Styled photo shoot ~ Dodmoor House

As a last Hurrah before the current lockdown we organised a styled photo shoot with some of our industry favourites. The wonderful Dodmoor House kindly loaned us the venue for the day and we set both the Catesby and Courtyard Barns up to reflect the current government guidelines allowing 15 people at a wedding ceremony and reception.

We opted for the middle layout for the Courtyard Barn, which provided optimum distance between the seats, but still felt incredibly intimate. Hannah from With Love and Roses did a sensational job with the flowers on this shoot. The gold urns, table spray and chair bunches looked beautiful together and co-ordinated with the prettiest of bridal bouquets and buttonhole. The Little Details Company provided large candles for the foot of the aisle chairs, creating both atmosphere and interest.

The Catesby Barn housed a large banquet style table draped in crisp white linen, courtesy of Chelsea Hire, and was dressed with gold details and pretty cut glass tableware. The Little Details Company used beaded plate chargers and gold cutlery to create a luxe feel and the peach coloured linen worked beautifully with the flower arrangements. The gold handwritten place cards were provided by the talented Katie from Bluebell Lettering and finished the table setting off perfectly.

Mindy from Sophisticake Creations provided a beautiful crumb coated wedding cake that was decorated with flowers that matched the bridal bouquet.

Make-up and hair was by Make-up by Liv, truly one of the loveliest MUA’s in the industry. She did an amazing job with our model Charley, executing a vintage winged eyeliner and signature red lip to perfection. A gorgeous House of Mooshki dress, beaded belt and veil were provided by Maisie Darling Bridal in Lutterworth. These were teamed with a pair of vintage green suede heels.

The fabulous husband and wife team over at The Vintage Suit Hire Company loaned us the most incredible three piece suit. We chose their signature blue tweed, coupled with a green tie and matching pocket square. They also provided the most wonderful pair of brown brogues.

Taylormade provided live music in the Catesby Barn and what an absolute joy it was to hear Carley’s voice and Matt’s guitar again! This acoustic duo are two of the kindest and supportive people in the wedding industry and it was an absolute pleasure to have them perform for us all.

A big thank you to the lovely Scott from HC Visuals who came and videoed the shoot for us, Lauren over at Only Doing it Once for her help with the planning and for our amazing second shooter Louise for assisting and capturing some fabulous shots ♥

Ruth and Dominic ~ Dodmoor House

The gorgeous Ruth and Dominic managed to tie the knot whilst government guidelines still allowed 30 guests at a wedding. Dodmoor House were super creative with the positioning of the chairs for the ceremony and thanks to being blessed with incredible weather on the day the ceremony was able to go ahead social distanced on the courtyard.

The pretty rainbow coloured bouquet by Sofia at Green Room Flowers was beautiful and the colours were mirrored perfectly in Ruth’s hair and throughout the Catesby Barn. Ruth’s Bridesmaid’s looked amazing in their matching lace dresses and bouquets of delicate gypsophila. A colour co-ordinated narrow boat even showed up for this lovely couple’s canal shots!

The day was filled with nothing but colour and love - take a look at their truly incredible day below, which hopefully shows just how perfect a socially distanced wedding can be ♥

Spotlight ~ SophistiCake Creations

The lovely Mindy from SophistiCake Creations is a local baker who specialises in wedding and celebration cakes (and all things sweet!)

A little bit about Mindy … ‘For as long as I can remember, I have loved being in the kitchen. I grew up in Kansas, USA and I have very special childhood memories going to my Grandmother’s house; where it would be filled with the smells of freshly baked bread & cake. I also spent hours watching my Mother bake cinnamon rolls and many other sweet treats. When I moved to England and eventually started working in an office, I found a great way to get conversations going (and make new friends) was to bring in homemade cake. People seemed to enjoy what I made and I loved experimenting with different flavours. When a friend asked if I could make her wedding cake in November 2012, it was the push I needed to give up my day job and become a registered business baking from home. The passion is still there and I get so much pleasure baking for others. My customers have often become friends.’

Mindy created this incredible cake for one of our recent photo shoots and it honestly tasted as good as it looked ♥

Coleman family shoot

Literally one of the most wonderful families: with the most beautiful parents and equally beautiful children. They’re always an absolute pleasure to photograph and this family shoot was no exception.

