Chloe And Fraser: A Wedding at Packington Moor in Staffordshire
A Review of Helen Howard Photography
'We first met Helen when she worked at a friends’ wedding and we loved her natural and relaxed style of photography. We met up with her before our big day to go through what we wanted, and we also won a pre-wedding photo shoot which we really appreciated as it helped us to be more confident in front of the camera.
Helen made us feel so relaxed on the day! She caught some really special moments of the day: my bridesmaids laughing as we got ready and me pinning a buttonhole onto my brother’s suit, hugs and laughs with family members, and my new husband holding up my dress as we walked through the woods in the rain. From the moment we chose Packington Moor, I was adamant we would have a photo in the trees, and we really appreciated Helen standing in the rain and mud to get those beautiful shots! We would definitely recommend Helen, we can’t stop looking at our photos and smiling.'
A little bit about the Bride and Groom
'We met at Bangor University. We both studied Psychology, and we became really good friends. Our friends thought we were secretly a couple long before we were actually together! We got together in 2010, and shared our first kiss while watching a meteor shower. Fraser proposed in the Peak District in the middle of a hike with our dog. I started taking photos at the top of a peak, and when I turned around, Fraser was down on one knee. Despite the cloud and drizzle, it was a perfect day! Made even more perfect when I found out my brother and his now wife got engaged on the same day!'
Choose a Wedding Venue that you Love
Staffordshire has a large number of stunning wedding venues to choose from, but when it come's to choosing a wedding venue for your wedding, choose the one that makes your heart flutter, makes you feel at home and allows you to stamp your own personalities on your day. Chloe said about Packington Moor:
'We fell in love with Packington Moor instantly. The Oat Barn is so quirky and cosy, and we really wanted a country feel to our wedding as we are both outdoorsy people. The Malt Barn where we ate and danced is stunning and so elegant and simple. My favourite thing about the venue was how comfortable I felt there from the moment we arrived on our first visit.'
What was the most memorable part of your Wedding Day?
'So many memorable moments! I loved walking down the aisle and knowing when we walked out, we would be married. Fraser’s best men (his brothers), gave a hilarious and well-prepared speech involving our pyjamas and childhood cuddly toys! Our first dance to Third Day’s ‘Born Again’ featuring Lacey Sturm was magical! I wish we could relive that moment all over again. We also loved having all our family and friends dancing with us to our favourite songs.'
VENDORS LIST
BRIDALWEAR: Wedding dress is by Intuzuri from Dream Dress Bridal in Stockport www.dreamdressbridal.co.uk
BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: Navy beaded maxi dresses by Little Mistress www.little-mistress.com
GROOMS OUTFIT: grey suits with short jackets and grey waistcoats, and royal blue ruches 1860 by Greenwoods www.1860.com
GROOMSMENS OUTFITS: Same as Groom
FLORIST/FLORAL DESIGNER: Secret Garden in Lichfield www.secretgardenlichfield.co.uk
ACCESSORIES: Shoes by Clarks, Bracelet belonged to my late Grandma, necklace by PollyAJewellery at www.etsy.com/uk
CAKE: Lace sponge, 3 tier white cake from Marks & Spencer, with a ‘To The Moon and Back’ cake topper from Sophia Victoria Joy www.notonthehighstreet.com/sophiavictoriajoy
FAVOURS/TABLE DECORATIONS: MacMillan Cancer Support place cards, with flower seed packets. Blue and white stars and hearts table decorations, and table name mini canvases by Chloe.
VENUE STYLING: Chair sashes by Savage Wedding Services www.savage-weddings.co.uk
WEDDING CARS: Love Wedding Cars www.loveweddingcars.co.uk
ANYTHING ELSE: DJ Chris Mack www.djchrismack.co.uk, Invitations designed by my maid of honour Laurie de Jong, Table Plan designed by Will Viles, Hair by Designers, www.designersburntwood.co.uk, Make up by Wedding Day Fairy Godmother, Dress alterations by Lisa Flynn.
Where did you find inspiration for your wedding day?
'I became a Pinterest addict! I loved seeing what other couples had done to make their wedding more personal and Fraser and I wanted to make ours as personal as possible. My mom and Fraser frequently surprised me with wedding magazines to flick through and get inspiration, and I soon built up a folder of ideas. We visited a few wedding fairs to get a feel of what we could do, and to meet some potential suppliers too.'
What advice would you give to anyone else planning a wedding?
'I would tell them to try and not put too much pressure on themselves. We wanted our day to be personal and I had a vision in my head, full of handmade decorations. I managed to finish some canvases (including one for each table), paper table decorations, a memorial frame for those no longer with us, a wooden hanging decoration (thanks to my maid of honour), and a bench that had belonged to my Grandma and I had revamped it with the help of a friend. I had many more ideas that I just didn’t have time to complete, but they weren’t missed on the day! Secondly, always prepare for guests to drop out at the last minute! And finally, make sure you schedule in some time for just you two. We loved our journey from the church to the venue, as it felt like we hadn’t seen each other in ages!'
Thank you so much to Chloe and Fraser for their input to this blog post, thank you for asking me to photograph their beautiful day and may you have many happy years together as husband and wife xxx
More information about my wedding photography can be found on my website http://www.helenhowardphotography.co.uk
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