Beautiful wedding photographs, brides, weddings and fun from Northumberland and Newcastle, wedding venues and brides in Sunderland and Durham to Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, natural creative professional wedding photography across Darlington, Thirsk, Ripon, Harrogate and York - beyond and abroad!
What a great day I had photographing Gill and Tim's lovely wedding at The Bowes Museum and their wedding breakfast overlooking the most fantastic views of Teesdale.
They were always enthusiastic about relaxed, chilled out photography to document their great wedding celebrations, but I also managed to grab a few minutes with them at Bowes Museum to produce some stylish images.
The rest of the day allowed me to capture the fun and ambience of their wedding in a magnificent historic building and onward to an amazing marquee setting for champagne, and great food by specialist caterer Alexander MacMurray with some excellent speeches from family and friends.
The Picture Gallery in The Bowes Museum is an amazing setting for any wedding - especially so if you are looking for a different type of wedding venue. Aileen Risbey, who co-ordinated the wedding and her colleagues did a great job, while the eight magnificent floral displays by Grace Hunter of Darlington Flower Club were quite unbelievable in their scale.
Gill looked fabulous on the day and had a great time with her close friends and relatives while Tim and his brothers looked extremely smart in their top hats and tails.
It was a great day - I hope you enjoy a few of the photographs I captured on the day - I'll post more later after Gill and Tim get back from their honeymoon!
Photographs above include a lighter moment during the ceremony for Gill and Tim in The Picture Gallery, their small young bridesmaids chatting on the stairs of Bowes Museum on our way out, and a kiss for the bride and groom on the staircase at the wedding venue. The photographs below are of Gill laughing at her Chief Bridesmaid Kirsty's terrific speech and a tender moment for the couple in the historic garden of Bowes Museum in Teesdale.
It's always lovely to receive praise and testimonials about my wedding photography across the UK and abroad.
It's often even nicer too when Mum and Dad take the time to thank me too - of course it's often the parents who pay for, or towards the wedding photography, and quality wedding photography is never cheap!
Margaret and Bob Hutchinson were superb hosts at the wedding of their daughter Victoria to Jaeger. The wedding was originally planned for Rome, but then switched to North yorkshire for Hartlepool born bride Victoria who lives and works in London with Jaeger. Lots of Jaeger's friends and family came from Rome for the day, and although a very cold and windy day in North Yorkshire in February - it was a great wedding celebration!
I was actually on the top of a small 'mountain' on the tiny Scottish island of Gigha when my phone picked up the first signal in days (I could see the mainland from the top, so I caught a signal) when I first heard Margaret's voice!
Her testimonial:
".....It was in a conversation with my hairdresser Ali that I heard about the fantastic photographer Dirk van der Werff who had taken some stunning photographs at her friend's wedding - I phoned him and told him all about Victoria and Jaeger's wedding plans - and it's the best thing we ever did!
From his first visit we felt a chemistry between Bob and I and Dirk and Victoria, his albums and photographhy was superb, but his character and approach immediately put us at our ease, so we immediately booked his services for the wedding at The Crab and Lobster.
Victora and Jaeger on their next visit north were impressed with Dirk's pre-wedding portait shoot which put them at their ease for the big day, and on that day Dirk was incredibly supportive to all of us, he wasn't just 'the photographer', he was part of our family.We are extremely indebted to you Dirk, and the fabulous album and photography is more than we all ever wished for - we would recommend your to everyone..."
I love children at weddings - they're not to everyone's flavour, and indeed I have covered many weddings where children are not invited, but I must say that children do bring something special to a wedding day.
I was commissioned to do Nina's wedding at McCoys Tontine restaurant after her wedding at St Joseph's catholic church in Stokesley North Yorkshire and Nina and Dave had arranged for a seperate room at the restaurant with a professional wedding creche, which worked out very well indeed.
The children had a ball with all the toys and attention and a special meal while the older guests tucked into a scrumptious meal in the private dining room.
I was especially remembering children at weddings recently when I delivered the parents wedding album to Adrian and Ann-Marie Bostock whose daughter Nicola was married to Jon recently at Lanchester in County Durham.
They had some beautiful children at their wedding - including a baby only days old, and they all made such beautiful natural portraits - especially the youngster who wandered to the front during the service with his toy in his arms - just delightful!
Whether you decide to have children at your wedding or otherwise, I would be honoured to be a small but important part of your day capturing and recording great photographs!
I'm very excited at being invited to be a small but important part of an intimate family wedding at a wondeful location in Teesdale at Barnard Castle in County Durham in North East England.
The Bowes Museum is a hidden treasure, a jewel in the heart of beautiful Teesdale. The magnificent building stands proud in the historic market town of Barnard Castle housing internationally significant collections of fine and decorative arts - and you can get married there too!
I first met Gill more than 6 years ago when I had a photography commission at her company in Darlington, and when it came to her wedding to Tim - she remembered me!
