Penny and Michael’s Fun and Relaxed Wedding at Dodmoor House

Recently, I photographed Penny and Michael’s wedding at Dodmoor House.

I’ve photographed many weddings at this Northamptonshire venue over the years, and I’m a recommended supplier there too. So I’m back several times a year, and no two weddings ever feel the same.

Every couple brings their own personalities, guests and ideas, and Penny and Michael certainly made the day their own.

They were both really laid back and wanted as much time as possible with their nearest and dearest. They were happy to do a few family photos, some natural portraits and something a bit more creative with champagne later in the evening, but they didn’t want photography taking over their day.

Their priority was enjoying themselves with the people they loved.

That suited me perfectly.

A Wedding With Plenty of Personal Touches

A few weeks before the wedding, I had a Zoom call with Penny and Michael to go through their plans.

They were relaxed about everything, and I came off the call really looking forward to it.

Shortly after the call ended, Penny secretly dropped me a message.

She had arranged a miniature golf course and several lawn games as a surprise for Michael, who loves golf. Somehow, she had managed to keep the whole thing hidden from him.

Great idea. It was personal to them, and it gave their guests something fun to do in the afternoon.

It also meant I knew there’d be plenty of reactions, competitiveness and laughter to photograph.

I wasn’t wrong.

Getting Ready at Dodmoor House

The wedding day soon arrived, and the weather couldn’t have been much better.

Penny and Michael were both getting ready at the venue, in separate spaces, so I could move between them all morning and photograph both sides without anyone feeling rushed.

That’s one of the things I particularly like about photographing weddings here.

Everything’s close enough that I can move quickly between prep, guests arriving and the ceremony area. But the spaces still feel private, so nobody’s getting ready on top of each other.

The morning with Penny and the ladies was full of energy, laughter and a few emotional moments.

There were several gifts exchanged, including presents from Michael to Penny, from Penny to her mum and from Penny to Michael.

The ladies became quite emotional as they opened theirs, especially Penny’s mum, who shed a few tears.

Those moments don’t need me getting involved. I find somewhere out of the way, watch what’s happening and photograph the reactions as they come.

Michael was buzzing when he opened Penny’s gift.

She’d bought him a lovely watch, and credit where it’s due, she’d chosen very well.

Before long, guests began arriving, so I moved between the final preparations and everyone greeting each other outside.

It helps me tell a much fuller story of the morning. While the couple are getting ready, another part of the wedding is starting outside, with family reuniting, friends catching up and guests seeing the venue for the first time.

An Emotional Ceremony and a Very Important Ring Bearer

Before the ceremony, Penny had a first look with her dad.

The moment he saw her, he got very emotional and shed a few tears. You could see straight away how proud he was.

I never try to control first looks with parents too much.

The photo comes from the real reaction, not from moving everyone around or asking them to do it again.

Shortly afterwards, everyone began making their way into the ceremony.

Wherever I looked, guests were smiling and chatting, clearly excited for what was about to happen.

There was also one very important member of the wedding party waiting to make an appearance.

Penny and Michael’s dog had been given the important job of delivering the rings.

I’ll be honest, this was probably the best behaved dog I’ve ever photographed at a wedding.

The rings were delivered perfectly, with no sudden sprint in the opposite direction, no rolling around on the floor and no attempt to eat anything important.

A true professional.

The ceremony had a bit of everything. Emotional moments, plenty of laughs and lots of happy faces around the room.

Before they knew it, Penny and Michael were officially married.

A Different View for the Group Photograph

After the ceremony, everyone made their way towards the lawn.

Before the drinks reception properly started, we did the big group photo.

I’d usually use the courtyard for the full group photo at Dodmoor House. But Penny and Michael had a particularly big guest list, so I went for a different angle.

I headed upstairs inside the house and photographed everyone from one of the upper windows.

Looking down from above meant I could fit everyone in without squashing them together. It also fitted the flow of the day, because everyone was already next to the lawn, ready for drinks, canapés and games.

Knowing a venue well helps with situations like this.

Rather than forcing the usual spot to work, I already knew there was another option nearby that would suit the numbers much better.

Once the group photo was done, Michael finally found the surprise Penny had arranged.

His face was a picture when he spotted the mini golf and lawn games waiting outside.

