Claire and Danny
Castleton
It is always an honour to be a part of any Bride and Grooms wedding but when it is one of your oldest friends it makes it extra special.
Claire and Danny are the cookie cutter of perfect couples; Genuinely head over heels for each other, cool, and just gorgeous too! which as their photographer makes our jobs a whole lot easier. They are so relaxed and in love they just radiate in all their pictures.
We took the whole family up to Castleton for a week so i look back on the wedding as a really lovely time, a friends wedding and a family holiday in one of the most beautiful places in the UK.
The day started with Claire and her family and bridesmaids all getting ready in a cottage just outside of Castleton.
Claire and Danny had also hired a Nissan Figaro, my all time favourite car (I used to own one for about 5 years) and drove it up from London as their wedding Car. Tom, Claire's brother is just adding the ribbons on in the morning.
Claire's sister in Law to be and her good friend along with her sister were bridesmaids enjoying a glass of Champagne
It felt really at ease in the morning, perhaps as we know the family but everything went really smoothly and no worries at all.
Claire's dress was by Louise Selby and suited her perfectly, simple classic and elegant. I always have a picture of what a bride will wear before the big day and Claire looked exactly as i imagined her to be. She is absolutely beautiful and so happy.
The Bridesmaids looked stunning in a very understated way in their pale green silk dresses by GHOST. The whole day had a vintage vibe but was not over the top following the vintage fashion. From the pale pastel dresses and bouquets everything just fitted.
The flowers were some of the most stunning i have ever seen, which is saying something as i have seen some amazing flowers being at so many lovely weddings. I may be biased as they are what i would have if we were every to get married again, or a little jealous as they were not what i had at ours the first time around!!!
The very proud Parents taking their pictures of their beautiful daughter!!
We then headed over the Castleton Methodist Church to take some pictures of the eagerly awaiting Danny. As i have known Claire since i was 4 years old the whole church on her side was filled with old friends, it was like a big reunion catching up with everyone.
The great thing with Claire and Danny was that although they may have been nervous they just didn't stop smiling. It is always fantastic when couples try to worry about the 'Perfect' wedding smile or hold back tears as it just ends up looking forced. The pictures are always a millions times more 'real' when people don't hold back and you always end up looking all the more gorgeous for it. I think these pictures prove that!
Claire arrives at the Church with her Dad in the Figaro.
I love this Cheeky picture of Claire waiting to come in through the crack in the door. She is so cute by how excited she looks xx
This is also one of my favourites, Could you ever get a best man looking more happy for his best mate?
Look at the look of love on Danny's face here. Truly a beautiful moment captured forever!
The first kiss and Mr and Mrs Brown
After the wedding ceremony we always aim to take the couple off for about 15 minutes to ensure we get some beautiful portraits of the couple without 101 guests following. It ensures that we can have full concentration on the couple and that their guests don't have all the same picture compositions and can see something new when the couple show off their wedding pictures. It is lovely that pictures can be uploaded onto social media the same day, but we also think its nice for some of the professional pictures to be a surprise for everyone afterwards too.
Claire and Danny's portraits were taken in Castleton and if you will excuse the language right out side 'The Devils Arse' which is one of the largest and oldest caverns in the UK. It used to be used as a rope making factory, and tradition used to be that every bride to get married in Castleton would get a piece of rope from the cavern to use as a washing line. As we had been in there the day before with the boys we got Claire one as good luck. Where they are also walking was right where we were staying so we knew how beautiful it was down there.
As we try and give the couple a few minutes on their own to take in the fact they they have just got married, you can often end up with some pictures that can feel a little voyeuristic. But they are great because it is a genuine moment that they don't realise you have always captured.
There were some rather large trout in the river below!
Love this picture as they look like1950's Hollywood stars x
Danny had decided he would make the cake, it did look a little like mashed potato (his words) but to be honest it was so much more memorable than a generic bought cake as it was made with love.
Claire had also hand painted the figures on the top to match them and their dog Mr Silts as he couldn't be there on the day (He had more fun doggy arrangements he just couldn't get out of)
Claire threw her bouquet which is always fun as people don't seem to do it quite so often anymore
I have not added many evening pictures as we did something a bit different for their evening do, so I am going to dedicate whole new Blog to their evening photos. I have just added their first dance as a way to end this part if Claire and Danny' fab wedding
And as everything should be sealed with a kiss so will this blog
xxxx
