A Small Wedding in Chester

4 May

A groom and bride stand together in a deserted alleyway in Chester, near the registry office. He is wearing a blue suit, and she is wearing a short white dress with pearls and bow details.

Sarah and Olly got married at Chester registry office, in a small celebration with just 14 guests. They met for a first look and a few photos together while their friends and family waited by the registry office,. They then said their I-Dos, threw some confetti outside and then headed over to Tarvin, to their reception at Cornichon, a fab little bistro. Let’s have a look at what they got up to.

The First Look

First looks are becoming increasingly common as couples opt for less tradition on their wedding day. Typically, they involve both partners meeting before their ceremony begins, and having some time together. There are loads of reasons why an engaged couple might opt for a first look - to be together before their ceremony, to not have to take time out of their wedding reception to go for photos, or because they’ve chosen limited coverage and want to make the most of it. Sarah and Olly booked me for three hours, so we decided getting the couple photos done first would be the right thing to do in the name of keeping it all efficient and ticking along nicely.

Chester’s a city of old roads connected by lots of little cut throughs, so we used this to our advantage. Ten minutes gave us time to pop through an alleyway, onto the rows, and back to the registry office with time to spare.

The Ceremony

Chester registry office moved to its new premises in 2024, and the new room is lovely. Filled with natural light and plenty of space, it’s a nice place to get married. Added bonus - unlike many city centre registry offices, the Chester registry office lets you throw confetti outside! We took full advantage.

Sarah and Olly’s ceremony was short and sweet, and there were still plenty of laughs and cute moments to capture.

photograph of a bride walking down the aisle at Chester registry office. She is walking with her dad, and her partner waits for her.

The Reception

Sarah and Olly opted to have their reception at a bistro in their town. They had the use of a couple of the upstairs rooms, which happen to be delightfully adorned with photos of well loved celebrities wearing ceremonial military dress. (I particularly appreciated both Sarah and Olly’s mums sitting beneath a picture of Tom Selleck with a particularly powerful moustache.) Here I spent about an hour and a half with the group, taking group photos and capturing some candid moments.