Garden marquee wedding at Newton Hall - Sarah and Clifford

Sarah and Clifford, well what can I say about these two?  It has to simply be fabulously fun and a laugh a minute.  It was a joy to photograph their special day last summer in Northumberland.  

Sarah was lead down the aisle of St Michael's church in Alnwick by their two very cute little boys dressed in straw boaters and carrying signs and their daughter looking every bit the young lady.  After the ceremony, they all jumped into their wedding car to head down to Newton Hall.  Not the same Newton Hall that you may have already heard of, this Newton Hall is located in Newton on the Moor and is owned by a close friend of theirs who had agreed to allow them to set up a huge marquee on the grounds. The American flag hoisted up onto the flag pole was a nod to the time that they both spent living in New York and the place that they first met.  It was a fantastic day, seriously fun and a privilege to be a part of.

Linden Hall - Nicola and Andy

Word of mouth is so often the very best referral's you can receive and when it comes down to something as precious as choosing who to trust to capture your wedding day in the way you want to remember it, it becomes essential to find a perfect fit.  Our first contact from Nicola and Andy was from a direct recommendation from a friend and very well established local wedding photographer.  Nicola and Andy got in touch, popped over for a chat and quickly booked us for their wedding at St Aidan's Catholic Church in Ashington and their reception at Linden Hall in Northumberland.

Linden Hall on Nicola and Andy's beautiful mid July wedding day.

I started my day as usual with the girls in the bridal suite as they prepared for the wedding.

It was great to work along side the super talented Lisa Cameron styling the girls hair.

A great father and daughter moment.  Nicola's dad is beaming with pride for his daughter as she helps him with his cuff links.

Nigel meanwhile is downstairs with the lads as their prepare in Linden Hall's entrance hall

Until you are a mother to a daughter yourself, I don't think you can ever understand the true strength of the bond that naturally exists between you both.   A precious unforgettable moment for both girls, Nicola's mum lovingly helps her into the gown that she has carefully chosen to wear on her wedding day.  One day I hope that I will also be given the opportunity to share in this special moment with my own little girl.  

I love this pretty portrait of Nicola standing in the window of the bridal suite of Linden Hall.  The natural light catches her hair as it gently falls over her face, and with a thoughtful smile she is ready for the rest of the day to begin.

Nicola's dad escorted her gown Linden Hall's grand staircase.

The wedding ceremony took place in the stunning St Aidan's Catholic Church in Ashington.  

I love this moment, this gesture from the vicar to a member of the family clearly shows how everyone was welcomed open arms into the church.  The atmosphere was warm, inviting and one of love and humility.  

Andy's brother Daniel is a vicar himself and was overjoyed to be given the honour of marrying them.  He made the ceremony very personal for the both of them, added a little humor and fun and made it an unforgettable experience for them.  

Daniel, Andy and an usher make time for a quick last minute selfie before Nicola arrives. 

Nicola photographed in her wedding car looks completely stunning.  

Andy is prepped for the brides arrival and the procession begins.

Sticking to tradition, Andy doesn't turn to meet his bride's gaze...

...but when he does turn, he can't take his eyes off of her.

We love to find unusual angle to take photographs from, and this is a great example, setting the scene of this wedding ceremony and allowing us to see really how beautiful St Aidan's church in Ashington really is.

Daniel lovingly compares his brother and sister in law with Mr Potato Head and Ariel the little mermaid!

Daniel passes Nicola's ring to his brother Andy.

He pronounces them man and wife and they are married.

I love this shot.  It is a photograph with a double meaning.  The little girl is being comforted by the vicar.  The image sends us a message of welcoming and love from the church to the community.  This little girl happens to be Daniel the vicar's daughter.  She hadn't seen her daddy much that day and was missing him terribly.  She watched him perform his duties throughout the ceremony and could wait no longer to be with him.  

We all head on over to Linden Hall, a beautiful mansion house set just outside of Longhorsley in Northumberland.

The tree lined road winding up to Linden Hall makes for some gorgeous photograph opportunities.

Spots of shade from the trees give us some dramatic light to play with.

Nicola and Andy dressed the tables in the Bigge suite in Linden Hall with fresh white linen, alternating pink and white organza chair sashes, bird cages filled with pink and white flowers on the tables and fairy lights wound around the pillars. 

Fab photographs of the speeches once again.  We are loving the embarrassed expressions on poor Andy's face as his best man Mike tells everyone his secrets!

Live music and a little mood lighting help create a perfect atmosphere for the evening party in Linden Hall's Bigge suite.

Nicola and Andy take to the floor and share their first dance together as man and wife.

A wonderful message from our happy couple was waiting for us in our inbox just a few days after receiving their wedding images.

“We just wanted to say that we’ve looked at our photos and they are beautiful. Absolutely stunning and perfect. Our friends and family all think they are absolutely amazing too! We can’t wait to get some printed... and of course see the album!! ”

— Nicola and Andy

We are both delighted that you love your photographs and we hope that they bring you many years of happiness and joy.  We were delighted to be invited to be a small part of your day.  Your beautiful Queensberry Duo feature album is getting hand made in New Zealand right now and it's going to be out of this world gorgeous!  I am so looking forward to handing it over to you both for safe keeping!