Cooling Castle Wedding Photographers – Jenna & Nick
I was thrilled when Jenna & Nick booked me to provide their Cooling Castle Wedding Photographers. A team of 3 in total, including myself, my second photographer for the day, Kevin (another accomplished full time pro) and one of my most trusted assistants, Charlotte. Other Cooling Castle Barn Weddings can be found here: Cooling Castle Barn Wedding Photographer
Jenna & Nick contacted me two years before, way back in 2015, about being the Wedding Photographer for their big day. We met to discuss their day in detail at Wealden Hall in East Malling, Kent just round the corner from another of my favourite Kent Wedding Venues – Bradbourne House (see weddings here: Bradbourne House Wedding Photographer).
Bridal Prep & Groom Prep
It seemed a long time away at the time, but soon rolled around and I was greeted on the day by the busy but relaxed girls (four bridesmaids plus Jenna). They even had time to make table centre pieces out of feathers! I took my second photographer Kevin over to see the boys to introduce him to Nick and then went back to see how the girls were doing. Presents were duly exchanged and then we were on to the ceremony. Lets not mention the deodorant incident…. 😉
The Little Details
Something that I usually capture but haven’t always shown on the blogs in the past is the little things, the details. From the couture Amanda Wyatt Wedding Dress sourced through Belle Amore Bridal Boutique in Bexleyheath, the Ted Baker shoes, the Jon Richard necklace, the Boux Avenue bridal lingerie, the Crystal & Pearl Wedding Accessories, Jenna’s Dior perfume, the Wedding Flowers by Linda Shackleton and the Pandora charm bracelet gift to the Jack Daniels gift for Nick.
Wedding Ceremony
A good few tears were shed as Jenna made her way down the aisle, before dad handed her over (whilst being landed with the flowers!). We had a special ring bearer on the day – a beautiful young owl. Thankfully I have covered birds of prey a few times before and knew what to expect.
Wedding Reception
The food was lovely as ever, just like the staff, and there were speeches with laughter and some more tears before it was time to cut the cake and get to the emotional Father Daughter dance. This was followed by the last of the main events – the Bride & Grooms First Dance. They looked like they enjoyed it and I would like to wish them the very best for the future as Husband and Wife together.
Creative Wedding Photography & Bridal Portraits
I take as little time as I am given by my couples and turn it into the maximum value that I can. Your wedding time is precious, after all. And so it was with Jenna & Nick that I took them for a few short trips across the day to create art to remind them of their day.
Kent Wedding Venue: Cooling Castle Barn
Ceremony/Reception Capacity: 160
Evening Capacity:250
Cooling Castle Barn (AKA Cooling Castle) is a popular Kent Wedding Venue for good reason and hosts 100’s of weddings each year. It is easy to get to and is just a few miles from Rochester. The wedding venue itself is composed of three barns – the Tithe Barn, the Fathom Barn and the Heritage Barn. These are located next to the remains of the Cooling Castle gatehouse, which is in excellent condition and provides a great photo opportunity for creativity that most couples want to take advantage of.
One of the main advantages of a Cooling Castle Barn Wedding is that you have everything you need in one place. No travelling between venues and losing guests along the way or hassles with cabs, parking or a myriad of other concerns that other venues might pose. It’s a lovely venue where nothing is too far from anything else, you can have outdoor ceremonies and the new Moat House allows brides to get ready on site. I had the good fortune to be one of the very first photographers to shoot in the Moat House and must say that they have done a very good job in it’s design – mixing form and function beautifully AND providing us photographers with a myriad of opportunities for creativity with a lovely backdrop.
I have shot a number of weddings now at the Cooling Castle Barn Wedding Venue and am therefore familiar with the venue without being jaded. If you’re planning on having your Kent Wedding there then please have a look through my work on the blog and then contact me for a quote to be your Cooling Castle Barn Wedding Photographer.
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By John Erskine
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Category: Kent Wedding Photography
Tagged with: Cooling Castle Barn Wedding Photographer
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