The Elvetham Hotel Wedding Photography

Sam and Roni are a wonderful couple, and I was really looking forward to being their The Elvetham Hotel wedding photographer. They had booked a winter wedding and I had my fingers crossed that they would get the white wedding they were hoping for.

Most people long for summer weddings with glorious sunshine, but I think there is something wonderful about the way the snow glistens behind the ice white of a wedding dress. I think snow provides the perfect backdrop for a romantic and intimate wedding. I was pleased to find it was snowing heavily when I first opened my eyes on the morning of Sam and Roni’s interfaith wedding at the Elvetham Hotel.

When I met with Sam and Roni in the lead up to the wedding, they talked about how they wanted their wedding photographs to tell the story of the wedding. We decided I should use a mix of documentary style, posed and establishing shots to best capture their big day, and give the wedding album a narrative.

An Interfaith Christian and Jewish Wedding at The Elvetham Hotel in Hampshire

I photograph all kinds of weddings - Jewish weddings, Greek Orthodox weddings, Catholic weddings, non-religious ceremonies… you name it, I’ve photographed it. I love photographing weddings, I love the rituals and traditions that make each faith’s wedding ceremony unique.

When Sam and Roni asked me to by the wedding photographer for their interfaith wedding at The Elvetham Hotel in Hampshire, I was excited. Theirs was to be a Christian Catholic and Jewish wedding, and I was excited to see which elements they would choose to include from each faith’s traditional wedding ceremony.

Christian Catholic and Jewish Wedding

The ceremony was delivered by a Catholic priest, and a Rabbi was in attendance to bless the marriage. It was beautiful seeing the two faiths marry together in such a way, and to listen to the Priest and Rabbi each explain why their religion was important to the couple.

I used reportage style wedding photography to capture the various traditions included in Sam and Roni’s Christian Catholic and Jewish wedding ceremony. From the Chuppah to the Bible, the breaking of the glass to the blessing, the ceremony was seamless. This was my first time as an interfaith wedding photographer at The Elvetham Hotel in Hampshire, but I hope it won’t be my last.

There are some beautiful shots of the wedding party heading out into the snow-filled gardens after the ceremony. The bride’s dress blends beautifully into the snowy backdrop, while the men look smart with their dinner suits set against the snow. The beautiful and imposing architecture of The Elvetham Hotel can be seen in the background, which gives the image a truly impressive backdrop.

Sam and Roni asked me to take some photographs of them as newlyweds, posed photographs to showcase the couple on their big day. One of my favourites shots shows Sam and Roni sat together at a grand piano. The couple, with Sam giggling as Roni kisses her neck, are reflected in the dark mahogany wood of the piano. They are sat in a dark room, and the photograph is lit by a single desk lamp sitting on top of the piano. I think it really captures the elegance of their wedding day.

The speeches are always one of my favourite parts of a wedding. Listening to their friends and family talk about the couple, really gives an insight into who they are. I used documentary style photography to capture the speeches, and there is a great shot taken during Sam’s dad’s speech. His speech was great, and the room was filled with laughter, and you can see Sam almost cringing in the photograph as her father shares an embarrassing anecdote about her youth. It’s a lovely photo, and really captures the atmosphere during the speeches.

The wedding cake was located at the bottom of the imposing staircase, so I decided to make the most of this for my photographs. When it came time to cut the cake, I invited the guests to line the staircase, leaning over to watch the couple cut the cake. It’s a beautiful photograph, and will always remind Sam and Roni of who was present to share in their special day, and eat their delicious cake!

I am an experienced and professional wedding photographer, and specialise in a mix of photography styles. If you would like to find out more about my work, and discuss my availability for your big day, please contact me.