The Bowes Museum is undergoing HUGE refurbishment at the moment, and they're spending £millions, so it means that much of the magnificent frontage is covered in scaffolding - but luckily the Picture Room is scaffolding and workmen free, and part of the outstanding frontage will be scaffolding free too - so all is not lost!
After a glass or two of champagne, it's off to a family home and a marquee reception and wedding breakfast!
So, if you were planning on asking me to be a part of your wedding celebrations on May 2nd this year, I'm sorry, I will be at Gill and Tim's wedding at The Bowes museum at Barnard Castle!
Lindisfarne Castle is a sensational wedding venue for something different in Northumberland.Northumberland is a county of castles, but The Holy Island of Lindisfarne is steeped in history and is a tidal island with a causeway that is flooded twice a day.
Mark and Lynn have decided to tie the knot in December with an intimate group of their family and friends attending their wedding in Lindisfarne Castle on Monday 21st December 2009, and have asked me to be part of their wedding celebrations.
It's a fabulous castle location and just 4 days before Christmas of course - it should be great!
So, if you were thinking of inviting me to photograph your wedding on 21st December this year, I'm sorry, I will be at Lynn and Mark's wedding at Lindisfarne Castle!
Recent weddings news and recent weddings I have covered are HERE
A recent castle wedding I have photographed is HERE
Ellingham Hall in Northumberland is one of my favourite exclusive use wedding venues in the north east of England.
It's just such a fun place to hang out with family and friends for a few days - and get married at the same time!
I photographed a lovely wedding there for Liz and Steve a few months ago and now, after an e-mail correspondence with Amy who lives in Canada at the moment, she has chosen me to photograph her grand wedding to Fraser at Ellingham Hall in December 2009.
We won't actually meet until she is in the UK in September, but that's not a problem, and of course the great thing about the internet is, that prospective brides-to-be can check out their wedding venues, their photographers, florists and caterers all online - and better still, see previous weddings that have been photographed there too.
So, if you were considering me to photograph your wedding in the UK or abroad on Saturday December 12th, I'm sorry, I'll with Amy and Fraser at Ellingham Hall!
Liz and Steve's wedding at Ellingham Hall HERE and HERE
I was at a GREAT wedding in North Yorkshire on Friday - at Crathorne Hall in North Yorkshire with Catherine and Chris.
They looked so in love and seemed to have the BEST wedding day with their close family and friends who mainly travelled from Leeds for their wedding.
I first met with Catherine and her chief bridesmaid and her mum at Crathorne Hall more than 10 months ago, but didn't meet with Chris until later in 2008.
He wasn't particulalrly enamoured with the photographers he had already met - but luckily, I turned him around and assured his that I was going to take great photographs of him and Catherine sharing their day with friends and family and that all my best photographs would be of them chilling out and relaxing - with just 10 minutes for groups shots and some posed images I had in mind!
I was there for more than 10 hours in the end, so there are LOTS of great photographsI had a ball - so I hope you like some of their early photographs, and I'll post more later.
Luckily too, Niels and Sylvia from the fantastic Ever After Videos were on hand too - and you can already see their fine efforts in a very much cut-down 5 minute slice of video on their website HERE
Top photographs show Chris and Catherine on a beautifully sunny day - but with the wind swirling Catherine's veil around. The other is of catherine and her bridesmaid's goofing around on the main lawn at Crathorne hall.
The wedding photographs below show Catherine and Chris in the shade of the grand facade at Crathorne, and another of my favourites, a pensive Catherine, waiting outside the church door just before she walked down the aisle - caught through a small gap in the door ...
IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO RECEIVE TESTIMONIALS FROM BRIDES AND GROOMS - I FEEL THAT IT'S A JOB WELL DONE - AND IT ALSO BRINGS BACK GREAT MEMORIES FROM THEIR DAY.
ON SATURDAY THAT I USED SOME IMAGES FROM THEIR WEDDING TO ILLUSTRATE THE FACT THAT I WAS ATTENDING THE WEDDING FAIR AT REDWORTH HALL ON SUNDAY.... AND THEN THIS TURNED UP IN THE POST TODAY!
".....From the time we first met Dirk at a wedding fair - his 11 year old daughter Ellie 'bribed' us with sweets to listen to him! - to the time that our CD of our images arrived, he has been a pleasure and a joy to work with.
The pre-wedding shoot helped to put us both at our ease with him and his cameras. Dirk listened carefully to our wishes for how we wanted the day to be covered and then helped us to refine the details. We asked him for a record of the day without the typical posed shots and a picture of as many of the people there as possible. On the day everything went brilliantly.
Dirk arrived early and spent some time taking pictures of the preparations. After the ceremony he mixed effortlessly with our guests shooting constantly yet never, ever, getting in the way. He took one 'organised' shot which included everyone, making sure that in the space of a couple minutes he had a selection of group pictures where everybody's face could be seen clearly. He had a long day, that lasted well into a fairly riotous evening, where he captured the atmosphere perfectly!
From nearly 300 final edited proof photographs Dirk helped us to select a representative number and when the wedding album arrived we were absolutely delighted with the quality of the book; the selection, quality and arrangement of the pictures; the story that is told and the fact that from all our guests there was only one who did not have an individual portrait included.
