Priest House Wedding Photographer

Getting Married at the Priest House Hotel in Derbyshire

Lizzie and Mark contacted me back in January and asked if I’d be their Priest House wedding photographer. The hotel is set in a fantastic location, nestled against the banks of the River Trent in Derbyshire. If you’re looking for a venue with a backdrop of beautiful countryside, this definitely has it.

emotional moment between bride and her father

newlyweds announced in to their wedding breakfast

couple's daughter giving guests high fives

relaxed couple portrait priest house derbyshire

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I arrived early and after taking a few moments just to admire the view I entered the hotel and soon found Mark and his groomsmen with a box of buttonholes and a tub of what appeared to be the bluntest pins in the world. What followed was a steady stream of bent pins and colourful language. They got there in the end though. So I went up to Lizzie’s room to capture some of the bridal prep.

With two hairdressers and a make-up artist, the room was a hive of activity even before you added Lizzie’s bridesmaid and friends into the mix. Still, I much prefer a busy and lively hotel room to a quiet one. Once Lizzie had her dress on it was time for her dad to see her and it was a wonderfully emotional moment. It’s maybe one of my favourite moments of the wedding morning. I left Lizzie with her little entourage to gather themselves and made my way to the ceremony room to get myself into position.

The Wedding Ceremony

After a ceremony which was filled with smiles and laughter (and maybe the odd happy tear) the guests followed the newlyweds out of the ceremony room to a reception room for champagne and to make the most of the great weather the afternoon had brought with it.

Soon the guests were being called to join the queue for the receiving line, on their way to finding their seat in the upstairs reception room at the hotel. After the meal, with the plates cleared and coffee on it’s way, the speeches began. First up was Lizzie’s dad who gave a lovely, emotional speech. During Mark’s speech, he prompted a toast with an exotic spirit they’d brought back from their travels. As you can see from the photographs, it wasn’t enjoyed by all guests.

After Sunset

With the sun dipping in the sky, and the light much softer, we nipped outdoors to take a couple of relaxed portraits of Lizzie and Mark. Although natural, documentary-style wedding photography is why they asked me to cover their wedding, one or two relaxed portraits are a lovely reminder of the day.

As the sun set outside all eyes were on the dance floor for the first dance, though I’m not entirely sure they were all looking at the newly married couple, as their daughter fancied a bit of the spotlight for herself. The first dance was followed by a surge to the dance floor, which is always great to see. It doesn’t feel like a wedding’s complete without some crazy dancing and, in the case, some fingerless neon-pink gloves.