Highlights from Kimberley & Mark’s outdoor Tipi wedding at this unique Staffordshire wedding venue

“Thank you so much! They are amazing. We couldn’t be happier! X”

Royle Forest Wedding Venue

Royle Forest Wedding Venue is a relatively new, and very unique wedding venue. Situated in Staffordshire, on the Derbyshire border, this tipi-based wedding venue is set in a forest. Literally! It’s gorgeous too, with several tipis making up the main venue, surrounded by decked walkways and flower beds. There’s even a separate tipi as a chapel, complete with church pews, a short walk away from the main one. Walking down the path, through the trees to the chapel is a simply wonderful experience, both for guests and the bride and groom. I have never worked at such a unique venue before.

Royle Forest weddings describes itself as…

“Royle Forest Weddings is a brand-new woodland tipi venue set in the heart of a magical ancient 200-acre forest on the Derbyshire and Staffordshire border. Our aim is simple, to design and create a Wedding Venue that is immersed in nature, totally unique and one to remember. Designed to impress from the very beginning of your Royle Forest journey, our handmade rustic swan gates guard the entrance to our 200 acre magical woodland.

You’ll be taken back through the ages as you walk through the antique stone architecture. Our dignified archway grants passage to the charming forest walkway, setting off your spellbinding stroll through nature.

Our forest walkway becomes nature’s corridor, moving you closer and closer to the extraordinary tipi clearing. When the sun goes down, the walkway transforms into an otherworldly aisle illuminating your path with festoon lighting…At the conclusion of the forest walkway, the trees part to create The Forest Clearing. This expansive clearing forms a circle that houses our main attraction: the tipis”.

Royle Forest Wedding Photographer

Kimberley & Mark booked me to be their Royle Forest Wedding Photographer. Well, Kimberley’s mum did really as a special wedding present to them both, complete with wedding album too. I arrived very early as their Royle Forest Wedding Photographer, scouting the location and walking the course several times. It was simply gorgeous! So unique. I was actually very excited about what this day was going to bring. It was going to be a hot one though! Kimberley and the girls were getting ready in the nearby farm house - all part of the Royle Forest estate. I started my day as Kimberley & Mark’s Royle Forest Wedding Photographer photographing Kimberley’s dress and grabbing some live makeup shots. As the morning progressed, the girls went out into the courtyard for a dance. Yes, really. The prosecco was flowing, the music was on and I was photographing the whole Bride Tribe in full voice singing along to some of their favourite tunes. I got some great shots of the ‘pre-party’ as their Royle Forest Wedding Photographer.

Tipi Wedding in Staffordshire

I have photographed a few tipi weddings, but this was another level. As a tipi wedding in Staffordshire goes, this has to be the jewel in the crown. Fraser, the owner runs the day with confidence and charm. Never flustered or seemingly under pressure (like me ha ha), he and the team work like clockwork making the day run so smoothly. He even brought Kimberley from the farmhouse in his classic Triumph TR6. And we got to use it after the ceremony for a few natural wedding photos too…

Outdoor Wedding in Summer

This unique outdoor wedding in summer was simply a joy to capture. Yes, it was really hot, but as their Royle Forest Wedding Photographer I captured their day naturally with my relaxed documentary style. Kimberley’s dad walked his daughter proudly down the enchanted path towards the ceremony tipi. The harsh overhead sunlight was dappled through the trees, and I managed to capture some real lens flare (my favourite!) as their Royle Forest Wedding Photographer. From the outdoor ceremony in the small tipi, we headed back up the patch for a few natural portraits with Fraser’s car, as the guests were lined up for the confetti throw. From the chaos of the confetti throw, we were up and running with a full party atmosphere giving me lots of photos as a Royle Forest Wedding Photographer.

Natural wedding photography at Royle Forest Weddings

I really enjoyed my day producing natural wedding photography at this Royle Forest wedding venue. Kimberley & Mark didn’t want too many couple photos, just to capture the day from preparations till the end of the first dance - which was slightly early to allow some far-travelled guests time to make the journey home. I finished my day as Kimberley & Mark’s Royle Forest Wedding Photographer on time, said my goodbyes and headed home. This was my first time as a Royle Forest Wedding Photographer and hopefully not my last. Gorgeous place…did I say that already?

Here’s some of my favourite photos from the day…