Ellingham Hall Wedding Photography - Caitlin & Chris
I’ve been a full-time wedding photographer for just shy of 12 years, and even now I still experience wedding photography “firsts”. For Caitlin and Chris’ wedding there were a few. The most obvious “first” was the venue. It’s a funny thing, there are years when you feel like you’re at the same place over and over again, then you don’t see it for ages! I hope that happens with Ellingham because I cannot wait to go back. I’m so pleased I got the opportunity to finally shoot a wedding at this iconic venue, and that Caitlin and Chris’s wedding was the one to do it. The venue is STUNNING. From the rooms, to the grounds, to the amazing window, it’s a treat.
Another first was having a second shooter. While I have been second shooter for other photographers plenty of times, this was my first experience of being the lead. For this wedding I worked with Jay Dawson, and the whole thing went so well we’re adding a two-shooter package to my website. Our styles work really well together, and he didn’t tell me to turn off the black metal in the car so I knew we were going to get on great from the get-go. The big thing, of course, was having the both of us meant that nothing on the day got missed. I stayed with Caitlin through the bridal prep, while Jay photographed Chris. One of the really poignant parts of the day was when Caitlin was walking down the stairs to the ceremony and Chris was nervously reading his vows. Being able to see what they were each doing at the same moment really brings an extra level of both drama and romance to the wedding photographs that otherwise wouldn’t have been there. Together we captured moments from every angle, and with different lenses, to bring so much more depth and beauty to a wonderful day.
It certainly wasn’t a first to have North East Celebrant Gemma conducting the wedding ceremony. I’m always delighted whenever I get to work with Gemma; she’s dedicated, fun, inventive, and works so hard for her couples. Seeing her in the ceremony room, surrounded by Sprig and Thistle’s flowers when we arrived, I just knew that this day was going to be something special, and it really was.
Caitlin and Chris brought so much of their personalities to the day. They are both such happy and outgoing people that it was no surprise that colour featured so heavily in their styling. The colourful bouquet, the multicoloured confetti, the table dressing - no white candles here, but everything else in abundance! To me, colour bespeaks happiness and joy, and the day truly was joyful.
But see for yourself. Between us, Jay and I produced almost 2000 final images so choosing a mere handful to showcase was almost impossible. These stood out as storytelling elements of the day. Pictures that show the work put in by all the suppliers, from the calligraphers, to the makers of the impossibly tall and almost gravity-defying cake , to the band with the most energy I’ve seen in a long time. Actually, it’s worth noting that typically I take photos of the first dance, and only stay for about three songs, but Caitlin thought it would be a good idea to add an extra hour of time. After seeing The Warning Tones play two songs I understood why! Oh. My. God. The band were amazing, and the crowd went wild for them.
But enough of my ramblings, here’s the day:
This wedding was truly something else. The pictures that were made possible through having Jay, and the additional time at the end really could not have happened without Caitlin & Chris making that important investment in their memories. Honestly, what a day!
