Abi & Tony | Stock Farm Barn Wedding
Abi and Tony’s wedding at Stock Farm Barn was one of those days that was just really easy to photograph.
Everything was in one place, there was loads going on throughout the day, and most importantly, they were completely up for enjoying it rather than spending the whole day worrying about photographs.
Stock Farm Barn is a great wedding venue for that. Set in the Cheshire countryside, there’s a good mix of the old farm buildings, the courtyard, the gardens and plenty of space around the venue, so you can get plenty of variety without disappearing off for half the day.
Getting ready
The day started with Abi getting ready at Stock Farm Barn, surrounded by her bridesmaids and family.
I always like this part of the day because there’s normally a lot going on without anyone really thinking about the camera. People are coming and going, hair and make-up are being finished, drinks are being opened and there’s usually somebody trying to find something that was in their hand five minutes earlier.
Those are the photographs I want to get.
Rather than setting things up, I just spent the morning moving around and photographing what was happening as it happened.
Getting married at Stock Farm Barn
Before long it was time for the ceremony, and the morning disappeared pretty quickly.
The ceremony was followed by drinks and time outside with everyone, which gave Abi and Tony a chance to actually enjoy seeing all their guests rather than immediately disappearing for photographs.
Around the farm
One of the best things about Stock Farm Barn is that you don't need to go anywhere to get a good mix of photographs.
There are loads of little areas around the venue, and the surrounding countryside gives you plenty of options for photographs of the two of you.
At some point during the afternoon, I took Abi and Tony off for a short walk around the grounds. Nothing too formal, and definitely no long list of poses. Just a bit of time for the two of them to get away from everyone for a few minutes while I photographed them.
I think those photographs usually end up being some of the favourites from a wedding. They don't feel like they've been taken specifically for the camera – they're just the two of you enjoying a bit of time together.
The reception
Back at the barn, it was time for the wedding breakfast and speeches.
The speeches had plenty of the usual mix of stories, laughs and a few moments where people probably wished they'd thought a little more carefully about what they were going to say beforehand.
Once the food and speeches were out of the way, things naturally moved towards the evening.
And that's when I tend to get some of my favourite photographs.
There's no need to organise anything by that point. People have had a few drinks, the music is on and everyone is properly relaxed. I can just get amongst it and photograph what's happening.
Stock Farm Barn wedding photography
Stock Farm Barn is a brilliant place for this sort of wedding. It's got plenty of character without feeling too formal, and there's enough going on around the venue to keep the photographs varied throughout the day.
For me, the best wedding photographs aren't necessarily the ones where everyone is looking at the camera. It's the little things you'll probably forget about otherwise – what your friends were doing, your parents' reactions, somebody losing it during the speeches, and what the dance floor looked like once everyone had stopped caring about being photographed.
That's what I was looking for throughout Abi and Tony's day.
Thanks for having me along, Abi and Tony. It was a pleasure to be there and photograph it all.
