JLM Wedding Photography

Tag: wedding

Hanna & Gary’s Sandburn Hall Wedding
It’s funny how things work out.
Back when my kids were in primary school I used to donate a photo shoot voucher as a raffle prize. Disappointingly, despite there being a winner every time, it was very rare that people would actually claim their prize.
There was this one family I do remember claiming their prize. A lovely young couple named Hanna and Gary. We spent about an hour together crafting memories.
I have since come to find out that on that day, they both agreed that if they were to get married, they would like me to be their photographer, on the basis that Gary was not fond of having his photo taken but felt comfortable with me.
Well, here we are, almost 6 years later!
This wedding was a great pleasure to shoot. Not only was it lovely to spend time with Hanna and Gary again, it was also my first visit to Sandburn Hall Golf Club. Add to that almost perfect weather, and you’ve got a recipe for some spectacular photos.
Speaking of which….

21/07/2024
Sherrylee & Paul’s Stoke Rochford Hall Wedding
Prior to Paul and Sherrylee’s wedding day I hadn’t been to Stoke Rochford Hall since the wedding of a friend some 10 years prior, so I was excited to see this magnificent venue from a different angle.
It was a roasting hot day, exaggerated by the greenhouse effect in the Orangery, but this did nothing to slow down this beautiful wedding day.
19/08/2022
Laura & Stuart’s Bellavista Wedding
When researching Bellavista in advance of Laura and Stuart’s wedding day, all I could find was that it was an Italian restaurant on the A6225 just outside Milnrow.
Having met over the phone with Laura and Stuart I knew there had to be more to it than that, and, yes indeed there is!
I wasn’t wrong, Bellavista is an Italian restaurant. It is also a light, airy and spacious wedding venue.
Of course it also enjoys a bella vista, which I’m sure you already know translates to beautiful view in Italian.
Laura and Stuart had a clear idea what they wanted from there wedding day. They managed a perfect balance of stylish, simple and relaxed. Every detail was beautiful, from the gorgeous flowers to Stuart’s handmade selfie frame.
I could keep going, but I think it’s best that I let the photos tell the rest of the story…

27/07/2021
Ellie & Tom’s Judges Country House Hotel Wedding
Tom & Ellie’s Wedding at Judges Country House Hotel in Yarm
Some wish for a beautiful day on their wedding day, others will warn you to be careful what you wish for.
Ellie & Tom’s wedding day happened to be on a particularly roasting day in Yarm, though of course the blazing heat did nothing to dampen the spirits of two of the loveliest people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. They really did both go out of the way to make sure everyone, including me and the other people working on the day, were comfortable and had what they needed.
I can also speak very highly of Judges Hotel, a magnificent building with beautiful grounds. As a photographer there are so many places to go to get amazing photos that it would be embarrassing for me to come home with anything less.
So, now that I’ve put all that pressure onto the photos, let’s take a look at a few…

23/07/2021
The Bridge Hotel & Spa, Wetherby Wedding :: Martina & Luke
Bridal Prep At The Bridge
Martina and her bridal party got ready at The Bridge Hotel. In fact they spent the whole day there, come to think about it. It was a rather large bridal party, split across many rooms in the hotel, and consisting of all her closest friends and family, as any good bridal party should.
The atmosphere was particularly lively, with a dash of emotional here and there. There were also some nice touches that Luke had sprinkled around the room prior to Martina’s arrival, see if you can spot them.
An Outdoor Wedding Ceremony in England
You can’t write a blog about an outdoor wedding in the UK without mentioning the weather.
It had been raining all morning, and was very windy on the day of Martina and Luke’s wedding at The Bridge Hotel in Wetherby.
The wedding coordinators from The Bridge had been popping into Martina’s bridal suite all morning to see if she had changed her mind and wanted to move the ceremony indoors.
To her credit, she stuck to her guns and the ceremony went ahead outdoors. Martina’s confidence paid off as the rain stayed away until the very end of the ceremony, barely causing any disruption.

