Sarah and Andrew

All photographers will tell you that within the first five minutes at the bride’s preparations they have a pretty good idea of how the rest of the wedding will proceed. If brides are short of time, stressed or disorganised then there is a good probability that the rest of the day will continue in the same vein.
So we new immediately on being greeted at Andrew’s parents’ house, where Sarah was getting ready, that this would be one relaxed and enjoyable day. Everyone was so relaxed, so calm and, quite simply, just so nice that this was a day where nothing could go wrong.
And so it continued. the sun shone, the ceremony was a delight – thanks to one of the nicest vicars in Lincolnshire, the groomsmen did their jobs ( unheard of!) and the day just flowed from one emotional event to the next without hitch.
Of course, having a good venue helps enormously and The Petwood has always ranked as being one of the most scenic and atmospheric in the area. There’s an added bonus there too nowadays, for with a new manager – direct from years of experience at Branston Hall – the superb, relaxed atmosphere that Branston Hall was always noted for is already permeating every aspect of The Petwood. It was a fantastic venue before, of course, but every manager brings his own stamp to a hotel and we’ve been on record for years for saying how much we love the relaxed atmosphere that Jon – helped by incredibly strong teams at both Branston Hall and The Petwood – creates and nurtures.
I could rant on for ages about how much we enjoyed Sarah’s wedding. And how much Sarah and Andrew did too. But there’s no need – just look at their pictures when they appear on our main website and you’ll see for yourselves the wealth of happiness there was at this wedding.

Camilla and Geoff

What a fantastic way to start the new ‘season’! A couple who were an absolute delight to know, a venue – Hemswell Court – which is , in our opinion, one of the two best venues in the County and a gaggle of guests who were as pleasant and warm-hearted as the bride and groom!

As I write this the temperature is in the mid-twenties. It’s hard to believe that for Camilla and Geoff the weather Gods weren’t quite as accomodating. In fact it was FREEZING! The weather forecast was pretty dire with a maximum of 7C, strong winds and rain due to last throughout the day. In fact the rain disappeared in the afternoon and we were able to enjoy a brief but chillywalk in the grounds after the ceremony. Thankfully, Camilla’s mother turns out to be a maestro at anchoring veils and the tugging winds were no match for her expertise. The veil stayed firmly where it had been put!

And reading that, doesn’t your heart go out to the couple? They thought they had booked a  beautiful May wedding yet ended up with one that felt more like Febrauary. What a pity!

Yet it wasn’t like that. It really wasn’t. This was a lovely, lovely wedding which we felt priviledged to attend. O.K., the weather could have been better, but it could also have been worse and, whatever the weather this couple were going to enjoy their day. The ceremony, lit only by candlight, was emotional. Tissues figured largely for a few minutes and Kleenex must have increased their profits largely as a result of this couple and their guests! It was superb, with the love between these two so clearly visible for all to see.

And the rest of the day continued in the same vein. Some couples are naturally more demonstrative than others but we love it when, at the core of the wedding, there is simply…… well, LOVE. Yes, we got some fantastic photos of the couple; yes, the meal was a fantastic Hemswell Court meal to be remembered and yes, the speeches were thoughtful, tasteful and humorous. We’ll remember the wedding for all of that, but more than anything we’ll remember it as a marriage between two genuinely super, warm-hearted and generous-natured people. It doesn’t get better than this. Like I said – a fantastic start to the new season!!

Here are a few pics to give you a taste of the wedding: the main batch can be viewed once Geoff and Camilla have seen them.

Rachel and Andrew

We love All weddings but every season one or two stand out for one reason or another and we have to say we simply LOVED this wedding. We expected it to be nice, of course. Thw couple were attractive and a delight to be with, the venue, Kelham Hall in Newark, is a beautiful place to photograph and we had already met Rachel’s parents and knew them to be a lovely couple also. So all the signs were good. Rachel was clearly a woman who knew her own mind and her instructions were clear – she wanted relaxed coverage – almost completely reportage, with nothing posed or ‘arty-farty’.

Well, the wedding was as relaxed and stress-free as they could possibly have hoped for. With a string quartet and lots of outdoor games to entertain the guests at Kelham it could hardly have been anything else. The sun was shining, the champagne was poured and a lovely, Glynbourne-like atmosphere developed.

But it didn’t all go quit to plan. Rachel changed her mind! She’s the bride and it’s a bride’s perogative – we just go with the flow. But Rachel changed in a way we would never have expected. It was triggered by a short shower whichforced us inside for the photography. And there we were, in the music room at Kelham, when Rachel changed. She suddenly seemed to realise that, far from being an ordeal, the photography was something she was enjoying. There was no need for pure reportage after all.  She looked beautiful ( though those of you who know Rachel know she’s not the sort ever to admit to it), her dress was fantastic, she had just married the man she loved in a gorgeous setting and all was well with the world. This was a time she wanted capturing to remember forever and we couldn’t have been happier than to be there and give her some fantastic images of the two of them looking their very best.

