Sopley Mill Wedding Photographs With Emma And Niall

May 15, 2024 | Wedding Photography, Green Themed Wedding, Wedding Photographers in Dorset, Wedding Photographers in Christchurch, Sopley Mill Weddings, Mill Wedding, Spring Weddings

A Workout For Sopley Mill Wedding Photographs

Creating these Sopley Mill wedding photographs involved walking over 10 miles and 40 flights of stairs. When you consider the entire wedding day was pretty much in the same place that really is going some. However, it was absolutely, without a doubt worth it! In our 14 years of shooting weddings at Sopley Mill wedding venue it still never fails to provide some wonderful surprises.

Illuminated Sopley Mill wedding venue by a river at twilight, with trees framing the scene and lights reflecting on the water.
Bride and groom kissing illuminated by a central blue light, surrounded by numerous red circles against a black background, giant connect four used by wedding photographers to create a unique wedding couple photograph

Finding Comfort In Front Of The Camera

Now on their engagement shoot, Emma had told me just how much she hates having her photo taken. But, after the experience, she was a little more relaxed in front of the camera. I still had some work to do!

First thing on the wedding morning, we arrived at a damp Sopley Mill. The weather was overcast and cold. Therefore Murray and I crossed our fingers, hoping that the unfortunate-looking weather forecast was wrong.

Brick multistory building with a white grain shoot under a cloudy sky, completed with a gravel driveway and adjacent small cottage, perfect as a Sopley Mill wedding venue.

Wedding Morning Bridal Prep Photos At Sopley Mill

Upstairs, in the bridal suite, we found MUA and hairdresser Sophie and her assistant busy with Emma and the girls. They worked their magic around the limited light

In the center of the room, Emma’s bridesmaids laughed and chatted around a cream and green flower bouquet. They wore matching silk dressing gowns with their names on the back. The bridesmaids in black and Emma in white

All eyes were drawn to the stunning lace-detailed wedding dress from Minster Bridal hanging in the window. Becasue it was glowing in the light that came through.

Candid Wedding Morning Coverage

Murray then left to find Niall and the groomsmen around the corner at Sopley Cottages. The girls were now getting used to having me and the camera around. Once relaxed into the morning they moved from hair to makeup stations and back. I was fortunate to be able to use several mirrors, because they allowed me to gain otherwise impossible angles on the events of the morning. Also, they also allowed me to stay out of the way.

Meanwhile, upstairs, the ceremony room had been set up with ornamental olive trees and candles on log slices lining the aisle. More topiary, flowers, and grand candles flanked the signing table. IncaBella had worked their venue styling magic.

Next some guests and groomsmen were popping by to check that they were fulfilling their roles correctly. Which included the table plan and external greeting mirror. Also the decoration of the wedding breakfast room, right at the top of Sopley Mill.

A bride prepares for her wedding having hair styled, with her face reflected in a mirror. Her wedding dress hanging nearby, glowing in a window in a well-lit Dorset mill wedding venue.
Two bridesmaids smiling and conversing, reflected in a mirror with a brides's back to the camera in a cozy bridal suite
Wedding guests holding an umbrella stands together on a riverside patio, viewed through a windowpane, with a boathouse and lush greenery in the background at Sopley Mill

A Truly Bridal Team Effort

This wedding morning at Sopley Mill was a team effort. Bridesmaids crafted table place names. They also made tiered cake plates. This all happened while she had her wedding hair styled. Outside, the sun started to peer through as Emma finished her hair. It was an art of work. Sophie had not only tamed Emma’s locks but had created a hair sculpture that would last throughout the day.

The flower bouquets arrived from IncaBella, filling the room with a floral scent. Other white flowers and gorgeous green foliage surrounded the white roses.

After that te bridesmaids popped upstairs to help Emma’s aunt with the wedding breakfast room. They added decorations, Polaroid pictures of the guests, and sweet bags to every table. Additionally, green foliage and candles were present, tying in with the theme for the day.

