Nailcote Hall Wedding Photography – Laura and Oliver

I was contacted by Laura and Oliver regarding their wedding at Nailcote Hall in Warwickshire after they had seen the 2015 yearly review I had posted on facebook. This was one wedding of 2017 I was really looking forward to as I’d never photographed a wedding at Nailcote Hall before. After doing some research online, I found the 17th century hotel boosts a 4 star rating with beautiful grounds, leisure and spa facilities and even a Par 3 golf course!

The weather outlook forecasted the weather to be very mixed throughout the day with rain and sunny intervals. As a professional wedding photographer it is so important to see what weather you’ll be encountering so that you can always prepare for the worst case scenario. I always carry a couple of umbrellas for myself and the bride and groom as well as creative lighting gear and backup equipment, so I never get stuck in difficult situations no matter what the weather throws at me.

I met with Oliver and his groomsmen in the morning to cover the guys getting ready and generally larking about. Some photographers don’t photograph this part of the day and just want to start at the bridal preparation photos however for me it really adds to the story and completes the wedding album. Oliver and his groomsmen had stayed at the Henley Boutique Lodges the night before which was ideal for timings as it was only a stones throw away from where Laura’s preparation photos would be taken. It was quite a squeeze to take photos in the lodges themselves but luckily the weather held out at that point and I was able to get the photos of the groomsmen outside in the gardens before going to Laura’s to take the bridal preparation photos.

I later arrived at Laura and Oliver’s house where Laura, her family and her bridesmaids were all getting ready for the big day.  I like to allow myself plenty of time for these preparation photos as there’s always a lot going on. I use this time wisely to make sure the dress, shoes and any detail shots are taken as well as covering the girls preparation in a documentary style. On arrival at the house the girls were having their hair and makeup finished while sipping on champagne, which was an ideal time for me to photograph the amazing wedding dress that was hanging up in the lounge.

After Laura had slipped into her dress I had a few minutes to take some lovely bridal portraits in my own style using just window light from a set of large windows. This for me is the pinnacle of perfect lighting, it really shows off the detail and texture in the brides dress as well as being a very flattering light source. I also had time to take some group photos of the family and bridesmaids just incase the weather didn’t allow later on in the day.

Tanworth-in-Arden Church Wedding

After I the left the girls it was on to the church in Tanworth for the ceremony, I spoke to the vicar beforehand and between us we decided the best place for me to get the shots was from the back of the church, this also suits my unobtrusive and documentary wedding style. After the ceremony the weather had changed to beautiful sunshine but, looking at the sky, rain was definitely on the cards so I quickly arranged and took some group photos with a view to doing the rest at Nailcote Hall. I took Laura and Oliver back into the church to do some of my signature images before making our way to Nailcote Hall.

Nailcote Hall Wedding

We arrived at Nailcote Hall in heavy rain, so the umbrellas had to come out, but as soon as we’d entered the hotel, miraculously the weather turned again to bright glorious sunshine and fortunately that’s how it stayed for the rest of the day.  This also meant I could get some lovely photos, within the hotel grounds, of the bride and groom before they sat down for their meal and speeches. The venue and wedding was faultless and the Laura and Oliver were incredibly easy to photograph and gave me all the time I needed to get the results you see below.

“A HUGE thank you to David for our incredible wedding pictures!

David was extremely professional and we felt at ease through the whole process, we have had so many lovely comments on our pictures and we cannot recommend him enough and wouldn’t hesitate to use him again! THANK YOU”

If you’re getting married at Nailcote Hall or anywhere else in the UK/abroad or know someone that is and likes my wedding photography style, then don’t hesitate to get in touch.

I’ve added a small selection of their wedding photos below, I hope you enjoy.

Nailcote Hall Wedding Photography © David Causon Photography