Derbyshire wedding photography DIY outdoor wedding
As a wedding photographer, it is so refreshing to photograph a wedding like Daisy’s and Jack’s. Hand on heart, I genuinely love every wedding I’m involved in. But sometimes an alterative wedding is so much fun to photograph. I loved that they picked an outdoor ceremony and made such good use of the outdoor space with lots of games. It really reflected their personalities. A DIY wedding is difficult, but it was so evident how lovely and generous their friends and family were with helping throughout the day. I’m currently editing the wedding reception; the lawn games and dancing photos has plastered a smile on my face as I sit here working. Grab a brew or a glass of fizz and check out their fun filled DIY wedding in Derbyshire.
How it began
We met in halls at University, we instantly got along well but it took 3 years for us to get together. Jack proposed while hiking in the Cascades National Park in America by a beautiful waterfall
On the wedding morning, as the early rays of sunlight peeked through the curtains in the dorm of Lea Green activity centre, the anticipation swirled in the air. The bride's room was packed with bridesmaids, their delicate dresses hanging from their dorm beds, and a mirror reflecting the excitement and nerves that danced across their faces. The room buzzed with laughter and chatter. The scent of hairspray and perfume, hung in the air. Outside the the wedding guests took to their seats in the August bright sunshine and the groom rushed to check the technical setup of having an outdoor wedding. The time leading up to this pivotal moment almost seemed to simultaneously fly by and freeze in time. The sunlight grew brighter as the day grow hotter, and the minutes seemed to tick away faster with each passing heartbeat. Soon, the rest of the day would unfold, carrying with it cherished moments, and forever memories.
These are the highlights from Daisy and Jack DIY Derbyshire wedding. (along with some wedding Q&A’s)
What were your thoughts as you walked down the aisle/ waited for your bride?
Jack: I really thought I was going to keep it together as I was fairly calm when the bridesmaids entered, but the minute I saw just the hem of her skirt coming round the corner I lost it entirely. I was glad to have my best woman to squeeze my hand and a trusted friend officiating; they were a real comfort up at the front while waiting.
Daisy: I was nervous, but excited. It was easier knowing the audience was made up of people I love and trust and I was less nervous than my sisters doing the readings!
Can you offer any advice to couples planning a DIY wedding?
Get some staff if the venue doesn’t provide any! Our caterers and venue didn’t provide quite what we initially thought, so friends ended up having to pitch in a lot on the wedding day. We’re extraordinarily lucky to have such wonderful people in our lives but it would have saved a lot of bother if we’d hired a couple of people to help out.
What did you love about your chosen wedding venue and why did you choose it?
We loved that there was so much outdoor space, we’re both pretty keen on the outdoors so were lucky to be able to include that in our wedding. Luckily despite one of the rainiest summers the weather was lovely on our wedding day. Finding a mix of both that and a beautiful Georgian home just ticked all our boxes.
It was also nice that it was non-profit; a wedding is a big expense and we wanted to put as much back into the community as possible. During term-time, Lea Green Learning and Development Centre caters to youth groups with a particular focus on those with disabilities and additional needs. It was good to know we were helping to keep that running by getting married there.
What were your first steps of your wedding planning?
Setting up a Trello Board and Google folder! But seriously, getting one shared place to put all the information right from the outset made it way easier to keep on the same page as we planned stuff together.
Often the aspect that makes a wedding original to the couple is the detail, was there a theme, or a vision?
We spent a tremendous amount of time hand-dyeing 400 sola wood flowers. While it was a lot of work, it was something that we could do months ahead of the event and then just bring out on the day. They got a lot of compliments and the wedding arch looked absolutely as envisioned. It’s a small detail in the grand scheme, but we’re really glad we made the effort to do it.
Did the day go as expected? Or is there anything you would do differently?
The day went brilliantly. Probably more so than expected, we forgot a couple of things but ultimately those didn’t matter and it was perfect.
As a Yorkshire wedding photographer, I don’t often get much call to stray too far out of Yorkshire. I believe this was by first time photographing a Derbyshire wedding. (you sometimes lose track after 10 years) I’m so glad Daisy and Jack booked me, even though I wasn’t a local wedding photographer for them. I love down to earth, fun couples and their alternative wedding ticked all the boxes for me.