So, it wasn’t what Rachel had planned, it wasn’t what we’d expected, but it was what happened – a lovely relaxed wedding with masses of reportage photography but with an interlude of  more artistic photography to give a slightly different interpetation of their wedding day. Lovely!

Nikki and Paul

Did any bride ever smile as much as Nikki on her wedding day? From the moment we got to her house until the time we left after the speeches we never saw the smile fade. It increased at times into outright laughter, but it never dimished. And her mood was infectious. The whole day was one where everyone was relaxed and happy. The weather was fine, the setting was perfect, the entertainment by the wedding singers was just right ( we’ll be adding them to our list of ‘recommended suppliers just as soon as we get the chance) and the mix og guests enured that everything went even better than Nikki and Paul could possibly have dared for.

I’ve got to admit that, after attending some 300 weddings, I tend to let the church bit wash over me. We’re not allowed to photograph in most churches and so have nothing to do for 45 minutes. Some vicars are frankly quite boring , having churned out the same old tired jokes at ceremony after ceremony for the last 30 years. The vital, personal commitment that weddings are about is actually lost  and the personalities of the couple disappear within the ritual. As wedding guests how many of you actually remember the actual ceremonies you have attended?

But people will remember this. Technology ( or its failure) ensured Nikki, Paul and the guests will look back with affection on this ceremony. The strains of the organ in dire distress and the vision of the organist desperately trying to keep it going by thrashing away at the long-obsolete bellows was simply unforgettable. Everyone – including Nikki, of course, – was smiling or laughing as they tried to make out the strains of  The Wedding March amongst the torturous agonies. And it wasn’t a disaster. It was lovely. The vicar became embarrassed and more human, the couple were more relaxed and the guests were involved. The ceremony became what all church ceremonies should be – a joyous occasion when friends and relatives are united in celebration.

I could rant on about the rest of the day, but you must have the picture by now. At Aurora Studio we always enjoy our wedding and love doing the wedding photography. And here was certainly no exception. Nikki and Paul’s love was obvious and inspiriung. The setting at Hall Farm, Ashby-cum-Fenby, was perfect and we got some super pictures of the couple and their guests.Look under the ‘Weddings’ section on our main site to see al the pictures we took.

We always spend about 100 hours designing and perfecting our wedding albums. It’s what makes us unique and it’s a real labour of love for us. But with Nikki and Paul’s album we know it’s going to be both especially exciting and especially challenging. To give them just a collection of fantastic wedding pictures is easy – but for us to create layouts of  the selection which really encapsulate all the joy and all that emotion will be a real challenge. Bring it on!

Melanie and Dave

At Aurora Studio we enjoy our weddings. We never know what to expect and get a real adrenaline buzz from trying to capture the atmosphere of the event as it happens. Our smallest wedding this year has just 13 guests, our largest has 900 at the wedding breakfast. They will be hugely different, demand a completely different set of skills from us. And they will be equally enjoyable ( though I’ve got to say, one of them will be slightly less exhausting than the other!)

Melanie and Dave’s wedding was no exception on the theme of enjoyability. The sun shone, the guests were warm and supportive, the couple were relaxed and happy and the setting was beautiful.And it was the setting that added a touch of poignancy for us. The Barn at Elsham Hall has been transformed in the past few years. The proprietors, Andy Coleman and his wife Fiona have invested heavily in a run-down shell and transformed it into one of our top three wedding venues in Lincolnshire. Wedding guests have access to the beautiful grounds of Elsham Hall itself and then dine in the atmospheric Barn restaurant on some of Andy’s award-winning food. A wedding at Elsham is always serene, civilised and atmospheric.

What made Melanie and Dave’s wedding special for us was the knowledge that we had to savour and relish this unique atmosphere. For it looks like this is the last year that Andy will be holding his tenancy of the Barn and the future of weddings at Elsham is uncertain. Nothing is certain yet and Andy may change his mind but at the moment he isn’t accepting any more bookings for weddings after November this year. In a county that has precious few decent wedding venues this is a sad blow for brides!

But thankfully not for Melanie and Dave. They saw the very best of Elsham. The civil ceremony in the barn was simple and moving. Canapes in the courtyard were followed by a stroll around the grounds where the couple were able to chill out and we were able to get some lovely images of the two of them together. After the big group shot it was back to the Barn for the wedding breakfast and speeches. By the time we left the good food, the wine and the good company had worked their magic. Everyone was mellow; the room exuded happiness and everyone looked forward to what I’m sure would be an excellent evening’s entertainment.

