Carla & Bradley’s Relaxed Wedding at the beautiful Kelham House in Newark.
Carla and Bradley’s wedding took place on a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Kelham House near Newark-on-Trent, and from the moment I arrived, I knew it was going to be a good one.
I was welcomed by Carla and her bridal party, along with an incredible thank-you gift—a LEGO Game Boy. They clearly know me far too well.
The morning was filled with excitement, laughter and one surprisingly calm bride. Hair and makeup were underway while I photographed the details, flat lays and the venue before tackling one of the more nerve-racking parts of any wedding morning: finding somewhere safe to hang the dress.
Carla and Bradley are two of the most relaxed and down-to-earth people you could meet.
Kelham House has a lovely preparation room filled with natural light, giving us plenty of space before heading upstairs to the wedding suite for the final touches.
Guests began arriving a little earlier than expected, so things suddenly had to move a little quicker. While Carla was getting into her dress, I headed downstairs to find Bradley greeting friends and family while looking slightly unsure about what he should be doing next.
You could tell he was more than ready to see his bride.
Carla was dressed and looking incredible. We moved a few things around to make the most of the light—something I seem to do at nearly every venue. Sorry, venues.
From the window, the bridal party watched as the guests took their seats and Bradley waited at the top of the aisle. By this point, the nerves had finally arrived, but with her closest people around her, Carla was ready.
When the music started, Carla made her way down the aisle while Bradley waited for the perfect moment to turn around. The second he saw her, his face said everything.
Carla and Bradley are two of the most relaxed and down-to-earth people you could meet. As soon as they were together, the nerves seemed to disappear.
After the ceremony, we headed outside for the confetti tunnel. I warned them they would be finding confetti everywhere for days, and by the end of it, they could see exactly what I meant.
The group photographs followed and, honestly, they were some of the quickest and most organised I have ever done. Everyone knew where they needed to be, which gave us more time for the bridal party photographs and a relaxed walk around the grounds with Carla and Bradley.
Before the wedding, Carla had filled our group chat with plenty of photograph ideas. We worked through as many as possible, along with a few that came to mind as we explored Kelham House.
More importantly, it gave the two of them a little time away from the crowd to slow down and enjoy being together.
After changing into their custom Converse, Carla and Bradley danced their way into the wedding breakfast while guests spun napkins above their heads.
The speeches brought the perfect mix of heartfelt stories and laughter, followed by a surprise Taylor Swift performance from one of Bradley’s family members who had travelled over from Dublin.
The rest of the day continued at the same relaxed pace, with brilliant company, seriously good cookies and brownies, and a first dance to a country song—which I was naturally a big fan of.
Carla and Bradley’s wedding was personal, relaxed and completely true to them. Kelham House provided a beautiful backdrop, from the naturally lit preparation rooms to the grounds we explored for their portraits.
Carla and Bradley, congratulations to you both.
I have genuinely enjoyed every meeting and conversation we have shared, and it was a real privilege to photograph your wedding at Kelham House.
Thank you for choosing and trusting me to document such an important day.
As a Lincolnshire wedding photographer covering Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire and venues across the UK, I love photographing relaxed weddings filled with genuine moments and brilliant people.