Wedding Day at the Nottingham Council House Registry Office.

This wedding day was a special one and very daunting. It was my first ever wedding and I only had 4 months to prepare for it! (This may seem like a long time, but not for someone who was just starting out in wedding photography lol).

It all started with a friend messaging me asking if I was still doing photography.. Well yes! I was! So I got in touch with the bride who had explained that it was short notice but it was rather local. I accepted and we got to work! We discussed locations, times and dates along with all the intricate bits that make up a wedding. Now let me tell you this.. I had never done this before and I did not know what to accept, nor how to shoot specifically a wedding! But my mind was put to rest as all I kept being told is that 'This is not a traditional wedding'.

The location of the wedding would be at the Nottingham Council House Registry Office, mid January at 4pm! This meant it was cold, dark AND you guessed it.. wet!! Now this is not an issue for me, but it was challenging to say the least with all considering.

I first set up my camera and flash for the conditions and got to work, starting with talking to the workers of the registry office just to confirm things that are allowed and not allowed. Once I had finished that, I headed into the ceremony room and got some shots before all the guests arrived. After, I popped into the reception room and continued to photograph intricate parts there. Along the way I began to speak to a few guests who had arrived to help with bride and got to know them as quick as possible! These would be my helpers!

After around 30 minutes or so more guests arrived and I began taking pictures of them all conversing downstairs. Now again, this was not a traditional wedding. The bride and groom arrived together all fully dressed and ready to go!

An hour had passed. The guests were ushered into the ceremony room and the music began to play. It was time! And, I was absolutely bobbing my self. "Are my camera settings correct? Will the flash work? Am I in the right place? Are the guests going to be looking at me?" That is what kept rushing around my head. No rest for the wicked though!

The groom walked in and set position. Its now or never. I began taking candid shots of all the guests and the groom as they wait patiently for the bride.

(Let me just add in also.. The last wedding I had attended was my mothers, and I was 10.. So I cannot even remember how weddings work! God help me, I thought.)

The bridesmaid began walking down the isle, time to take up centre (ish) position.

At this exact moment, all my fears and worries had just vanished!

She was there! The bride! Wearing a black dress and a black and blue bridal bouquet. Amazing.

I began taking shots of the bride and groom. When she finally arrived at the alter, I took up position at the back of the room as not to disturb the ceremony with my flash and camera noises. Last thing I wanted was the bride and groom to be bombarded with a face full of light along with 'click click click' as they were sealing the deal.

The ceremony ends, I quickly usher my self half way down the isle to capture the married couple walking back up the isle. All the happy faces, cheers and laughter was so motivating!

Eventually everyone entered the reception room. I needed a drink of water. With camera in hand I followed suite and began conversing with the guests, asking my little helpers from before to round up family and start planning on the next phase.. Family photoshoots! This was super fun though.

I decided the best place for these shots were on the stairs leading up to the function room. It gave me Downton Abby vibes. Beautiful.

So we began shooting!

There was lots of laughs, smiles and jokes flying around but more importantly the bride and groom were super happy!

I will not bore you too much of the rest of the night as a lot of it was just capturing candid moments of all the guests and the bride and groom, but to say this was my first wedding.. What an introduction into this industry it was. I loved every single minute of it and afterwards I craved more!

So there we have it, that was a wedding photoshoot at the Nottingham Council House Registry Office, in January AND it was also my first ever wedding to shoot.

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