Photographing the intimate wedding of Jenny & Gui was an absolute privilege. They chose the stunning Lords of the Manor hotel in the idyllic Cotswold’s countryside as the location for their intimate family celebration and they couldn’t have chosen a better location. Quintessential English countryside hotel set amongst iconic rolling hills, with the gorgeous, manicured gardens – what’s not to love?

The architecture of the hotel made for great images; the beige rock & stunning ivy was the perfect backdrop for a few photos before the ceremony began. Gui’s family flew in for the occasion from Portugal and their excitement was palpable. The stars of the show (besides the bride & groom of course!) were Gui & Jenny’s son and niece, and between them they gave me endless opportunities to capture wonderful moments.

Being part of such a small family wedding can sometimes feel more daunting than a big blowout with hundreds of people, but my fears were quickly alleviated as both Jenny & Gui, as well as their families were perfect hosts and some of the loveliest people one could hope to meet. It makes my job that much more special when I come across couples who I would gladly hang out with outside of work and I felt an instant connection with them both!

Jenny picked out a stunning dress and really stole the show when the couple walked in for the ceremony. The ceremony took place in one of the function rooms with large bay windows leading out onto the garden that made the perfect backdrop. Once the ceremony was over all the guests moved outside to bask in the sun and share in a toast to the newlyweds. Having been one of the wettest summers on record in the UK, it was a delight to have the sun shining all afternoon, the suncream out, everyone sharing smiles beneath a bright blue sky.

We did some family portraits in the gardens, and once we had taken a few shots the children had a great time exploring and playing around in the grass, grandparents in tow. What I love about the freedom of candid wedding photography is the licence it gives me to try and create interesting images. Of course, I make sure I have all the ‘required’ shots in a day, but once I’m confident I have these, I try and push myself with lens choice and framing to capture great images that cannot be recreated. It’s these ephemeral moments captured in time that bring me the most joy when photographing a wedding day, and often these images become my favourites from a wedding. It was no different at this wedding, finding different angles and focal lengths to try and express the relationship between the various generations of the family was great fun. Thank you Jenny & Gui for letting me be part of your day!