Chloe and Pete got married on 5 July 2025 in front of 90 guests at St Mary’s Church in Nantwich. Then they brought everyone back to Wrenbury Hall for 140 more come the evening. If you want to know how to throw a proper wedding, this is a good place to start. Vintage cars, a Rolex in a box, giant garden Jenga, a steel band, a vintage camper van photobooth, a saxophonist wandering through the crowd, and fireworks to finish. Nobody went home early.

They live a few streets apart in Nantwich, so I spent the morning driving between the two getting ready locations. I had a permanent grin on my face the whole time, that is how close I was cutting it. Worth it every time.

Getting ready

Chloe got ready surrounded by her bridesmaids in sage green robes, prosecco on the go before most people had finished their coffee. Her dress was from Along Came Eve Bridal, hair by Danielle Broughton Evans, makeup by Zoe Hughes. Between the three of them, Chloe looked exactly like herself, just turned up to eleven. I start coverage two and a half hours before the ceremony for exactly this reason. The getting ready hours are full of small, unrepeatable moments that get lost if nobody is there to catch them.

Across town, Pete and his groomsmen were in hunter green suits from L&J Formal Hire, with a Rolex box on the side. There was exactly the right amount of nervous energy too. I love a groom who takes getting ready seriously without taking it too seriously. Pete falls firmly into that camp. His groomsmen spent as much time winding each other up over cufflinks and ties as they did actually getting dressed. My second shooter Neil Redfern was with them for this part of the morning while I stayed with Chloe. That way nothing on the groom’s side got missed.

Back with Chloe, it was the finishing touches, makeup done, shoes and bouquet laid out, and one last toast with the bridesmaids before she got into her dress.

And a last check of the shoes for Pete before he headed off to St Mary’s.

The ceremony

St Mary’s does not do things by halves. Stone arches, stained glass in every direction, and a vicar in gold robes. He looked like he had walked straight off a film set. The aisle sat empty and waiting in the quiet before anyone arrived. It is one of my favourite shots of any church, the calm right before it fills up.

Then Chloe arrived to a proper vintage VW Beetle parked up outside the church doors. If you are going to make an entrance, that is how you do it.

The guests packed the pews, hymn books open. Near the front, a couple of the youngest guests were more interested in each other than the ceremony. That is exactly as it should be. Chloe and Pete stood at the altar and said their vows in front of all of it. For a good few minutes, neither of them looked anywhere except at each other.

And then it was official.

Mr and Mrs Bird, out the door, Pete with a fist pump that I am fairly sure nobody choreographed.

Confetti, and a very excitable flower girl

Confetti outside the church came first, then everyone piled off to Wrenbury Hall for round two.

Outside the church there were more hugs than I could count, and every one of them was worth stopping for.

Wrenbury Hall sits under a proper Cheshire sky, all red brick and drama, and it barely needs a filter.

Confetti round two happened on arrival. One small guest decided the confetti was not for throwing, it was for sitting in. Fair enough, really. By the time she was done, there was more confetti in her hair than there had been on the newlyweds.

Family formals and the garden

With that done, it was drinks on the lawn and one small guest making the most of it, before a game of giant Jenga that got far more competitive than it needed to.

Then family formals in front of the gazebo. Chloe and Pete kept the list sensible, which is always the way to do it. Quick, painless, and everyone back to their drinks in no time. The sky stayed grey and dramatic rather than actually opening on us, which for a British wedding in July counts as a result.

Wrenbury Hall’s gardens are full of hydrangeas in every shade of pink. I could not resist stealing Chloe and Pete away among them for a few minutes before the wedding breakfast. Ten minutes, maybe less, and it is always the ten minutes couples tell me afterwards they remember best. No guests, no schedule, just the two of them finally getting a moment to catch their breath.

Speeches and cake

Wedding breakfast and speeches, and the kind of laughter that has half the room wiping their eyes. Whatever was said up there clearly landed.

The evening guests arrived at 7, and Chloe and Pete came into the marquee to applause. Fairy lights overhead, everyone already on their feet.

Somewhere in the middle of all this, Chloe swapped into an evening jacket with Mrs Bird stitched across the back. It might be my favourite small detail from the whole day.

The cake came out not long after, four tiers and not a straight edge in sight. Exactly as a wedding cake should be.

Into the party

First dance at 8, and from there the marquee did not stop moving.

Ollie was on the decks, the saxophonist worked her way through the crowd mid song. By the time the foam glow sticks came out, nobody was sitting down. It is one of my favourite dancefloors to photograph, the DJ barely has to work for it. The room had already decided it was having the best night of the year.

I stole Chloe and Pete away one more time as the sun went down, and the light did exactly what I was hoping it would.

Then at quarter past ten, fireworks. Chloe and Pete kissing under a sky full of them is about as good an ending as a wedding day gets.

And from the top floor of the hall, one last wide view of the whole display. The guests were all still out on the lawn, watching it with them.

Chloe and Pete, thank you for a day that had absolutely everything in it. Vintage cars, a stunning church, giant Jenga, a saxophonist, fireworks. And a room full of people who clearly adore the two of you. You are ridiculously easy to photograph together, mostly because you cannot stop laughing at each other’s jokes. It made every single hour of this one a pleasure. Wherever the two of you go from here, I hope it is exactly this loud and exactly this much fun.

Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Bird.

With huge thanks to

• Venue: @wrenburyhall
• Videography: @jolvideography
• Hair: @daniellebroughtonevanshair
• Makeup: @zoehughes_mua
• Dress: @alongcameevebridal
• Flowers: @theflowerdivas
• Suits: @landjformalhireltd
• Photobooth: @birdie_photobooth
• Illustrator: @honeybeaillustrates
• Sax: @girl_on_sax
• DJ: @ollie_jbh
• Fireworks: @sirotechnics

Getting married at Wrenbury Hall, or anywhere else in Cheshire? Want photos that actually feel like your day rather than a set of poses? Get in touch and tell me about it. I would love to hear your plans.