An intimate wedding at Tabley House in Cheshire
There’s a photograph of Ecem and Steve kissing during their ceremony at Tabley House that I keep coming back to. They’re right in the middle of the room, their guests are applauding and, above them, several people in gilt frames are taking a considerably more reserved interest. I suppose when you’ve been to as many weddings as they have, you’re entitled to keep your seat.
Ecem and Steve chose Tabley House in Cheshire for their intimate wedding. Steve wore black tie, Ecem wore a gown with a long train, and the two of them looked entirely at home in a room full of chandeliers, paintings and rather lovely furniture. I particularly liked the blue sofa. More on that in a minute.
The ceremony at Tabley House
What I love about that ceremony photograph is how much Ecem and Steve will be able to see afterwards. At the time, they were quite reasonably paying attention to each other. From where I stood, I could see past them to the guests on either side of the aisle. There’s a whole collection of faces in that one picture, and I suspect they’ll know exactly whose to look for first.
That’s something I especially like about photographing a smaller wedding. The people in the background are people you chose very deliberately to have there. It’s worth leaving room for them in the photograph.
Wedding portraits by the window
For their portraits, I was particularly taken with one of the tall windows. The curtains are a deep red, the light falls softly across Ecem’s dress, and there’s room to see the full length of her veil. In one photograph she’s standing there on her own, bouquet at her side, with her train trailing across the floor. In another, Steve’s beside her and they’re looking at each other. I’d put those two together in an album. You get a proper look at the dress in the first one, and in the second you get the look on Steve’s face.
Then there’s the blue sofa. Ecem and Steve are sitting close together, her skirt falls over the edge of the seat and the train stretches across the carpet. Behind them are shelves of books, little framed pictures and much larger paintings. There’s quite a lot going on in that room, yet the first thing I notice is their foreheads touching. The second is how beautifully the dress sits. I’m only human.
I’d give the close-up of Ecem’s hand on Steve’s jacket a spot in the album too. You can see her rings and just enough of his shirt and bow tie to know it’s him. After spending a perfectly happy afternoon admiring the contents of Tabley House, one of the photographs I’d keep is about four inches of Steve.
Ecem and Steve, thank you for having me there. I loved photographing the two of you, and I hope you enjoy spotting all those faces behind you during the ceremony. I can account for the very serious ones. They came with the house.
If you’re planning a wedding at Tabley House, I’d love to hear what drew you to it and who you’re bringing along. Send me your date and tell me a little about the two of you. If you’ve already picked out a spot for a portrait, do mention it. I’ve made my feelings about the sofa fairly clear.
