Exactly 365 days later than planned, Hannah + Sam finally tied the knot and celebrated their marriage with a tipi wedding at The Stables Rockingham and it was bloody brilliant.

The ever changing restrictions had reached a point where it all washed over me and I’ll never forget the moment everyone starting singing in church for the first time since the pandemic had started. It’s been a long time since I last photographed a tipi wedding, and The Stables in Rockingham is so close to home it was great to finally get to work there; the views over the Welland Valley really are spectacular.

Hannah and Sam I adored your day, from musical piano jingles, a really good ceilidh and some really exceptional speeches… Same time this year?

How did you meet?

We met when we were 18 playing our trumpets in the Northamptonshire County Youth Concert Band. We had known each other for a couple of years but it was on a trip to Hungary with the band in 2009 that sparks started to fly in a strange hotel swarmed by mosquitos on the banks of the Danube.

Tell me your proposal story:

After an original plan in Hampstead Heath was rained off, Sam popped the question in front of the sunset on the beach in St Lucia.  Some dubious fashion decisions involving a bumbag were required and Hannah insisting the free hotel drinks were a better option than champagne removed some of the glamour but it was a beautiful setting for the big moment! There were lots of tears but eventually Hannah just about blubbed out a ‘Yes’!

Why did you choose the venue(s) you chose for your wedding day?

We always wanted our venue to be flexible allowing us to choose all our own food and drink and party into the early hours. Hannah had always had her heart set on getting married in East Carlton church having grown up there and therefore the hunt was on to find a local reception venue that gave us the flexibility we wanted. When we found The Stables in Rockingham it felt like all the stars had aligned. It ticked all our boxes, was just down the road and had the most incredible view! As a blank canvas venue it totally allowed us to make the day our own and supported by Teepees and Tents we were able to create the most amazing wedding venue to celebrate our marriage.

What was it you loved about your outfits and accessories that made you choose them?

Hannah always wanted a simple classic dress that wouldn’t age. Having tried on a few dresses it was the pockets in this classic satin Mori Lee bridal dress that sold it. Great for hiding tissues for those unexpected tears! Sally Best was a hero in making all the adjustments to bring it down to the right size so it fitted like a glove on the day.

Sams suit was a custom tailored 3 piece from Suit Supply with a beautiful pair of shoes from the local Cheaneys factory. Sam has always been a bit of a fan of the finer things so any excuse for a new custom suit was very welcome. We loved the Van Buck Liberty ties that Sam and the boys wore, they injected a lovely bit of floral colour into the day and complimented our ‘wildflower’ theme beautifully.

Tipi wedding Northamptonshire

A DIY Tipi wedding in the heart of the Welland Valley

Tell me about the vision you had for your wedding including your theme/colour scheme/styling/flowers:

We wanted our wedding to be as relaxed and natural as possible. Hannah‘s mum did all the flowers herself and always wanted to reflect the feeling of a wildflower meadow. The teepee was so beautiful in itself it was effortless to style so we just wanted to add as many flowers and natural foliage as possible to reflect the countryside around us. This was beautifully complimented by the bridesmaids Sage green dresses and floral ties on the gents. Having grown up locally the aim was for the wedding to show off the local surroundings as much as possible and we certainly think it did just that.

What was your first dance and why did you choose it?

We chose High by the Lighthouse Family as our first dance. We initially weren’t going to do a first dance as we always found them awkward but once we were flicking back through the archives and agreed High was an absolute banger, the lyrics made it a no brainer for a first dance. We knew it would be one everyone would love and get involved in. It was the most amazing moment, everyone singing and filling the dancefloor.

What were the most wonderful parts of the day for you?

The most amazing thing was just seeing all of our friends and family in one place, supporting us and having the best time. We absolutely loved the church service. Father Daniel Wyman one of Sam‘s best friends from school was able to lead the service for us which, was so personal and he delivered the most beautiful Address. Having not been able to sing for 18 months, having hymns echoing around the church again was very beautiful.

“When we had to postpone our wedding, Hannah Hall Photography was one of our main suppliers we wanted to maintain and we were so glad she was free on our new date!”

Why did you choose Hannah Hall Photography as your photographer, and what was your experience of your photography on the day?

We were recommended Hannah by a friend and as soon as we saw her photos we knew she was perfect for us. We’re not big fans of posing for the camera and Hannah‘s style of catching the candid moments in such a distinctive way really appealed to us. When we had to postpone our wedding, Hannah was one of our main suppliers we wanted to maintain and we were so glad she was free on our new date!

On the day Hannah helped us feel so relaxed and at ease. To be honest I hardly noticed her most of the day (in a good way!) And when we did have group and couple shots done Hannah’s style of getting them done quickly to allow us to relax and enjoy the day as much as possible was great. While we were getting ready, having Hannah there was like having an old friend with us in the morning. Her emergency stash of safety pins also shouldn’t be underestimated!!!

What would be your best bit of advice to other couples planning their wedding?

 Relax, enjoy it and don’t sweat the small stuff! It’s so easy to over plan every element of a wedding but a lot of it goes out the window on the day anyway the main thing is everyone you want being there and being happy.

Hannah + Sam’s DIY Tipi wedding at The Stables, Rockingham happened with the help of…

Hair Stacy James Presents Style / MUA Katie Cullen / Dress Mori Lee from Love Me Do Brides / Flowers Hannah’s mum!

Cake M&S / Bridesmaids ASOS / Gents Suits Suit Supply / Caterer Game & Flames / Tipi Teepees and Tents

Prop Hire Nerissa Eve / Coordination Sarah Turnham / Daytime music Lincoln Noel / Band License to Ceilidh 

Looking for a Northamptonshire Wedding Photographer? I’m your girl!