Jess & Callum’s Orchardleigh Wedding — A Day Worth Remembering

MGANE Studio / Wedding stories / Orchardleigh House

Some weddings stay with you. After all these years photographing and filming them, I still think the best ones are the days when a couple remember what it’s all about: getting married, being together and having a blinking good time with their favourite people.

Jess and Callum’s wedding at Orchardleigh House, near Frome in Somerset, was exactly that kind of day.

Before I tell you about it, here’s a little of their story on film.

Jess was so sweet and so excited about the wedding. She looked absolutely incredible in her dress. Callum was such a lovely lad, a cool, easygoing guy, and he and his groomsmen looked the part. They were simply a lovely, happy couple to be around.

A ceremony on the island

They married at St Mary’s Church on the Orchardleigh Estate, that gorgeous little island church reached by a bridge. It was a beautiful day, with readings from close family and a ceremony that felt wonderfully personal. The vicar was lovely, too, and had also officiated at a royal wedding. Quite a connection for this little Somerset church.

Then came that walk back across the bridge, with their guests throwing confetti and everyone enjoying the moment. Those are the things I’m watching for: the faces, the reactions and all the excitement happening around the couple.

A little time together. Then back to the party.

Back at the house, we took about ten minutes for a wander in the gardens. Just Jess and Callum together, enjoying a little time as newlyweds while I captured a few natural, romantic photographs. Something special they could print and hang on their walls.

No group photographs. No long list of people to round up. That was their choice, and it suited their day perfectly. A few lovely photographs together, then straight back to everyone else.

You shouldn’t have to spend your wedding day with your photographer. There’s a party going on, and you’re the reason everyone’s there.

That’s what I love about documentary wedding photography. I can tuck myself out of the way, quietly watching and capturing the fun as it happens. The laughter, the excitement, the little exchanges you might not even notice at the time. You can’t organise those moments. You have to be ready for them.

The day in photographs and film

The speeches were fairly short, but really emotional. They said just enough. Then came the cake cutting and the first dance, and I felt very privileged to be there capturing it all. Photography gives you those individual moments to keep; film brings back the movement and the feeling of being there.

Orchardleigh House has been a huge part of my working life. I’ve spent around twenty years photographing and filming weddings there, including many years as one of its recommended suppliers. With more than 800 weddings at Orchardleigh behind me, it’s a place I know rather well, but it’s the people who make every visit different.

I’ve reduced the number of weddings I take on now and I’m no longer on the recommended supplier list. These days, I’m choosing a small number of weddings where I can do what I love: document the day, enjoy the people and make something that matters to them. I’m doing it for the enjoyment of the work and the privilege of being there.

Jess and Callum’s day reminded me exactly why I still love it. Two lovely people, their family and friends, and everyone having a wonderful time. That’s what photography and film are all about for me. Recording what happened. Recording the truth.

Your own wedding story

If that sounds like your kind of wedding, have a look at my relaxed approach to wedding photography or tell me what you’re planning. A few photographs together, plenty of time with your guests, and a story that feels like you.

Planning your celebration nearby? Explore wedding photography at Elmhay Park or meet Michael behind the camera.

Michael Gane
MGANE Studio · Beckington, Somerset