What is it like to get married in a Cathedral?
Anna and Nicholas said “I do” at the stunning St Albans Cathedral. You’d be hard pressed to find a grander venue, but what is it like to say your vows in such a prodigious setting?
Anna spent her wedding morning just a stone’s throw from the cathedral at St Michael’s Manor with parents and her best friend.
Husband to be Nicholas pressed his shirt, straightened his tie and doubled checked speeches with his brother, the best man, at their family home in the city.
As you might expect, the St Albans Cathedral is steeped in history with much of it’s architecture dating back to Norman times. It also happens to have the longest nave in the country, a whopping 85m meters. That’s a long processional!
Anna and her father arrived in a jet black Land Rover Defender, perfectly befitting her passion for all things equestrian. She looked more than stunning in a mermaid fit wedding dress complete with delicate lace details and, of course, a cathedral train.
Groom Nicholas greeted the congregation and then waited coolly atop the aisle of the beautiful Lady Chapel where the ceremony was to take place. It was a hot and sunny day and warm light streamed through the stained glass. The Lady Chapel is situated at the eastern end of the cathedral and provides a more intimate setting by comparison to the cavernous nave before it.
“I’d say the best part about getting married in the Abbey is the beauty of the building. It’s such an impressive sight but the lady chapel actually feels really intimate so it’s a great balance”
Both the groom and his father are musicians, and as such music was an important feature of the wedding service. A trumpet played Mendelssohn's Wedding March as Anna took to the aisle and the father of the groom conducted a choir to accompany their hymns. The formality of the music suited the elegant setting perfectly and very much added to the sense of occasion.
Anna made her way gracefully down the aisle of this grand venue, not only to the delight of groom Nicholas and their guests but also a small selection of Cathedral visitors and tourists watching excitedly from the back of the chapel. They could have been forgiven for thinking that they’d stumbled across production of an episode of The Crown, such was the elegance of the occasion! And, it was a delight to photograph. every frame filled with something perfect.
Photographing any wedding ceremony is a huge privilege. The service itself is a solemn occasion that should be discretely recorded, it isn’t a photo-shoot. As a solo-shooter I am adept at capturing ceremonies without intrusion and within the restrictions that may be laid out by the priest or celebrant. The photographer should go completely unnoticed at this time and it takes experience to do that.
Formalities over and legally husband and wife, Anna and Nicholas took their first steps of their marriage. Rather a lot of them in fact, as they processed out along the longest nave in the country and then outside into glorious sunshine! The joy on their faces as they walked back down the aisle together, married, encapsulates every part of why I love and feel privileged to photograph weddings.
As guests took shelter beneath the trees (for once from the heat of the sun and not rain!) we quickly took some photographs against the dramatic backdrop of the cathedral’s west front and prepared for a traditional confetti exit.
Thoroughly hugged and kissed and with confetti throwing complete, the guests began making their way to the reception venue. However, there remained one important thing for the bride and groom to do. Visit the ice-cream van!
“My fave bits:
1. Getting an ice cream just the two of us and Seth, on a high after the whirlwind of the ceremony”
In contrast to the grandeur and formality of their wedding ceremony at the cathedral, Anna and Nicholas choose to host their reception in a gloriously rustic tipi at Country Tipis very pretty Vanstone Park venue near Hitchin.
“We wanted a more low-key, fun reception because the ceremony was quite formal. Our priority for the reception was for it just to feel like a great party with all of our friends, and we just wanted everyone to enjoy themselves. We weren’t so concerned about super traditional ‘reception’ things, we wanted it to feel relaxed and joyful.”
Anna and Nicholas truly made the day their own, dressing the tipis with wildflowers and Jilly Cooper novels (a cheeky nod to Anna’s equestrian background!). Their informal and sun kissed celebrations the perfect way to spend the rest of their wedding day following the hugely exciting and stately service at the St Albans Cathedral.
“Best thing about the tipis was, if the weather is kind, keeping the beautiful day with you when you sit down for the meal, and the easy informal feel you get”
As the sun set the festivities continued with live music and delicious pizza cooked in a woodfired oven. We snuck out to grab some dramatic evening shots together at the end of what was an incredible day.
“My Fave bits:
2. Watching all the people we love from afar after we had taken pictures, and knowing they were there to celebrate with us.”
