Hollie and Jack
Duddon Mill Farmis a large tipi wedding venue near Tarporley, Cheshire, where Hollie and Jack celebrated their wedding on the summer solstice in June. It was a relaxed day with lots of colour, a cake-shaped piñata and some excellent dancing, and their DIY approach meant there were plenty of crowdsourced and homespun elements. But that doesn’t even really scratch the surface of what they got up to! Let me walk you through their day, and hopefully inspire you to have a similarly excellent wedding day at Duddon Mill Farm.
Before the Ceremony
Duddon Mill Farm is big. Coming off the main road, you follow a track for half a mile, and see a huge barn in front of you. There’s loads of parking if you move past the woodland and weeping willows by the lake. Guests were able to grab a drink in the barn while Hollie and Jack got ready separately but next door to one another in the onsite accommodation. When I found Jack he was grabbing a beer and getting his buttonhole secured in place before going off to greet the guests, and Hollie was starting to get into her dress. My god, this dress! In 200+ weddings I’ve not seen another one like it!
Hollie’s mum came to see her moments before the ceremony began.
The barn is a great option for welcome drinks! It’s the first thing you see on arrival, and a great place for folks to meet.
The Ceremony
The open air ceremony on the lawn went down a treat
Hollie and Jack were lucky - the sun began to shine, and it just didn’t stop. Jen, of Joyfully Wed, conducted the most beautiful ceremony on the lawn. She talked about how they met, how they fell in love, and the life they share together. Even better - Jen then stayed to help coordinate the rest of the day (something I highly recommend for DIY weddings). Somehow the slight dip in the lawn meant that everyone was able to hear Jen clearly throughout the proceedings, which is a huge advantage to this venue. Having the ceremony on the lawn also meant the day had its own designated spaces, and guests were gently directed from space to space without it ever feeling too formal or fussy.
After the ceremony everyone went back to the barn for a drink, a bite to eat, and to chuck some confetti around.
The fondant potatoes from Shrub are actual heaven. Get them. Trust me.
Into the Tipi
The drinks reception lasted a couple of hours, which is a timeframe I’d always recommend. We got group photos done under the weeping willow, the kids ran around and grazed their knees a bit, and everyone had a drink and a catch up. You could feel the atmosphere getting more jolly by the second, as people caught up with folks they’d not seen for years and family shared stories and memories. Soon it was time to get something to eat, followed by speeches. And Hollie and Jack…well they made quite the entrace!
Apparently Hollie likes to make an entrance!
Every guest had a stick with ribbons on their seat, and as H+J entered the tipi everyone was cheering and waving their yellow ribbons. The only appropriate thing to do was dance inappropriately!
Food came, and then it was time for speeches. Tears, laughter, full on joy. They were brilliant.
This was such a joyous moment. Everyone wanted to keep cheering for a long time!
Piñata, Dancing and Utter Chaos
It was finally time to get the piñata up and running! I loved photographing every part of this moment - from the groomsmen lifting each other to fix the cake to the beam, to all the kids, and then Hollie and Jack, taking a proper whack at it, and aforementioned groomsmen then showing off their little water guns. And after a quick cake cut, it was time for the first dance - a choreographed, comedy moment that was not particularly surprising (given their tendency to make an entrance) but entirely delightful.
Reward the groomsmen for all their hard work with bubbles!
Shots are often messy, and always fun.
Couples Photos
As a documentary photographer, 95% of what I do it totally in the moment and unposed. Group and couple photos take some coordination, and a little bit of “posing” but my approach is to still keep it relatively candid. So I tend to find a location and arrange people in it, then let them be themselves within that space. For Hollie and Jack’s couple photos, this meant venturing up towards the lake and making use of a shed and then a little brook with a bridge. I encouraged them to bring their beers and keep it light and fun, by feeding each other drinks and pulling funny faces, as well as having a few hugs when/if they wanted to. I took their lead while providing some gentle nudges to get the best photos in the moment.
Portraits can reflect your connection, and show who you are, without ever feeling overly posed or awkward. You can have fun with them!
The Supplier Dream Team
Venue: Duddon Mill Farm
Photos: Caroline Goosey Photography
Celebrant: Jen from Joyfully Wed
Hollie’s Dress: Hermia Bridal
Jack’s Suit: Gresham Blake
Bridesmaid’s Kaftans: Fumablinas
Music: Northern House Band (occasionally joined by Jack’s brother)
Flowers: The Petal Story
Cake: Sophie’s Sweet Treats
Canapés and Wedding Breakfast: Shrub
Chippy Van: Foodelectable
Hair: Kell & Co
Makeup: Jennifer Gooding
More Wedding Photos
Are you getting married at Duddon Mill Farm and looking for a wedding photographer? I’d love to chat with you! I’m super local to Duddon and I loved working there, so if you’re looking for a relaxed photographer for your wedding, please get in touch.