Here’s a few shots from their most recent shoot ♥

Hannah and Dan ~ Little Houghton Church and Dodmoor House

This church really is one of Northamptonshire’s hidden gems, providing a beautiful backdrop to any wedding ceremony. The Vicar gave Tim plenty of freedom enabling him to move around during the service (music to any photographer’s ears!) which resulted in full coverage throughout.

Hannah chose the most beautiful flowers for her day (created by the lovely Julie-Anna Flowers) Her bouquet, the bridesmaids bouquets and the aisle flowers at the church looked incredible and the floral arch was nothing short of epic! The pretty colour scheme carried through to the reception venue with the Catesby Barn at Dodmoor House looking truly fabulous.

Here’s a handful of shots from their special day ♥

Amanda and Jon ~ Southdowns Manor

Southdowns Manor - a West Sussex wedding venue nestled in the heart of the South Downs National Park - was a new venue for us here at Tim Hill Photography and what a truly wonderful venue it turned out to be.

Bridal preparations started early at the venue with the lovely Natasha and Daisy working their magic on Amanda’s hair and make-up. A Rapunzel hair style and pretty floral hair vine complimented Amanda’s choice of lace detailed long sleeved dress perfectly.

Jon looked incredibly dapper in his suit and personalised cufflinks - a gift from Amanda on the morning of the wedding.

The venue really did look amazing and that was all down to Amanda’s attention to detail. From the unique signage, pretty aisle styling to the rather epic gin bar, everything had been carefully thought about.

Here’s a handle of shots from their special day ♥

Spotlight ~ Only Doing it Once

There’s nothing that makes us prouder than when one of our lovely Brides sets up their own business, especially when that business is within the wedding industry. Lauren truly is wonderful - she’s incredibly personable, patient and has sound knowledge of what’s involved in creating a wedding day to remember. Here’s what she has to say about her new venture Only Doing it Once …

‘We are a recently established wedding planning service, and offer a range of opportunities for couples to seek help in their wedding planning journey; from brainstorming some initial ideas for those couples who aren't sure of where to start, to executing their full day and pretty much anything in between (any excuse to talk about weddings, really)

Only Doing It Once stems from my best friend's wedding, where it became a phrase quite often thrown around during the planning stages and we would find ourselves chatting all things weddings and saying, 'do it, book them, buy it... you're only doing it once,’ and of course the phrase had to be handed over to me for my own wedding. Only Doing It Once means this is the chance for couples to have the wedding day they deserve, and our wedding planning service helps to achieve that. 

Our philosophy is straight forward - wedding planning simplified, with you in mind. Meaning, we strip back a lot of the 'faff' to make it a clear and uncomplicated process. We keep our couples at the centre, so we tailor each package to our couples, providing a personalised quote so that they receive the service they were looking for, and only pay for that. We get to know our couples really well over the planning process, pretty much the bridesmaid they never asked for... so each venue, supplier or idea is sourced to meet their requirements.’ 

You can get in touch with Lauren here ♥

Here’s what one of Lauren’s Bride’s had to say, ‘I opted for the paper package that ‘Only Doing it Once’ provide and can honestly say it was such a good decision. From the outset Lauren was so helpful. I was worrying about where to start with organising suppliers and what I needed to be looking at - but none of that phased Lauren, who spent hours talking to me about what themes etc. I wanted for the big day. Following our zoom meeting she compiled a short list of suppliers for me which has made it really easy to organise and make an action plan. Since our meeting, my photographer is booked, the bakery has been decided and I’m currently looking at quotes for entertainment. Lauren is so friendly and takes all the stress out of planning your big day.’

Spotlight ~ Dodford Grange Bed & Breakfast

Today we’re shining the spotlight on the wonderful Dodford Grange - a charming bespoke bed and breakfast set in the beautiful rolling hills of historic Northamptonshire. Dodford Grange is perfectly situated for renowned local wedding venues, including both Dodford Manor and Dodmoor House.

Dodford Grange offer a bespoke bridal package that includes the exclusive use of their luxury accommodation - comprising of 5 spacious, individually designed rooms; The Willows (twin room), Poppyfields (king room with en-suite), Beaconview (superior king room with en-suite), Hawthorn (double room with en-suite) and Holly (double room with en-suite) All the rooms throughout Dodford Grange are both beautifully and thoughtfully decorated and really do provide the perfect backdrop for any wedding day preparations.

