Northamptonshire Summer Wedding at Dodmoor House of Emma & Tom
Dodmoor House is a wedding venue that was on my bucket list for a very long time. thankfully during 2021, I had the pleasure of finally getting the chance to photograph an amazing wedding there!
I captured Emma & Tom’s wedding during September, and when I say it was epic from start to finish, I honestly mean it. A number of things make a wedding, and Emma & Tom’s day ticked all the right boxes. We had only spoken over a video call before their big day to go through the finer details, but even doing that, I could tell their day was going to be one to remember.
There are many barn wedding venues in Northamptonshire, but Dodmoor House is up there with the best. You can understand after visiting, why it’s an award winning wedding venue. I was booked to photograph the bridal prep all the way through to the first dance and beyond. Upon arriving at Dodmoor House I had a good look around the venue for ideas and to get my bearings. I always like to do this, so the day runs smoother for everyone, and also because I like to come up with creative ideas for the bride and groom.
When it comes to the bride and groom’s formal portraits, my aim is to always make sure that it’s an enjoyable and smooth experience. I understand that couples want to spend as much time as possible with their loved ones, as it’s a wedding day, not a photoshoot. I typically only spend around twenty minutes during the day and twenty minutes during the evening with the couple for portraits. 99% of a wedding day is natural, documentary wedding photography, capturing real moments, with a creative twist thrown into the mix.
I RARELY WORK WITH VIDEOGRAPHERS, BUT THANKFULLY EVERY TIME I HAVE IT’S BEEN GREAT.
By my side for the day was a lovely videographer by the name of Ian. (www.RosewoodWeddingFilms.com) He was an absolute pleasure to work with, and I highly recommend him. I have heard a few horror stories over the years where photographers and videographers have clashed, but thankfully I have never had that issue!
Anyway back to the wedding day itself. As I mentioned, I arrived nice and early and was pretty much there from start to finish. It was lovely to finally meet Emma and she was even lovelier in person. Bridal prep flew by, and before I knew it, guests were arriving.
Nearly all the guests turned up in one big coach (I had never seen this before, but thought it was a lovely touch) and were all dressed to impress, ready for the day ahead. This is also where I met Tom for the first time in person. He looked incredibly sharp in his suit, as did his son.
The guests were brilliant throughout the day, made me feel very welcome, and made me laugh on a number of occasions. Tom’s friends were especially funny, and got into the party spirit pretty quickly! ( I had a lot of fun, photographing their shenanigans!)
IT’S FUNNY, AS I ALWAYS SEEM TO HAVE WHAT I CALL ‘FIRSTS’ AT WEDDINGS EVEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.
I do not mind telling this part of the story, as I see the funny side to it. For the first time ever, I made a massive fool of myself and fell over in front of all the guests before the ceremony began. I was trying to be creative, standing near a large flower pot, and tripped over a light fitting in the floor. I made the strangest noise on the way down, for the guests to then turn round and capture it. It’s not all bad though, as I have been told by many photographers that when this happens I can then officially call myself a ‘wedding photographer’ as it’s a right of passage!
EMMA LOOKED ABSOLUTELY STUNNING IN HER WEDDING DRESS AND WAS SMILING FROM EAR TO EAR WALKING DOWN THE AISLE.
Throughout the ceremony, both Emma & Tom looked so happy (and rightly so!) as did all of the guests. The ceremony went by without a hitch, and before they knew it, they were officially Mr & Mrs! (Dodmoor House has the most beautiful ceremony room)
Once the ceremony finished, the guests headed out to the courtyard. (Where all the action happens!) I always enjoy capturing the moments just after a ceremony, as there are so many great moments.
Once all of the guests congratulated the couple on getting married, we captured the big group shot. We then headed over to the lawn, where the drinks reception was being held. The lawn area is a great space for smaller group shots, as well as the couple portraits. The children also had a lot of fun taking part in the lawn games.
The grounds of Dodmoor house have some of the most stunning surroundings for couple portraits, with the grand union canal being just a short stroll from the venue.
The rest of the day was packed full of incredible moments, from the amazing speeches to the guests giving it their all on the dancefloor. It was great to see nearly all of the guests on the dancefloor, as it makes it so much more fun to photograph! The day whizzed by and before I knew it, I had packed my photography gear up and was ready to leave.
I want to thank both Emma & Tom for choosing me to be part of their special day, and wish them both a lifetime of happiness together!
