Liam & Samie — The Pumping House, Ollerton
A glorious September afternoon at a Grade II listed red-brick pumping station on the edge of Sherwood Forest. Liam and Samie celebrated their wedding with their family and friends around them, a cat on every name card, and, at some point in the afternoon, the bride in a bath (fully dressed). It was a day built around the people in it, full of fun, happiness, and some amazing dance moves (thanks to Dave).
Before the Day — Kelham Island, Sheffield
I met Liam and Samie for coffee at the Bakers Yard in Kelham Island (coincidentally where they would later order their multiple cakes) rather than on a video call. We swapped cat photos, talked a little about their day, a lot about Sheffield, and some about how I work, my approach to portraits and how I spend most of the day amongst the crowd. At some point, the hour turned to two and we decided that we were all over-running on other plans — it felt like a chat with friends. Suffice to say, they booked.
“When we first met, it felt like meeting a friend. An extremely talented friend. We had no idea what we were doing and we were so nervous about getting photos of the right people, how we’d look, the first dance, everything. Andrew had seen it all before. He settled our nerves, gave us great advice, and we even exchanged many many cat pictures. Most of all he was just fun to have a chat with!”
Arriving — The Pumping House, Ollerton
I arrived around midday, a little before I needed to, and before any guests. It was my first time at The Pumping House and I'd heard plenty about it, but nothing quite prepared me for an imposing red-brick Victorian pumping station, set in the midst of woodland and well away from anything built up. Forest, over-sized architecture and industrial features are three of my favourite things, and I was handed all of them before I'd taken a picture.
The interior, was equally stunning. The Engine Hall with it’s double-height ceiling was set up for the meal, and up above, over-looking it, was a selection of rooms — the Boutique, Conservatory, Cinema Room, and the Ollerton room where the ceremony would be held. To put it into perspective, the staircases in the Pumping House are photogenic. It was going to be a fun day.
Getting Ready — The Quarters, Ollerton
There wasn't any official getting-ready coverage for the day, but I'd arrived early, and at the Quarters, the accommodation at the back of the venue, Samie was just finishing off. Her mother and bridesmaid were working on the back of the dress in the (photogenic, industrial chic) kitchen a bare, so, naturally, I took the photos while they did.
Liam wore a rust-brown suit with a green floral tie and tie clip, brown leather boots, and a small dried-flower buttonhole in oranges. Samie's dress had a full tulle skirt and a lace bodice with a sheer neckline and a keyhole back, with her hair in curls pinned up with small pearl clips. Her bouquet was dried flowers and grasses in oranges and creams, and the same flowers showed up all round the room: tall arrangements on white plinths draped in sage-green gauze either side of where they stood, and small posies tied with white ribbon to the ends of the chairs.
The Ceremony — The Ollerton Room, Ollerton
Samie and her mum entered the ceremony room after a moment with the bridal party in the Boutique next door. After a few photos at the front, I stepped back and took a position where the guests were sitting, capturing their reactions, the smiles and the laughs The moment I remember came after the scripted parts were done. While the registrars were preparing the paperwork and everyone was standing for the exit, Samie and Liam shared a gentle touch and a look, with nothing planned about it. I framed it through the people along the aisle, and it's my favourite photo from the ceremony.
Confetti and Groups — The Front Steps, Ollerton
Instead of confetti down an aisle, we used the front of the building. The sweeping, symmetrical stairs make a very good backdrop, so the confetti and the group photos happened in the same place. Friends and family gathered on the steps and around Samie and Liam, who waited in the middle, and everyone threw on a big countdown and cheer. Audience participation is part of what makes the confetti photo one of my favourite to capture.
The handful of group photos were in the same spot. Nothing overly formal. People were passing in and out of the building while we lined up, and some of the family hung about in the background, waving, or drinking a pint. Yep, they made it into the album.
“On the day, Andrew was spectacular. Most times, we honestly forgot he was there. We never felt like he was intruding on intimate moments, yet he captured them as we remember them. He even wrangled our guests without us asking for the obligatory group photos. And they were obviously perfect. Each one had a natural “flair” — unusual framing, a fun accent feature, or an unexpected intruder — things that you would never plan, but looking back you would never have any other way. Any silly ideas we had for photos were met with a resounding “yes”, our personal favourite being the bride in the bath!”
Drinks on the Lawn — The Pumping House, Ollerton
Because the September weather was kind the drinks receptions was outside on the lawn in front of the Pumping House. The lawn starts at the foot of the stairs, with a small brick-built bar, a few sofas and tables. Guests mingled, relaxed, enjoyed the bubbles and spoke with Liam and Samie. I was in among them, one camera with a wide lens, taking pictures from their perspective. I find there’s a lot to do during drinks receptions, and this one was no exception. Uni friends meeting again, family meeting family they’ve not seen for ages — the interaction of people is fascinating to watch and photograph.
Portraits — Upstairs, Downstairs and the Bath, Ollerton
Arriving early meant I'd scoped out a few spots and had a rough route planned for the portraits. I prefer that we sneak away with a plan while the Pumping House staff seat everyone for the speeches and meal. We went upstairs to the boutique and cinema room, somewhere cosier and out of the way, where Samie and Liam played an arcade game, talked about their morning, and I went along for the ride. Then we made our way down through the building and found the bath.
The bath was Samie's idea. Well, perhaps not entirely. I’m not amiss to a good photo moment. She jumped in before I’d finished asking ‘do you want…’, leant back in the full wedding gown, white Timberlands up on the side.
By the time we got back to the lawn the guests were inside, so we strolled along the path for a few minutes, had a chat between us about the day (and cats) and I took a few more frames as the sun started to dip to tree tops, and then we headed in for the big entry.
The Meal and Speeches — The Pumping House, Ollerton
The ‘big entry’ was announced and they strolled in. Liam and Samie aren't ones for a fuss, so they made their way quickly to the top table, which was just the two of them. A lovely touch, as it meant the guests could mingle and they could have a moment to themselves. The speeches were fun, and I stayed among the guests, catching their reactions.
There were three courses and, instead of one cake, a whole cake table, which was something to see. I don't tend to photograph people eating, so I left them to it and was provided some great grub by the Pumping House, returning for the cake cut and Samie stuffing Liam’s face full of it.
First Dance and the Evening — The Pumping House, Ollerton
Samie and Liam were a little nervous about dancing in front of a room full of people, and a lot of couples are. Three and a half minutes of twirling in front of a crowd, even a crowd of close friends and family, is a lot. My advice was to keep the part where you're alone quick. I need about fifteen seconds for the photo, then invite everyone to join you. They went a little longer than that, but it went to plan, and it was obvious the guests had wanted to dance since the food finished and the music started, so it all felt like a natural part of the evening.
The last thing I photographed was the dance floor, which was rocking as I left. Dave, a friend of the couple, was breakdancing, and I have a series taken right down at floor level with the guests around him laughing and cheering him on.
“We ended up with a wonderful chronicle of the day, as it was. They’re probably the best photos of us that exist, and likely always will be!”
Suppliers
Venue, food and DJ: The Pumping House
Dress: Hummingbird Bridal Studio
Dress alterations: Bow and Lace
Groom's suit: Gresham Blake
Hair: The Curl Clinic
Make-up: Makeup by Alexandra
Rings: Folklore Foundry
Florals: Southwold Flower Company
Decor: The Wedding Collection
Cake: Bakers Yard
If you're planning a day at a venue that already means something to you, you can see how I work on the pricing page, or get in touch on the enquiry form.
