Ketton; an idyllic village not far from Stamford has many stone built houses and a rich history. The church, St Mary the Virgin is set high up next to roadside and commands beautiful views as you approach. Inside, the church has a great air of space with beautiful light which floods through the enormous stained glass window to the end. Ketton Church was a meaningful and natural choice for their wedding ceremony and perfectly located with Ketton Hall a mere couple of hundred yards walk over the stone bridge.

Matt and Louise now live and work in London. Matt, who grew up on a farm a stones throw from the beaches of north Devon. He serves as a Major in the British army and is frankly one of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet. Its not hard to see why he’s earnt a well deserved, unblemished service record, still in his early thirties he now serves his country in Whitehall. Louise originally from the area has roots in Ketton and enjoyed growing up in the area with close family and friends.

When we first spoke; Matt and Louise had explained to me that they wanted a very natural approach from me. I shot much of the build up with little interaction or interruption, choosing to capture the real moments. As well as conveying the energy of their wedding and key events like guests walking from Ketton Church later on to the wedding marquee 500 or so yards at Ketton Hall. I knew that Matt & Louise would appreciate plenty of photographs of the personal details associated with their wedding day like the marquee and decorations, rustic flower arrangement’s and wedding cakes. Especially personal where the table settings; the drift wood was collected from Matts local beach in Devon so I made time to capture as much as possible.

Louise and Matt where keen that as many of the physical details of their carefully planned wedding where creatively captured; much of which Louise had spent many an hour researching and bringing to life! So during our pre-wedding phone call together we outlined how I would shoot and what we’d aim to achieve at various parts day. In reality, bride & groom where able to enjoy themselves to the full and we executed everything like clockwork.

With the wedding ceremony scheduled for 2pm I was to meet and shoot some documentary images of Matt, his Groomsman and family in The Railway pub 20 yards from Ketton Church itself. I love the variety which photographing weddings brings and this day was made more special by Matt how wore his immaculate number one’s complete with sword.

As the ceremony approached I positioned myself to capture Matt’s short walk from the pub and arrival at church. Shortly after Louise’s bridesmaids made the walk down the hill and a finally the moment we had all waited for our bride, Louise accompanied by her Brother Ben and Sandy who kindly opened his house for the reception.

The church was filled and the wedding ceremony a joyous and emotional affair went without a hitch.

Exiting the church everyone was keen to congratulate Matt and Louise and I took the opportunity to join the resulting melee shooting some of what you can see here.

Cold refreshing Pimms awaited guests in the shade of the grounds and wedding guests mingled, laughed and enjoyed themselves before we commenced the pre-planned group photographs.

As a photographer I always try to make the most of any opportunity, time during a wedding day is often one the biggest challenges and I aim to make the most of it for all of my clients. There was to be no receiving line, so after some further mingling guests where ushered to the marquee to find their tables.

We had already planned that we would take the opportunity to spend a few quieter moments together and would shoot a few photos around the gardens before returning to the marquee where the arrival of the newlyweds would be announced.

Matt and Lousie had come up with a wonderful idea that Wedding Breakfast would be a roast. Each table had a designated carver complete with personalised apron!

After dinner speeches included Matt being required to play the trombone and the cutting of the wonderful wedding cakes.

Wherever possible and should time allow, I always like to give the bride and groom an opportunity to take a walk together later on during their wedding day. Another opportunity for them to spend some calm, quality time together chatting and just taking it all in.

Relaxed and full of tales to discuss from their wedding day, a tremendous warm glow in the sky as the sun began to set I simply asked Matt and Louise to take a walk together on one of the lawns away from prying eyes whilst I kept wedll back and shot the series you see below.