Penny had somehow kept the whole thing secret, and he clearly loved it.

The lawn is great for this kind of drinks reception because guests can drift between the games, seating and drinks without everyone getting split up.

It kept the afternoon lively and social, but still relaxed.

Relaxed Portraits Without Missing the Party

During the drinks reception, I did a small selection of family groups, then took Penny and Michael away briefly for some portraits.

I always keep this part of the day as simple as possible.

The grounds have several different backgrounds without needing a long walk, so we got plenty of variety while staying close to the guests and everything happening on the lawn.

Their dog also joined us and continued to behave perfectly.

Penny and Michael had the idea of placing their wedding rings on their dog’s nose for a photograph.

I wasn’t convinced the rings would stay there for long, but somehow it worked.

Their dog may have secretly done some modelling before the wedding.

Once we had what we needed, they headed straight back to their guests.

That’s exactly how I like portraits to work.

They should add something to the gallery without making you feel like you’ve missed a chunk of your own wedding.

Speeches, Shots and Competitive Mini Golf

At the end of the drinks reception, everyone made their way inside for the wedding speeches and meal.

The speeches had everything. Heartfelt, funny and full of stories about the two of them.

Penny and Michael also gave every guest a shot of alcohol to get everyone into the party spirit.

It certainly seemed to do the job.

After the meal, plenty of guests headed back outside for another round of games.

This was where Penny and Michael’s competitive sides really started to show.

I’m fairly certain Penny managed to score a hole in one on every course.

That’s the official version of events, anyway.

Cough, cough.

From a photography point of view, the games were brilliant because nobody was standing around wondering what they were supposed to do.

Everyone was chatting, winding each other up and getting far more invested in mini golf than anyone expected.

A Packed Dance Floor and Champagne Spray

As the evening continued, the party properly kicked off.

The dance floor filled quickly, and nobody held back.

Plenty of questionable dancing, lots of laughing and people properly letting loose.

These are always some of my favourite photographs from a wedding.

Nobody’s thinking about the camera. They’re just enjoying themselves, which means I can move around the dance floor and photograph the chaos as it happens.

Not long before I finished for the evening, I headed outside with Penny and Michael to pop a couple of bottles of champagne.

Champagne spray photos won’t suit every couple, but they’re great fun when the couple goes all in.

Penny and Michael certainly went for it.

Champagne went everywhere, including all over each other at one point, and they laughed the whole way through.

I used some creative lighting to make the spray stand out, which gave them something a bit different alongside all the natural photos from the rest of the day.

It only took a few minutes, and it was a fun way to finish their photos.

Why Dodmoor House Works So Well for Relaxed Weddings

Dodmoor House suits couples who want their wedding to feel intimate and easy going.

The different parts of the day are all close together, so guests move naturally from the ceremony to the courtyard, lawn, meal and evening party.

It also means you don’t have to disappear for ages for photos.

Family groups, portraits and the more creative stuff can all fit around the flow of the day instead of bringing everything to a halt.

Having photographed many weddings here, I know which areas work at different times and how to adapt when the guest numbers, weather or plans are a bit different.

That’s what let me use the upstairs window for Penny and Michael’s group photo, keep their portraits short and make the most of everything going on on the lawn.

A Brilliant Day From Beginning to End

The entire wedding flew by.

By the time I packed my cameras away, I was already looking forward to editing. I knew there were plenty of warm, emotional and properly funny moments in there.

Penny and Michael had a wedding that felt completely like them.

Personal, laid back and all about spending time with their favourite people. No unnecessary fuss, just laughter, games, a few tears and one extremely talented dog.

Thank you to Penny, Michael and all their guests for making me feel so welcome.

And as always, a big shout out to the team at Dodmoor House for keeping everything running smoothly and looking after every guest.

Planning Your Own Dodmoor House Wedding?

My approach to wedding photography is relaxed, colourful and mostly documentary.

I’ll help with the parts of the day that need a bit of guidance, like family photos and portraits, but I won’t spend hours dragging you away from your guests.

For most of the day, I’ll let you get on with enjoying yourselves while I photograph what’s happening around you.

As a recommended Dodmoor House wedding photographer, I know the venue really well and how to make the most of its different spaces without taking over your wedding.

You can also have a look at another real wedding at Dodmoor House to see how different each one can feel.