BEAMISH HALL THE WEDDING VENUE FOR ANNA AND NEIL

Anna and Neil - what a great couple, but I nearly didn't photograph their great family wedding at Beamish Hall Hotel.

I had a phone call and an e-mail about the same time to the office. It was another plea for help from a bride who had been 'let down' by another photographer, and their wedding was in 8 weeks time. Could I help?

Of course I could. Luckily, because I cover only 20-25 weddings a year, I have availability through the year in different weeks and months. It's great for me and for my brides, it means that I can concentrate on each bride and groom and wedding as individuals, you're not on a production line, you're not just another bride and groom!

I digress ... so, Anna and Neil, who had met in India while working, and who had settled in Essex and Kent decided they wanted to get married in the north east where Anna had family and thought that Beamish Hall would be a great location - too right, especially when their's was the only wedding on that day!

They had already decided from looking at my images on this BLOG and my website, that I was the guy for them! So, they paid a deposit the same day and we hooked up 3 weeks later when they were visiting the area.

We got on famously ... we did some photographs together, with Anna's mum at Beamish Hall as they made their last minute arrangement s and we dashed across to the Angel of the North to get some photographs there that would be suitable for using in their place settings on the BIG day!

So, on Sunday, we met for the second time - their great wedding celebrations at Beamish Hall. The hairdresser had dragged Anna from her bed at 7am, so I didn't feel too bad about things when I arrived on site about 9.30am to catch up with the madness and mayhem.

But it was all chilled out, all fun and games and Anna was the most laid back person there!

Neil, however, in texts and phone calls to me the day before, was in turmoil, bless him, so when he turned up in his father-in-law's Jaguar, he did look a little pasty faced!

He soon settled into the day with his brothers and friends and best man greeting him and letting him know that there was a van full of tissues for when he started crying with emotion of the day - it took about 20 seconds for the first sniffle!

Back upstairs, Anna was about to get into her dress with the help of mum and her friends. It was a fabulous Ian Stuart Bridal dress from Wild Brides in Sunderland and she looked stunning!

I had to worry Neil even more when I saw him soon after and told him he might need a paramedic when he saw Anna coming down the aisle in THAT dress!

Even the civil ceremony was full of fun and laughter, and I was able to get friends and relatives to join in the fun as I took a shot from the balcony in the main hall which Anna and Neil had requested.

Reception started with a demonstration from the guys who run the Birds of Prey Conservation Centre at Beamish which was very different to other weddings, and allowed us to get outside and have more fun with some stunning birds of prey and grab a few important family photos with mums and dads and grandparents for a few minutes.

Inside, the speeches were shoRt and to the point and fun, the chefs excelled themselves with the wedding breakfast and were stunned to be rewarded by Neil with drinks all ound for the kitchen staff - they couldn't remember the last time that had ever happended to them - but it shows the sort of people that Neil and Anna are.

Anna and I and Neil managed to get 10 minutes to ourselves finally as we headed back outside and got some well deserved fresh air - and even theough it was overcast and grey, we created some fun photos together.

The evening reception was already underway and as the first dance loomed, I reflected on what a great day it had been. Full of fun and laughter, chilled out and relaxed.

Just the day that Anna and Neil had ordered!

I hope you enjoy this sneak peak of photographs from their great day ..

DIRK VAN DER WERFF

Related Site

-Gretna Green Weddings

-How Becoming a Wedding Planner

Related Videos :below I show related videos and not so related to this article.

Title: The Beamish Hall Crossbar Challenge - Part 2

Title: The Beamish Hall Crossbar Challenge - Part 1