Emma and Mark

Wedding Photography at Hemswell Court is always such a pleasure for us. It doesn’t matter what the weather, the couple are guaranteed fantastic photography with beautiful backdrops. But more than that, more than at almost any other wedding venue in the Lincoln area, the staff at Hemswell are so organised and so friendly that everything always runs smoothly; any minor hitches are ironed out, fears allayed and guests made welocme.  We cover a lot of weddings at Hemswell but we’ve never covered a single wedding where the atmosphere has not been warm and supportive. Nor have we ever covered a single wedding where we’ve heard any word of criticism of any part of the day.

And so it was for Emma and Mark’s wedding. Before the wedding Emma was calm and serene: Mark was his normal hyper-active self. The guests were clearly all good-natures and supportive and even my slight faux-pax with Mark’s ‘father’ was taken in good faith! Only slightly behind time by Hemswell’s standards ( for some reason the ceremony is ALWAYS slightly late here) the lounge area of Hemswell was transformed into a beautiful, atmospheric setting for the wedding vows – lit only by candlelight and the ceremony went off without a hitch.

As did the rest of the day. Hemswell is always well sheltered from the winds and the gale that was attacking the rest of Lincolnshire never seemed to get to the Court itself. Guests were able to take their drinks outside and enjoy the warm spring day whilst we took Mark and Emma off into the beautiful grounds for some photographs. With clematis and bluebells in full flower the setting was superb and with a couple as laid back as these we were able to get some fantastic pictures of the two of them.

We left after the meal, which had a lovely, warm and supportive atmosphere.  But I’ve got to break one of my own rules here and make a personal comment about some of the guests. RESPECT!!!! I saw how much some of you drank. Not just during the meal but throughout the whole day. I ( and any normal person) would have been comatose well before the meal began. Yet you lot………. you didn’t show any symptoms at all: you seemed completely sober and rational despite being about four times over the limit! An iron constitution – or just practice? Whatever the cause, your warmth and laughter during the speeches will be something that Emma and Mark will cherish for years.

Now we all know that these two are not coming back for a month and that Aurora Studio never publishes all the wedding photos on line until the bride and groom have had chance to see them first. But Emma and Mark have asked to see just a few whilst they are away so let these be a taster of the 500 or so they can expect when they return from honeymoon.

Will and Gill

Those of you who read the blog regularly know that we LOVE weddings at Hemswell Court. It’s one of our two absolute favourite locations in Lincolnshire because NOTHING ever goes wrong and NOTHING is too much trouble for Shaun and Judith who run it. So right from the off we simply knew that this would be another super wedding.

And it was – but not just because of Hemswell. It was because of the people there. After covering over 300 weddings we soon get a feel for how the day is going to go. The first ten minutes at the brides home usually establishes the pattern for the rest of the day. There’s always excitement; usually a bit of chaos; often a rather ‘emotional’ mother and a degree of nervousness from everyone. But sometimes there’s also a lot of unnecessary stress – usually caused by either the hairdresser or the make-up artist taking far too long and making everyone late. Or it might simply be caused by bridesmaids being held up en-route and not arriving on time. Or the father might decide to get out of the way of all the women by disappearing and not telling anyone where he has gone. All little things, but things which add stress and often have asort of domino effect on time and emotion throughout the rest of the day. An hour late at church ( yes, it happens quite a lot!) and planning for the whole day is thrown in the air!

But ths was Will and Gill’s wedding. All was peace and order at Gill’s house. Not even an unfortunate incident with broken champagne glasses phased her or her Mother and everyone was perfectly on time. And the make-up artist was brilliant! When I get time I’ll be posting details about her as one of our recommended suppliers – she was pleasant, quick, efficient – and did a great job on everyone there. A totally professional and truly excellent artist!

So that set the tone of the day. Despite the drizzle all went smoothly and well. The Best Man actually did his job (they often don’t). The bridesmaids looked after the bride ( they ususally don’t) and the guests were warmly supportive – as they always are. Even the little ones were all superbly behaved, with the triplets held firmly in check by their long-suffering but clearly brilliant mother! The drizzle disappeared when we got to Hemswell and so we were able to photograph outside before participating in the famous Hemswell ‘carvery’. Other venues try to copy how Hemswell do this, but it never really works anywhere else. There’s something about the ambience at Hemswell that makes the carvery a great occasion with huge hilarity and masses of good sport from the selected ‘chefs’.