A bridesmaid smiles as she cuts out wedding place names with a pair of scissors. This touching moment is captured in a documentary wedding photograph, presented in black and white.
A bride's head is reflected in a makeup mirror on a cluttered vanity table, flanked by two lit lamps in a dimly lit room, captured in a Dorset wedding photo.
A black and white documentary wedding photograph of a joyful maid of honour seated, holding tiered cake plates, surrounded by bridesmaids in a lively room, with wedding hair stylist standing behind her.
A floral embroidered wedding clutch rests on a table with a blurred background of a person styling hair.
A bride smiling at her reflection in a mirror, with another mirror reflectign hairstlyist hand holduing brides hair curls up. A blurred foreground showing a lamp and various objects at a Dorset wedding venue.
A white wedding dress hanging on a rack in a softly lit room at Dorset mill wedding venue, with other garments scattered on the floor.
Black and white documentary wedding photograph of a laughing bridesmaid's reflection in a handheld mirror, placed on a cluttered dresser with lamps and wedding makeup items.
A stylist sprays hair product on a client in a dimly lit room, creating a mist around the client's head, with strong backlighting emphasizing the silhouette
A bride with an intricately styled updo, wearing a white robe with "Emma" embroidered in animal print, stands facing a window in a brightly lit room
A wedding bouquet featuring white roses and baby's breath, accented with greenery and small buds, displayed indoors
A welcome mirror sign for a Dorset mill wedding venue reading "you're so glad you're here on our special day, Niall and Emma, 28.04.24," displayed on an easel surrounded by flowers.
A makeup artist applies lipstick to a bridesmaid in a dressing room, reflected in a mirror framed by soft lighting.
A bridemaid smiles at mirro reflection whilst curling her hair in a warmly-lit room

A Mixture Of Natural And Ambient Lighting During Bridal Perparations

It was now time for Emma to have her makeup styled. The natural light was streaming in through the window overlooking the river. The bridesmaids donned their gorgeous matching deep green dresses. We all took a peek out of the window because Murray and the chaps arriving, all looking very dapper.

A documentary wedding photograph of a smiling bridesmaid with long wavy hair looking over her shoulder, wearing a black dressing gown.
A bridesmaid in a teal dress bends down to adjust her sandal, framed by other bridesmaid's teal dresses, in a brightly lit room during a Dorset wedding.
A red head bridesmaid in a green dress with another woman and a wedding dress in the background of a documentary wedding photograph.
A detailed wedding dress with floral embellishments hung in front of a window at the Sopley Mill wedding venue, natural light streaming through.
A smiling woman in a floral dress holding a glass stands in a warmly lit room with rustic wooden beams and artwork on the walls, capturing an elegant scene typical of a Sopley mill wedding venue.
A bride in a white robe is being photographed while looking away, by a make up artist holding an LED light in a softly lit room during a Dorset wedding.
Black and white photo of a bride sitting, getting her hair styled by a hairstylist in a dimly lit bridal suite at Sopley Mill wedding venue.
A bridesmaid in silhouette using her phone stands next to a wedding dress hanging in a doorway, illuminated from behind, captured in a documentary-style wedding photograph.

Eventually the makeup and hair were complete. So it was now time for the bridesmaids to help Emma into her wedding dress. Emma looked stunning as her chosen dress perfectly suited her. This A-line, off-the-shoulder number provided graduated lace detailing. Which was complimented perfectly by her veil. Emma’s girls were in attendance as two bridesmaids buttoned her dress in the back while disappearing under the dress at the front – truly a team effort.

Close up photograph of hands buttoning a bride into her wedding dress using green metal crochet hook.
A joyful bride in a white lace dress laughs with bridesmaids in navy and green dresses at Sopley Mill wedding venue, adorned warmly with wooden beams.
A bride in a full white gown and veil stands by a window in a bright room at the Dorset Mill wedding venue, looking outside.

Groom Preparation Photographs In Sopley Cottages

Meanwhile, a little further up the road, Murray found Niall and the chaps happily settled in at Sopley Mill cottages.

Not many wedding mornings start with what looks like a scene from a kidnapping! However, the chaps were busy answering the question, how do you transport a large custom-printed mirror without it breaking? Consequently the answer was: very carefully, with a groomsman locked up in the back of a van!

