The Elvetham wedding photography | Dean & Neil
Neil and Dean met me at a wedding fair and I loved the message they sent me shortly afterwards:
“Having looked through several photographers, we really like your style, use of lighting and natural approach to capturing those special moments and wanted to find out whether you were available for our wedding.”
I couldn’t have described my own approach any better! I was thrilled that my light, natural style resonated so perfectly with what they were looking for. We met up for a coffee, hit it off right away, and I knew instantly that their day was going to be something incredibly special. They are both full of kindness, goodness, and soul, and I was so honored to be invited to capture their story.
The Ceremony at The Elvetham Library
Dean and Neil chose The Elvetham for their celebration, a Victorian mansion in the Hampshire countryside. Their intimate ceremony took place in the elegant Library, which they and their friends had lovingly transformed with twinkling lights and beautiful, handmade chair decorations.
It was a ceremony full of emotion. A close friend gave a moving reading, and Neil and Dean exchanged deeply personal vows that they had written for one another - there wasn't a dry eye in the room! The tears quickly turned to laughter during the signing of the register, when a group of friends suddenly stood up for a surprise flash mob performance. Both Neil and Dean are extremely musical, so it was no surprise that their friends share that incredible talent. It was an very special moment to photograph!
Wedding photos in The Elvetham’s gardens
The Elvetham boasts wonderful grounds and gardens, with a huge variety of spaces available for photos. We made good use of them all, with different backdrops for various family and group photos.
I then slipped away with Dean and Neil for a quiet stroll through the grounds. It was a lovely space in the day - a quiet, peaceful half hour for them to just breathe and enjoy their first moments alone together. As the wedding was in October we had beautiful autumn colours, and a little rain didn’t dampen either our spirits or our photos!
Speeches, cake cutting and a live band
The wedding breakfast in the Conservatory was followed by brilliant speeches - so many wonderful reactions for me to capture! Neil and Dean gave their speeches back in the Library which had been transformed for the evening’s entertainment. Their fabulous cake was made by a friend (such talented friends!) and the live music was by The Jamie Howell band.
I particularly love the last photo in this post, of Dean and Neil having their first dance. To me, it perfectly captures the love and tenderness they feel for each other, which I had been privileged to witness throughout the whole day.
10 year update!
I am so grateful that Neil and Dean found me and asked me to be their photographer. While their wedding was actually 10 years ago, we’ve kept in touch ever since.
I recently caught up with them again for a family photoshoot, and it was pure joy to see them again and to meet their two wonderful sons. Keep an eye out - photos from that family shoot will be coming to the blog very soon!
Wedding suppliers
With thanks to fellow suppliers:
Florist: The Secret Garden, Thames Ditton
Suits: Dapper, Surbiton
Live band: The Jamie Howell band
DJ/Staging: STLS Events
Light up letters: Doris Loves
Cake: Lisa Rose-Michael
Videographer: Minty Slippers