Hannah & Neil - Sopley Mill Wedding
Today we feature the fun wedding of Hannah & Neil that took place at Sopley Mill, their special day was captured by IanH Photography.
About the couple
Hannah and Neil are one of the most laid-back, relaxed couples that I’ve had the pleasure to photograph. As soon as we met up to talk about wedding photography I knew theirs was going to be a day filled with fun and laughter. Neil’s got my dream job …. he’s a marine biologist and I’d love to trade places with him for a week in some exotic tropical location (and he could edit wedding photographs for me!). Hannah and Neil chose Sopley Mill near Christchurch in Dorset for their wedding venue. It’s a beautiful 18th Century watermill, on the banks of the River Avon in Dorset. It was restored in 2013 and is now the perfect location for your unique wedding.
The day and how it went
Hannah and the girls got ready at the Mill, and shooting the Bridal prep was great fun! Lot’s of laughter, a few sips of champagne and hardly any nerves! Hannah looked stunning in her dress and the Bridesmaids were in mint green. Neil, on the other hand, was quite nervous when he arrived, so I took him aside for a few words of advice. As it happened, he fluffed his lines during the ceremony, but no-one minded, it all added to the fun of the day! After the ceremony the guests enjoyed drinks on the lawn, the sun blazing down on this perfect day. Some lovely touches were the arrival of an ice cream van (hired from Hannah’s home-town in the New Forest) and something which quickly broke down any lingering shyness between the guests – a space-hopper race and jager-bombs! With the BBQ smoking away the guests moved inside the Mill for the wedding breakfast. Afterwards Hannah and Neil wowed everyone with their First Dance.
The Photographer
I’m a full time, wedding photographer covering the South of England. With over 20 years of experience I know how trends and fads come and go – just like fashions and hairstyles! That’s why I believe the wedding photography should be as timeless as possible. Too many young photographers are keen to follow the latest styles, not realising that in just a few years’ time they’ll appear dated. Wedding photographs are meant to be looked back on and treasured in years to come. As I say to my clients, I’m not “just” a wedding photographer – I’m the story-teller who weaves elements of their day into a lasting record.
My style’s primarily photo-journalistic, capturing the emotions of the day. I believe that this should be done discreetly, being as unobtrusive as possible so that the couple enjoy their day to the maximum. However, I bring a creative twist to the coverage as well if clients want it, creating artistic portraits.
What did you love about the day?
This was a beautiful, country wedding in a stunning location with a couple very much in love. There were so many great moments during the day. From his Neice handing the ring to the Registrar instead of Neil, fluffing his lines during the ceremony, the embarrassment of the speeches to the hilarious laughter during the space-hopper race. My absolute, favourite moment was seeing the love and tenderness between Hannah and Neil when I took them away from the family for some “quiet-time” in the garden, a chance to reflect on what they’d been through. With the sun setting, they held hands, hugged and kissed – the perfect end to their special day.
Many thanks to Ian for sharing this wedding with us, if you would like to get in touch with him about your perfect wedding day then you can do so via his profile page here.