Helene and Nathan’s spring wedding at Dodford Manor in Northamptonshire was one of those days that proved you really don’t need perfect weather to have an incredible wedding day.
While the rain made a short appearance during the day, it brought with it something rather lovely too – the opportunity for some fun, playful photographs with umbrellas.
The morning began with Helene getting ready at Flore House, with her mum, sister and bridesmaids around her. There was such a lovely sense of excitement as the morning unfolded, from hair and make-up through to the moment Helene stepped into her beautifully dreamy wedding dress.
I adored capturing all of the fun bridal preparations but the best part was capturing the faces of both the bridesmaids, and Helene’s Dad, as they caught their first glimpse of the beautiful bride.
As the ceremony crept closer, the bridal parties made the short journey to the main location of the day.
Dodford Manor is one of my favourite wedding locations in Northamptonshire; it never fails to provide an epic backdrop for every wedding. Helene and Nathan’s ceremony took place mid afternoon, followed by that all-important first kiss and the walk back down the aisle as newlyweds. Then came the confetti shots – one of those moments where you can simply step back and let everyone’s excitement take over.
With their friends and family gathered around them, the afternoon moved into drinks, canapés and plenty of candid photographs. Rather than spending the whole afternoon posing for photographs, the focus was on capturing the people, the hugs, the laughter and all those little moments that happen naturally when everyone you love is together.
While everyone would probably love a completely dry wedding day, rainy weather can actually create some brilliant opportunities for wedding photographs. Instead of seeing it as something that needed to be avoided, we embraced the drizzle – and the umbrellas came out. A chance to create some fun, relaxed portraits that wouldn’t have been possible on a completely sunny day – honestly, those are often the photographs that end up being some of your favourites.
After a few playful couple portraits, we then moved on to the more formal photographs with their wider family and friends, followed by plenty of relaxed, candid shots capturing everyone enjoying the celebrations.
One of the most stunning elements of the day to capture were Helene’s beautiful handmade paper flowers which added a truly personal feel to the styling of the venue.
After the wedding breakfast came the speeches, with words from Nathan’s best man, Helene’s mum and dad, before the couple had the chance to sneak away for some more couple photographs. The day finished with cake cutting and the first dance as a married couple.
And although the rain had been a feature during the day, it certainly hadn’t stopped anyone from having an amazing time. If anything, it became part of the story.
Because your wedding photographs shouldn’t just show what your day looked like – they should bring back how it felt. The excitement of getting ready, the nerves before walking down the aisle, the ridiculous amount of confetti, the hugs from your favourite people, dancing in the rain and laughing underneath an umbrella.
Little Black Book of Wedding Suppliers:
Wedding Dress – Maggie Sottero gown from Serendipity Brides
Groom’s Suit – Suit Supply
Bridesmaid Dresses – Bridesmaids by JB
Hair – The Hairbook
Makeup – Soft Glam by Rose
Florist – Eden Wild
Drapes – Something Borrowed
Entertainment – Rob Lawes Entertainments
Photo booth – Lunarshot photobooth
Content Creator – The Relaxed Bride
