Yesterday I joined Jennifer & Simon to photograph their wedding at recently renovated Mansion in Roundhay Park, Leeds.

I grew up in Roundhay and know the area well. The Mansion has undergone a massive refurb in recent years and has become a seriously cool place place to have your wedding!  It recently reopened it’s doors under the hands of Dine Catering (who I did some Leeds Guide photography for a while back in this post here) and the formerly ‘tired-old-man-pub’ interior has literally been transformed!

We all had such a wonderful day, blessed by fantastic weather. But most importantly Jennifer, Simon & all their guests we’re really chilled out and managed to get the most out of all the lovely details they’d incorporated into their day.  They tried their best to use local suppliers for everything (hence me!) to create a traditional, but relaxed wedding celebration.

I joined Jenni & the girls for their hair & makeup at Padd Hair Studio over the road from Jenni’s pad in Adel.

For the shutterbugs out their, I recently bought a whole bunch of tasty prime lenses (24 f1.4, 35 f1.4 & 50 f1.2) to shoot ‘wide-open’ and without flash more, but after a while using them I’ve come to find that I still love bouncing in flash off-camera (flash set to slave & triggered with an ST-E2) to give my preparation shots that bit of punch. In a lot of my images it’s like playing guess where I hid the flash.  Where is it in this one?

Jenni wanted to know how her makeup looked, so I papped her & showed her on my camera screen! Looks great eh!?

Back at the ranch I was out looking for somewhere to shoot the flowers (it was so sunny there was an major lack of shade!), and I liked this spot of the dress 

Inside was an amusing husband-to-be warning 

In the end, my fave bouquet shot was inside on a tablecloth that matched the flowers beautifully.

The flora was exquisitely done as ever by the wonderful Firenza Floral Design.  I always think their work looks great with a bit of vintage processing!

Here’s Jenni’s bridesmaid & brother-in-law practicing John Lennon’s ‘God Bless Our Love’, which they played while the registers were being signed.

Weeeeeeeeny flower girl shoes!

Over with the guys getting ready at The Village Hotel, Clare caught up with Simon & his bezzy man/bro Philip, putting a few last minute touches to his speech

I always like a shot of the chaps helping fix each other up.

I’m liking Clare’s ringshot, on a sofa!  I love how Simon’s ring looks like the Lord Of The Rings ‘One Ring’, reflecting the pattern around it 

This is another storyteller I love of Clares.

In spite of often only having to pop on a suit, guys so often have so many jobs to do that they rarely take a moment to pause & reflect.

As well as an ace shot of the girls bouquets, it’s great to get a powerful shot of the guys suit scheme.

From the Village Hotel, Jenni & Simon booked a wicked 1960s vintage bus to shuffle guests around.

I love how inside were still no spitting signs!

The bus was another locally based (family run) company called the Yorkshire Heritage Bus Company

Another wash of bounce flash across the girls helping the gorgeous Jenni into her gown

Again, I love to show all the little details, and snap the thought that’s been put into the theme

And here’s out lovely bride, good to go!

Dad was cool.

I adore the light on this quick grab of Jenni leaving the house!

As I went to the front to wish Simon luck, he said he was 80% excited and 20% nauseous!

A quick pre-flight check from the bride…

I love this one of Clare’s from the back.  I’m always encouraging her to find creative compositions and this cheeky crop floats my boat.

I won’t lie to you, but the vicar kinda sprung this kiss on us and as I threw up the camera to my face I saw I only had the dreaded 1 frame left!

Fortunately I’ve got reactions like a cat.  Or the luck of the Irish.

Mr & Mrs!

It was one of those SUPER bright days photographers think they want then grow to dread!

But we got this cracker of everyone…

…followed by a brilliant confetti moment!

Onto the buses we clambered and over to The Mansion we trundled

I like this one of the newlyweds in front of the punchy bus & blue sky

Meanwhile, round the back we got one of Dad’s messing about!

One advantage of the sun is that everyone gets outside and laps up the sunshine.  I do believe humans are slightly solar powered.

I also love the old granny on the right, getting her gate crash on.

Them grannies love their Pimm’s!

After a good mingle, we took the happy couple for a quick slightly windy, super sunny portrait sesh in the park

At times the veil was more of a sail, but I like the flow in this one.

We dug out one of Roundhay Park’s many bandstands for a bit of vintage backgroundage.

On their pre-wedding shoot we used a different bandstand that had a bunch of chavs inside who refused to move.

(If you didn’t see their pre-wedding practice shoot, check them out here.)

After the group lineups, we had a little fun with the wedding party

The dudes, looking cool

And a cheeky jumpshot!  I love the two groomsmen at the back!

Inside, they’d put out a table of old pics from parent & sibling marriages, as well as a family shot on the stairs in the old Mansion.

Also, one keen family member popped into a lab after the ceremony to develop & frame one of their snaps to pop on the table! Nice!

The wedding breakfast room looked great as always

And the cake looked super classy!  I love how on all their stationary they used their JGS branded logo!

Speeches were great, delivered from the heart with the aim to embarrass!

Their surprise 1st dance was a full choreographed routine to Jack Johnson’s ‘Better Together’, performed by an amazing live band!

We stopped long enough to catch this chap take the floor by storm with some freestyle moves!

And left the party to run on into the night in the same great spirits that ran through the day!

Thank you Jenni & Simon, and all your friends and family, for making us feel so fantastically welcome at your wonderful wedding!

We both hope you have an awesome time on your honeymoon in Aus!  Say hi to the wizard from me…

x

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