Undertaking wedding photography at Leeds Castle is a great honour. Sarah and Brady were married in their local Register Office earlier in the week and then had their marriage blessed in St Peter & Vincula, Ditton. St Peter’s Church is a lovely old parish church on a slight incline, surrounded by trees. It is a single aisle church and vicar, Ross Terranova, asked me to stand at the back of the church otherwise it would be incredibly distracting for the couple and their guests. Luckily there is a gallery from which to take photographs, and downstairs the view up the aisle was very pretty. The churchwarden (and bell ringer) was incredibly helpful and even found my glasses which I retrieved that evening. Thank you to all at St Peter’s!

Brady and his groomsmen – Brady is Candian hence the ‘groomsmen’ title – all wore grey, tartan and blue with rose buttonholes. There was a pretty impressive Canadian contingent to the day with the other guests mainly from around the Kent region. In total there were 80 guests (and four generations) which suited the Church very well. Sarah and her bridesmaids arrived in rain and sadly we had rain for most of the day. The vast array of umbrellas worked a treat – umbrellas in photos always look fantastic.

After the blessing Sarah walked out with Brady and was taken completely by surprise when she was greeted by the family dog. Much shrieking ensued followed by a big hug. Group photos were by the gate with some rain cover given by the old yew tree. And then for the everyone shot we did it back inside the Church and it worked brilliantly. You can actually see everyone! Confetti and then off to Leeds Castle. It was a 20 minute drive and by the time we arrived the rain had picked up a little. The Castle staff were amazing all afternoon and held umbrellas aloft to cover everyone as they walked to the Castle entrance. They also had several golf buggies which had covers. Lindsay took Sarah, Brady and me out to the weeping willow tree and the side aspect of the Castle for their photographs. Brady was keen on a few British trees for their shots but the distances are quite far at Leeds Castle so I hadn’t planned on this stop. But with Lindsay and the golf buggy it meant that we did both in under 20 minutes. [As an aside, I was very impressed that Brady managed to hang onto his beer throughout the reception and didn’t spill a drop on our buggy tour, even when things got pretty bumpy!]

Sarah’s dress, short veil, and the charming gypsophila in her hair looked so pretty in the castle grounds. She was a total trouper in spite of the rain and she and Brady did a wonderful job with the photographs. Leeds Castle has been described as the loveliest castle in the World and I have to say that it is oddly just as lovely in the rain. It actually adds to the romance of the place. It might be a large Castle but it has a very intimate feel to it. Once the day visitors leave all of the ropes are removed and guests are free to sit where they like and enjoy the historic drawing rooms. The champagne reception was held in the Library and Ceremony Room (or ‘plate room’ as I know it). The guests had great fun catching up and adding to the photo booth guest book and family tree.

Since the outside shots were cut short by the rain I did a few more of the couple inside the Thorpe Hall and ‘yellow’ drawing rooms as well as the Library. Brady and Sarah are both teachers so the Library was essential. And finally, Sarah and Brady entered the Henry VIII Banqueting Hall to loud applause, arms held high.

If you are marrying at Leeds Castle at any of their ceremony venues – the Castle, Maiden’s Tower, Fairfax Barn, or Battel Hall – please do get in touch or visit my Leeds Castle page for more information, including pricing. I offer coverage by the hour typically from one to three hours (extended coverage on request) and specialise in small, intimate Kent weddings.

