Jess and Cy got married at Salt House on the 6th of July, 79 of them for the day and another 120 once the evening crowd arrived. This is one of my favourite venues to shoot, all red sandstone and beautiful gardens, and Jess and Cy made full use of every bit of it. They told me before the day that they wanted to run around and get the most out of the place, and that is exactly what we did. The sun stayed with us the whole afternoon too, which never hurts. Champagne coloured bridesmaids, tan suits, gypsophila bouquets everywhere, and two people who could not stop laughing at each other all day. Here is how it went.

Before the ceremony

Jess got ready in the pamper room upstairs, Cy in his own room downstairs, and by early afternoon both were properly running on nerves. The bridesmaids saw Jess in her dress for the first time just before 1.30, and the whole room went off, gasps, hands over mouths, a few tears before the ceremony had even started.

Downstairs, Cy was doing his best to hold it together while he waited for his bride. I do not think it worked.

The ceremony

Jess walked in on her own, straight down to Cy, no messing about.

There was a quiet, thoughtful touch to the ceremony too, a photo and a single rose set aside in memory of a family member who could not be there in person. It did not go unnoticed by anyone in that room. Cy welled up almost immediately, and Jess was straight over to wipe his face for him before they had even properly started.

They pulled it back together fast, mind you, laughing and holding hands like the nerves had never happened.

Bridesmaids and family were not far behind him on the tears front.

Rings on.

Even the groomsmen had a laugh mid ceremony, which is always a good sign.

Then the bit everyone had been waiting for, first kiss as a married couple, under a proper floral arch, guests going wild either side.

Confetti and celebrations

Out into the sunshine for confetti, and Salt House’s sandstone frontage did all the work as a backdrop. Proper confetti too, thrown hard, the kind that gets in your hair and your shoes for the rest of the day.

Bridesmaids piled in for hugs the second the confetti settled, still laughing from the walk through.

Jess had plenty of hugs to get through, including one particularly emotional one.

Family, friends and the group shots

Salt House’s gardens are one of my favourite spots for family formals, all that greenery and not a bad angle in sight. Jess and Cy worked through their list properly, starting with some of the people closest to them.

Then grandparents.

Both mums together.

The wider family group.

And a couple of quieter ones with each mum in turn.

Then the whole bridal party together, champagne and tan working beautifully side by side.

Jess and her bridesmaids, gypsophila bouquets and all.

And the groomsmen holding it together for about thirty seconds of seriousness.

Speeches and cake

Guests lined the room waving napkins as Jess and Cy made their entrance to the wedding breakfast, which is one of my favourite traditions to photograph.

Cy stood up to speak not long after, and did himself proud.

I pulled the two of them away for a few minutes to get one of my favourite portraits of the whole day, using one of my mirrors to catch the sky and the two of them at once.

First dance and the party

The groomsmen found their way into Salt House’s games room at some point in the evening, and it turned out to be perfect timing. It was Euro 2024 quarter final night, England against Switzerland, and the game went all the way to penalties. This is exactly the kind of moment I go looking for once the formal bits are done, the ones nobody plans and everybody remembers.

First dance, done properly on a dance floor that lit up like the night sky underneath them.

And then straight into the kind of dancing that does not stop for anyone, Jess right in the middle of it.

Golden hour portraits

This is always the part of the day I look forward to most, and Jess and Cy gave me a genuinely stunning one. We slipped away from the party for ten minutes or so once the light turned properly gold, starting with a quiet moment under the trees, light breaking through the leaves behind them.

Then out into the open, long shadows stretching right across the lawn.

One more close one before the light finally went, foreheads together, completely wrapped up in each other and paying no attention to me whatsoever.

And because they had specifically asked me for it, the cheeky one. They were adamant they wanted it, so here it is, exactly as requested, roses and all.

Jess and Cy, thank you for having me. You two are so easy together, and it showed in every single photo I took, right through to the sparklers at the end of the night. I hope you love these as much as I loved taking them.

With huge thanks to

• Venue: Salt House
• Hair: James
• Makeup: SJM Beauty
• Flowers: The Flower Shop, Eccleshall
• Entertainment: The Wedding Sounds (DJ and sax)
• Entertainment: Anthony Croft (violin)
• Venue styling: The Wedding House, Droitwich
• Dress: Georgina Scott Bridal
• Groom’s suit: Peter Posh
• Groomsmen suits: Blooms

Thinking about your own wedding at Salt House?

I am a Staffordshire wedding photographer and Salt House is one of my favourite venues to shoot. If you are planning a wedding there, or anywhere else nearby, get in touch and let’s have a chat.

More from Salt House: my Salt House wedding photographer page has more real weddings from these gardens, plus what the venue is actually like to get married in.