Last year, a lovely lady contacted me. The bride had asked her to find a new photographer after the wedding date had to be changed. That’s how I ended up photographing a spring wedding at Grains Bar Hotel, Oldham.
I am a Manchester-based wedding photographer with a laid-back style and a love of photography. My work is a mix of fly-on-the-wall reportage and beautiful portraiture. I cover the North West, including North Wales and the Lakes.
Grains Bar Hotel Weddings
Grains Bar Hotel is the perfect venue for a small to medium-sized wedding, and in my books, it’s one of the best venues in the area. The hotel is lovely, the ceremony and reception rooms are well-appointed, and the grounds and views are stunning. The staff take good care of you and ensure your wedding day is truly memorable.
Fiona and Phil
I met with the couple a few weeks before the wedding to get to know each other and discuss their plans for the day. We had a good chat and decided on our plan of action for the photographs. They are a very friendly and caring couple, and our day together would be a good one.
The Wedding Day
They booked my short-day package, so I started just before the ceremony. I got a few shots of Fiona and her bridal party, and the flower girls told me they didn’t want me to photograph them. You’ll see how that changed as the day went on.
I also got lots of shots of the guests arriving and mingling downstairs.
Wedding Ceremony at Grains Bar
Fiona’s three sons walked her up to and into the ceremony room. This was an important moment for her, so I captured it all.
The ceremony was a lovely affair, with a beautiful reading and much happiness.
Grains Bar Wedding Reception and Confetti
After the bride and groom exited the ceremony room, their guests followed them into the reception room. All soundly congratulated them, and then we headed outside for the confetti walk.
It started to rain at the end of the confetti walk, so we all went back inside to take the group shots. The space was a bit tight for the shot of everyone, but I made it work.
Then, there was time for some play before the speeches and wedding breakfast. Those flower girls who didn’t want their pictures taken in the morning were now asking me to photograph them.
The Wedding Breakfast
The wedding breakfast was held upstairs in the function room at Grains Bar. It was preceded by the speeches, which were short and lovely. The bride and groom had arranged a meal for me, which I enjoyed downstairs after the speeches ended.
Portraits at Grains Bar Hotel
After the meal, I whisked the couple outside for some portraits. They were naturals in front of the camera and happy to pose for me.
It started snowing later so I quickly took them out for a few more shots in the snow.
Dancing and Cake
The cake-cutting and dancing were genuinely joyous. Mavmac performed life music, which was a massive hit and did an excellent job.
I had a great time photographing this spring wedding at Grains Bar and am happy to say I will be there a few more times this year.
Check out my packages, portfolio and contact me.
Take a look at my other weddings at Grains Bar:
Grains Bar Wedding Photographer
Pre-wedding Meeting at Grains Bar
Grains Bar Hotel, Ripponden Rd, Oldham OL1 4SX