Bath Spa Hotel Wedding Photography for Sally and Andy

BATH WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER:
SALLY AND ANDY ARE SHOWERED WITH CONFETTI AT THE MACDONAL BATH SPA HOTEL

UK WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER: BRIGITTE ATTENDS TO SALLY'S HAIR

BATH WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY:  YOU ARE INVITED TO ....

STILL TIME FOR A LAUGH AND CHAT ABOUT THE WEDDING!

JUST C HECKING THE BRIDESMAIDS WEDDING GOWNS

WEDDING SHOES AT THE READY ...

DETAIL FROM THE BEAUTIFUL WEDDING STATIONARY

RITVA WESTENIUS COUTURE WEDDING GOWN - READY AND WAITING FOR SALLY

THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR BEFORE SALLY''S WEDDING TO ANDY

EVEN A MAGNIFICENT WEDDING GOWN NEEDS A FEW SLIGHT CREASES ATTENDING TO!

A BEAUTIFUL BRIDAL PORTRAIT OF SALLY AND MELISSA

ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL BHS WEDDING GOWNS FOR THE SMALLER BRIDESMAIDS - WHICH SALLY SPOTTED ON MY BLOG FROM ANOTHER OF MY WEDDINGS ..

HAPPY, HAPPY HAPPY ....

MUNCKIN BRIDESMAIDS HAVING FUN!

BOUQUETS AND HEADBANDS OF ROSES FOR THE SMALLER BRIDESMAIDS

SO SWEET ....... READY FOR HER BIG DAY

A MOMENT TOGETHER WITH THE CONFETTI BEFORE THE BIG DAY .....

FUN FOR MELISSA AND SALLY'S FATHER JIM

NOT LONG NOW .. A QUICK SNIFF OF THE ROSES BEFORE HEADING DOWNSTAIRS

LAST MINUTE RE-ARRANGEMENT OF THE VEIL FOR SALLY FROM BRIGETTE

FATHER AND DAUGHTER - READY TO GO DOWN THE AISLE AT THE BATH SPA HOTEL

EVERYONE REALLY RELAXED BEFORE THE SERVICE

A SIMPLE WEDDING BOUQUET OF ROSES FOR SALLY

BRIDESMAID ANNA IN A REFLECTIVE MOMENT JUST BEFORE THE CEREMONY

SECONDS BEFORE SALLY HEADS DOWN THE AISLE TO MARRY ANDY

SMILES ALL ROUND AS SALLY COMES DOWN THE AISLE WITH HER FATHER AND MELISSA

SMILES FOR ANDY FROM SALLY AS MELISSA DECIDES TO JOIN THEM!

ANDY LOOKING VERY HAPPY INDEED AS SALLY STANDS BY HIM LOOKING FABULOUS IN HER ROTVA WESTENHUIS COUTURE WEDDING GOWN

I DO ....

THEY ONLY HAVE EYES FOR EACH OTHER DURING THEIR CEREMONY

LAUGHS ALL ROUND DURING THE SIGNING CEREMONY

GATHERING ON THE LAWN AT THE  MACDONALD BATH SPA HOTEL

THE PARTY GATHERS ON THE LAWNS FOR CANAPES AND CHAMPAGNE

CONFETTI TIME!!

SALLY'S BEAUTIFUL RITVA WESTENHUIS COUTURE WEDDING GOWN

COOL, CALM AND DEBONAIRE .. ANDY RELAXING WITH A GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE AND FRIENDS ON THE LAWN AT THE MACDONALD BATH SPA HOTEL

CANDID CAMERA FUN WITH THE YOUNGER MEMBERS OF THE PARTY IN THE GARDENS OF THE HOTEL

ALL SET FOR A WEDDING BREAKFAST AT THE HOTEL

BEAUTIFUL TABLE SETTING

ONE OF THE 100 GUESTS GREETING THE BRIDE AND GROOM - ESTHER RANTZEN

YOUNG TOM DID A BRILLIANT JOB READING GRACE BEFORE DINNER

FATHER OF THE BRIDE TIME .... 

HAPPIJNESS ETCHED ALL OVER ANDY'S FACE DURING HIS SPEECH

TEARS AND SADNESS, AS WELL AS HAPPINESS DURING SALLY'S VIDEO PRESENTATION WHICH REDUCED MOST OF THE GUESTS, AND THE PHOTOGRAPHER, TO TEARS ...

TIME FOR A MUM AND BRIDE PHOTOGRAPH

THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN FRONT ... 

ONE FOR, AND OF, THE BOYS!

SALLY'S WEDDING GOWN IN ALL ITS GLORY!

BEST FRIENDS .. ANNA AND SALLY HAVE A CUDDLE!

IT'S GETTING LATE, TIME FORM A CUDDLE ....

AT THE END OF THE DAY .....

MUNCHKIN BRIDES SPOIL MY PHOTOGRAPH OF THE HAPPY COUPLE ... :)

ANDY AND SALLY STROLL ACROSS THE LAWN AT THE BATH SPA HOTEL

SALLY SHOWS OFF HER WEDDING GOWN - DON'T WORRY, SHE DIDN'T TRY TO FLY!