Two men are next to an open van. One is sitting inside the van filled with wooden planks while the other stands outside, leaning on the van door, in a gravel area with trees in the background. It almost looks like a relaxed groom preparation photo, capturing a candid moment before the big day.

Groom Detail Photos And A Simpsons Theme

The chaps were jolly and well-organized. Indeed they thoughtfully moved through the morning wedding tasks. Meanwhile, Murray found that they had arranged their wedding paraphernalia ready for photographs. The grey plaid suits hung with matching green ties, pocket squares, and a green Simpsons badge. While speeches and rings were laid out with shoes and cufflinks.

The Simpsons theme didn’t stop there as Niall read a love letter from his bride to be in a Simpsons card. He was then treated to a framed Simpsons poster gift. Not only did Niall have to get himself suited and booted but his gorgeous little son too.

The three-piece suits were donned transforming the groom’s party into a dapper group (even despite attacking some pockets with a kitchen knife!). Niall then helped dress his handsome son. After which, they had time for a few toasts in the gardens before leaving for Sopley Mill.

Handwritten weddign speech with wedding rings on top, placed on a reflective surface. Wedding morning detail photograph
A pair of brown leather shoes framing a ring box with a wedding ring, placed on a personalized wooden box labeled "Mr & Mrs" on a chair.
Close-up of a plaid suit jacket with a green tie and matching pocket square, groom's wedding details photograph.
A groom reads a letter in a kitchen while three groomsmen watch, one holding a cup of tea, all in a casual, friendly setting captured in a documentary wedding photograph.
Groom smiling while holding a framed simpsons wedding poster gift, standing in a room with a staircase and Dorset travel posters on the wall.
Two men adjusting a tie in a well-lit, stylish living room with modern decor. Groomsman is assisting the groom with his tie, capturing a moment reminiscent of a documentary wedding photograph.
A Groom in a suit and tie holding a toddler in a printed onesie, both looking thoughtfully to the side in a bright, modern room at a Dorset wedding venue.
Two groomsmen in suits adjust their attire in a kitchen at a Dorset mill wedding venue, while a child is dressed by the groom in the background.
Black and white documentary wedding photograph of a groomsman in a suit adjusting his shoe, with a groom, nanny and baby in the background of a living room.
Groom and three groomsmen in grey wedding suits and green ties cheerfully toasting with whiskey glasses outdoors at a dorset mill wedding venue.
Groom and groomsmen in gray suits and green ties walking confidently down a village road, with a brick house and lush greenery in the background.
A woman in a floral dress looks out from a small window in a brick wall, smiling at groomsmen in suits walking below at the Dorset mill wedding venue.

Sopley Mill Wedding Ceremony Photographs

The groom’s party then  marrily greeted guests inside the cozy wedding venue. As the sun warmed the gardens, everyone went outside.

Time flew and before he knew it, Niall stood atop the aisle in Sopley’s wedding ceremony room. First, the bridesmaids led Emma and her aunt down the aisle, and the guests were then treated to a laughter- and tear-filled wedding ceremony.

With vows, rings, and the first kiss exchanged Emma and Niall left to the guest’s applause as a married couple. After that, we quickly arranged the guests outside the doorway. We then armed them with bubble wands (and a bubble machine). Subsequently the happy couple exited through a curtain of bubbles.

