A Whitley Hall wedding day, hour by hour

We have been recommended wedding photographers at Whitley Hall Hotel since 2020, and we shot there for a long time before that. So when couples ask what the day actually looks like, we can talk them through it properly. Every wedding is different, and we will build your exact plan with you and the Whitley Hall coordinators, but this is the shape most days take.

Three hours before the ceremony: preps

We arrive around three hours before you walk down the aisle. If you are getting ready on site in the bridal suite, we are there for the dress hanging up, the flowers arriving, the last cup of tea and the nervous laughter. Nick or Nic will be with you, and with two photographers the other can be with your partner and their friends at the same time.

This is the quiet part of the day, and it often gives us some of the most honest photographs. Leave the room as tidy or as chaotic as it naturally is. We will find the light.

An hour or so before: guests and the ivy

As your guests begin to arrive, we photograph the groom and the people he has chosen to stand beside him, then the guests as they gather. The ivy-covered front of the hall and the sweeping driveway are a gift here. A hug on the steps or a bit of nervous adjusting of a tie looks wonderful against a 16th-century mansion.

The ceremony

Whether you are marrying in the Parker Suite, the Whitley Suite or the gardens, we aim to be where you will not notice us. One of us watches you and the other watches your guests, so you get the moment and the reactions to it. Confetti, if you want it, needs a plan, so tell us beforehand and we will work out where everyone should stand.

After the ceremony: group shots and a few minutes for the two of you

We keep group photographs short and organised. A list of the groups you want, with someone who knows everyone to help us round them up, keeps this quick. Then we take you out into the grounds for a short session, just the two of you, before you rejoin your guests. It is a little breather before the party.

Speeches, and the golden hour

After the meal and speeches, if the weather is kind, this is the part we look forward to. In our experience the gardens and the lake are at their best about an hour before sunset, with soft, low light that flatters absolutely everyone. We steal you for a few minutes, and you are back before anyone has missed you. Drone photography is included in every collection, and the grounds are ideal for it, subject to the weather and the venue’s guidance on the day.

Evening: the first dance and beyond

Our full-day collections run from three hours before the ceremony until after the first dance, so that is where we cover the evening. Candlelit interiors, the staircase and the dance floor all photograph beautifully, whatever the sky is doing outside.

And if it rains?

Whitley Hall has some of the best indoor spots of any venue in Sheffield. We have shot there in fog, snow and downpours, and a grey day has never spoilt a gallery. Have a plan B in mind, and we will happily go through it with you.

You can see more of the venue on our Whitley Hall page, and what each of our collections includes on the pricing page.

Thinking about Whitley Hall?

If you are planning a wedding there, we would love to hear about it. Send us your date through our check your date page and we will come back to you.

Big love

Nick & Nic