If you are thinking of using Dirk for your wedding photography, from our experience, you could not wish for a better result, or a more genial man with whom to deal......"
Thanks David, thank you Anne ... appreciated and delighted that the whole day went so well - I was delighted to have been a part of it!
If you are planning on getting married in County Durham there's a vast array of wedding venues and destinations to choose from, but for the discerning bride and groom who want something different or a location to remember, you are spoilt for choice.
Rockliffe Hall is the grand new wedding venue for 2010, this fantastic new addition to Durham wedding locations offers a contemporary, modern wedding venue in grand surroundings surrounded by hundreds of acres of parkland and a golf club at Hurworth, south of Darlington.
Redworth Hall is a traditional country house hotel and has recently had a huge extension such is it's popularity and this foirmer Paramount Hotels Group hotel has now been transferred to Barco Hotels group. Redworth Hall is a beautiful wedding venue and fantastic for your wedding photography, with both The Great Hall in high demand as well as larger and smaller more modern rooms located on this first floor.
If you want a castle, then Walworth Castle is close-by, whereas the flavour of the moment in wedding venues, and always towards the top of the list for any County Durham wedding is Headlam Hall. This wedding venue too has also had a recent refurbishment of facilities, with the new Spa and bedrooms complimenting the beautiful country house hotel set in parkland to the west of Darlington - this is quite some backdrop for your wedding photographs and one of my favourite County Durham wedding venues.
Durham City itself is full of great wedding venues - particularly Durham Castle, Van Mildert College and many other universities and colleges.
The Radisson SAS Hotel on the waterfront in Durham is another great new wedding venue - well worth a visit when you are planning your wedding celebrations.
Durham is a BIG county, and in the west there are the great wedding venues Bowes Museum and The Morritt, which are both well established, and itn the case of Bowes Museum VERY different for a civil ceremony!
Another beautiful castle location for weddings is Auckland Castle , with spectacular backgrounds for your photography while The Royal County Marriott Hotel in Durham itself is well established.
Hotel Bannatyne is now a popular exclusive use wedding venue in Darlington with an intimate feel for your civil wedding ceremony.
Hallgarth Golf and Country Club also has new owners and a lot of refurbishment work has now been completed, making this a great location to have your wedding.
Beamish Hall is perhaps the most popular location in the north of the county along with Lumley Castle of course, both outstanding locations with a long history and heritage. Whitworth Hall Hotel is always a surprise to those who first visit, particulalrly the grounds with the herds of deer.
Seaham Hall Hotel and Serenity Spa is something really special, with numerous awards under it's belt. If it's fine food, grand location and a sense of history you want - then Seaham Hall has everything
IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO BE A SMALL BUT IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR WEDDING CELEBRATIONS, I WOULD BE HONOURED TO BE ASKED - JUST RING ME AND I WILL TRAVEL TO YOU FOR A CHAT ABOUT YOUR PLANS WITH ABSOLUTELY NO OBLIGATION WHATSOEVER
Some recent photographs from weddings I have been a part of in County Durham wedding venues are HERE
Photographs above from Lanchester, Durham and on the lawn at Redworth Hall, photographs below from Beamish Hall and on the swings in the garden at The Morritt
It's always nice to showcase the weddings and brides that I photograph throughout the year, and making a video slideshow is all part of promoting the wedding photography services I offer to those brides and grooms to whom first class photography at their wedding is an important part of the day.
The latest video slideshow which I have released features weddings at many of the best wedding venues around the north and north east of England including Seaham Hall, Slaley Hall, Langley Castle, and Crathorne Hall, it features wedding photographs from venues such as The Crab and Lobster and Crathorne Hall, Blackfriars Restaurant in Newcastle, Redworth Hall and Jesmond Dene House Hotel.
Close House Hotel is in there too as are photos from Liz and Steve at Ellingham Hall in Northumberland and Linden Hall and Otterburn Hall. Later this year I hope to add a new videoslideshow featuring weddings at Middleton Lodge, The Bowes Museum and Guyzance Hall.
My name is Dirk van der Werff and I'm Principal Photographer at Aquilegia Photographic Ltd - one of the premier photography companies in the north east of England. I photograph some great wedding celebrations across the north of England and beyond for those brides and grooms to whom photography is an important part of the biggest day of their lives. Weddings in Newcastle and Northumberland, weddings in Sunderland, in Durham, across Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Darlington and I also photograph weddings in Harrogate and York, Thirsk and Ripon and across North Yorkshire, and in Windermere and Keswick and across Cumbria. I have also photographed destination weddings in the US, Greece, Norway, Morocco and Milan and Dubai. I would welcome your phone call or e-mail as an expression of interest in me being part of your fantastic wedding celebrations. My personal telephone is 0778 7150966 or you can catch me at the office on 01429 423165. Check out my company website at www.AQphotos.com I very much look forward to hearing all about your wedding!
Posts