Indoor Wedding Portraits & Group Photos
For the rest of the day it rained, a lot. We didn’t have a chance to get outside again for photos.
We decided that wasn’t such a bad thing though.
We had already gotten some great sunset photos on their engagement shoot at Newmillerdam a few weeks earlier, so that box was pretty much ticked already.
Yeah some sunset portraits on your wedding day are great, but when you’ve got a venue with such a lovely interior like you have at The Bridge it’s not such a problem.
We got a couple of shots of just Martina and Luke around the hotel, and then found an awesome events room that was unused, so I set up a light and we dragged everyone in for group shots.
Would I Recommend The Bridge Hotel & Spa as a Wedding Venue?
The Bridge’s understated name betrays just how much of a class act this hotel really is. It has a tasteful blend of West Yorkshire countryside with modern comfort and style.
To be honest, I would recommend it as a wedding venue, a restaurant, or just somewhere to go for a nice quiet drink.
I can’t pass judgement on the spa because I didn’t get the chance to indulge, but I certainly got to enjoy the bar food. The menu is as understated as the name of the hotel, but don’t go expecting an ordinary sandwich, this is proper gastropub grub.
So yes, from my perspective as an informed outsider, definitely an excellent and highly recommended wedding venue.
Have Some More Photos Before You Go 😉
All the photos were taken by JLM Wedding Photography. Head to the bottom of the page for Prices and Availability.
02/12/2019
Moira & Dave’s Gorgeous Outdoor Wedding @ The Barn At Upcote
Who doesn’t love a good outdoor wedding?
Dave and Moira were already married prior to their wedding day. They actually got married in Australia where they currently live. The English wedding ceremony was for the benefit of their family and friends based in the Northern Hemisphere.
Since they were already legally married they were free to have a non legally binding humanist ceremony, which of course you can have outside should the venue (and the weather) allow.
So this brings us to the venue, The Barn at Upcote.
What a beautiful spot, properly off the beaten track (no mobile signal) and beautifully tranquil.
The team at The Barn at Upcote were amongst the friendliest and most attentive that I have had the pleasure to work with, it really was a perfect day.

To be honest, I’m probably not the right photographer for you.

27/08/2019
Ringwood Hall Hotel Wedding – Amy & Richard
I know you’re not really supposed to mix business with pleasure, but when you get a chance to be the official photographer for your good friends’ wedding, why not break the rules.
Amy & Richard’s Ringwood Hall Wedding was the first time I had attended a wedding as both photographer and guest since Alex & Miranda’s wedding all the way back in 2013.
It was also my first time at Ringwood Hall which is a beautiful and charming venue, with really very helpful and friendly staff, not to mention beautiful scenery.
All of which you can appreciate by having a look through the gallery of highlights below 🙂

To be honest, I’m probably not the right photographer for you.

