Sussex and Surrey wedding

Isabel and Nick's Sussex wedding actually spanned two counties. With the service held not far from their home, at St Margaret's church in Ditchling , in East Sussex and the reception was then at the idyllic Ridge Farm,  just over the West Sussex boundary and into Surrey. Ridge Farm is just up the road from me. On the same road, just a couple of miles from my house! But it wasn't a completely Southern event, as many of the family and guests were from Lancashire - having come down from Chorley.

The rain held off for the ceremony and reception, despite the heavy downpours of the night before and in the morning, with the sun making an appearance at the end of the day. The coverage begins with everyone getting ready at Ridge Farm, which had been hired for the weekend.

Wedding ceremony at St Margaret's church, Ditchling

One of the prettiest villages in Sussex, Ditchling sits just in the shadow of the South Downs. Not the easiest village to drove through or park at though. But it has a classic flint-walled church, in the centre of the village. Its full title is The Church of St Margaret of Antioch. Best of all, having shot several wedding ceremonies here, it has a friendly and photography-friendly vicar in Father David Wallis. Makes a difference to the coverage! It also has the unique part to the wedding ceremony, when the bride and groom are invited to ring the church bells - a handy rope positioned near the altar.

Ridge Farm wedding reception

Everyone headed north for the wedding reception at Ridge Farm, near Rusper. Drinks on the lawns. The dinner was held in the Pool House (everyone sat atop a boarded up swimming pool) with the food provided by Indian Summer, from Brighton.

But the highlight was probably the gig after the meal, when before the DJ and the first dance, the groom and his band hammered out many famous tunes for their screaming fans - who didn't want them to stop!

Here are a few images from the day in Ditchling and at Ridge Farm...