When somebody says, 'this is my Everest,' you straight away think that this must mean a lot to them, a big challenge, the pinnacle of an achievement. Not often when somebody says it, do you actually have to stop and say, 'hold on... you are actually talking about Everest itself?!?' As a wedding photographer, the subject doesn't come up all that frequently... let alone when you are asking a couple about their engagement. Nevertheless, I present to you, the wedding of Jodie and Nigel... who were engaged at Everest Base Camp... incredible!
So having been chosen as this wonderful couples photographer for their wedding day, and been told about the Everest engagement, I shouldn't have been too surprised about their globetrotting plans for their honeymoon. Just your everyday trip to Madagascar... and Mauritius... and Vietnam, Singapore, Australia and Fiji. Oh, and Las Vegas for good measure. What an amazing round the world holiday! Jealous is an understatement, and I'm sure you can imagine why. Amazing.
And so, the rest of this quite remarkable wedding story returns to somewhere a little closer to home, and certainly close to my heart, at a favourite destination of mine, Alrewas Hayes in Staffordshire. With its gorgeous interiors and amazing outdoor landscapes, Alrewas Hayes is one of Staffordshire's most stunning countryside venues. It really is a truly fantastic venue, and from a wedding couples point of view, it is great to be able to take advantage of the green scenery that backdrops Alrewas Hayes. Still looking? Make sure you have a look for yourself, as you won't find many venues in Staffordshire that take your breath away like this! And on the subject of venues, both Jodie and Nigel were sold upon meeting their wedding planner Aimee, who was superb from start to finish for them. And it was the very start of their conversations that swung it for them, with the team at Alrewas Hayes being one of only a few venues to actually congratulate the 'newly-engageds' upon meeting them. The small touches make such a difference.
So, stunning wedding venue, check. Amazing weather, check. Gorgeous and delightful wedding couple, check check. They do say that it's important to find a special someone that you share interests and hobbies with, and Jodie and Nigel certainly have that. Both are veterinary surgeons, both love cats (five and counting) and of course, as we found out with their place of engagement, a spot of mountain climbing... as you do. I'm sure that the two of them have created many quite incredible memories over the years with the last of those interests, but one which I'm sure will stay with them was their wedding day, and one particular moment especially. They both fondly talk of Nigel's tears, Jodie referring to 'her' wedding in her vows and their choreographed first dance, but another, which sticks out in my mind too, was a surprise rendition of 'Wonderwall'. Nigel actually learnt to play the guitar, and this song, which lead to complete shock amongst the bridal party, and not least Jodie herself. It was marvellous to watch and a real joy as the photographer to capture. A very special moment on a very special day. Congratulations to our newlyweds, Jodie and Nigel!
Wedding photography by Jon Thorne at Alrewas Hayes, Staffordshire.
