedding dress for your big day!

 

Make sure it fits properly

As with any wedding dress, if it doesn’t fit properly, the photos will show this. And when it comes to a satin dress, sometimes it isn’t the dress that doesn’t photograph well, but the way it fits you. In order for your satin wedding dress to look amazing in your photos, it needs to fit like a glove.

You should ensure that you make any needed alterations to the dress. Even if you bought it in the size that’s right for you, it may still need altering slightly, as every body shape is different. For example, if you have a strapless dress, you need to make sure that you won’t be pulling it up all day and night.

 

Bride with a strapless satin dress standing with her bridesmaids

 

Choose the right accessories

Because satin has a natural sheen to it, it’s important that you use the right accessories to compliment the dress. Lots of glitz and blingy jewellery or shoes might not be the best option. Keep it simple with a delicate necklace and some simple satin shoes.

 

Ensure it’s the ‘right’ satin

As with any material, there are tons of options when it comes to satin. Some satin is shinier than others, and it comes in variations of white, off-white, ivory and cream and other colours besides.

Satin will photograph better when it’s not a pure white. Instead, soften the look with an off-white or ivory. It’ll still look really white in the photos, but without becoming too fluorescent and glaring.

 

Satin wedding dress hung up on a doorframe

 

Choose a good photographer

Finally, your photos will only be as good as your photographer. A well-experienced photographer will be able to capture the dress in the correct light and make the best, most professional edits to make you and your dress look their best. It’s so important that you make the right decision, as you’ll have your photos forever and you need to truly love them.

When looking at different suppliers, you could ask to see examples of when they’ve photographed a satin wedding dress to ensure it looks as you want it.

 

Satin is a beautiful fabric that adds a touch of luxury to any wedding dress and is suitable for use all year round. Don’t be put off buying satin because you believe it’ll look wrong in the photos. Any good wedding photographer will be able to work their magic and make the dress look incredible!

,

What questions should you ask your wedding photographer?

As you plan your wedding, it’s likely that you’ll get to know each of your professionals very well. Hair and makeup trials take time, so you’ll probably spend a couple of hours speaking to your hairdresser and makeup tech. You’ll usually have various wedding dress fittings and appointments with your wedding photographer or videographer to make sure you’re on the same page. This is why it’s so important that you get along with each of your suppliers. You should see eye-to-eye and have the same ideas about what you want from them.

When it comes to choosing your photographer, every one has slightly different methods and techniques and their photos can look very different from one another. This is why it’s imperative that you choose a photographer because you love their work. But what kind of questions should you be asking a photographer before you go ahead and book them for your big day?

I’ve included a list of questions that I get asked by brides and grooms all the time to help you choose your photographer when the time comes.

 

Are you free on my wedding date?

How long have you been a wedding photographer for?

Do you have any examples of your work?

  • Every photographer should have a website and a couple of social media channels. You should look at all of these to see some examples of their work. You could also ask the photographer to send you some additional examples when you’re making the decision.

How many weddings do you do a year?

Have you shot a wedding at [X] venue?

Will you visit our venue before the wedding day?

Have you shot a wedding similar in size to ours before?

How would you describe your photography style?

What packages do you offer?

How much do you charge?

Do you have a contract that we need to sign?

What information do you need from us before the day?

  • There’s quite a lot of information that your wedding photographer will require. They may need to know what formal shots you want (e.g. which groups of people), what photos you absolutely want from the day, where you’re getting married and where the reception venue is and what the schedule of the day is.

Do you have any reviews from previous couples?

Do we need to cover your travel costs or are these included?

What’s the farthest distance you’ll travel for a wedding?

  • If you’re getting married 100 miles away from your hometown or even abroad, you need to make sure that the photographer is willing to travel this distance. For this reason, it’s also important to ask the question above this one to check what the additional costs are for this. Remember, an abroad wedding could take up more of the photographer’s time, meaning they have to turn down other couples.

What time do you start photographing on the day?

What time will you finish for the day?

If we want you to stay longer, is there an additional cost?

Can we have a secondary photographer and can you provide one?

Do you need to meet the videographer before the day to discuss anything?

What happens if you’re ill and can’t work on the day?

What will you wear on the day?

Are guests okay to take photos while you are?

  • Guests can sometimes get in the way and some photographers may prefer that guests don’t try to take photos while they are, for example during the wedding service or the speeches. It’s definitely worth asking your photographer what their stance is on this.

What extras can we have? (e.g. smoke bombs, props, etc.)

Can we provide examples of the kind of photos we’d like?

What kind of camera do you use?

Do you bring back-up equipment on the day?

  • Most photographers will be organised and bring backup cameras, memory cards and batteries so that there’s no chance of anything going awry, but it’s always good to check this with them beforehand.

Do you have insurance?

Do you require a deposit?

When is the full payment due?

Do you offer a payment plan so we can pay in instalments?

Are albums included in the price or can we pay extra for these?

Do you edit all the photos?

How long will my photos take to arrive?

How many final photos will we receive?

Do we just receive the prints or do we get a USB with the photos on that we can download unlimited times?

  • Many couples want to get their photos on a disk or USB so that they can have additional albums made, send the photos to friends and family, or even create memorabilia such as printed canvases or cushions. Therefore, you should double check that you’ll be sent all the photos digitally to do what you want with.