I had the privilege of photographing Claire and Will’s wedding in August 2022 at a stunning wedding venue that I considered for my own wedding back in 2007! Fanhams Hall is a Jacobean mansion nestled in the Hertfordshire countryside just outside Ware. The groom, Will and I used to live on the same street when we were little and our parents are still firm friends so I was really excited to be asked to photograph their big day. The couple are both really close with their families and I was made to feel a part of it all, and it was a serious party!
It was an early start for a midday wedding and all the ladies were getting ready in a huge room in the mansion house. Claire had two of her best friends and two nieces for bridesmaids as well as her daughter and other two nieces as flower girls so they really needed the space. The grooms party was no smaller, with both Will and Claire having 2 brothers each! With both couples staying in the hotel and getting ready here, it was really easy for me to move between the different groups for lots of natural pre wedding photos.
The ceremony itself was in a stunning long gallery with large windows and wood panelling, creating a beautiful backdrop. Claire and Will have two children together and large families so it really was an emotional, but happy service from the registrar.
The weather was perfect for the recepetion – sunshine, but not too hot so everyone was outside and there were lawn games to keep everyone, especially the kids occupied! DJ Mike Readings was the ultimate master of ceremonies, I can’t recommend him enough and when it was time for the wedding breakfast he rallied everybody.
The wedding breakfast was not like any I had experienced before – apart from the usual speeches, Mike organised a cheeky game of Mr & Mrs for all the guests to get involved in and a game involving shots, which was rigged so all the couples siblings ended up having to down something. It created a real party atmosphere and lots of laughs for candid images from me! The breakfast ended with a surprise speech from Claire and Will’s daughter so there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!
After the wedding breakfast, I headed out with Claire and Will around the grounds of Fanhams Hall for their couple portraits. The ground are pretty big with a wide variety of backdrops so we went out on a golf buggy no less to save Claire’s feet and got lots of beautiful images for them. Then it was back to the hall for the cake cutting, a surprise serenading from Will to his new wife and some hardcore dancing into the night.
“Tanya was fantastic on our big day! A calm and considered part of the day, ensuring the special moments were captured from before the ceremony right throughout the evening. Tanya has a lovely way with people that helps them relax to then capture them perfectly for a picture that you can cherish forever! The children loved her and the great shots reflect that. The whole process from planning right through to getting our album was well thought out and easy for us. Planning a wedding and getting married can be stressful, but Tanya made it all feel easy. Thank you from the new Mr and Mrs Addy!”
Venue – Fanhams Hall, Ware, Hertfordshire
Florals – Town Garden Hitchin
Hair – Emma Garside Hairdressing
Make Up – Nikki Smith, Sheer Perfection
Master of Ceremonies and DJ – Mike Reading
Lawn Games – Oryx Events
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