31/05/2019
Chasing the Sunset at Tankersley Manor :: Rochelle & Paul’s Wedding
Rochelle and Paul’s wedding was the first wedding I had photographed at Tankersley Manor in Barnsley.
Although, regular followers will know I was actually there a few months earlier because Sarah had stayed at Tankersley Manor to get ready for her wedding before heading off into Barnsley to get hitched.
This time though I was here for the day.
We were in the Crook Barn for the ceremony. Something to keep in mind if you are planning to get married at Tankersley Manor, they can host two weddings a day there.
As a wedding venue, Tankersley is a great choice. From a photography perspective the Crook Barn is great because there is a frosted window at the bottom of the aisle meaning Rochelle and Paul were perfectly lit by natural light.
A point to keep in mind is that Tankersley Manor itself has minimal grounds, so for group photos you are restricted to either the car park or finding somewhere indoors to get the snaps.
This brings me to why I have called this post ‘Chasing the Sunset’.
On the day I actually happened upon the photographer who was covering the other wedding whilst we were both on our dinner breaks.
We talked about what we could do when sunset came around and it was time for portraits. We were in for a decent sunset, but the location was a bit lacking when it came to locations.
Honestly, I don’t know what the other couple managed to capture, we ended up making use of the elevated position of the car park we were in to get some ‘car park sunset’ portraits which actually turned out pretty well.
We also went for a little walk and found a small grassy pathway so we managed to get a few more there.
In all I am really happy with the photos we came out with.
I was also very impressed with Rochelle and Paul, who had told me in their pre-wedding meeting that they were not comfortable with having their photos taken. By the time the evening portraits came along you would never have known.
The Photos 🙂
I imagine the real reason you came here is to have a look through the highlights from the photos we took.
well, without any further ado, here they are.
Oh and if you are looking for someone to photograph your wedding and you like the look of these, feel free to get in touch.
If you would like to talk to me about photographing your wedding, feel free to get in touch.
See ya next time.
James
06/10/2018
St Joseph’s Church & Clapham Village Hall, Bedford Wedding :: Shauna & Russell
My first wedding in Bedford!
Shauna and Russell’s wedding day happened to fall on the same day as Bedford’s river boat festival meaning road closures and heavy traffic on the way to the church.
Not what I was hoping for when I was already unsure whether I would be able to get parked anywhere near the church.
Turns out I had nothing to worry about, as usual.
At this point in what will no doubt end up being a legendary summer of 2018, not a drop of rain had fallen in weeks.
The glorious sunshine was in full force as guests wafted themselves with paper fans through the day.
As it happened the weather fit nicely with the Carribbean themed food and the mood never dipped all day.
The vast fields around the back of Clapham Village Hall meant we could take full advantage of the sun as it set in the later evening.
The golden, scorched grass blended beautifully with the setting sun as I took the happy couple out for a gentle photo-stroll.
Wedding Day Locations
Premier Inn Bedford South
The Holy Child & St Joseph R C Church
Clapham Village Hall
The Slideshow

The Photos
If you can’t watch the slideshow right now, here is a selection of photos from the album to scroll through.
If you would like to talk to me about photographing your wedding give me a shout. Contact details are on my Contact Me page.
Speak soon,
James
03/08/2018
Rockingham Arms, Wentworth Wedding :: Claire & Sam
Claire & Sam’s Wedding @ Rockingham Arms, Wentworth
This is England.
You have to expect a certain unpredictability in the weather.
Yes, we all hope for glorious sunshine on our wedding day, or at the very least for no rain.
For Claire, heavy rain seems to follow her around, having been born during The Great Storm of 1987.
Luckily the rain only stopped by as a reminder.
It was a looming threat throughout the morning and into the early afternoon. Knowing it was imminent we rushed through the group photos outside the church and we managed to just about make it into the cars before the heavens opened.
Boy did they open! The poor Morris wedding car on the journey between St Margaret’s Church and the Rockingham Arms was pummelled with rain.
Fortunately the downpour was short-lived and we were able to get out in the evening to capture some truly memorising sunset portraits of the happy couple around Wentworth Village.
The Benefits of an Engagement Shoot
I talked about this already when I wrote about Claire and Sam’s engagement shoot earlier in the year.
Like many couples I work with, they were not particularly fond of the idea of having their photograph taken when they arrived for the engagement shoot.
By the time we were wrapping up our portrait session as the sun was setting on their wedding day you would never have known they were the same couple.
There was no coaching involved, no forced posing. They just fell into place perfectly and just about every shot was a keeper.
You can see what I mean when you look through the highlights below, would you ever think these two didn’t like being photographed?
The Slideshow
So, without further ado, here is the story of Claire and Sam’s wedding day in about 5 minutes.

Highlights from the Gallery
If you can’t watch the video right now, here are a few highlights to scroll through.
If you would like to talk to me about photographing your wedding feel free to contact me.
See ya next time,
James
26/06/2018