The Ashes Barns Winter Wedding Photography - Kirsty & Karl
Highlights from Kirsty & Karl’s Winter wedding photography at this gorgeous no-corkage wedding venue
“So, what do we do if it rains on our wedding day Mick”?
“We do this guys…”
The Ashes Barns No Corkage Wedding Venue
The Ashes Barns is a gorgeous no-corkage wedding venue, based just over the Cheshire border in Staffordshire. It is a unique two-barn wedding venue. Your wedding ceremony is normally in the West Barn, with your celebrations across the courtyard in the East Barn - a walk of around, ooh 10m!
The Ashes Barns wedding venue describes itself as:
“As barn wedding venues go, you can’t get more picturesque than The Ashes Barns. A private, family-run wedding venue in a gorgeous fifty acre estate, at the foothills of the Peak District National Park, within the borders of Staffordshire in the West Midlands”.
The West Barn for your wedding ceremony is licensed for civil ceremonies and comfortably seating up to a 150 guests, The West Barn features exposed oak beams, gorgeous stone flagged floor, original mullioned windows, a Juliet Balcony for your musicians and a stunning aisle to sway down. Choosing an historic barn wedding venue certainly adds a touch of magic to your ceremony. The West Barn is the oldest structure at The Ashes; a 17th century Grade II* Listed rustic stone barn with warmth and charm.
The East Barn has an impressive stone archway entrance, opening into the anteroom with a generously proportioned banqueting hall, The East Barn at The Ashes is the perfect barn for your spectacular wedding breakfast and speeches. As barn wedding venues go, I think this should be on every bride-to-be’s shortlist.
The Ashes Barns Winter Wedding Photography
Kirsty & Karl got in touch with me about a year before their November wedding, to book my ‘Most Day’ package for their Ashes Barns winter wedding photography - from preparations to after the speeches. I arrived early on the day; the weather was overcast and threatening rain. Oh well, maybe it would brighten up a bit later on. Kirsty & the girls were in the Dressing Room, behind the West Barn. The music was on, and the prosecco was flowing, and with Lydia & Lauren on Hair & Makeup respectively . Karl and the lads were across the courtyard in The Old Dairy (The Wedding Night Suite), sufficiently hidden from view. This gave me lots of options to jump between the rooms to capture the various stage of preparations before the ceremony, forming the basis of my storytelling for their Ashes Barns winter wedding photography. I was travelling light as I normally do, even though the weather was not playing ball. Shooting on my favourite Nikon D780s with small prime lenses on, I worked quietly and unobtrusively producing Kirsty & Karl’s Ashes Barns winter wedding photography in my natural style. The emotions were flowing too, a proper rollercoaster at times. Kirsty shed lots of happy tears throughout the morning, as did some of the girls, but the atmosphere was really relaxed to photograph in. Karl and the lads were ready in minutes (as they do), giving me a few minutes’ ‘documentary time’ to capture the proceedings. We were rapidly approaching Ceremony time, and the guests were arriving in their droves by now. Also arriving was the rain, and it wasn’t looking good for the afternoon either. Ah well, we can only do our best. And we did ok for Kirsty & Karl’s Ashes Barns winter wedding photography. The rain fell all the way through the ceremony, so much so we couldn’t really leave the West Barn. So, I simply carried on shooting documentary style wedding photography for an hour or so…then….the rain stopped! We quickly photographed the family groups outside (inside wouldn’t have looked as good, sorry), then as the guests made their way into the East Barn, I took Kirsty & Karl on a ten-minute natural portrait shoot around the grounds…as best we dare with the grass being so wet and muddy. We were back on track with Kirsty & Karl’s Ashes Barns winter wedding photography.
Wedding Videography at The Ashes Barns
On video duty with me for the day were the guys from Bright Hand Productions. I have worked with Brendon and Rick on a few weddings now, and we work very well together, so much so that we are never in each other’s backgrounds. So…less photoshopping for me, and no complaints from them for this Ashes Barns winter wedding photography project!
Wedding Ceremony at The Ashes Barns
As the clock slowly approached ceremony time, Kirsty was very excited. Dad popped in to see his daughter all ready upstairs in one of the bedrooms. A very quiet, emotional moment as Kirsty cried (again!) but managed to hold it back to not ruin her makeup. By now all the guests were seated in the West Barn, waiting for the gorgeous bride to appear for her wedding ceremony at The Ashes barns. And, no time she did! Ably assisted by dad and the ever-chirpy and helpful Hollie, we braved the rain for a short walk from the Dressing Room to the entrance to the barn. Stage two of my Ashes Barns winter wedding photography was about to commence. As Kirsty walked down the aisle, the happy tears came and she was full-on emotional by the time she met Karl at the top of the aisle. Everything was quiet as they held each other and composed themselves. Tears became laughter as the wedding ceremony at The Ashes Barns began. There was even time for a happy wave to her friend Caity on the balcony above us, who’d sung her in. The registars were brilliant, and actually moved to one side of the room to allow the cameras more space in which to work (thanks ladies!). As the newly-married couple made their way back down the aisle, a sudden burst of the Manchester City Fans’ song ‘Blue Moon’ blasted out of the Barn’s speaker system. Oh yes!! I noticed that more than half the room cheered and applauded the couple out whilst singing along. Great to hear our ‘national anthem’ at a wedding ceremony at The Ashes barns!
Jester Styles Wedding Magician
During the wedding reception in the East Barn, we were treated to some brilliant close-up magic by the talented Jester Styles. I say we, because for a few minutes I stopped photographing him wowing the guests as part of my The Ashes Barns winter wedding photography, allowing myself also to be wowed with them. When he swapped a playing card for a chunk of ice, well…that was amazing! Jester comes highly recommended for your wedding as an entertainer and Master of Ceremonies….
Here’s some of my favourite photos from the day…
