West Tower Wedding Photography | Lancashire Wedding Photographer
Heather & Paul's Wedding Story
A Mini Tesco Metro reunion.
This was a really nice wedding for me personally, being back at one of my favourite wedding venues West Tower, of course but also because many, many moons ago, nearly 20 years ago now (showing my age) and in a previous life I worked at the Tesco Metro in Ormskirk town Centre, I can remember Heather and a few of the wedding guests started working there as "Saturday kids" soy it was really good to get the chance to meet up again after so long and to see some familiar faces again and as a bonus, get to photograph Heather and Paul's wedding.
Another victim of covid, Heather and Paul had also postponed their wedding several times previously and it was one of the first I shot as the last of the restrictions had just been lifted. Arriving at West Tower for the Bridal Prep, it was a lovely summer's day and I was greeted with an even warmer hug from Heather and her mum Sue, another awesome former Tesco colleague of mine, it was difficult not to just have a good old chat, I had to keep reminding myself throughout the day that I was there to work. One of the good things about West Tower is the size of the rooms for getting ready in, plenty of space for everyone and the decor is lovely. It was a busy bridal prep with Heather and the Bridesmaids taking turns n the capable hands of Sofia from Ruby Slippers Makeup and Hair. Heather and Paul's daughter were the flower girls and you'd have sworn they were clones of Heather, their huge personalities and the same mannerisms, they are just smaller versions! Lily the eldest, looks the most like Heather and has THE funniest expressions, there's no hiding what she's thinking and Charlotte their youngest definitely has the energy and Paul's sense of humour. She had everyone wrapped around her finger during the prep.
The Wedding Ceremony
The grounds and gardens at West Tower are perfect when you're lucky enough get the weather, there's lots of areas for guests to hang out, relaxing and chatting and this was definitely a hot one, plenty of refreshments going down! There's the option for an outdoor ceremony like Rebekah & Craig did but Heather and Paul opted to hold theirs in the Ballroom, a lovely bright and airy, split-level room with steps down to a central aisle leading towards the registrar.
Some couples really bounce off each other and that's certainly the case with these two. Two huge, fun loving personalities and there was so much laughter between them and the guests during the ceremony it was infectious. Sometimes the wedding ceremony can be a bit stuffy and too serious but there was absolutely no chance of that with these two, Paul even managed to make one of the wedding guests snort laugh during the ceremony and set everyone else off again, weddings should be all about having fun, as well as the getting married bit!
Summer, Summer, Summertime!!!
After the ceremony, the wedding party and guests got the chance to make the most of the gorgeous July weather in the gardens at West Tower, something you don't get to say too often. Gorgeous, July and weather are not something you often get to use in the same sentence in this country. Everyone enjoying themselves in the sunshine, it's a great wedding venue for both adults and kids, it's extremely safe and secure, they can just have fun in the garden, whether it's kids photobombing the formals or doing gymnastics, the adults can relax too knowing the kids are alright. Everyone had a great time, especially Charlotte, that's her skipping off into the distance...
Run free little one, well until it's time for everyone to sit down for the wedding breakfast at least!
Drinks and Dancing 'til gone sundown...
After the lovely meal everyone headed back outside and with the lovely weather we'd had all day, it led to an awesome sunset and gave me the opportunity to get some lovely portraits with the Bride and Groom, definitely one for the album and up on the wall! There is something very special about that time of day, Golden hour as it's know, both during and just after sunset when the light is so much warmer, diffused and softer, it's my favourite time of day, add that to the views of the rolling Lancashire countryside, another reason West Tower is one of my favourite wedding venues, just beautiful.
When you've photographed as many weddings as I have, you don't get too many firsts but this was definitely a first for me...it was awesome and it nearly didn't happen! Heather wasn't really fussed about having a first dance but after nipping round and getting their wedding guests involved and a little bit of gentle persuasion from, I got the chance to photograph my first wedding dance outdoors and at sunset too, so cool! Considering they weren't bothered about having a first dance, after getting over the initial awkwardness and embarrassment of everyone watching them, Heather and Paul really threw themselves into it with Paul literally being thrown in the air by his mates!
Such a brilliant day for us all.
