"What are friends for?" A time old saying for the little things in life that those closest to us do, out of the kindness of their hearts. In the case of Bethany and Adam, friends were most certainly for bringing them together, resulting in a beautiful wedding day, in delightful Derbyshire, on the 15th June 2019... and to top it all off, this wedding photographer found himself capturing the big day at a venue that was... you guessed it, recommended by a friend...
Whilst writing this blog on the wonderful wedding day of Bethany and Adam, I asked my wife, "what springs to mind when I say the word 'friends'?" The response of, "Rachel and Ross" didn't help much at first. However, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense... kind of. It's that feeling that our friends know us best. Our likes and dislikes. The things that make us cry out in laughter, and those that simply make us cry. So when Bethany and Adam told me that they had first met through mutual friends, it seemed the perfect beginning... similar people meeting other like minded people. At the very least, their new boyfriend/girlfriend was already liked by their friends!
The couple's last day as said boyfriend and girlfriend was on the 19th August 2017, just under two years before they would become husband and wife on their wedding day. The date also had a very special double meaning for Bethany. As Adam proposed to his soon to be fiancée, he did so in Cuba, Varadero, on the beautiful Bethany's birthday... how romantic is that? The newlyweds would follow up their travels to the west of the world on their honeymoon as well, flying out to Montego Bay Jamaica, just a couple of days after the big day, whilst I was busy processing all the photographs from their wedding.
So how did they come to find the incredible Yeldersley Hall? Internet search? Wedding venue directory? Bridal blogs? Of course not. Whilst being conscious of finding somewhere convenient for all of their family and friends to travel to, you guessed it, a friend suggested this amazing wedding venue that she had also considered for her big day. One look and the pair agreed that they had found their perfect location. Yeldersley Hall is a traditional English country house nestled in the Derbyshire countryside, not too far away from the Peak District National Park. As well as the building offering a grand and eye catching backdrop, both inside and outside for photographs, the grounds surrounding it are simply stunning, and we enjoyed capturing on (digital) film a number of moments in the gardens. I thoroughly enjoyed my day with Bethany, Adam and all of their guests, and the same can be said for the staff at Yeldersley too... lovely, friendly, helpful people, who are excellent at what they do. I must also mention Chef Chris, whose food was delicious! Interested, check him out at christhechef.com.
I always ask this question to my brides and grooms, and this answer needs no flowering up. When asked, what was the most memorable part of your day, Bethany answered...
"Walking down the aisle. Even though everyone was looking at me, I couldn’t see anyone else but Adam. All I wanted to do was get to Adam, and then when I got to the end of the aisle, all Adam said is 'wow, you look beautiful', which gave me butterflies."
I think the friends did well introducing these newlyweds... here's to friends, and most importantly, Mr and Mrs Porter! Congratulations!
Wedding photography by Jon Thorne at Yeldersley Hall, Derbyshire.
