I got to visit Cider Mill Barns for the first time for Chloe & Jay’s wedding at the end of July. After a quick reccie of the venue, I knew this was going to be a really fun one to photograph.
One of my favourite things about Cider Mill Barns is the light. There’s so much natural light throughout the venue, and it makes SUCH a difference to wedding photos. The team were also brilliant and couldn’t have done more to look after Chloe, Jay and all of us suppliers throughout the day.
Wedding Prep at Cider Mill Barns
We started with some detail photos while Chloe was getting ready. I actually love starting this way as it gives everyone a chance to get used to me and the camera being around, without immediately having a camera in their face!
Then it was time for the dress.
Chloe’s mum had bought her a beautiful bracelet, which was such a lovely little moment, followed by some very emotional reveals with her bridesmaids and dad. There were tears all round before the ceremony had even started, so I made a mental note of who I needed to keep an eye on during the speeches later!
An Outdoor Ceremony in the Vineyard
It was a gorgeous summer day, so Chloe & Jay had their ceremony outside in the vineyard before everyone headed over to the courtyard for drinks.
I borrowed a step ladder from the venue for some fun full group photos from above before letting everyone get back to enjoying cocktail hour.
The couple really wanted lots of candid photos of their guests, so we built this into their timeline from the start. This meant they had plenty of time to actually hang out with everyone, while still getting the photos they wanted throughout the day.
When it was time for family photos, we headed back towards the ceremony space. It gave us a lovely clean backdrop and a little bit of breathing room away from the rest of the guests.
I always get couples to put together a group photo list beforehand too, which means we can rattle through these quickly and get everyone back to the drinks!
Couple Portraits at Cider Mill Barns
As guests were being shown into the reception, I took Chloe & Jay away for about 10 minutes for some couple portraits.
This is one of my favourite ways to do portraits on a wedding day. You don’t need to disappear for an hour to get some gorgeous photos together. A quick wander around the vineyard gives us plenty to work with, and then we can always do another little session later on.
We headed back inside just in time for their entrance.
Wedding Breakfast & Emotional Speeches
After the wedding breakfast came the speeches, and they were seriously emotional. The groom’s speech in particular got me going!
The natural light in the reception space at Cider Mill Barns was gorgeous, and it meant I could photograph all those reactions without relying on flash. Lots of laughing, crying and happy faces – exactly the kind of stuff I want to capture.
Golden Hour Wedding Photos
One of the best things about a summer wedding is getting a bonus cocktail hour after dinner while the room is turned around.
For Chloe & Jay, this meant more time for candid photos with their guests before we headed outside again for golden hour.
This is always one of my favourite parts of the day. By this point, everyone is properly settled in, the nerves have disappeared and couples have had a chance to relax and enjoy themselves.
The light was soft and warm, so we had another quick wander around the vineyard and got some fun, relaxed photos, including a few dip kisses!
Then it was back inside for the cake cutting.
Live Music & A Packed Dancefloor
The evening kicked off with an amazing live band and a very busy dancefloor.
Chloe & Jay had also brought personalised sunglasses for everyone, which made for some brilliant photos!
This is where I love to step back and let things happen. No awkward posing, just getting stick in and capturing wedding guests dancing, laughing, hugging and having the best time. The live band addition always adds to this too, they’re so good at keeping the energy in the room high!
Then, it was time to head home and back up all their photos and get their previews ready for the morning!
Cider Mill Barns Wedding Photographer
Chloe & Jay’s day was such a good one, and I loved getting to photograph my first wedding at Cider Mill Barns.
If you’re planning your own Cider Mill Barns Wedding and looking for natural, relaxed Cider Mill Barns Wedding Photos, I’d love to hear from you.
You can get in touch to check my availability and tell me all about your plans.
