Natasha & Ben
The Ashes Barns
Staffordshire
As you probably know by now The Ashes is one of my favourite barn wedding venues. Set in the rolling Staffordshire countryside with onsite guest accommodation it’s an ideal place to get married and I’m really privileged to be one of their Dream Team recommended suppliers! I love that I get to shoot weddings where I got married myself and the grounds are amazing for pictures.
Natasha and Ben got married at the height of summer in August 2019 so the venue looked incredible, with flowers in bloom and greenery all around. It’s a bit strange blogging about how weddings used to be, unrestricted and full of people having fun close together before COVID hit and changed how we did weddings. I can’t wait for things to get back to normal and to get back to shooting amazing weddings like Natasha and Ben’s incredible friends and family orientated day.
Natasha got ready with the help of ‘Love Beauty by Amy’ who did an amazing job on her and her bridesmaids. The beautiful pink and white bouquet was made by another of my favourite suppliers and regular at the Ashes, ‘The Topiary Tree Florist’ and matched the bridesmaid’s pink dresses perfectly.
Ben’s suit and Natasha’s incredible dress was made by ‘Bridal Couture by Josephine’ and they both looked dapper. You could tell Ben was overwhelmed when he saw Natasha walking down the aisle for the first time. I knew this was going to be a good one when Ben and his groomsmen turned up to the venue to get married in a fleet of vintage cars owned by his family. I love my cars and was in awe of the vintage red Triumph which roared through the Staffordshire hills to deliver the groom Ben to his waiting wife to be.
the dressing room
at the ashes
Vintage wedding cars, Staffordshire
More amazing flowers in pinks and whites with foliage greeted Natasha as she walked down the aisle to say her I do’s then it was congratulations all round and I took the happy couple for a stroll in the grounds whilst the guests enjoyed drinks outside in the sunny British weather.
The vintage cars weren’t the only surprise of the day and after we had gone over to the barn for the wedding breakfast, out came the snakes! That’s right, ‘The Unconventional Menagerie’ had brought along a whole host of tropical creatures “for the kids” but I caught Ben and Natasha wrapped in a giant Python and lots of other adult guests enjoying the company of a tarantula or two.
As the sun began to set, I took the happy couple out into the cornfields for some epic couple’s portraits. I LOVE being a wedding photographer in Staffordshire, the scenery is just so beautiful around here. We headed back in for cake cutting and the first dance with ‘DJ Bart - The Wedding and Party DJ’ where it all got a bit too much and Natasha shed a tear during the first dance.
These guys met way back when they were in school on a trip to Paris in 2005 and I reckon that definitely qualifies them as childhood sweethearts. Having got engaged in 2016 in Rome, 11 years after they first met, this day had been in the planning for a while and it was lovely to see Ben and Natasha’s family so excited for them to tie the knot. What an incredible day! I hope you had the best honeymoon in Mexico - not jealous in the slightest!
Sunset wedding Portraits at The ashes
If you like what you see and are looking for The Ashes Barns wedding photographer who lives nearby and even got married at The Ashes, lets chat! Head on over to my contact page and we’ll take it from there.
James Andrew Photography.
Award winning photographer available for weddings in Staffordshire, across the UK and for destination weddings worldwide.
THE STORY OF YOUR WEDDING DAY IN A NATURAL CREATIVE WAY,
CAPTURING PHOTOS FULL OF LOVE, LAUGHTER AND EMOTION.