Colourfully does it

Photography tag team

Fiona and Will had their wedding at one of my favourite local venues, Kelmarsh Hall. It’s always a pleasure to capture a wedding there and never gets old.

They booked my two-photographer service. Which meant they could have photos of both of them getting ready – Will at home and Fiona at their venue. This was lovely for their ceremony too, where we were able to photograph from different angles. That’s particularly helpful with the Saloon’s ceremony layout which means you can neither cover everything from one spot nor move around. And during the drinks reception, with limited time, we were able to capture natural pictures of their guests as well as some traditional groups and portraits. 

“Sarah is honestly the best photographer we could’ve imagined for our wedding. She helped us plan our photos to make sure we had all the time for our guests. She was so fun on the day and made everyone so comfortable when taking the photos. Thank you, Sarah, for capturing our best day ever in the most perfect way.” Fiona & Will

Flowers, flowers… and some more flowers!

Bright flowers, created by Fieldgate Flowers, adorned every surface, hand, and buttonhole. And the vibrant colours and whimsical spring flowers looked so fun and cheery. So much so that as Fiona walked down the aisle she excitedly gushed: “Will! Look at all these flowers!” Yep, you couldn’t not smile at them. 

A family friend of theirs is a registrar with the Northamptonshire marriage registration service (handy!) and they managed to arrange for her to lead their ceremony. So there was an extra layer of warmth and personality to their vows.

After the ceremony, Fiona and Will hid away for a few moments whilst their guests created a path down the steps ready for some serious confetti throwing! After a petal shower, they led their guests around to the tea terrace for drinks, canapes, and garden games in the sun.

The only thing missing from their day was an adorable four-legged VIP – their dog, Dexter. But Fiona and Will proudly popped a framed family photo on the registrar’s table to keep him close.

A venue for all seasons

If you’ve seen my Kelmarsh Hall wedding photography page, you’ll know how much I love this place. The world is your grazing board when it comes to backgrounds for photos here.

There are some nice shady spots under the trees for group photos (so no squinty eyes!), as well as beautiful foliage and colour in the walled garden throughout the year. There are some lovely indoor options too, with the Chinese Room and the Library making ideal spaces for window-lit portraits. We worked quickly to fit these photos in while everyone else was finding their seats for the wedding breakfast.

Then, after dinner, we went for a walk down to the lake to capture some romantic golden hour photos. And there we stayed until the sun went down and the moon came up. This is a great time of day for a portrait session. It’s more relaxed when all the formalities are out of the way and the light is always at its best. But if you still have a choreographed first dance ahead, it’s another chance to practice your moves! Although Fiona’s Dad seemed to have those down for everyone!

Planning a countryside wedding?

I merrily skip around photographing weddings at Kelmarsh Hall throughout the year. So if you’re planning a wedding there and would like a relaxed photographer to capture your day just as it happens – with a few portraits thrown in for good measure – I’d love to join you.

Credit where credit’s due

Photography: Sarah Vivienne That’s me! Hi, hey, hello! | Venue: Kelmarsh Hall | Flowers: Fieldgate Flowers | Fiona’s dress: Essence of Australia | Hair: Lucy Locks | MakeUp: Jo Tromans | Styling: Today’s the Day Event Hire | Catering: Portfolio Events |