Katie and Fenner married at The Holt Fleet, beside the River Severn at Holt Heath in Worcestershire, and spent the whole day there, from getting ready to the last dance. I'm Paul Hickey, their Holt Fleet wedding photographer, and their day made full use of the river, the jetty and Telford's bridge.
A riverside wedding, start to finish
Keeping everything at one venue makes for a relaxed day. There's no travel between locations, and every part of the day is a short walk from the river. For me, it means more time photographing and less time moving people around.
Katie and Fenner wanted documentary wedding photography through the day and some creative portraits at night, and the venue gave us room for both.
Getting ready at The Holt Fleet
Katie got ready in one of the venue's preparation rooms with her bridesmaids, Lucy and Tara. The room looks out over the garden, and the window light was soft enough to photograph without flash.
I photographed the details as they came up: her dress hanging by the window, the rings in the morning light, and the laughter between the three of them.
An outdoor ceremony by the river
The ceremony took place outdoors with the Severn behind. I stayed at the side, quiet and out of eyelines. One of my favourite frames from the day is Fenner's face as Katie walked down the aisle.
The venue's coordinators kept the timings on track, so the ceremony and the drinks afterwards flowed without anyone waiting around.
The jetty, the bridge and an aerial group photo
For the couple portraits, we used the riverside. Katie and Fenner sat on the steps of the jetty, then stood at its end with the water around them. A walk onto Holt Fleet Bridge gave a different view back along the river.
For the group photograph, I put the drone up over the venue's steps. The aerial shows the whole wedding party with the venue around them.
Wedding breakfast, speeches and cake
The wedding breakfast moved into speeches, and Fenner's best man, Sean, delivered a speech that brought both laughter and tears. I photographed the room as much as Sean, because the guests' reactions carry the story.
Katie and Fenner then cut their cake as the evening began, and the tables gave way to the dance floor.
Bubbles, smoke and coloured light
As the light faded over the Severn, we went outside for creative night portraits. Katie and Fenner were sprayed with bubble guns, which turned into a few minutes of chaos and laughter.
I then used off-camera flash with coloured gels and smoke, keeping the river and the venue in the background. These portraits look nothing like the daytime coverage, which is the point: they give the gallery a different finish.
Looking back on Katie and Fenner's day
Holding everything at one riverside venue let Katie and Fenner's day run at an easy pace. That left time for the jetty, the bridge, an aerial group photo and a lively finish with bubbles and coloured light.
More real weddings at this venue: Carianne & Thomas, Sarah & Mark and Becky & Kurtis.
Planning a wedding at The Holt Fleet?
I know The Holt Fleet's ceremony spaces, photo spots and light from weddings I've photographed there. My Holt Fleet wedding photographer guide covers locations, timings and FAQs.
Full-day coverage starts at £1,395; see my wedding photography packages for what's included.
Thank you, Katie and Fenner
Thank you for having me at your wedding. If you're planning a wedding at The Holt Fleet or elsewhere in Worcestershire, I'd like to hear about it. Check my availability and tell me a little about your plans.
About the photographer: Paul Hickey of Once in a Lifetime Photography is a Worcestershire wedding photographer, a multiple Wedisson Award winner and a Flashmasters Gold Award recipient. He is a recommended supplier at The Holt Fleet and has photographed more than 150 weddings since 2014.