Something Dodford Grange pride themselves on is understanding the importance of your special day and they aim to provide you, and your chosen guests with the perfect pre and post wedding experience that you will go on to remember forever. Having photographed here ourselves we can certainly recommend it without any hesitation, so if you’re still looking for accommodation for your big day get in touch with Frankie at Dodford Grange here ♥

Winter Weddings

Many years ago weddings were definitely considered more seasonal, but these days weddings take place all year round. Here at Tim Hill Photography we book weddings from January right through to December and they have largely become evenly spread throughout the year.

When we meet prospective couples, who plan to wed during the winter months, often the elephant in the room is the weather. It’s the one thing out of our control, particularly here in the UK, so our attitude towards winter weddings is to always approach them with buckets of optimism … and bring a pair of wellington boots just in case! Tim carries a large white umbrella to combat the rain (and sleet and snow if necessary!) and is very experienced in working in both cold and wet conditions. When it’s raining Tim will always look for natural shelters and doorways to make sure he captures those all important portrait shots, whilst ensuring you’re kept dry.

Venues are also well equipped in dealing with all manners of weather. We’ve seen everything from wedding co-ordinators shovelling snow from drive ways with spades on the morning of a wedding to the owners of a venue out on snow ploughs clearing the approaching roads. Everyone involved in your wedding will always pull out all the stops to ensure your day is everything you hope for.

Below is an example of a winter wedding at Dodmoor House and reflects the type of shots you could expect to receive from us at this time of year ♥

Eleanor and Billy ~ Dodford Manor

Eleanor and Billy have been incredible to work with, such good fun and a true joy to be around. Dodford Manor was the venue they chose to become husband and wife and with the wedding taking place just before Christmas their chosen colour theme and choice of table decorations by Princess Occasions dovetailed perfectly with Dodford Manor’s infamous christmas trees.

Eleanor’s bouquet by The Bouquet Workshop was beautiful, featuring king protea, mixed foliage, hypericum, brunia, pussy willow, eryngium and the loveliest velvety roses. They also provided gorgeous buttonholes for the boys and decorated the ceremony aisles and tables with the most pretty green foliage.

The day consisted of much laughter and a dance floor that was always full. A perfect wedding if you ask me ♥

{Brilliant to be working alongside the lovely Mango Acoustic and Craig from Amazingdayz again}

Kate and David ~ Dodmoor House

This gorgeous couple really are the salt of the earth - wonderfully kind, humble and incredibly grateful. We say it all the time, but we as a company are truly blessed with the best couples.

Kate and David became husband and wife at Dodmoor House towards the end of last year, choosing a deep red as the main colour theme for the day. Their chosen colour was beautifully incorporated through the most exquisite bouquets and button holes from Willow and Blossom Floral Design.

Their day was very much centred around friends and family with a relaxed vibe throughout - imagine the sound of Alton’s acoustic guitar playing in the courtyard during the drinks reception and the tempting smells coming from a pretty festoon lit Waffle Tuk!

Here’s a snapshot of their fabulous day ♥

Charlotte and Luke ~ Barton Hall

The wonderful Charlotte and Luke married at Barton Hall towards the end of last year. We’ve photographed many a wedding at Barton Hall over the years and it’s always such a pleasure being back at this pretty Grade II listed building. One of the many highlights of photographing at this venue is working alongside the lovely Alan Hodge Toastmaster - the ultimate professional when it comes to keeping the day running smoothly.

A dusky pink and purple theme ran throughout the day, incorporated in the bouquets, button holes, bridesmaids dresses and of course Charlotte’s gorgeous shoes! The Orangery was dressed beautifully with a nod to the chosen colour palette in the form of chair sashes and ceremony table flower arrangement.

Thankfully the weather just about held throughout the day, enabling Charlotte and Luke to venture around the grounds at various intervals (only needing the infamous large white umbrella at the end of the night!) Here’s a tiny glimpse at their day ♥

Shona and Eddy ~ Harlestone Church and Dodmoor House

We’ve known this beautiful pair for many years and they genuinely are two of the loveliest people. Shona’s worked at Dodmoor House for almost as long as we’ve been photographing there and we’ve been super fortunate to have her expertise at many of the weddings we’ve photographed ♥

On their big day Shona and Eddy both got ready at Tove Valley Cottages in Heathencote Towcester, with the lovely Kaye Salmon MUA working her magic on Shona and her bridesmaids in ‘Toad Hall', whilst the boys got ready in ‘Badgers Set’. Once ready the groomsmen headed over to Harlestone Church, which was adorned with the most beautiful flowers curtesy of Julie-anna flowers and The Green Room.

