Hidden River Cabins Wedding on 35mm film
It's no secret that Lake District Wedding venue, Hidden River Cabins, is one of my favourites. It's a gorgeous, secluded estate in Carlisle, with beautiful log cabins and a huge barn, where the weddings take place. It's a stunning Lake District wedding venue, with plenty of accomodation for your guests, that feels luxurious and private, and an incredible space for your ceremony and partying. The windows that make the backdrop for the ceremony are nothing short of iconic, and a photographers dream with all of that beautiful light.
Carys and Dougie chose Hidden River as their wedding venue, for their editorial and elegant style wedding, with all of their friends and family, and of course, Frank their rescue greyhound. They wanted something that felt like a modern fairytale, and the day definitely felt like that. From Carys' huge, beautiful princess dress and crown, to the white florals and bow styling that the bride and her friends and family created, it was perfect. To add to the timeless aesthetic, I chose to photograph some highlights on 35mm film.
Lake District Wedding Photographer - Hidden River Cabins
The day started with Carys and the girls getting ready at Roe Deer Cabin, which has the absolute best view of the landscape and the river. This is always my absolute favourite cabin for morning prep, so if you have the choice, go for this one! Carys had the experts in glam, Nala and Knot doing her and the girls hair and makeup, and the getting ready vibes were immaculate - the perfect blend of excitement and happy nerves. Dougie and the lads were up at the top of the hill in Hidden River house, after a morning in the new sauna and hot tubs, they helped each other into their sage green suits. Dougie's grandad sat on the sofa, laughing whilst framed by Dougie getting ready is an absolute favourite image of mine, and summed up the morning with the boys. Hidden River House is also a gorgeous option for getting ready, if the slightly more rustic cabins aren't for you!
Carys + Dougie had legally gotten married a couple of months prior, as they'd chosen a celebrant ceremony for their wedding. Kerrie from The Birds and the Bees was their chosen celebrant, and did a fantastic job of leading a funny, emotional and atmospheric ceremony. She captured the full attention of the room and commanded the atmosphere, as she told their story, the couple shared vows, including a surprise moment where Dougie re-proposed to Carys, as their original proposal hadn't gone 100% to plan. It was a lovely and personal ceremony, and a beautiful representation of their relationship. I love celebrant ceremonies, and if the idea of two weddings appeals to you, I'd definitely recommend.
Editorial & Fine Art Photography
This was a gorgeous summer wedding at Hidden River, but it's equally as beautiful in other seasons
35mm Film scans with borders, by manchester film lab, come through. A lake district wedding at Hidden River
35mm Film Wedding Photographer
The weather had been changeable all day, with a heavy mini rain storm rolling in as Carys got into her dress, but it had disappeared by the time she got into the car to head to the ceremony! As they got married it appeared again, but had blown over so they could get outside for confetti and their family photos. The Lake District is famous for it's changeable weather, but Hidden River is a perfect venue for any type of day, with so much space and light inside, you can get beautiful images even without having to go outdoors at all, and portraits by the windows are always some of my favourites from the day. After the family photos, we took a short walk around the grounds to get some gorgeous couple portraits, and it's never difficult finding inspiration here. I love that you can get gorgeous, woodland style photos without having to walk too far or get too much into nature, but also can get really adventurous and head down to the river if you want too. With Carys' dramatic dress, we decided to stick close to the venue, and create some magic without off-roading!
Hidden River Cabins Wedding
Something I love about Hidden River is that the reception room is always a dream to photograph. Whatever styling, it always looks beautiful with gorgeous, soft light pouring in. Carys + Dougie made their big entrance, and had the 3 traditional speeches, followed by their meal. Before the evening started, we snuck away to get the last of the golden hour, and get a few more portraits of them both, in that beautiful evening light. This was only 10-15 minutes, but it's always so worth taking that little bit of time for some evening couple portraits, that soft light makes all the difference, and always makes for gorgeous photos. As the evening started, it was clear this was going to be a hell of a party, with the couple both letting their hair down on the dancefloor.
I love using the balcony level for some dramatic dancefloor photos, it always sets the tone and atmosphere and adds to the storytelling for some scene setting images and end of the night vibes!
I loved being a part of this one, at a venue I'm so lucky to regularly work at, and photograph it all on digital and 35mm film too!
