The wedding season is in full swing today as I head off to my 8th wedding of 2018. I'm back at the ever stunning Swancar Farm Country House for the wedding of Rosie & Oliver
I first met these guys in pub near Lincoln just over a year ago. As soon as I met them I knew their day would be chilled out and couldn't wait for the day itself! That was until I saw the weather forecast a few days before the wedding - SNOW! Not just snow - 50mph winds and highs of 1 degree! This was going to test every bit of wedding experience in the book. For mid March you might have expected a bit of spring rain but the forecast looked more Arctic winter than spring!
Prep started at Swancar Farm late morning and by this point the bridal party had all arrived safely and the snow had just started to fall. The wind had picked up a lot during the prep and had started to whip the snow around the venue blizzard style! I was hopeful of a lull in the conditions so I could take Rosie & Oliver out for a few photos after the ceremony otherwise.
In conditions like this you want to get the best pictures possible but you also have a duty of care towards the bride and groom's safety and you don't want one them falling over and breaking something! I don't want that on my conscience!
The ceremony took place in the breath taking gallery while the 'mini beast from the east' grew stronger outside. I could hear the snow pelting at the windows throughout the ceremony as the ever closing couple photos grew closer!
On a wedding day a photographer is only given a small amount of time to capture those important couple photos, family group shots and casual mingling shots before you head into the wedding breakfast so I was dreading losing that opportunity because of the weather.
Rosie & Oliver braved the conditions for a few shots outside before we all ran inside, our faces in pain from the chilling wind and covered in a dusting of snow! The Swancar Farm County House staff were incredibly helpful in removing all the chairs from the gallery upstairs so I could fly through the family group shots.
I wasn't a popular person when I had to send the whole wedding party outside for a whole group shot but the bride and groom gave me permission to do it so I could live the abuse!
During the wedding breakfast there was a break in the weather so I took the opportunity to grab some more outside shots with Rosie & Oliver before the snow returned and my god did it return. The blizzard had arrived just in time for the evening reception and had to watch the poor evening guests arrive in worst snow fall I'd ever witnessed at a wedding! It was not stopping and was getting deeper by the minute! See the video below!!
In the 8 years of shooting weddings I had always wanted to get a shot of a couple in the middle of snowfall and knew if I didn't take this chance I might have to wait another 8 years before I had the chance again. I took the very brave and willing couple outside in what can only be described as the hardest and harshest environment I've ever had to take photos in and it was well worth the wait and effort. Thank you to Rosie and Oliver for enduring the elements and allowing me to capture a once in a lifetime image that will stay with them forever!
Could be waiting another 10 years to capture a moment like this!
Rosie and Oliver took to the floor for their first dance not long after braving the blizzard outside to bring the curtain down on a beautiful day for the couple and their guests. I loved every minute of being challenged by the weather and this day will stay with me for a long long time. Amazing memories!
A very big thank you to the Swancar Farm staff and wedding guests who kindly pushed me out the snow after getting stuck along with a lots of other cars!
Venue - Swancar Farm Country House
Flowers - Wild Flowers