You had me at Dorfold Hall!

Rebecca and Mike found me through the venue, who kindly have me on their preferred supplier list. So as soon as I knew where they were getting married I wanted to be their wedding photographer. As a Manchester-based wedding photographer, Dorfold Hall is fairly local but once you're there it feels like you're in another world.

I met with the Bride and Groom-to-be around 6-months before the wedding, for a quick practice / engagement shoot at the venue. Always a valuable exercise in my book, if only to get to meet each other face-to-face before the wedding itself. But it also gets those nervy first shots out of the way so that when we get to the actual wedding day, the couple feel just a little more comfortable in front of the lens. This is really helpful in catching the natural and relaxed wedding photography I love.

Dorfold Hall is just that little bit magical. "Nestled in 800 acres of idyllic English countryside, the 17th century stately home and gardens combine the best of Jacobean splendour with an unmistakably contemporary feel, alongside RIBA award-winning avant-garde event structures."

It seems like they make very good use of those 800 acres too, with stunning backdrops or hidden gardens-within-gardens around every corner. Shooting natural wedding photography here is perfect as you are presented with a 360-degree stage that is perfectly set for the wedding to simply unfold and happen in front of you.

Rebecca and Mike both expressed a preference for the more relaxed approach to their wedding photographs so we structured the day loosely around the big moments. They didn't want to be taken away from their friends and family for too long, or to feel too posey while taking couple portraits.

Because of a scheduling issue with the registrar, Rebecca and Mike got to have two ceremonies in one wedding day. The first, a touching unofficial service attended by all guests, followed by a super-fast 'official' ceremony later in the afternoon with just a handful of witnesses. This was genius from my perspective. Imagine having the chance to shoot the ceremony twice. More angles, more close-ups. Living the dream.

I loved capturing this special day for Rebecca and Mike.

Words from the couple...

"Steve was an absolute pleasure to work with for our wedding. We were looking for a photographer who would be able to focus on catching the genuine moments in the day, rather than putting the emphasis on spending large parts of our day stopping to pose for pictures. That is exactly what Steve delivered, alongside the group pictures and some pictures of us around the venue at a time of our choosing.

Large parts of the day Steve captured without us even realising he was there, meaning he captured the real, in-the- moment happiness that we all experienced during the day. Steve was a pleasure to deal with in the build up to our big day, taking time to meet with us at the venue months in advance and allowing us to plan in advance how the day would be captured. I would highly recommend working with Steve and wouldn't hesitate to use his services again."

Rebecca and Mike