Elderly man with a cane smiling at a standing woman in a floral dress at a Dorset wedding photo gathering, with other guests seated around them.
At a Dorset wedding venue, a child is lifted high by tghe groom, smilingand waving at wedding guests and groomsmen watch fondly.
Maid of honour in a navy dress stands alone at the back of a wedding ceremony room filled with guests facing away.
A bride in a white dress and glasses, holding a bouquet, descends a staircase at the Dorset mill wedding venue with a woman watching from behind.
Wedding guests seated in a rustic hall look on attentively as a ceremony occurs at the Dorset mill wedding venue, focusing on an older man with a flower pinned on his suit.
A groom in a gray suit looks back over his shoulder in a warmly-lit room with guests in the background, captured in a documentary wedding photograph.
A bride in a white gown, holding a bouquet, walks down the aisle with an older woman in a floral dress at Sopley Mill wedding venue, surrounded by standing guests in a warmly-lit room.
A bride and groom listen attentively to an officiant during their indoor wedding ceremony at a Dorset mill wedding venue, with guests in the background.
A bride in glasses and a detailed white gown smiles during her wedding ceremony in a room with brick walls, captured in a beautiful Dorset wedding photo.
Guests smiling and laughing at a Dorset mill wedding venue, seated in a warmly lit room with focus on a young woman in the center.
A bride and groom facing each other at their wedding ceremony, with mirror reflection of seated guests, in a room with brick walls at the Dorset Mill wedding venue.
A bride and groom wedding ceremony holding hands in a cozy, brick-walled venue with seated guests on either side, captured in a documentary wedding photograph.
A black and white Dorset wedding photo captured through an out of focus bride and groom of an attentive older woman and bridemaid blurred in the background.
A bride and groom kissing, with guests clapping in the background at a Dorset mill wedding venue with exposed brick walls.

A Drinks Reception In The Dorset Sunshine

The previously damp grounds were now beautiful. They were bathed in hot, bright sunlight and provided stunning views over the water meadows. Next order of the day was for Red Cherry Catering to supply a refreshing drinks reception. This was then the time for us to work through the formal group photographs efficiently. Not forgetting to capture the hilarity that was also ensuing around us as well.

Sopley Mill wedding venue is a large red brick building next to a lush green lawn with people gathering under a white canopy for an outdoor wedding reception at the Dorset mill wedding venue on a sunny day.
A Bride in a white gown andbridemaid in a green dress, walk together in front of Sopley Mill on a sunny day with a lush lawn in this captivating documentary wedding photograph.

Wedding Couple Photos At Sopley Mill

With time flying we had 15 minutes before the call for the wedding breakfast. So we took the happy couple off for a walk to the nearby iron bridge. Stood over the river, they were more than glad to take 10 minutes out to relax together.

A red brick Dorset Sopley Mill wedding venue beside a tranquil river, with greenery around and a small white bridge leading to the entrance. Bride adn groom kissign on the bridge
A bride and groom reflected in a mirror with their names and wedding date, "Niall & Emma, 28.04," with a heart at a Dorset mill wedding venue.
A bride and groom standing on a rusty bridge over a river at the Dorset mill wedding venue, surrounded by lush greenery and weeping willows.
A bride in a white gown and a groom in a gray suit walk hand-in-hand down a rural road towards a brick house, captured beautifully in this Sopley Mill wedding photograph.
Meanwhile, the preparations continued. Emma’s friend (Tanya’s Patisserie) had baked a delicious selection of cakes and set them out downstairs. Upstairs, the wedding breakfast room was ready to receive guests. Emma and Niall entered to another round of applause from their wedding party.
A woman in a blue dress arranging desserts on a buffet table next to a window in a rustic venue at Sopley Mill.
A plate of cinnamon rolls with icing, accompanied by two small bowls of extra icing, on a wooden table.
Wooden sign on a table reading "All you need is love AND cake - Please help yourself," with a blurred background featuring naked wedding cake decorated with foliage.
Woman in a floral dress and fascinator wipes tears from her eyes, holding a champagne glass, at a Dorset wedding gathering.
A man in a suit looks pensively out of a window in a room with rustic brick walls and wooden beams, typical of a Dorset mill wedding venue.
Seating chart on an easel in the elegant Sopley Mill wedding venue with white decorated tables and string lights.
Elegant wedding reception venue with decorated tables, chiavari chairs, and string lights, set inside a brick-walled room at the Dorset mill wedding venue.
Elegant wedding reception table setup at Sopley Mill with a table number card, candles, glasses, and a brick wall in the background.
A wedding photograph of a couple in a polaroid photo placed among greenery, with soft, blurred golden lights in the background.
Two women examining a large wedding seating chart at the Dorset Mill wedding venue next to a window in a dimly-lit room.
A red headed bridesmaid in a teal dress smiling at the camera, with a couple adjusting their appearance in the background of a documentary wedding photograph.
A bride and groom kissing on a staircase at Sopley Mill, surrounded by white walls with a large clock in the background, captured in this beautiful Dorset wedding photo.
Bride in an off-the-shoulder lace dress smiling as she walks through wedding guests clapping at the Dorset mill wedding venue, with the groom visible in the background.

