CHENIES MANOR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY
Stella and Russell's September wedding whisked me off to the glorious Chenies Manor House. Driving into this Tudor, grade 1 listed place felt like entering my very own period drama. This Chenies Manor wedding radiated sheer elegance; Stella’s delicate and detailed vintage style dress, complimented beautifully with soft pastel floral arrangements, this was a dream to photograph against the stretching manor gardens (complete with a maze!)
Wedding photos
I met Stella through Dana, who usually photographs weddings alongside me, but this she was a guest (spot her in the silver sparkly dress) , so I worked alone at this small & intimate wedding. Sometimes photographing solo can be daunting, often feeling like I need to be in two places at once, but the laid back environment created by Stella and Russel made it all fun. Unlike traditional weddings, this wedding ceremony was held with ease as the bride and groom had been married a week prior, in a small and intimate civil ceremony. This meant their Chenies Manor wedding ceremony could be held by their close friend and gave them a profound opportunity to share their vows. The soundtrack to this outdoor ceremony was a traditional Colombian love song. To further add to the sentiment, it was performed by a group of their friends, all professional musicians, who came together solely for Stella and Russel’s special day.
Outdoor ceremony
I always visit the wedding venue with couples before their wedding day, and this time had been during the heatwave. However, come the wedding day the heavens seemed to open and bring the gardens back to life (just in time for some beautiful photographs, thank you Mother Nature). Though the rain kept the ceremony on hold, the smiles beamed on. Stella and her bridal party shared laughs in the morning and kept high spirits through the rain with drinks. The mood was set for the rest of the day with that morning, this wedding was going to be filled with laughter. As guests flurried in, armed with umbrellas, they took their seats and the ceremony began and so did the sunny weather. Stella's two daughters as bridesmaids and her son walked her down the aisle, while Russells' two sons were the ring bearers. Through vigorous giggling and grinning, the rings were exchanged and Stella and Russel became husband and wife!
After the beautiful outdoor ceremony and reception in Chenies Manor gardens, Russell’s eldest son who was back from the army announced speeches, in his pristine army uniform (sword included).
Wedding date
You know that saying “when you know, you know”? Well that’s exactly what happened with Stella and Russell. For them, their love was magnetic from the moment they met. This wedding date was extra special as it was the same date they met, then got engaged and was also both Russell’s sons’ birthdays so the celebrating was throughout. I wasn’t around to see the dancing at this wedding but I presume it was quite the party! The bride and grooms speeches welcomed all the wedding guests and celebrated the uniting of these two families and their children.
Stella and Russell, thank you for asking me to take your photographs. You created such a calm and enjoyable atmosphere with your love and gentle approach to life. It was truly a pleasure spending the day with you and your closest, capturing all of the fun and love of your day.
Sara x
'Small & Intimate wedding package'
Stella & Russell booked my 'Small & Intimate wedding package', and as you can see below I cover a lot in the 4 hours I am with you. If you are interested in the same relaxed, warm and happy unobtrusive style with a stunning online gallery that you can share with friends and family then you can find out more about my prices and packages by contacting me here