TIME FOR A QUICK KISS ON THE BALCONY .... AS THE SUN GOES DOWN IN BATH

BATH SPA HOTEL WEDDINGS PHOTOGRAPHER FOR ANDY AND A SALLY
"Would you travel and photograph my wedding in Bath Dirk?". That was the start of the phone call I received from Sally earlier this year.
She had searched online for 'Farage wedding gown' which came up with a photograph I took at The Crab and Lobster in North Yorkshire the previous year at Sarah and Lee's wedding.
Intrigued, she looked through the wedding photographs and then looked through lots of other wedding photographs and weddings I had photographed across the UK .. then decided she had found her wedding photographer!
If brides and grooms are attracted by my relaxed style capturing natural images of a great wedding day of celebration, then I will travel anywhere across the UK or to destinations worldwide.
Once I had said that I was more than happy to travel, we arranged for a three way chat with her partner Andy one evening. 
We talked about the wedding of course, but more importantly, they had obviously been through my website and my blog and even my Facebook pages (HERE and HERE) and 'got it', they understood that I document a wedding naturally (but keeping Mum and Dads happy too, as it is a day of record) but the main plan is just to have a brilliant day of celebration and I will make a great documentary record of their fab wedding!
Andy had a gorgeous three year old daughter Melissa, who had fallen for Sally in a big way and who had also 'adopted' Sally's parents in the short time an old friendship had been revived through tragedy.
They had both followed their hearts and decided to marry with 100 of their closest family and friends around them on a Thursday wedding at the Bath Spa Hotel, a fabulous, long established five star wedding venue in the heart of Bath - a place where Andy worked in management previously.
I stayed for 2 nights in a holiday apartment close to the wedding venue, and was just itching to be on site to start working with a lovely set of people. The previous evening I had walked across to the hotel to actually meet with my bride and groom in person for the first time.
I shook Andy warmly by the hand and as Sally and I greeted each other with a kiss, Sally said to me: "It seems as though we have know each other for a long time, come and meet my parents Dirk"
So, I spent a few hours sharing a glass of beer and some nibbles with Sally's parents, who had also viewed some of my San Francisco A3 wedding books I had couriered to Sally and Andy to get a feel of a full wedding, rather than a 'sneak peek' of 30 or so images .. it was a lovely time, sat in the evening sunshine at the Bath Spa Hotel, with a hot-air balloon floating effortlessly over the hotel as we chatted with some of their friends too.
Next day I was itching to get going, so it was lovely to meet with Brigette, Sally's hair stylist of 25 years or so as she had the huge job of doing the hair of virtually everyone who walked through the door of the bridal suite .. she wouldn't have spent much time with mine!
The suite in the Bath Spa Hotel where brides prepare is HUGE, the biggest room I have ever worked in, and thank goodness, has BIG windows on two sides as well, a beautiful room indeed.
Soon the room was filled with friends and bridesmaids wishing Sally well, with Sally's STUNNING Ritva Westenhuis Couture wedding gown on a mannequin dominating a happy room full of expectation and laughter.
Bouquets and flowers had been delivered from Crescent Flowers in Bath and were quite beautiful, while Andy's gorgeous three year old daughter Melissa had arrived and was seemingly very impressed with her and the other small bridesmaid's dresses (from BHS ... Sally spotted them on my blog as well - a great source of information and images for any aspiring brides ..)
Time was moving swiftly and I went off for a while to check out Andy ..  and I actually bumped into him and his best man and groomsmen as they headed toward the ceremony room and reception where their closest friends and relatives were gathering.
He was in fine form, didn't appear to be nervous and was really looking forward to seeing Sally!
There was an audible gasp from the assembled ladies when Sally's Ritva Westenhuis wedding gown finally went on, and what a stunning sight she was!
Melissa and the other bridesmaids by then were charging about the room, but there was still a little time after her father arrived for a few relaxed, informal portraits before we headed down the stairs.
Time to get married!
The room was full of expectation, and as their eyes met .....  Melissa wanted to be part of the action! Bless.
Soon it was all over, and the happy couple accepted their glasses of champagne and we headed off to the lawn for more champagne and canapes, which gave me an opportunity for lots of lovely happy and relaxed images of kissing and cuddling, glad-handing and bear-hugging!
The weather was a bit cool, but the rain held off thank goodness and before long it was time for the wedding breakfast, speeches and an amazing 'presentation' by Sally that had most of the room sniffling and crying - me included!
Although time was pushing on towards 7.30pm, it was time to sort a few relaxed family photographs and some of the bride and groom, and as it was becoming darker and even more cooler, I opted to take family members back to the rooms which were used for bridal prep before dragging Sally and Andy outside for 5 minutes before it was too dark for a few additional images!
First dance was upon us, with an evening reception, more happiness and tears and by 10pm I was goosed!
So, I opted for a taxi down the hill, rather than walking with all my equipment, and I fell asleep on my bed in my suit! ... it had been a GREAT day of celebration for Sally and Andy and Melissa and all their closest family and friends at their wedding at the Bath Spa Hotel.
SEE ALL THEIR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHS HERE - ASK YOUR BRIDE AND GROOM FOR THE PASSWORDS!
If you would like me to travel to your wedding anywhere in the UK or abroad, the only additional costs are two nights accommodation and travel expenses.
Ring me now to check your wedding date on 0778 715 0966
DIRK VAN DER WERFF