Kate and Romin were married last month at Styal Lodge, an amazing Cheshire wedding venue and a perfect setting for Kate and Romin’s wedding day. You might remember this lovely, lovely couple from their rain-filled pre-wedding engagement shoot and after that I couldn’t wait to photograph their wedding day.
Now, every time I sit down to blog a wedding I always tell myself that I should blog fewer pictures. And I tried to do that again. And failed. I couldn’t narrow it down to fewer photos than this so I’ll just try to talk a little less and let Kate and Romin’s wedding photographs speak for themselves as much as possible. More photos, less waffle – we’ll see if that’s possible!
Styal Lodge has instantly made it into my top three favourite wedding venues. As well as being in a beautiful setting amidst Styal Golf Course, it’s a custom built wedding venue and you can tell because it just fits perfectly around a wedding day. Beautiful gardens, a bright, airy dressing room, a large, bright uncluttered ceremony space and big neutral dining room to accommodate your wedding breakfast and evening reception. And of course, the already famous Styal Lodge platform – which you’ll see later.
As well as that, it’s incredibly well run by incredibly nice people. Georgina, Sarah, Poppy and the team are just so lovely and welcoming. Nothing is too much trouble for them on the wedding day and everything runs like clockwork but with a very laid back atmosphere. And that makes for a very happy bride and groom (and photographer!)… I’d get married there if I was getting married again.
Having the whole day at Styal Lodge, you can wander out of the dressing room to see how things are taking shape in the ceremony room and dining room. I like that. It’s like a backstage VIP pass.
Kate sees her custom made, personalised guest book for the first time with bridesmaids Leyla and Beki.
Lovely personalised touches – gift bags for the children at the wedding and a ring cushion which little Harrison would use to present the rings to Kate and Romin.
I disappeared temporarily with Kate’s shoes. She wore “Kiss” in Ivory Satin by Pink Paradox London.
Lovely flowers from Romin with a note that said all it needed to say.
I’ve now realised what is missing from most weddings – a box of action figures and dinosaurs. Bridesmaid Jenny would agree. These aren’t a Styal Lodge extra, they were page-boy Harrison’s personal collection!
Leyla was one of Kate’s bridesmaids, and is also Romin’s sister… She would be performing a song she’s written herself at the evening reception and she snuck away to practice during the morning.
Romin arrives… With a smile that hardly leaves his face all day long. In fact I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him without a smile.
I love Kate’s Dad’s reaction to seeing her in her dress.
Champagne, hugs and kisses after the ceremony!
With the sky beginning to threaten rain, we left the guests sipping champers and being entertained by the string quartet while we headed off in the Styal Lodge golf buggy to the platform by the lake. Not before a bit of confetti was thrown though!
The Styal Lodge lake and platform is such a little haven to escape to on your wedding day for 10 minutes. It’s so peaceful and picturesque and all I really had to do was leave Kate and Romin to it for five minutes while they had a chat and took in the fact they were now Mr and Mrs…
My favourite:
Back in the Styal Lodge garden I got the girls together for some photos. Possibly the nicest group of bridesmaids ever. Not that there’s an award or anything, but there should be.
And then a bit of fun in front of Styal Lodge – the ARJ-Vogue-Fusion group shot! Love it!
Some of the wedding breakfast details – the table plan designed by very talented and graphic designer bridesmaid Leyla. If you want her details, please get in touch with me.
Vintage tea service…
While they enjoyed their wedding breakfast, I stole their rings and Kate’s beautiful bouquet for some photos in the Styal Lodge garden before the speeches.
With a little bit of spare time before their evening guests arrived, and despite some summer rain, we headed back out on the golf buggy for some more portraits of the very happy couple.
How beautiful does Kate look in her dress by the lake.
Cutting your cake with a sword has to be the future. An excellent touch.
Before the first dance, Leyla finally gets to sing the song she’s been nervous about all day. She needn’t have been – it was hilarious, heartfelt and went down a storm with Kate, Romin and all the guests. Superb. Really brilliant.
The end. And the beginning of a long, happy, fun-filled marriage I’m sure. Kate and Romin – it was a joy to be part of your special day at Styal Lodge. I’m very happy to have met you both and I just wish you lots and lots of happiness for the future.
After their first dance, Kate and Romin had a photobooth (a new service from ARJ Photography) and I’ll show you some photos on the blog in a few days!
If you’re getting married at Styal Lodge, I’d love to be your photographer so please get in touch.
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6 comments
Neil Redfern - Superb Adam, you’ve captured everything so well I feel as though I was there! Your rapport with Kate & Romin shines through :-) Fantastic work
Georgina - So gorgeous Adam! I loved this wedding and you captured it perfectly, can’t wait to show them off on our blog!!
Tom - Very nice Adam, the story you have told with your pictures is perfect.
Liam Crawley - Fantastic coverage Adam, you haven’t missed a thing! Super cool portraits as well :)
Adam Riley - Lots and lots of fantastic images Adam! Love the bottom left shot of the groom having his flower put on!
Peter Lawson - Great stuff Adam, a perfect story of their day! Loving the shots of Kate’s dad as he walks her down the aisle – so wonderful.