Chinese wedding at Matfen Hall - Fiona and Rico

We are no strangers to photographing Chinese weddings in Newcastle. Over the years we have had the joy of attending and photographing countless Chinese weddings for local couples, and we have had the pleasure in creating long lasting friendships within the Newcastle Chinese community. We know and understand the traditional Chinese wedding customs, the fast paced fun of the day and we know that they are never the same twice.

Fiona and Rico’s big day was one such wedding. It was a feast for the eyes, Chinese wedding customs were combined with English wedding traditions resulting a multifaceted wedding day of fun and silliness, emotion and sincerity, elegance and romance.

The day started at Fiona’s family home. Inside, the ladies were busy getting ready, while outside, the street filled with family and friends, waiting for the boys to arrive. Moments after stepping out of the car, Rico was presented with a series of tasks set by the bridesmaids before being allowed entry into the house to collect his bride. The boys really got stuck into the challenges and luckily, they suitably impressed the girls. Once allowed inside, they all took part in the traditional tea ceremony before heading over to Rico’s parents home to perform the same ceremony with his family.

Later in the day, everyone poured over to Matfen Hall in Northumberland for their elegant and very English wedding ceremony and wedding breakfast.

Here are a few images from their day.

Matfen Hall - Emma and Richard

Married at Matfen Hall last summer, Emma and Richard went all out to wow their guests with spectacular visual effects.  Their elegant and minimalist day took on a different tone as we progressed into the evening.  A dance floor filled with dry ice created a dreamlike setting for their first dance as husband and wife, and a crowd-stopping firework display ended the day with a bang.  We were even treated to a red arrows fly past! 

Here's a few words from Emma...

How did you meet? How did he propose? What is your story?

'We met at work (Cooper BMW Durham). 'Richard took me back to our first holiday location in Gran Canaria and proposed on a boat in the middle of the sea before we went parasailing.'

What was the inspiration behind your wedding?

'The inspiration for our wedding was minimalistic accessories with a modern look. We wanted the wow factor so we booked dry ice for our first dance and fireworks to end the night.'

What was the most memorable or your favourite part of your wedding day? 

'I loved each and every bit of our wedding... I wish we could do it all again but if I had to pick my most memorable part that would have to be our first dance. Walking down that staircase with my husband onto a floor filled with dry ice! I will never forget that feeling and how happy I was at that moment in time with all of our family and friends around us.'

Why was photography important to you and why did you choose 2tone Photography? 

'We chose 2tone photography because we liked the idea of having 2 photographers on the morning of the wedding. It was very important for us to have photographs of both myself and my now husband on the morning of the wedding. When we met up with Nigel and Chrissie we instantly knew that they were the photographers for us. We felt so welcome and you could see the quality of their work how passionate and enthusiastic there job was to them! We absolutely love the photographs that you took of our day; the album and photo frames are spectacular!'

Do you have any advice for brides and grooms who are currently in the planning process? 

'Get a good wedding planning book and create a spreadsheet with amounts and dates things need to be paid. Just have fun! It might feel like there is loads to sort but try not to get stressed and enjoy every bit of it as your wedding date will come around so quick!'

Venue - Matfen Hall

Venue styling - The Finishing Touch Company

The wedding dress - YAP Bridal

The men's suits - Moss Bros

Wedding cake - The little elephant company

Flowers - The finishing touch company

Hair and Make up - Hair - Lisa Cameron Make Up - Gabby Walker

Entertainment - Luke Howell - magician

Fireworks - Spectrum - fireworks and dry ice

Matfen Hall - Laura and Paul

It's been far too long since I last posted.  Nigel and I have been busy all year long, photographing some incredible weddings, and I can't wait to show you them.  All the way back in April, we were very fortunate to photograph Laura and Paul's elegant wedding at Matfen Hall in Northumberland.  The sun shone, the atmosphere was fantastic, and all in all it was a really unforgettable day. 

Laura and Paul chose some amazing suppliers for their wedding day.  It was great to work alongside Lisa Jones (Hair and make up), Coco Luminaire (light up letters), Snaparazzi photobooths, and Jason Issacs for the evening entertainment.

Here are some of our favourite shots from Laura and Paul's wedding at Matfen Hall.