The Broadoaks Country House Wedding of Roz and José
Roz and José originally booked me to be their lake district wedding photographer for a November 2020 wedding at Broadoaks Country House Hotel. But the coronavirus pandemic had other ideas, in fact we had a to reschedule quite a few times. It really puts you an emotional roller coaster, along with your clients, when plans are regularly thrown into doubt. We eventually settled on a date in June and even though plans had to change they day itself could not have been more perfect.
As well as being Roz and José’s wedding photographer, Roz had asked me to look after her wedding makeup too. Upon arriving at Broadoaks Country House the first person I saw was actually José, we had all got to know each other really well through various Zoom calls and meetings, and after saying hello I then headed on to look after Roz.
Working as a wedding photographer and a makeup artist in the Lake District is great fun. I absolutely love my job (or should that be jobs?) and it is always nice to be asked to provide both services. This really shows how much the client values you and the services that you offer. What also helped at Roz and José’s wedding was that the wedding ceremony was later in the day giving us ample time to move from makeup application to starting to capture Roz and José’s wedding photos.
José is Venezuelan and his and Roz’s original plan was to get married overseas. It sounds selfish but I am really pleased that they ended up getting married in the Lake District. There was a beautiful mix of English and Venezuelan touches throughout the wedding, not forgetting lots of details that allowed them to express their personality on the day, details that were unique to them.
Just before the ceremony started Roz walked all the way down the Bridge Lane, outside the grounds of Broadoaks Country House, to the main entrance where her father was waiting with a motorcycle. What happened next was such a brilliant thing to witness and also photograph. Roz sat sidesaddle on the motorbike as her father drove it up the hotel driveway as the wedding guests clapped and cheered. Working as a lake district wedding photographer I get to see lots of different things at weddings, and this was one the best. That’s definitely a high bar to top now! As Roz dismounted her trusty steed the wedding guests took their seats ready for the wedding ceremony to begin. I always enjoy photographing all these little moments before a wedding ceremony, with the smiles and nervous laughter for what is to come.
Roz and José’s wedding ceremony was full of tears of joy, plenty of laughter and the odd interruption in Spanish from members of José’s family who were watching over Zoom. They had both written their own vows, José’s in English and Roz’s in Spanish, and it was beautiful to hear them (even if I didn’t understand some of what was being said). I had felt a strong bond with Roz and José throughout the planning of their wedding and it really is quite difficult to photograph a wedding when you have a tear in your eye. The attachment that I felt to them as a couple meant that I was really invested in taking some great photographs to truly tell the story of their wedding.
The drinks reception followed the wedding ceremony. Roz and José only wanted a few group photographs which allowed me more time to document the candid moments, and for some natural wedding photography. We also had a piñata and it was so much fun to watch and photograph it. Wedding photography isn’t always about heading to the nearest lake or view point in the Lake District. It is the people that make a wedding and it is great to be able to have the time to photograph them enjoying the wedding celebrations. The views and vistas could wait for Roz and José’s post wedding photoshoot the following day.
Before the wedding breakfast Roz, José and me made some time for their bride and groom portraits. There are so many great places for wedding photographs in and around Broadoaks Country House Hotel. You are almost spoilt for choice and because each couple is different I always try to do something different for them. As a lake district wedding photographer I get to visit venues like Broadoaks Country House quite a few times throughout the year and it is always good to try something that you have not done before. I also think it makes it more interesting for your clients when they see their wedding photos for the first time. For Roz and José I made use of a couple of different locations at the hotel and then we took a short walk down Bridge Lane for a view across the valley.
Speeches were held after the wedding breakfast with a beautiful speech from José’s brother that was delivered over Zoom. Even though family members from overseas were unable to attend the wedding because of the travel restrictions at the time, it was really nice to see the little touches that kept them involved and a part of Roz and José’s wedding. Photographing speeches at a wedding is always great fun and the speeches were followed by the cutting of the wedding cake.
At the time of Roz and José’s wedding, there were unfortunately still restrictions on weddings in England in response to the coronavirus pandemic. This included restrictions on what could and could not happen during a first dance. So we decided to do the first dance outside by the beautiful fountain at the front of the hotel. The evening light was beautiful and for me it was the perfect end to the perfect wedding for Roz and José as I photographed them dancing a salsa. It is the little things like this that make every wedding unique and special, and a joy to be a wedding photographer for.
Roz and José’s wedding has also been featured on the English Wedding Blog
Roz and José’s Post-Wedding Photoshoot in Little Langdale
The day after Roz and José’s Broadoaks Country House wedding I met them in Ambleside late in the afternoon for their post-wedding photoshoot. A post wedding photoshoot is a great way to get more adventurous, more daring, more dramatic photos in your wedding outfits. On your wedding day there might not be time to go some of the more difficult to reach locations in the Lake District. You might not want to risk your wedding dress or wedding suit getting wet or dirty on your wedding day, but afterwards that risk will not effect your wedding day or your wedding photographs.
The weather had been incredibly hot the week of Roz and José’s wedding so we decided to meet later in the day for their post wedding photoshoot. It was a little cooler and the evening light was going to make for much better photographs. We chose three locations in Little Langdale for their post wedding shoot. Cathedral Cave, Slater Bridge and Blea Tarn. All were nearby with Cathedral Cave and Slater Bridge walking distance from the centre of Little Langdale.
Cathedral Cave was the first stop. I had a very clear idea of the photographs I wanted to take for Roz and José and they were more than happy to oblige. As they climbed rocks I got the camera ready and by using off camera flash I was able to capture some very dramatic photographs, to compliment theor wedding photograph from the previous day. The next stop was Slater Bridge which was only a short walk from Cathedral Cave. The best was yet to come though when we headed back to the cars and them onto Blea Tarn.
At Blea Tarn we had just missed the sun dipping below the mountain tops but this meant that the sky was slowly starting to change colour. I wanted to create an epic landscape photograph for Roz and José to include with the rest of their wedding photographs. Blea Tarn never disappoints with the rugged mountain tops in the distance. This is also where we went for it for the last photo.
The surface of Blea Tarn was incredibly still and the reflections of the mountains and fells, and reddening sky was beautiful. I just needed my bride and groom in the centre of it but it meant that they had to wade into the water, far enough for me to capture the reflection. The finished photograph is one of my favourite photographs from my 2021 weddings. Not only that but Roz and José chose it for the cover of their Photo StoryBook Wedding Album. They both put their faith in me and went along with getting wet and dirty whilst I photographed them in the tarn, but I think that you will agree it was definitely worth it to end the story of their wedding with that photograph.
It was my utmost pleasure to have been chosen by Roz and José to be their Lake District Wedding Photographer. Not only did we create some great memories and some amazing wedding photographs but we have developed a friendship too. But I do not want to finish without a mention of one very special member of their wedding party, Stevie. Stevie is the Staffordshire Bull Terrier that Roz and José rescued as a 3 month old puppy. Stevie had been abused leaving him traumatised and with some horrific injuries. Without Roz and José’s love and dedication Stevie would not be the happy loving dog that he is today. I have nothing but admiration for the three of them. Photographs at Blea Tarn is one thing but their best wedding photograph, in my opinion, is this one taken at the end of their wedding ceremony.
Congratulations guys, you truly are my superheroes.
