A Family Affair in the Lake District

It was a privilege to be part of Stuart and Justyna’s stunning wedding at their family home in Arnside.  Justyna and Stu wisely hired me for a pre-wedding photoshoot the month before and so I was really looking forward to celebrating their big day with them. Wedding Pre-Shoots are always beneficial as they allow me to really get to know the couple before the big day – their personalities, preferences, how comfortable they are in front of the camera etc. They also make sure that I can hit the ground running on the wedding day – when time is of the essence.  

Pre Wedding shots –  Capturing Precious Memories From the Ground & The Sky  

I arrived at the house to find Stuart and Justyna in the initial stages of their wedding preparations. The atmosphere was relaxed and joyful, with everyone taking their time to soak in these precious pre-ceremony moments. The house buzzed with excitement as the couple prepared to say their vows, surrounded by the people who mean the most to them. I love this part of the day, it’s so rich photographically and as it’s a time where the bride and groom don’t usually see each other, so wonderful to document it for them both. Using the incredible space that the house offered, it was brilliant to get the drone out and capture the preparations from a unique angle – both parties at the same time, that’s a first for me! I’ve got to say Elizabeth Edwards Flowers had done an amazing job of decorating the venue – it really added to the atmosphere.

A Ceremony to Remember at Arnside Methodist Church

The wedding ceremony took place at the charming Arnside Methodist Church. The church, with its warm ambiance provided a beautiful setting for Stuart and Justyna to exchange their vows in front of their closest family and friends. It was a stunning wedding ceremony with the vicar even referencing their shared love of ‘Lord Of The Rings.’

I was asked to stand at the back of the church for the ceremony which can really prove challenging for a wedding photographer. Luckily, I’ve shot over 400 weddings(all from the front!) so knew how to capture the essence of the ceremony without being at the front which resulted in beautiful shots that I think really convey the emotion of the day.   

Fun and Laughter at Arnside Pier

After the ceremony, we made our way to Arnside Pier for a relaxed, joyful photo shoot. The picturesque pier provided a great backdrop for the photos. We shot here during our pre-shoot so had planned some shots including this ice cream shot. It has to be said that it was considerably windier on this occasion! It did make for some great images of Justyna’s veil having a mind of its own though and I love how this shot turned out. 

A Lively Celebration Back at the Family Home

While we were at the pier, the guests back at the house were already in full swing, enjoying the Echo Strings Quartet who also played during the ceremony . The atmosphere was infectious – with a free bar helping the festivities to move along merrily! Stuart and Justyna then made their grand entrance into the wedding breakfast. Guests waved their napkins high in the air, cheering loudly as the couple entered—a moment that perfectly captured the joyful spirit of the day.

A Touch of Tradition and Capturing Chance Moments  

Justyna’s Polish heritage was beautifully woven into the celebrations, with many of her family and friends making the journey from Poland to be there. It was touching to witness the support and love surrounding her. The wedding speeches were particularly emotional, with the bridesmaid (and bridesman) thoughtfully providing subtitles!

I flew the drone during the speeches when I was able to capture hundreds of people walking from Arnside to Grange Over Sands for the Guide Over Sands Trust. They marched right past the guests during the speeches which made for some brilliant pictures. I love capturing chance moments such as this.   

A Feast to Remember

As passionate foodies, Stuart and Justyna had high expectations for their wedding meal, and ‘Foray Catering’ did not disappoint. The meal was nothing short of spectacular—the best wedding food I’ve ever had (and I’ve attended quite a few weddings!) I love to cook, it’s a real artform and if I could have produced this quality for 2 people (let alone hundreds,) I’d have been doing cartwheels. To produce this supreme quality of food for a whole wedding party is hard to get my head around and I’m very grateful to have been able to enjoy the food with the guests. (Before jumping straight back into action may I add – there’s never really a downtime for a wedding photographer!)  

Dancing, Cake, and Fireworks

As the evening unfolded, the ‘Rolling Keys‘ kept the dance floor alive with their energetic performance. The music only paused for the cutting of the (cheese) cake and the incredible fireworks display that lit up the night sky – a fitting finale for such a wonderful day. I say ‘finale’ – I left after the fireworks. For all I know they are still dancing to the Rolling Keys now..

Reflections on a wedding day to Remember 

Stuart and Justyna’s wedding was a perfect blend of personal touches, joyful celebration, and heartfelt moments. From the relaxed preparations at the family home to the lively reception and everything in between. I was made to feel incredibly welcome every minute I spent at this Arnside wedding and I think that is reflected in this set of images. I’m super proud of them and I’m glad I could do this for such a welcoming and lovely family.

It was a day that will be cherished by all who were lucky enough to be a part of it, including myself.

These days I only do a selected handful of weddings each year to ensure my passion and 100% effort is there for each couple. I’m glad this was my last wedding of the year as it will give me very happy memories over winter.

See all of the 4403 photographs I took throughout the day in a ‘Flick Book’ film.

Just as a bit of fun I wondered if I could turn all of my images into a kind of stop motion film. I imagined it being similar to when you draw a sequence of drawings in a note book and flick through them so they become animated. I think that it’s worked quite well. It absolutely will not take over from wedding videography but it does look kind of funky.

Take a look at the end of this blog post and you will see the ‘Flick Book Film’.

Brides dress- Carolina Novias  Stretch Tents- Countryside Events Kilts- Macgregor and Macduff Bridesmaids dresses- Azazie Bride & Bridesmaid hair-Katy Dale Bridesmaid makeup- Sarah Morton