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Gildings Barn Surrey Winter Wedding | Emma & OllieMost weddings tend to happen in spring and summer – obviously the weather has a lot to do with that. Longer days and warmer temperatures make it easier to have events outdoors and there are fewer worries about travel. But a winter wedding has a charm of its own, especially when it involves a candlelit church ceremony, as Emma and Ollie’s did. And a gorgeous and happy couple, of course!

Bridal preparations

I started my coverage at Emma’s parents’ house in Charlwood village, taking pictures of the girls getting ready (not to mention Emma’s dad Patrick putting the finishing touches to his speech!)As you will see there was a “robin” theme going on, with robins on the Christmas wreath on the front door, on top of the wedding cake, and also a painting of a robin by Emma herself appeared on the Order of Service.Then it was just a short walk to St. Nicholas’ Church, Charlwood, where Emma and Ollie were married by the friendly Rector Sue Weakley.

Candlelit wedding ceremony

The service was at 4pm by which time the sun had set, so the wedding ceremony was lit entirely by candles. This made it superbly atmospheric, but was a bit of a challenge for a photographer!Luckily, modern cameras are able to cope with very low light, but I had to use the full ISO range all the way up to 25,600 to get the shots. Using flash wasn’t an option during the ceremony itself as it would have been too distracting.

Family group photos in the church

After the wedding itself, family and guests gathered in the church for a glass of wine, and I took the opportunity to do the family group photos in front of the Christmas tree. I set up a flash on a tall stand with an umbrella to soften the light for this.Sometimes clients tell me they are not bothered about having formal family group photos, but I usually try and encourage people to have at least a few – we agree a list before the wedding, and they usually only take about 20-30 minutes to do, and are an important record of the key people who were there on the day.Nominating a groomsman or bridesmaid to gather people helps of course!

Gildings Barn Surrey winter wedding reception

Gildings Barn has the authentic feel of a traditional (but renovated) country barn – but it is in fact a relatively new build, having been erected with timbers from the trees brought down by the “hurricane” of 1987. The owners Richard and Penny have done a fantastic job of making it feel authentic and it’s a very welcoming place to have a wedding reception.As it was quite cold outside I did most of the photos of Ollie and Emma in the barn, using the festoons of lights in the background for a Christmassy feel. We did a few images in the courtyard and smaller barn just for variety.After the meal, the cutting of the cake and a speech by Emma’s dad Patrick, the guests enjoyed traditional country dancing in the main barn.A big thank you to Emma and Ollie for asking me to record their special day – and many congratulations!Here as always is my selection of some of the highlights of the day. (Click any thumbnail to see the images full-screen).