Something we have really noticed over the last few years in the wedding industry is that more and more people are choosing to do 'the legal bit' in a more intimate way and then go big to celebrate later...and it is something we are absolutely here for!
This is exactly what Roisin & Mark chose to do. After having their legal town hall ceremony last year, they decided to plan a big party to celebrate with all of their friends and family almost a full year later. The Arches at Dean Clough is the perfect venue for a relaxed day with a cool vibe so it made total sense that they were planning their big celebration here.
The minimal yet industrial style of the building means that any couple who gets married there can choose how to put their stamp on the space. For R&M that meant colourful florals on the tables, board games scattered around the room, a space for live music throughout the day and plenty of gorgeous twinkly lights!
Roisin wore a beautiful vintage style wedding dress with loose sleeves and an open back and the loveliest velvet shoes! She also had a super cool floral hairpiece that really set the whole look off just perfectly. Mark went for a textured dark grey suit but kept it relaxed by opting not to wear a tie.
Not wanting a non traditional wedding was one of the things that Roisin talked about in her initial enquiry. Rather than opting to have a celebrant led ceremony with their guests present, the couple chose to have the brides father read a poem and give their own thanks to everyone who had come to celebrate. They also asked a friend to play some beautiful acoustic guitar throughout the ceremony. After that they decided to kick the party off and have a 'first dance' but with everyone in the room rather than just the two of them and honestly the energy in the room was INCREDIBLE
After few hours of board games, drinks, chatting with guests and some seriously yummy vegan food (seriously...it was delicious) we made a quick exit from the party for a few portraits around the venue. As the day had begun at 3.30pm in January it was of course already dark outside...so we grabbed a video light, a flash and ran around the car park to have some fun and get creative! It should be noted that at the initial consultation both R&M had said they were fairly sure they wouldn't want any portraits on the day...so it was music to our ears when they changed their mind!
Once back inside it was time for the band (made up of the couples family and friends) to kick off the evening party! Everyone was dancing, smiling and laughing and it was such a gorgeous way to close out the night. A quick goodbye later and it was time to leave the couple and their party to dance the night away!
Having this day as our first wedding of 2023 was such an amazing way to kick off what we hope to be an incredible year of wedding photography. The venue, styling and relaxed vibe was everything we were about but the best part was seeing everyone up on the dance floor having SO much fun after a few months off during the quiet season. It was the best reminder of just why we love what we do, and how grateful we are to be rolling into 2023 with a full season coming up!
We are 90% booked for 2023 but we do still have a few dates remaining, and our books are open for 2024, so if you are looking for authentic, relaxed, storytelling images for your own wedding...get in touch soon!