Jody & Tom’s Wedding at Ringwood Hall, Derbyshire


Jody and Tom’s wedding at Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa in Derbyshire was a relaxed, genuinely lovely day centred around the people who mattered most to them. Family, friends, plenty of laughter and all the little moments that make a wedding feel like your own. I’m based in the Peak District and photograph weddings across Derbyshire and throughout the UK, so Ringwood Hall is a particularly nice one to have on the doorstep. Just outside Chesterfield, the Victorian country house and its grounds give you plenty to work with photographically, without needing to disappear from your guests for half the day. And that suited Jody and Tom perfectly. The morning started with Jody getting ready at Ringwood Hall, surrounded by her bridal party and family. There was the usual mixture of excitement and nerves, with plenty of conversation and laughter as everyone prepared for what was ahead. Tom was getting ready with his groomsmen and family too, as guests began arriving and the atmosphere around the hotel gradually changed from anticipation to right, this is actually happening. These parts of a wedding day are easy to overlook, but they're often where some of the most personal photographs come from. The people around you, the relationships, the nervous laughs and the moments that happen before anyone has even reached the ceremony. The ceremony itself was full of emotion and plenty of happy faces. Jody and Tom exchanged their vows surrounded by family and friends, with all the reactions you'd hope for from the people closest to them — smiles, laughter and a few more emotional moments too. I’m not a big believer in constantly directing a wedding day. There are moments when I'll step in and help organise things, but for the most part I want to see what's actually happening and photograph it as it unfolds.


Once the ceremony was over, everyone came together to congratulate the newlyweds. There were hugs, photographs, laughter and that brilliant feeling that the formal part is over and the celebrations can properly begin. Family was a huge part of Jody and Tom’s day, and that continued throughout the afternoon. We took some time for the important family photographs before heading outside with Jody and Tom for some photographs around the grounds. Ringwood Hall Hotel gives you a great mix of landscaped gardens, mature trees and the character of the house itself, so there was plenty of variety without having to turn the portraits into a full-blown photoshoot. Jody and Tom wanted their photographs to feel relaxed, so we kept things simple. I'll give you some direction when you need it — particularly if you're not used to being photographed — but I'm not going to spend twenty minutes arranging your hands while your mates are inside having a drink.

The idea is to make use of the venue, give you a little time together and create photographs that still feel like the two of you.

The rest of the day was about getting back to the people who had come to celebrate with them. Conversations, hugs, laughter, drinks, speeches and all the little interactions happening around the room were just as important to photograph as the big moments.

And as the evening went on, everyone relaxed properly and the dancing began.


That's one of my favourite things about photographing a full wedding day. You get the important photographs — the ceremony, the family groups, the portraits, but you also get everything around them. The people you spent the day with. The ridiculous moments. The quiet ones. The stuff you were too busy enjoying yourself to notice. Jody and Tom’s wedding was a great example of that. Ringwood Hall provided the setting, but the people and the atmosphere made the photographs.


Getting Married at Ringwood Hall?

If you're planning a wedding at Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa and looking for a wedding photographer in Derbyshire, I'd love to hear what you're planning. I'm a Peak District-based wedding photographer and filmmaker, photographing weddings across Derbyshire, the wider UK and beyond. Whether you're after photography, film or both, my approach is about documenting the day properly while still giving you a few photographs you'll want to put on the wall. No hard sell. No awkward presentation. Just a chat about your wedding and what you're looking for.

LETS CHAT

Woman applying lip makeup to a young girl wearing a gold tiara and pink dress at a party.
Two brunette women smiling at a phone while one holds a baby with a colorful toy indoors.
Black and white photo of two women reacting emotionally to a phone while holding a baby.
Two young girls in pajamas interact playfully, one holding a pen while sitting together in a bright living room.
A makeup artist applies cosmetics to a woman seated near a bright window in a modern interior setting.
Black and white photo of a woman in leopard print seated on a stool while a toddler stands beside her.
A makeup artist applies foundation to a dark-haired bride holding champagne with a toddler on her lap.
A young girl in a white patterned shirt holds a champagne flute while seated at a decorated table.
A dark-haired woman in a white robe shares a champagne glass with a toddler in blue monster truck pajamas.
A makeup artist applies lipstick to a dark-haired bride wearing a white robe and hair clip accessory.
A woman in leopard print dress adjusts the golden tulle dress of a small toddler standing by a window.
A dark-haired bride in a white shirt kneels on carpet carefully handling bridal dress accessories.
A woman with tattoos and lace capelet sits adjusting her nude heels while getting ready for a wedding.
A woman kneels to touch a baby girl in a gold dress during wedding preparations indoors.
A dark-haired woman in a white robe helps dress a baby in a tulle skirt on the carpet.

We can't thank Pete enough for everything he did on our wedding day. From start to finish, he was professional, organised, and made everyone feel completely at ease. He captured every moment naturally, kept the day running smoothly, and somehow managed to round everyone up for the photos without any stress. The images perfectly reflect the laughter, emotion, and atmosphere of the day. We couldn't recommend him highly enough.

Anna & David