Wedding Evening Photographs At Sopley Mill

Nect, inside the wedding breakfast room the best man and Emma and Niall gave the wedding speeches. Firstly they had the guests curled over with laughter. Secondly they were wiping away tears of joy. Even the younger guests joined in the toasts!

Red Cherry Catering then treated everyone to a three-course feast under the fairy lights.
Two wedding guests engaged in conversation at a wedding breakfast table, with exposed brick background and elegant table settings, captured in a documentary wedding photograph.
A woman in a floral dress with a teal fascinator smiling at a table at a wedding breakfast with a brick wall in the background, captured in a documentary wedding photograph.
Black and white documentary wedding photograph of a bride in a lace dress and veil, gesturing durign wedding speeches, with a groom looking on.
Groom in a tweed suit standing and giving a wedding speech at a dorset mill wedding venue, holding a paper, with a brick wall and window in the background.
A toddler with a bib smiles while sitting in a high chair at a table, with a brick wall in the background.
A bride in a lace gown and veil listens intently at a Dorset mill wedding venue as the groom delivers a speech.

Wedding Evening Entertainment

Meanwhile, downstairs, The Photo Booth Bournemouth had been set up. With full stomachs, happy guests then went back outside to enjoy the low evening light. Some put on fancy dress for much hilarity in the photo booth.

The sun then set over the water meadows. So we quickly showed Emma and Niall the views, capturing them in silhouette or with sun flares. We could tell they were now completely relaxed.

Simutaneously, upstairs, the ceremony room had been turned around and the DJ from We Perform set up. As with most weddings, the children were drawn to the dancefloor and were busy showing up their parents with some serious moves!

Eventually the evening guests joined the celebrations. Before we left, we utilised the giant Connect Four for one last couple photo.

Children play on a lush green lawn with scattered wooden blocks, surrounded by trees under a clear blue sky
A joyful couple posing outdoors at a Dorset wedding, with the woman blowing a kiss and the man smiling broadly, both dressed in formal attire.
Woman with pink hair blowing a trumpet, surrounded by friends with props and costumes, against a wooden fence backdrop in a photbooth
Three men in suits and green ties are in a photobooth, decked out in fancy dress. They wear funny hats and glasses; one holds a small guitar, another a horn. Wood paneling and white pennant banners are in the background.
A man in a pink shirt sits on a leather sofa, looking at his smartphone, in a cozy room with brick walls and a window, captured beautifully in this documentary wedding photograph.
A mother and boy interact warmly at a sunny wedding gathering at Dorset mill wedding venue, with other guests in the background.
A bride and groom holding hands, standing by a wooden fence in a field at sunset, with the sun casting a warm glow around them at Sopley mill wedding venue.
A couple in wedding attire gaze at each other affectionately by a Dorset mill, bathed in golden sunset light by a river.
A bride and groom holding hands, walking towards Sopley Mill wedding venue in a lush green setting during sunset, captured in a documentary wedding photograph.
Silhouetted bride adn groom dancing at sunset, with a fence in the background and a clear sky in this documentary wedding photograph.
Silhouetted bride and groom standing in a field at sunset, with birds flying overhead and trees beside a wooden fence, captured in a documentary wedding photograph at Sopley Mill wedding venue
Silhouetted wedding couple holding hands by a fence near a river at sunset, with trees and a dramatic sky, perfect for a Dorset wedding photo.
A woman in a floral dress laughs while dancing, with a young boy watching in a room with brick walls and warm lighting.
Children play on a dance floor illuminated by spotlights with a DJ booth in the background at a dimly lit Dorset mill wedding venue.
Sopley Mill wedding venue illuminated with orange and purple lights at twilight, featuring fairy lights and a bride adn groom stood on the bridge over a river reflecting the lights
The sun truly shone down on Emma and Niall for their wonderful wedding day at Sopley Mill. We could tell as they experienced the best day that they ended up entirely relaxing in front of our cameras. Their day was packed full of a mixture of fun, love, and emotion, which we captured throughout.

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