Mary and Justin were married at The Church of the English Martyrs in Streatham, with their the reception at Botleys Mansion near Chertsey in Surrey. Botleys is one of my favourite wedding venues, it really is stunning!
I was delighted to have fabulous photographer Alexa Kidd-May join me as the second shooter for the day. For large weddings having a second photographer along really helps with overall coverage and means both the bride and groom’s preparations can be recorded, particularly when they’re happening at different locations. Also on a day with a tight schedule one of us can be photographing the details of the dining room while the other takes the group shots so that nothing gets missed.
Alexa started her day in Croydon with Justin while I began early with Mary, the 9 bridesmaids and her flower girl in Streatham for their preparations. With so many having their hair and make up done it was going to take a lot of organisation to keep everything on track. Mary’s sister stepped up to the challenge though and with spreadsheets stuck to walls and the doors around the house, it was quite clear who was meant to be having what done, where and when.
The Church of the English Martyrs looks pretty impressive from the outside, but the fabulous architecture and decor gives the inside a massive wow factor! Father Liam conducted a really lovely service there supported by fantastic music from the Croydon Gospel Choir.
After the ceremony everyone moved on to Botleys Mansion. The traffic getting out of London was pretty heavy but a very warm welcome and glass of champagne greeted all the guests as they arrived. For the formal portraits we used a mix of the mansion and the open parkland around the venue as backdrops. It’s one of those venues where there are just so many opportunities for gorgeous portraits! It was then onto the group photos before the guests were called for the wedding breakfast.
Following the speeches, which had plenty of laughter and a few tears, it was on with the evening party. The dance floor was packed all night long and kept me busy recording the action until vey late. Everyone seemed to have an amazing time, Alexa and I certainly enjoyed ourselves recording this one.
Botleys Mansion Wedding