Testament to how truly loved this couple are the Church was filled to the brim with friends and family. After the ceremony everyone made their way to Dodmoor House where they were met by an impressive cocktail bar, graze table and rather epic steel band who played throughout the drinks reception.

Shona and Eddy considered every little detail across their day and as a result created a beautifully relaxed atmosphere and unique wedding for everyone to enjoy - here’s a tiny glimpse at their incredible day ♥

Rhianna and Liam ~ Dodford Manor

The beautiful Rhianna and Liam married at Dodford Manor earlier this year. Bridal preparations took place at Dodford Grange, a local bespoke bed and breakfast that provides a real sense of luxury for bridal parties.

Once hair and make up had finished and they were all in their dresses they headed over to Dodford Manor - Bridesmaids, flower girls and Mother of the Bride first, Rhianna and her Father next - in the most fabulous vintage wedding car.

The attention to detail at this wedding was second to none with lots of things to take in, including beautiful gold accents, fresh white and green flowers (by Jack Haddon Florist) and a pink enamel bath filled to the brim with iced drinks and lollies!

Louise, our fabulous second shooter, joined us for the day again which enabled us to offer extended coverage and deliver a truly mammoth gallery to this couple. Take a peek at their super luxe wedding day below ♥

Katie and Nick ~ Dodmoor House

The lovely Katie and Nick married at Dodmoor House over the summer this year. Bridal preparations started at Katie’s parents house where she was surrounded by a fabulous group of girl friends. Once hair and make-up was finished they headed over to the Dodford Room at Dodmoor House, where the preparations continued. Blue was the chosen colour palette, which was beautifully incorporated through the bridesmaids dresses and pretty bouquets (created by a rather talented Grandparent!) Lots of laughter at this wedding which is testament to what a truly wonderful couple Katie and Nick are. A glimpse of their day is below ♥

{Great to work with the talented Sophia Hopkins MUA}

Jade and Sam ~ Dodmoor House

We say it time and time again, but we honestly do have the most incredible couples. Jade and Sam really are two of the most wonderful people to be around.

They married at Dodmoor House in July this year where Jade wore an exquisite gown with pretty bead detailing and dreamy tulle skirt. This was complimented perfectly by a beautiful pair of Jimmy Choo’s. Sam looked super dapper in his 3 piece suit, surrounded by his equally dapper Groomsmen. Take a peek at their day below ♥

Emily and Ryan ~ Dodford Manor

This couple have been an absolute dream. From start to finish they’ve been a pleasure to work with - they had a great approach to the photography for their big day and are genuinely two of the loveliest people to be around.

Bridal preparations started at the Bride’s family home where she was surrounded by her close family and the most brilliant set of Bridesmaids. The couple then went on to tie the knot at All Saints Church in West Haddon, following on to Dodford Manor for their wedding breakfast and evening celebrations.

Emily and Ryan requested a second shooter for their day and we were thrilled Louise was able to join us. This not only enabled us to capture the Groom preparations at a local pub before the ceremony, but also enabled us to provide extended coverage throughout the day ♥

{Gorgeous flowers by the talented Stem Ginger}

Rachael and Robert ~ Dodmoor House

Rachael and Robert married at Dodmoor House back in May and were graced with perfect spring like weather. Bridal preparations started at their home and then moved on to Dodmoor House for the finishing touches. I adored the pink tones Rachael incorporated in to the day and the wedding dress Rachael chose to wear was truly breathtaking. Take a peek at their day below, I think you’ll agree this is one beautiful pair ♥

Rachael’s stunning make-up was created by the talented Sophie Duffy. The pretty bouquets, button holes and floral displays around the venue were by Ann at The Flower Stylist. The great food during the day was served by the lovely Lemon Zest and the equally great evening food was served by our industry friend Ian Brodie ♥

Little Nevaeh

A tiny glimpse at baby Nevaeh’s gallery. A gorgeous girl from a truly gorgeous family. Absolutely loved photographing this little one for her parents ♥

Holly and Josh ~ Dodmoor House

These two have been an absolute dream to work with - such genuinely beautiful people both inside and out. From initial consultation right through to their final viewing appointment we couldn’t of asked for a more wonderful couple to work with.

Thankfully the fair March weather held all day for Holly and Josh at Dodmoor House. As you can see from the images below their florist did a truly amazing job on the girls bouquets and the boys buttonholes and we can’t not mention the stunning cake taking pride of place under the mezzanine in the Catesby Barn. As always it was wonderful to work alongside Ian Brodie Catering and BeauBright Events again ♥