Quick answer: Chloe and Stuart married on 27 August 2026 at Oaklands Wedding Venue with 40 guests. Their daughter chose the pink and red colour scheme, friends made the flowers, cake and signs, and the best man stopped a pocket watch at the moment of the first kiss. I photographed the day in my documentary style.
Chloe and Stuart's wedding was made by the people around them. Their daughter chose the colours, their friends made the flowers, the cake and the signs, and 40 guests joined them at Oaklands on 27 August 2026. They wanted it to feel "Fun and stress free", and when I think back to the day, that's what I remember most. With 40 guests, everyone knew everyone, and I could move around the room without anyone really noticing I was there.
Chester
They knew of each other for years, the way you do when you live in the same small town. What actually got them talking was a picture Stu sent in a Christmas suit. I like that. It's exactly the kind of small, slightly daft beginning that ends up mattering.
Stu proposed in Chester, on their first trip away with their daughter. Given how big a part she went on to play in the wedding itself, it feels right that she was there at the start of it too. Friends describe the two of them as "complete opposites", and they love socialising with friends, going on holiday and family days out together.
The morning at Oaklands was, in Chloe's word, "Relaxed". I photographed it from the edges of the room, the hair being finished and the bridesmaids getting their make-up done, without stopping anyone to pose.
Pink and red, chosen by their daughter
Their daughter picked the pink and red colour scheme, and she picked the bridesmaid and flower girl dresses too. As a surprise, she made biscuits for everyone. Letting a child own part of a wedding like that does more than keep them busy; it makes it their day as well, and you can see it in the photos.
The colour ran right through the day, from the flowers on stands along the aisle to the tables, with a wedding stylist pulling it all together. I made sure I photographed the aisle flowers and the tables before guests arrived, because those colours were her choices and I wanted them to have a record of that.
Made by friends
"Flowers, cake and signage was made by friend's," Chloe told me, and that sums up the day. Their maid of honour, Jord, made both the flowers and the cake, and the cake was made on the morning of the wedding itself. In Chloe's words, Jord "saved the day on several occasions making beautiful flowers and cake". That's a huge amount to take on for someone you love.
The food was sharing boards, which Chloe said "was amazing and felt less formal". It suits a wedding of 40 well: everyone passes things along, talks across the table and nobody feels stuck in their seat.
Chloe's dress was "completely different to what I originally thought I wanted but fell in love with it", and they picked the suits together. Getting ready, she was in her white robe in front of the mirror, smiling through her make-up. The little white suit hanging up, waiting for the youngest guest, was one of those details I couldn't walk past. The photo of Chloe in the bright doorway, just before leaving for the ceremony, is one of my favourites from the morning.
A stopped watch
One of the most thoughtful moments of the day came from the best man. At their first kiss, he stopped a pocket watch, holding that exact moment for them, and then gave it to them in his speech. The speeches were the most emotional part of the day for them both.
The bridal party also bought Chloe a necklace on the morning, and a flower pin with a picture of her mum. It's a small, personal gift, and it meant she carried her mum through the day with her.
Stuart was laughing with his groomsmen beforehand, then waiting at the front of the covered ceremony space as guests settled in. What Chloe remembers from the ceremony is simple: "How happy it felt". I stayed to the side under the pergola so I could see both of their faces during the vows, rather than standing in the middle of the aisle. As they walked back up the aisle with everyone cheering, it felt like the whole room let out a breath and started celebrating.
Rain and the bridge
The weather didn't play along. As Chloe put it, "The weather changed the way we did our photos and resulted in us being inside a large amount of the time but the children loved playing in the rain". That's never a problem for me; I'm used to working with whatever the weather does, and indoor light can be lovely.
We still got everyone together for a group photo from above, and we still found time for the photo on the bridge, under an umbrella. "We love all our photos especially the one on the bridge," Chloe said. I only kept them out for a few minutes in the rain, because the umbrella and the bridge were doing the work, and I knew they'd rather be back with their guests.
If you'd like to know how I work on days like this, I've written about my documentary approach to wedding photography. And if you're looking at smaller weddings, there's a guide to small wedding venues.
Getting ready
Chloe's hair was by Amiee Grant and her make-up by Steph. Her dress came from Bee Bridal Outlet. Chloe was full of praise for both: "Steph - makeup went above and beyond from the moment we booked her I could not recommend her enough", and Amiee "was booked last minute and could not do enough for us". In her words, "Both were so helpful on the morning".
Food, styling and games
Annika's Apron, Twinkle Events Company and Yorkshire Games Hire were also part of the day, and there were indoor and lawn games for guests. Picking the songs, Chloe said, took the most effort, and they "did not realise would be so hard". Their first dance was a song they'd picked many years before. During the speeches I kept watching the guests as much as the couple, because the laughter around the room said as much as the words.
What other couples can take from it
Chloe and Stuart's wedding shows how much a day can gain when you let other people in. Their daughter had real choices to make, from the colours to the bridesmaid dresses, and their friends gave their time and skills to make the flowers, the cake and the signs. That kind of help turns a wedding into something a whole group of people shares.
The rain is worth a mention too. Nobody wants it, but it doesn't spoil a day like this. We moved inside, carried on, and still found the right moment for the bridge photo they love most. If you're worried about the weather on your own day, try not to be. A good venue and a calm photographer will always find a way.
Their advice is short and true: "Just enjoy the day because it goes too fast". And on photos: "Just listen to the photographer". They describe the day as "Perfect, fun, relaxed", and say of the photos, "We look back at them so much they make us feel so happy". That's the best thing anyone can say about my work, and it's why I'd rather photograph a day like theirs than direct one.
And the pocket watch is an idea I'd happily see again. Small, personal touches like that are what I look for all day.
Suppliers
- Venue: Oaklands Wedding Venue
- Hair: Amiee Grant
- Make-up: Steph
- Dress: Bee Bridal Outlet
- Flowers and cake: Jord (maid of honour)
- Annika's Apron
- Twinkle Events Company
- Yorkshire Games Hire
- Photography: Aaron Jeffels
If you're planning your own wedding, you can see my wedding packages or get in touch. A £100 fee holds your date.