I can’t imagine that Will and Gill could have wanted to change anything at their wedding. Quite simply, this was how all weddings should be and huge congratulations needs to go to those involved in its planning.

A full set of pictures are now available on the main website, but here’s a taster:

Vanessa and Jon

It’s been atrend at our recent weddings that things haven’t always gone quite according to plan – dresses have been late, key guests have been held up, or make-up artists and hairdressers have delayed ceremonies. But for Jon and Vanessa’s wedding there were no such problems everything went beautifully and according to schedule.
When we’re with the bride before the ceremony we’re usually able to judge fairly accurately how the rest of the day will go. If there’s stress during the preparations then it often reveals itself later; if people are running behind schedule with the make-up then the rest of the day is likely to continue in this vein – and so on.
So what did we find at vanessa’s? Peace and order. Of course there were moments of rush; of course there was excitement and of course there were the occasional calls of ‘has anybody seen my……’ But behind it all was a determination to get everything done on time, to avoid stress and to thoroughly enjoy the day. Perfect.

And that was just how the day progressed – everything was perfect. The weather was beautiful, the guests were delightful and the whole atmosphere was one of warmth and friendly support. We haven’t covered a wedding at The Brackenborough Arms in Louth for a while now and it was a pleasant surprise for us to see it after the revamp. For those of you who remember the Brackenborough for its faded chinze, then you need to think instead of urban chique – black leather and chrome have replaced the lace and the frills, giving the hotel a much more modern appeal. Certainly the guests at Vanessa and Jon’s wedding seemed to like it and we heard lots of positive comments on the decor.

So – another super wedding which we felt priviledged to attend. Because of the problems we’ve been having with our website the pictures went live a long time before thiese blogcomments, but for those of you who just want a taster, then these should give you something of the feel of the wedding.

Karen and Rob

In the whole of 2008 we covered only six weddings where the weather was bright, sunny and remained dry throughout the day. So far in 2009 we haven’t had a wedding which has had anything other than perfect weather!
And so it was for Karen and Rob’s wedding – a mild day with a gentle breeze and bright sunshine. And with their reception at The Petwood Hotel, Woodhall Spa they could guarantee a relaxed, friendly atmosphere with their guests relishing the spring-like weather in the idyllic grounds.

Now I’m from a farming background and remember well what farmers are like, so as we wandered around this wedding of two farming families I expected to hear mumblings and grumblings from the men about all the jobs they could/should have been been doing out on the fields in the glorious weather. But it didn’t happen! Or if it did we certainly had no incling of it – the atmosphere was superb, with a lovely mix of guests who got on well and simply enjoyed the occasion.

And so did we. In many, many ways this was a perfect wedding for us. Both sets of parents were a delight, the guests were freindly and accomodating, the venue was lovely and Karen and Rob were a joy to work with. Once Rob realised we didn’t do the dreaded ‘grip’n'grin style of normal wedding photography he relaxed and we were able to get some superb shots of the two of them together – the harsh, low light working in our favour for photographing shadows and the like.

They’re both back at work now, but I’m sure they’ll look back on their wedding day with no regrets and no desire to have changed any part of it. This was simply a superb, relaxed wedding of two really nice people.

Rachel and Dan

RESPECT!!! That’s what we’ve got for Rachel after being priviledged to be present at her wedding. When a bride’s dress isn’t ready a couple of weeks before the wedding she has every right to start worrying. When the dress is so delayed that the night before the wedding the bride is still attending her final fitting then she has every right to be annoyed. But when the dress still hasn’t arrived two hours before the wedding she has evry right to be a screaming, demonic wreck. But Rachel wasn’t! Not at all. Despite her dress maker arriving an hour later than promised with the dress Rachel stayed calm and serene- determined to enjoy her wedding day and trusting to fate that the dress would eventually arrive before the ceremony.
And it did, of course. And thereafter everything went so smoothly and without a hitch of any sort that the worries of the morning were soon forgotten. This was a simpy lovely wedding. Sometimes everything gels together. The guests were warm and freindly, both sets of parents incredibly nice and Dan and Rachel were simply a joy to be with. Put al this mix in the fantastic environment of Hemswell Court and the wedding became perfect. The sun shone when it was needed, it rained when it didn’t matter – and then became fine and dry for the evening fireworks.
I hate blogs where the phootgrapher gushes about how fantastic everything was, how beautiful the bride looked, how humorous were the speeches and how supportive were the bridesmaids. But all these cliches were the reality here. It was simply a super wedding with a truly lovely couple and friendly guests. Quite simply, this was how all weddings should be and a super way for Aurora Studio to start off the 2009 wedding season.

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