Category Archives: Great John Street Hotel

St. John Street Hotel wedding photography │ Joanne and Andrew

13TH August 2010

This was a happy and joyous wedding, with no standing on ceremony, and you can really see it in the pictures.  Joanne and Andy are a charming couple and their warmth and openness came across the first time we first met up.  This was the second time I have been a St. John Street Hotel wedding photographer at this stylish boutique hotel in central Manchester.  The rooms are great and the ace card is the rooftop terrace which allows the guests to enjoy a very informal barbecue whatever the weather.

Joanne and Andy positively glowed throughout the day and their evident happiness radiated to all their guests.  I must give the Manchester Registrars a little pat on the back for always going the extra mile and making this ceremony that little bit more personal and special.  They have a relaxed attitude to photography, always putting the Bride and Groom’s wishes first, in welcome contrast to the High Peak Registrars in my area who are generally extremely obstructive, treating the ceremonies they conduct with more reverence than a church wedding and making life very difficult for professional photographers.

I like to capture the Bride and Groom’s expressions from the front of the room during the ceremony.  Having been refused before I once had the Bride’s own mother implore the Registrar to allow me to do so.   The Registrar eventually weakened and I was allowed to take pictures, but not to while either the Registrar, or the Bride, or the Groom were speaking. To keep the peace I did as I was told, but you can imagine how few shots I got.

The following Monday I received a call from the  Chief Registrar at the High Peak Borough offices and got a severe dressing down for putting one of her staff under such extreme pressure.  I was told in no uncertain tones that if such a situation ever arose again I would simply be barred from taking any pictures at all during the ceremony!  Hello!  Who’s day is it?  Who is paying your salary?  Unbelievable attitude.  End of rant.

My Favourite Weddings & Venues – Autumn 2008

Natalie and Ian were looking for a Cheshire wedding photographer to capture their nuptuals at The Cottons at Knutsford.

This is a venue new to me and one which poses a few more challenges than some, especially if shooting with a Graphi Book in mind.

Though this venue does not have expansive grounds it does have a star attraction in the form of a compact but perfectly formed pond featuring attractive decking and white balustrading.

The guests naturally congregated on the grassy slopes surrounding the water, and the evergreen shrubbery made a perfect backdrop for all the guest pictures Natalie and Ian asked me to take.

 

 

Of course not everyone wants a ‘Big’ wedding, whether they can afford it or not. Perhaps it’s just not their style. Rebecca and Marcus wanted a simple get-together with family and close friends, having decided at last it was about time to tie the knot.

They chose The Windy Harbour Farm on the outskirts of Glossop as their venue and Tom Pollock as their Derbyshire wedding photographer.

This was a very personal wedding where no-one was trying to outdo anyone else, and there were happy children running around everywhere, except when the child entertainer was strutting her stuff. If this is the sort of wedding that would suit you this may be the venue for you.

 

 


Many of my bookings come from couples who live too far away to meet up beforehand. They see my pictures on the web and instinctively know I am the right photographer for them.

London based Emma and Matt were just such a couple. They wanted a modern, city feel for their wedding and chose the Manchester Town Hall for their wedding ceremony and Reception, followed by a rooftop barbeque at the uber-trendy Great John Street Hotel in Castlefield.

You’ll love the beautiful Town Hall interiors which even a rainy day can’t dull, and the bright red double decker bus used to ferry their guests to the GJS. Emma looked absolutely stunning wearing a classic, simple dress with a sweeping lace train. Her bouquet and hair were fabulous too. Have a look at their album and see if you don’t agree. Altogether a very elegant and relaxed occasion.

 

 

 

 

Victoria and David were also looking for a Manchester wedding photographer to capture the Reception at the Manchester City Art Gallery following their wedding at St. Mary’s in Marple Bridge.

After the ceremony Bride, Groom and guests adjourned to the excellent Midland Hotel to slake their parched thirsts and by the time they got to Manchester the Gallery was all theirs.

The classical elegance of the gallery is complemented by the dramatic new Glass Atrium where the Wedding Breakfast was held after guests enjoyed drinks and canapes whilst viewing the current Pre-Raphaelite exhibition. Nourishment for the eyes and mind as well as the body! The lighting in the Gallery is fantastic as well. Just look at the dramatic sweeping view looking down at the atrium from the top of the stairs.

 

 

 

In contrast Jenny and Mark’s was a more ‘country’ wedding. The ceremony was held at the beautiful Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Old Brampton and the reception and wedding breakfast at The Rutland Arms Hotel.

These are both lovely settings and the Rutland Arms has the added bonus of having Bakewell’s town gardens just over the road which were ideal for photography. It also the most amazing collection of antique clocks on display throughout the hotel.

Jenny made a fantastic job of designing the wedding invites herself with white doves as a central motif. This was carried through to Jenny and Mark releasing two doves in the park before we started taking the group shots, making for an unusual (and unrepeatable!) photo opportunity.