St Peter & Vincula, St Peter’s Church, Ditton (Kent), ME20 6AE is a very pretty parish church on a small hill. It is a single aisle church with a striking red carpet and backlit blue light alter. It is a very charming wedding venue in Kent The Canadian groom and his groomsmen (ushers) outside St Peter's Ditton in smart grey suits, tartan and blue ties and rose buttonholes The Canadian groom outside St Peter's Church Ditton watches for his bride arriving. He is wearing a smart grey suit, tartan tie and pale pink rose buttonhole The bridesmaids arriving at St Peter's Ditton The bridesmaids for Sarah's wedding day wearng pretty navy blue just below knee-length dresses and holding white umbrellas The bridesmaids walking to Church on a rainy Summer wedding day in Kent The bride arrives at St Peter's Ditton and prepares to get under a barrage of white umbrellas to try and keep dry for her ainy summer Kent wedding The bride emerges from her car, helped by her father, and enters the Church of St Peter's in Ditton on her Father's arm. It is very impressive from the gallery position of the Church where you are able to see the wedding dress in full flow The groom, Brady, smiles warmly as his bride reaches the end of the aisle ready for their marriage blessing in this pretty Kent church The bride and groom during the marriage blessing ceremony seen through the pretty blue and white pew end bows The vicar Ross Terranova smiles at the couple during their wedding blessing ceremony at St Peter's Ditton The blessing of the couple's marriage takes place inside St Peter's Ditton Ross Terranova at St Peter's Church Ditton smiles as the bride and groom kiss at the end of the marriage blessing of thie young British and Canadian couple, both teachers and heading to live in Canada. Their reception was at gorgeous Kent venue Leeds Castle in neaby Maidstone Ross Terranova at St Peter's Church Ditton delivers the homily during this marriage blessing service in Kent Bride, Sarah, smiles at her groom, Brady, during the wedding blessing service at St Peter's Ditton Bride and groom recession at St Peter's Ditton St Peter & Vincula church wedding blessing in Ditton (a Kent town) and teh delight from the bride and groom was obvious as they walked back down the aisle as husband and wife. Register office wedding photographer Emma Duggan photographs small weddings in Kent and Sussex with coverage from one hour. Perfect for smaller weddings where only the ceremony and drinks reception needs photographing It's hard to exclude the family dog from your wedding so here was a surprise for the bride and groom. A friend brought along the family pet, decorated in an adorable bow, to surprise teh bride as she walked out of St Peter's Ditton. The bride's reaction was priceless and the dog was thrilled Everyone shot in St Peter's Church (Ditton). The bride and groom really wanted an everyone shot at the Church and at Leeds Castle a little later but it pretty much rained all day. Instead we went for a slightly alternative option inside teh actual church from the gallery. I just love the result and am amazed that here you can actually see everyone Family photograph outside the gates of St Peter & Vincula Ditton Family group photography at St Peter's Church, Ditton (Kent) St Peter’s Church, Ditton, is a very pretty parish church on a slight hill in the Kent town of Ditton. Outside the church gates there is a long sweep of trees and walkway which makes confetti shots irresistable. Here the bride and groom are both smiling as they reach the end of the line and are covered head to toe with confetti much to everyone's delight! Leeds Castle still looks beautiful on a rainy day in July for this Candian and British couple marrying here before departing for Canada in August Magnolia trees outside teh main doors to Leeds Castle on a rainy Summer wedding day. It makes it a littel harder for photographs but umbrellas help! Leeds Castle staff joking with the bride on her wedding day Guests enjoying a champagne drinks reception in the library and breakfast (ceremony room) at Leeds Castle A homemade photo booth and writing table in the ceremony room at Leeds Castle is an ideal set up along with a few simple props. Here, the bride's mother and father pose for a photograph The bride and groom's family and friends complete the guest book photobooth photos and family tree finger print Wedding photography Leeds Castle. Leeds Castle wedding photography by Emma Duggan - here the bride and groom pose beneath a weeping willow in the romantic grounds at Leeds Castle just after their nearby church wedding blessing in St Peter's Ditton Wedding photography Leeds Castle - Leeds Castle wedding photographer Emma Duggan is a Leeds Castle specialist and offers short hourly coverage from one hour onwards. The bride and groom are beneath the famous weeping willow tree at Leeds Castle celebrating their wedding day with a romantic kiss A rainy day Summer wedding at Leeds Castle needn't be a total washout. The amazing staff at Leeds Castle will drive you around in their covered electric golf cart and are always on hand with umbrellas. Here, Lindsay was on hand during the couple photographs holding the umbrella throughout and then withdrawing with the umbrella when their was a break in the rain Bride & groom at Leeds Castle during their wedding day in the old ruin (portcullis) and in front of the side view, with the groom laughing Wedding photography Leeds Castle by Leeds Castle wedding photographer Emma Duggan Photography for small, intimate weddings with coverage by the hour from one, two and three hours which is ideal for ceremony and reception wedding photographs. Here the bride and groom are walking arm in arm around the corner to see Leeds Castle from the Fairfax Hall side. Their wedding day was a very rainy summer day but nothing dampened their spirits Castle wedding photographer Emma Duggan is a Kent wedding specialist for small one, two and three hour weddings - here a bride and groom in front of Leeds Castle during their rainy summer wedding Bride & groom underneath the wonderful weeping willow in the grounds of Leeds Castle, an idyllic Kent wedding venue. And also the bride and groom walking towards Leeds Castle on their wedding day Leeds Castle wedding photography with the bride and groom kissing in front of the Leeds Castle doors with magnolia trees positioned either side of this very romantic scene A bride and groom in the Thorpe Hall drawing room at Leeds Castle after their church wedding blessing - the setting is so elegant and classic and a perfect place for wedding photographs by Emma Duggan Wedding couple portraits in the Drawing Room (yellow piano room) and library at Leeds Castle Leeds Castle wedding photographer with the happy couple sitting in the Library, laughing, as their guests take their seats for dinner in the Henry VIII Banqueting Hall. Emma Duggan specialises in small, initmate weddings througout Kent and the south East with coverage from as little as one hour Henry VIII Banqueting Hall dining room at Leeds Castle laid for a wedding breakfast photographed by Leeds Castle wedding photogrpaher Emma Duggan View down the length of the table in the Henry VIII Banqueting Room laid for a Summer wedding breakfast Place setting in the Banqueting Hall at Leeds Castle for a wedding breakfast Table setting in Leeds Castle Bride & groom walk into the Henry VIII Banqueting Hall at Leeds Castle to celebrate their wedding with arms aloft