An intimate winter wedding at Hampton Court House
An intimate winter wedding at Hampton Court House
Annika and Edward’s Wedding at Hampton Court House, Surrey
If there are two things I love it’s shooting winter wedding photography and being a Hampton Court House wedding photographer and Annika and Edward gave me the chance to do both at once!
Bridal Prep
On the day I caught up with Annika who was getting ready at Richmond Hill Hotel. She had her bridal party with her and everybody was in high spirits. The bridal party consisted of Annika, Mum Charlotte, Bridesmaids Celeste and Rosanna and flower girls Freya, Thea and Poppy (loved the tutu’s girls!)
Also, in attendance was the talented make-up artist and hair dresser Zoe Hickman.
Annika looked stunning in her bespoke dress that she had made at Emma Victoria Payne bridal boutique in fashionable Chelsea. A beautifully unique dress with a chiffon top with beautiful detail and a train that gave Annika a look of effortlessly glamour with the most elegant shape. Annika looked amazing!
Ceremony
The ceremony was held at All Saints Church in nearby Fulham and I got there ahead of Annika to capture the guests excitedly arriving and taking their seats. I also got a chance to catch up with Edward who was taking no chances with two best men Hugo and Tom and groomsmen Tom, Jack, Sebastian, Jonathan and Arthur. The grooms party including Annika’s Dad looked resplendent in full tails provided by the prestigious tailors Hacketts of London.
After a gorgeous ceremony Annika and Edward were treated to a tunnel of confetti as they exited the church. Not only was this my favourite memory of the day, it also produced my favourite image of the day.
Transport to the reception at Hampton Court House for Annika and Edward was a traditional London taxi and for guests a traditional red double decker bus and I would expect no less for a London wedding!
Hampton Court House Wedding Venue
There are so many reasons why I always love returning to be a Hampton Court House wedding photographer that I don’t quite know where to start. Building of this elegant mansion completed in 1757 and despite having shot weddings there several times before its impact on arrival always takes my breath away.
It’s beautiful interiors (it has a stunning main hall, a theatre, a conservatory, a dining room along with several private rooms) and its perfectly manicured gardens offer magnificent views overlooking Bushy Park. When I shoot wedding photography at Hampton Court House I am always spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing beautiful backdrops in my images.
This is an especially good Surrey wedding venue in the run up to Christmas because it’s adorned with Christmas decorations, Christmas trees and open fires that give it a wonderfully festive and cosy feel.
The Reception
On arrival Annika and Edward greeted their guests and then everybody enjoyed a drinks reception. And whilst their guests happily mingled, I quickly whisked Annika and Edward around the grounds and interiors of Hampton Court House for a mini portrait session before re-joining their guests for some group shots.
The reception was held in Hampton Court House’s beautiful dining room and after a sumptuous wedding breakfast there were some very well received speeches. As a busy London wedding photographer, I can tell you I’ve sat through hundreds of speeches and I can say that the speeches at Annika and Edwards wedding were really good with the perfect balance of humour and emotion.
Oh, and I have to mention the cake. It was a beautiful three-tiered affair and managed to look utterly modern and tradition at the same time. It really was a work of art. So much so, it warranted its own image.
Now, I love little touches at weddings as it always tells me something of my couple’s personalities and what I learned about Annika and Edward is that they love to ski. The tables were named after their favourite skiing locations and the party involved some ski shots.
The Party
I loved Annika and Edwards first dance. Edward quite literally swept Annika off her feet and spun her around on the dancefloor. This performance got the evening celebrations off to a fantastic start and it wasn’t long before the dance floor was full and there was some serious shape cutting going on.
Whilst everyone was having it large on a dancefloor, I quickly took Annika and Edward outside and they posed for a romantic after dark shot outside with beautiful Hampton Court House lit up behind them. It was an impossibly romantic shot and was the perfect image to close the story of their amazing wedding day.
A gorgeously stylish and fun winter wedding for this lovely pair. Congratulations you guys and thank you so much for having me there.
I’ll leave the last words to Annika and Edward. Here’s what they had to say about working with me.
‘We originally approached Alex about our wedding photography as he was local to our venue and we were impressed with his portfolio. Alex took the time to meet us for a drink in the pub which was useful to get to know each other, learn more about his work and style.
It was super relaxed and we did not feel at all pressured to commit to anything – this is the same service we got from Alex from start to finish. It was a real joy to have Alex photographing our big day, from the moment we booked there were surprises all along the way which really showed how much Alex valued our business and is a genuine top guy!
On our wedding day, Alex was running around all day and did not miss a moment (we had never really appreciated how tiring his job must be!). He also has great ideas for unique shots and is always looking for opportunities to capture the day beautifully.
We are so happy with our wedding photos and even the difficult choice of selecting only a few to print and for the album was made to feel relaxed and easy. Alex is super responsive on email and has a great website for managing the whole process.
We definitely got value for money and we would not hesitate to recommend to others. A huge thank you from The Salts!!’
Suppliers:
Venue: Hampton Court House
Website: https://www.fengarievents.com/hampton-court-house
Instagram Handle: @hch.events
Make up Artist and Hair Stylist: Zoe Hickman
Website: https://makeupbyzoehickman.co.uk
Instagram Handle: @makeupbyzoehickman
Dress Designer and Boutique: Emma Victoria Payne
http://www.emmavictoriapayne.com
Instagram Handle: @emmavictoriapaynebridal
Suit – Hackett
https://www.hackett.com/gb/home
Instagram Handle: @hackettlondon
Flowers: Flowers by Eve
Instagram Handle: @flowersbyeve
Cake: Cakes by Elle
Website: www.designercakesbyelle.co.uk
Instagram Handle: @designercakesbyelle
Entertainment: Jim Jams Band
Website: https://www.trevorgeorge.co.uk/act/jim-jams/Edward
Are you planning a Hampton Court Wedding? I would love to hear about your plans so please get in touch