NEWARK WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY
Dave and Ella got married 12 months after their original wedding date, with a small ceremony at the Gilstrap in Newark, a little picnic by the river and a unique way of seeing their friends; this was a wedding that I will never forget.
LET'S TALK COVID RESTRICTIONS
I feel the need for every wedding post to let you know what sort of restrictions were in place at the time of the wedding; this helps people to understand why something might be missing from the series of images at the bottom of this micro wedding blog post.
Ella and Dave were originally planning to get married on the 28th of July 2020, but with the pandemic and the restrictions at the time, the guys decided to move to April 2021. Little did we know that the restrictions would still be in place in April 2021 and would be more strict than the restrictions in place during July 2020.
When the 3rd lockdown was announced in January 2021, I like most people thought that it would be for a month or so and we would be in a much better place come April.
When the government announced its roadmap out of the lockdown, weddings again were left very restricted in numbers.
Ella and Dave were steadfast that no matter the numbers allowed at their wedding, the April 2021 date was staying, and that's that!
So, on April the 9th 2021, Dave and Ella got married.
WINSTON THE CORGI & TERRANCE THE TORTOISE
“Andy - there's a tortoise walking around, watch where you step!”
This is something that has NEVER been said to me before, let alone at Bridal prep on the morning of a wedding!
But, there was Terrance casually walking past the wedding shoes, a couple of pictures, and he was on his way.
Winston would be waiting for Ella in Newark at the Gilstrap Registry office with Dave; Winston would play a big part in the wedding later on in the day when he was the chief greeter at the small garden get together - more on that later!
ZOOMING WITH FRIENDS
Over the last 12 months, Zoom has become a staple of everyone's life, with work, family and those damn quizzes..... But Ella had another use for Zoom on her wedding morning, allowing some of her long-distance friends (who were not allowed to travel to the wedding) to still be part of the wedding morning.
MUM WATCHES AS THE WEDDING DRESS GOES ON
Ella's wedding dress was very special, made from material from her Mum's wedding dress and some from her Grandma's wedding dress.
Lizzie over at Elizabeth Malcolm Based in Matlock was tasked with the job of creating the bespoke wedding dress and she did an amazing job; even helping Ella into the dress on the morning of the wedding - a true professional!
BRIDE AND GROOM ARRIVING FOR THE WEDDING
The drive from Ella's to where Dave and Ella would be getting married was just over an hour, so with a few podcasts to listen to, I set off for Newark.
By the time I'd parked up, got to the Gilstrap and grabbed a few images of Dave and a few of the wedding guests, Ella's wedding car arrived - everyone quickly moved into the Gilstrap.
THE WEDDING CEREMONY
Because of Covid and the restrictions on space, only 6 guests were allowed, along with the two registrars and me.
In the build-up to the wedding, I had been told that I would not be allowed to photograph the ceremony as I was not part of the 6 guests.
Thankfully, a week before the wedding, the Registrars said I would be allowed in - amazing!
Dave and Ella were seated before we were all allowed in; I was placed in a taped-off section at the front and told not to move - for once, I did as I was told.
FRIENDS WAITING IN THE CASTLE GROUNDS
Once all the legals were done, we were all allowed out one-by-one into the Newark Castle grounds, where a few of Ella and Dave's friends were waiting, along with Winston the Corgi.
THE PICNIC
A picnic next to the River Trent with views of Newark castle was a great decision. For the most part, the weather held off and even with a few drops of rain, everyone loved the picnic, especially Winston, who worked the picnic table like a pro, moving from one person to the next and asking for another bit of pork pie or scone!
REMOVING THE FENCE AND SEEING FRIENDS
With the restrictions, the guys were not allowed to have a hosted wedding reception, but they were allowed to see other people in an outside setting.
Ella, on the Zoom call before the wedding, had told me of their plans to remove a fence panel from her Mum's garden and have a few people drive up and say hello; I couldn't quite picture what they had planned, and I'll be honest; after seeing it in action; it was an ingenious idea!
With the fence panel removed and wedding guests booked into timeslots - it was time for the happy couple to say hello to people and to share some of the wedding muffins!
SOME KIND WORDS FROM ELLA & DAVE
“What Andy delivered was fantastic, his photography really captured the essence of our day wonderfully, both through the candid documentary style to the more formal shots, he absolutely delivered exactly what we wanted ”
-Ella & Dave
HOW ABOUT SOME MORE WEDDING PHOTOS FROM THIS NEWARK GILSTRAP WEDDING?
I HOPE YOU LIKED THESE NEWARK WEDDING PHOTOS?
Are you looking for a Newark Wedding Photographer and are interested in my Relaxed, Natural & Documentary Wedding Photography?
Please take a look at my approach to Wedding Photography and contact me to check availability.
You may want to explore the blogs somemore, have a look at some wedding photography slideshows & photofilms or my wedding hints and tips.
You can also keep up with my Instagram channel for more wedding and personal photos.
NEWARK REGISTRY OFFICE LOCATION AND INFORMATION
From Newark Registry Office Web-site:
“A fairytale setting in Newark and a remarkable romantic location that surely cannot be beaten. Its castle grounds setting appeals to those looking for a dream or historic wedding venue for its wow factor. We know of no other registration office ceremony venue set within castle grounds. The Victorian ornamental gardens and bandstand also provide the perfect backdrop to any wedding photograph.
The Salvin Suite grand and spacious with high ceilings and stained glass windows, this is the largest Nottinghamshire registration office ceremony room with a seating capacity 100.
The library room charming, with an attractive character this is a popular choice for smaller weddings with a seating capacity of 20.”
Address - Castle Gate, Newark NG24 1BG
Contact Info -https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/births-deaths-marriages-and-civil-partnerships/weddings-and-civil-partnerships/nottinghamshire-weddings/find-a-venue/registration-office-the-gilstrap-newark | 0300 500 80 80 | weddings@nottscc.gov.uk