Ineke and Warren’s wedding story is written across two chapters.

The first chapter, set amidst the height of the Covid pandemic in July 2020, was a very intimate affair, with restrictions at the time limiting attendance to just seven guests, all donning face coverings and sat at a socially distanced two metres apart.

Nevertheless, the Burton upon Trent Registry Office ceremony was a special one for Ineke and Warren, especially as they were harbouring a very exciting secret…

Bride going to Burton-upon-trent registry office

Fast forward just over two years to August 2022, and chapter two of Ineke and Warren’s wedding was set to be a very different affair. With the couple’s pre-Covid guest list running to 100+, they were eager to settle on a venue that would offer plenty of space, and large rooms to keep all their guests together. And so the decision was made to hold the second episode of their wedding at Hanbury Wedding Barn.

Hanbury Wedding Barn is a Staffordshire wedding venue that is very familiar to me. I had the pleasure of being the very first wedding photographer to shoot there following the first phase of the barn’s renovation in 2019.

It’s a relaxed and rustic venue, nestled in the heart of the National Forest and consisting of a series of lovingly restored barns, perfect for each stage of a wedding, from ceremony through to wedding breakfast and evening party.

Lovers of the city of Copenhagen, Ineke and Warren were keen to style their wedding around a Scandi-vibe, punctuated by an air of simplicity and understated colours.

When I asked the couple what led them to choose me as their wedding photographer, they said they’d asked the venue for recommendations, and that they’d liked my casual and relaxed style, which blended well with the mood of the wedding. They wanted a photographer who would mingle with the guests, engaging with them and capturing all those special, natural moments. And that’s what I always set out to do!

Two become three!

Now, going back to Ineke and Warren’s chapter one wedding ceremony, and the big secret they’d hidden from their unsuspecting guests at the time… they were expecting their first child!

Little Philomena came into the world in early 2021, and by the time wedding chapter two came around, she was grown up enough to take on the role of flower girl.

Now, going back to Ineke and Warren’s chapter one wedding ceremony, and the big secret they’d hidden from their unsuspecting guests at the time… they were expecting their first child!

Little Philomena came into the world in early 2021, and by the time wedding chapter two came around, she was grown up enough to take on the role of flower girl.

The couple had also wished to invite their entire NCT group to their big date, so the day was filled with lots of mums and dads, with many little ones around the same age as Philomena bringing an air of joy, and plenty of toddler energy.

The day takes shape

The day – and my work – began at the dedicated and very well-equipped bridal preparation suite at Hanbury. Ineke, her sister and mother had their hair styled and make-up professionally applied by Make Up by Harper, whilst the page boys and flower girls were helped into their outfits.

Meantime, Warren was over in the groom’s preparation suite, taking care of Philomena and getting her ready for her important role, ahead of donning his smart ceremony attire alongside his best men.

The ceremony

The ceremony took place in The Ceremony Room, a beautiful 18^th century, fully restored wedding reception barn featuring rustic Staffordshire red brick and characterful exposed beams. The light and airy feel met the couple’s love of Scandinavian simplicity perfectly, and made for a wonderful wedding photo backdrop.

It was a wish of the couple to recreate the original ceremony, so that everyone could be there this time around. So they invited Ineke’s sister in law, an internet-qualified officiant in the US, to act as ‘celebrant’. Well, the legal stuff had already been covered in chapter one!

Little Philomena led in the procession in, sprinkling pink rose petals on her way, paving the way for Ineke in her classic lace-bodice dress sporting a skirt that, by her own admission, the bride wasn’t quite expecting, but that she ended up falling in love with.

After a short ceremony, the bride, her groom and all their guests moved outside for a sprinkling of confetti and a canapé, beer and Prosecco reception.

This was the perfect opportunity to grab some natural shots of the guests enjoying the glorious summer sunshine in the charming courtyard grounds of Hanbury Wedding Barn.

The meal and speeches

The wedding breakfast was held in Hanbury’s rustic-beamed Eland Barn. With its gentle lighting and décor, and the grand windows flooding the room with light, it lent itself to perfect wedding photography.

The couple’s caterer of choice was Top Tables, a company I’ve worked with many times before and happen to know is very popular in this particular region.

Speeches came courtesy of the father of the bride, the maid of honour, the best man, the groom’s father, and the groom himself. Set between courses, the timing had to be to perfection so that everything ran like clockwork from the kitchen’s point of view. Thankfully, everything ran like a dream, and the food went down very well.

With Ineke being of German origin, beer of course had to be star of the show, with all tables featuring a generous-sized bottle of award-winning Belgian beer Tripel Karmeliet, the groom’s favourite tipple. As luck would have it, Karmeliet is also my favourite beer, so I was thrilled when the couple handed me a bottle to enjoy once my work was done and I’d got home.

Fun and frolics in the grounds of Hanbury

Once the meal was done, I borrowed the bride and groom for some memorable couple shots.

Hanbury Wedding Barn is set in spectacular countryside, and the surrounding fields and lake make the perfect backdrop for some intimate wedding photos.

As the sun had been pretty intense all day, I took the decision to delay the photo session until the lighting was gentler, and the air a little cooler. It was a totally relaxed affair, walking and chatting and capturing some truly natural shots of the couple in their element truly having fun.

The after-party at Hanbury Wedding Barn

The after-party was held in Hanbury’s Woodend Barn. With its contemporary rustic feel, it’s a great space that allows guests to naturally spill out into the courtyard if they so desire.

The couple hired a live band, Fraudio, whose first live song for the evening was their first dance. They chose ‘Grow Old with Me’ by Tom Odell. An impulse choice perhaps and with no prior rehearsal, but still the dance was lots of fun. Guests were invited to join Ineke and Warren part way through, starting with the children. A cunning move made by the couple, hoping to divert the spotlight away from them!

Originally, Ineke and Warren engaged me for the day to finish at the first dance, but when they realised how well the party was going and that they didn’t want for that chapter of the day to be skipped by in their wedding album, they asked me to stay on. Well, how could I refuse? The party is one of my favourite parts of the day and the Karmeliet beer was a bribe I couldn’t turn down!