Hereford Wedding – Claudia & Max

Reportage wedding photography near Hereford

An autumnal wedding near Hereford for Claudia and Max. At the beautiful Dewsall Court – one of my favourite wedding venues. (I’m still waiting for my lotto numbers to come up so I can make the owners an offer for the place! Likely to be rejected though..) A fitting venue for an estate agent, who sells premium properties in South-West London, to get married in.

The weather? So-so – the sunshine came for a bit, but autumnal was the feel for the day really. Not cold but most people stayed indoors for the drinks reception. Coverage kicks off in the bridal suite – with lots of bridesmaids, makeup artists and some Spotify tunes. Max arrived with his ushers – all of them tentatively negotiating the cattle grid.

The ceremony was in The Wainhouse. The first time I’ve shot a ceremony there at Dewsall. My previous visits have been open-air ceremonies on the lawn. It’s always interesting returning to a venue at a different time of year. To see what changes, what are the new challenges. (Like this London pub, The Bull and Last – in summer and then in winter…) How the change affects the images you can get?

From past experience, I knew the Wainhouse is never light. The sun dips on the other side of the house – this was going to a challenge. Dark, mixed lighting and no window light casting open light onto the couple. Just two small spotlights, firing in from the wall behind them!  When you are shooting against the light, in the gloom and need to freeze the subject – it’s a test for any camera. (The difference between stills and video – stills need a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the subject, which means less light hitting the camera sensor. It’s why you see flash being used often. But flash is intrusive. Especially during a wedding ceremony and kills any atmosphere. No flash was used at any point during this wedding). Capturing atmosphere, moments, emotions – like Max’s tears, as Claudia joined him at the end of the aisle – this is the goal for this sort of wedding photography.

After an emotive ceremony, Claudia and Max jumped onto their Vespa and headed off down the drive. The guests were formed up for a confetti run. I thought them on the Vespa bursting through the confetti would be fun for this but was assured they wouldn’t drive it but walk…Max and Claudia had a last-minute change of mind! They loomed large in the camera viewfinder, they kept coming……duck and shoot…as Max sped through the confetti ambush.

Drinks back in the house and in the gardens, before heading back to The Wainhouse for the meal and speeches (more use for Max’s handkerchief). A very brief few pictures with the setting sun, as it dipped behind the Welsh hills. After speeches and the cake cutting, came the first dance reveal. Music from the excellent, The Brotherhood, – so the party kicked off!

Here are few images from the day at not only one of the best wedding venues near Hereford…at one of the best wedding venues in England!