Rebecca & Chris: A Wedding Filled with Love, Laughter and Danish Traditions
Some weddings stay with you long after the last dance, and Rebecca and Chris's wedding was definitely one of them.
From the very beginning, Rebecca and I worked closely together to plan every detail of the day. To help spread the cost and make wedding planning feel less overwhelming, Rebecca paid for my services monthly through a payment plan. This meant that by the time the wedding arrived, one big expense had already been taken care of, allowing them to focus on all the other expenses - I encourage all my couples who book to do this if it works for them.
Rebecca and Chris were married in a beautiful church ceremony at St John The Baptist at Staveley before heading to their reception at Riverside Club, Chesterfield. Unlike weddings held at dedicated venues, where an in-house wedding coordinator is often included, this was more of a DIY wedding day setup. That's where I stepped in. Together, Rebecca and I created a detailed timeline to ensure every part of the day flowed seamlessly.
I have worked at St John the Baptist at Staveley previously and the vicar is always so welcoming and he remembered me from the previous two weddings I had done their - he praised me highly to the groom and I blushed and didn't know what to say - I am not very good at receiving compliments!
I'm so pleased to say that everything ran smoothly from start to finish. We were also incredibly lucky with the weather. It was a gorgeous sunny day, just before the heatwave arrived, making it perfect for guests to enjoy celebrating outdoors.
One of the highlights of the day was experiencing some wonderful Danish wedding traditions. Chris's family are from Denmark, and they brought some fantastic customs with them that were completely new to me.
Throughout the evening, whenever guests clinked their cutlery against their glasses, Rebecca and Chris had to stand on their chairs and kiss. If guests started stamping their feet, the couple had to quickly get underneath the table for another kiss!
Another tradition involved "kissing rotations." If Rebecca left the room, all the female guests were allowed to line up and give Chris a kiss on the cheek. The same applied in reverse when Chris left the room, with the male guests taking their turn to greet the bride.
But my favourite tradition had to be after the first dance. Suddenly, Chris was surrounded by guests who grabbed him and cut the ends off his socks with scissors! It created so much laughter and was such a fun moment to witness.
The entire day was filled with emotion, joy and plenty of laughter. One particularly special moment was the father of the bride's speech, which included a wonderful slideshow full of memories and stories that had everyone smiling.
Singing waiters was a surpise for the couple from the Brides dad and what an awesome way to unite the two nations, the wedding coordinator luckily came and told me as I had no idea either!
This wedding was extra special for me because I wasn't just their photographer—I was also invited as a guest. That meant the world to me. I sat with the couple's friends, enjoyed a delicious three-course meal, received a thoughtful gift from Rebecca and Chris, and was made to feel so loved and appreciated throughout the day.
When the couple thanked me during their speeches, I couldn't hold back the tears. Moments like that remind me exactly why I do what I do. My cup of love was completely full by the end of the night.
Rebecca and Chris, thank you for trusting me to be part of your wedding journey. It was an honour to help bring your vision to life and a privilege to celebrate alongside you, your family and friends.
I wish you both a lifetime of happiness, laughter and many more beautiful memories together.
See you next time - Jane - Louise
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