"I answered the phone to Christopher's mum. She warned me they were very rock 'n' roll and hated having their picture taken. I told her to sign me up immediately."
There is a massive misconception about couples who hate having their picture taken. Usually, it just means they hate awkward posing and traditional wedding cheese. When Christopher's mum handled the booking and gave me the warning, I knew exactly what kind of day this was going to be.
Chelsea and Christopher did not want a stiff, formal affair in a grand hotel. They wanted a chaotic, beautiful, high-energy party surrounded by their favourite people. They brought the ultimate rock 'n' roll spectacular to a family farm in Rotherham, and it delivered on every front.
The Prep Rum In The Garden
My day started with Chelsea and the bridal party getting ready outside in her parents' garden. I love summer weddings because the light is incredible, but the atmosphere here was unmatched. There was zero stress. Just constant banter, a few beers, and Chelsea's favourite rum making the rounds.
Then her transport arrived. A pristine VW campervan pulled up to take the bridal party to the farm. I still drive a VW Golf, so anything Volkswagen instantly has my attention. We ended up using the campervan as the backdrop for their hero portraits later in the day, and they are still some of my favourite shots from the season.
The Reality of a "DIY" Wedding
"DIY does not mean cheap. To me, a DIY wedding means absolute creative control. It means trading the restrictive hotel packages for a massive marquee, a live emo-punk band, and a disco ball the size of a small car. It means doing things exactly your way."
The Party Dancing Through Confetti
The farm had a family connection to Chelsea's great uncle, giving the whole venue a deeply personal anchor. They had a brilliant outdoor ceremony complete with a sand blessing, and instead of a polite walk back down the aisle, they danced straight through the confetti.
As a wedding photographer, I spend a lot of time in North and West Yorkshire. But South Yorkshire crowds are spectacular. They are relentlessly up for a laugh, and this guest list was no exception. When the band hit the stage with emo, punk, and indie hits, the marquee absolutely erupted.
Chelsea and Christopher proved that you do not need to love the camera to get unbelievable wedding photography. You just need to throw a brilliant party and let me handle the legacy.
Unbelievable moments deserve unbelievable photography. If you are throwing out the rulebook, I want to be there to shoot it.
