Horses, barn and a beautiful wedding for Ayesha and Adam

Ayesha met Adam a little over ten years ago. He was her sponsor at work and that is where the story begins. They spent time chatting and it wasn’t long before they had their first date. They hit it off and a year later a little surprise package arrived in the shape of Lily-Rose. I had the pleasure of spending some time with the two of them and their now two daughters at an engagement shoot before the wedding. What a lovely, courteous, and polite family. At first Adam seems a little reserved and quiet but once settled he can be a chatterer. Ayesha is simply bubbly from the first instance.

It was seven years later, having a romantic walk around the sea front promenade, whilst on holiday in Tenerife that Adam proposed. It was idyllic. The sun was sinking into the horizon leaving a lovely warm glow when Adam suddenly bucked up the courage to get down on one knee and produce a marvelous sparkly ring!

The next job was to plan the big day. Ayesha loves horses and at the top of her list was a fairy-tale carriage pulled by horses. Next would be the venue. It had to be something rustic – maybe a barn to fit with the love of horses.

On the day I met up with Ayesha and her five bridesmaids, two flower girls daughters, along with her mum at Carlton Park Hotel where they were all getting ready. A talented lady from DN5 Hair and Beauty Lounge was doing the hair and helping with makeup. The girls were all looking good already in their bright pink dressing gowns bought specially for the day. The wedding dress was hung from a curtain pole. It was a beautiful white gown, strapless with a short bodice and quite a full, layered skirt that I could see would fluff out. Ayesha found the dress at Wed2bB after her mum telling her about the shop. Ayesha went with no intention of buying her dress at the time.  She tried on at least ten dresses but kept going back to the same one; she loved it and knew it would go nicely with the carriage and horses. The bridesmaids would be wearing long, dusky pink gowns from JJ's House. They have some amazing dresses for all types of events. It wasn’t long before the flowers arrived. Hand delivered by Sue, a lovely lady from Yorkshire Rose Florist. The bouquets were all dusky pink roses set among gypsophila. They were stunning. She had even provided arrangements to decorate the carriage.

I stayed a short while to see the beautiful white, closed top carriage arrived with two huge horses in a horse box. I couldn’t stay much longer as I had to get to the wedding venue to see the chaps.

It was the Manorial Barn at Whiston. A stunning, ancient barn steeped in history in a picturesque little village. Adam was there with his three groomsmen and his father. They looked very smart in their blue morning suits with cream waist-coasts hired from Tickled Pink. A quality bridal shop. Adam was a little tense with nerves, but I knew he would loosen up as the day wears on. The buttonholes were dusky pink roses to match the bridesmaids’ dresses set in white gypsophila. The best man had remembered the rings! They were from Ernest Jones as they had the perfect rings to match Ayesha’s engagement ring. It wasn’t long before the guests started streaming down the pathway. They had been asked not to park in the carpark to allow room for the horses and carriage and for a few photos.

The time had arrived for the guests and the groom with his assistants to take their seats. The bride was on her way. The bridesmaids were already there waiting on the drive to see her with her mum arriving in the beautiful carriage. KRM Horse Drawn Carriage Services are an amazing company. The two black horses were steaming when they arrived; both dressed and with white feather head-wear. The driver and his lady assistant were both dressed in traditional wear complete with top hats and looked fantastic.

We had time for a few photos before they were all to enter. Bridesmaids first followed by Ayesha with her mum. Ayesha was pleased with the service they received from first booking the venue right through to the end. I was already set up inside to photograph and video with a second photographer at the bottom of the aisle. It is difficult to photograph in the barn as there are no windows and only fairy lights and tee light candles to light the barn. I was armed with my fastest prime lenses to make sure I got the photos I wanted.

The ceremony went well, as always and the bride and groom were the first back down the aisle. I had already asked them to have a few minutes to themselves in the other half of the barn where they would be dining later whilst I asked the guests to leave through the side entrance. I then asked the guests to form a guard of honour and grab handfuls of confetti to greet the couple as man and wife for the first time.

A quick group photo and then Ayesha and Adam were off for a little jaunt in the carriage whilst the guests helped themselves to welcome drinks and a few nibbles. This was the highlight of the day for Ayesha. She says it was magical and she felt like a Princess! Aww. They seemed to have been gone ages. Plenty of time for reportage photos whilst they were gone and then a few arranged photos that the couple wanted when they returned.

Karen and Claire from the Barn were then asking guests to take their seats. The guests loved the features and commented how beautiful the barn looked and were absorbed by its history. A lot of guests were from Holland and it was unusual for them to see such old buildings. Others were also from afar, Scotland, Portugal, and Tenerife. Having loved ones there to celebrate with Adam and Ayesha meant so much. There were fairy lights everywhere! Cover in Style had dressed the room and it looked a treat! They had also produced all the invites.

The wedding breakfast started with home-made tomato soup followed by a roast beef dinner. Everyone said the roast beef was amazing! A beautiful cheesecake was for dessert. Followed by the speeches, bride’s mum, Adam and best man. Adam was nervous and quite a shy person, but he gave a lovely speech complimenting his wife and his family so much that I could see the guest becoming quite emotional. Then it was time to cut the cake. It was stood on its own table being a real centrepiece. Three tiers iced in ivory with exquisite decorations and gold ribbons produced by the amazing cake-maker Kelly Marlow.

There was time for a few more outdoor photos as the weather was kind. June can be so unpredictable I find, but this day was lovely. Sunny at times with just the right amount of cloud to make it enjoyable. We had a stroll down to the brook and bridge for a few photos and allow the newly weds a little time away from the guests and enjoy each other’s company.

It was then time for the evening festivities. The resident DJ was entertaining the guests with a few well-chosen tunes and then it was the first dance. Ayesha and Adam chose All of Me by John Legend. A song they both loved for the lyrics and because their daughter just kept singing this song over and over – so it was meant for them.

I asked the couple how they had found being photographed. Ayesha said she was nervous at first and Adam is shy and doesn’t like photos being take but I made them feel so relaxed that they actually enjoyed the whole experience. Phew. They have told me they love the pictures! Their tip is to just be your normal selves and relax.

Honeymoon? Of course, a fortnight in Majorca. Ayesha and Adam had their first holiday together there and had such a good time.

Any final advice for others? Don’t stress!!! Everything will fall into place if you hire the right people. Enjoy the day because before you know it, it is all over. Enjoy being around all your loved ones as it is a memory of a lifetime and get lots of photos to cherish those special moments.