The Salt House, formerly known as Standon Hall, is a red stone manor in Staffordshire, and this shot of it reflected in one of my mirrors is one of my favourites from the whole day. Kim and Jordan married there on the 13th of September, 64 of them for the day and another 120 who joined once the sun went down. Sage green, tan and a lot of white flowers. An acoustic duo. A neon sign that said Better Together, which is exactly the kind of detail I am here for. Here is how the day went.

Getting ready

Kim’s dad set the tone for the whole day before I had even got the cameras properly warmed up. The pair of them stood together dabbing at their eyes with tissues, which is always the moment I know a wedding is going to be a good one to shoot.

Then a quiet minute with her dad on the stairs before they headed down together, the two of them dressed and ready with the whole day still ahead. I always shoot these in black and white. Something about that staircase asked for it.

The ceremony

Two o’clock, guests seated from one, and a flower girl doing the important work of scattering petals down the aisle before anyone else moved.

Kim walked down on her dad’s arm, guests smiling either side.

Jordan was already wiping away tears before she had even reached him. That is my favourite kind of groom.

Vows read, rings exchanged, the kind of close up hand holding shot that only happens for about four seconds and you have to be ready for it.

Then the kiss, the whole room on its feet, and straight after that the two of them signing the register surrounded by white flowers while the acoustic duo played the room through the pause.

Confetti and celebrations

Married. Officially. And the celebrating started before they had even made it back up the aisle.

Then out into the confetti, which never gets old no matter how many times I shoot it. Petals everywhere, a proper tunnel of guests either side, and a hug for Kim from a friend the second she was through it that told you exactly how loved she is.

Family, friends and the group shots

Family formals at Salt House are an easy job because the gardens do half the work for you. Family gathered in the sunshine in a series of groups that got bigger and louder as the afternoon went on.

Then a few quieter one on one moments with Jordan, before the whole bridal party piled in together, bridesmaids in sage green and groomsmen in tan.

And obviously, at some point, the groomsmen had to have a moment entirely to themselves.

Golden hour portraits

This is the bit of the day I always look forward to most, and Salt House delivered. Kim and Jordan slipped off into the grounds while the light went gold, through long grasses and flowers that lit up like they were on fire.

A sit down on the stone steps to catch their breath, and this is the shot that happens when two people stop performing for the camera and just enjoy each other for a second.

Speeches, cake and the party

Back inside for the wedding breakfast, the groomsmen leading the charge into the reception room to a wall of applause.

Then Kim, arm in the air, to the loudest cheer of the lot.

Speeches happened under a wall of white flowers and a Better Together sign that I am fairly sure will end up on somebody’s Pinterest board by the end of the week. Kim’s dad pulled Jordan in for a hug mid speech that got the whole room going, and Kim was not far behind him, wiping away a few happy tears of her own.

Somewhere in the mix the groomsmen got themselves into one properly ridiculous group photo, the kind you only get once the champagne has done its job.

Then cake cut, first dance done, and the evening crowd arrived to double the numbers and the noise. Kim spent a good chunk of the night airborne, lifted and spun by anyone who could get their arms around her.

And a very lively send off with the champagne well and truly flowing to close the night out.

That is the thing I keep coming back to with Kim and Jordan’s day. Dads crying before the ceremony even started, a bridal party who could not stop laughing, and a couple who looked, all day, like they simply could not believe their luck. Salt House gave them the light and the setting, but the two of them brought the rest of it themselves. Congratulations you two. Thank you for having me.

With huge thanks to

• Venue: Salt House
• Dress: Lucy Alexander Bridal
• Suits: Peter Posh
• Hair: Nicola Marie Hair
• Makeup: Beauty by Emily
• Styling and florals: Little Events
• Cake: A Love for Cakes
• Catering: Fork and Field Catering
• Live music: H.P. Acoustic Duo
• DJ: RMH Entertainments

Thinking about your own wedding at Salt House?

I am a Staffordshire wedding photographer and I would happily shoot at Salt House every weekend if they would let me. 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.