Some people have huge, infectious smiles; Debbie is one of those people! A smile that lasted all day long – it made my jaw ache just looking at it! That smile has got to be one of the reasons Luke fell for her in the first place. What a warm and friendly couple these two are. It was my absolute pleasure to shoot their Kilhey Court wedding photography. I also took some cracking photographs of the church ceremony, but more of that later!

Kilhey Court in Wigan is a gorgeous old manor house with 10 acres of plush gardens and picturesque lakeside views. Interestingly, a Mr Fairhurst built the manor as a wedding present for his new wife, and so the romance rolls on through the ages! I geared myself up for a mountain of Kilhey Court wedding photography…Debbie was being looked after by SIX bridesmaids as she beamed through the wedding day preparations! The Dollz dealt artfully with the bride’s hair and makeup, whilst I was able to take some lovely, up-close shots of the girls. The collective noun for a group of bridesmaids should be ‘a giggle’, because giggle is all these ladies did! (it’s often the case!).

Nothing you wear is more important than your smile – Connie Stevens

Debbie’s wedding dress was breathtakingly glamorous – and my wedding dress knowledge is now up there! An Essence of Australia creation, Debbie had chosen a sheer illusion neckline, décolletage and bodice delicately decorated with Chantilly lace botanical motifs. In perfect contrast, the church train was simple layers of pure white tulle. The giggle of bridesmaids were looking classy in pretty grey bridesmaids dresses, which matched the Swarbricks suits worn by the Best man and father-of-the-bride; this very happy chap nearly exploded with pride when he was finally allowed in to see his daughter!

It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight –  Vladimir Nabokov

I feel very lucky whenever I find myself photographing couples being married surrounded by the ornate beauty that lies within churches such as St Peter’s; sweeping arches; towering stained-glass windows – the artist in me loves it! St Peter’s is a gem of a church for a wedding ceremony, and that smile of Debbie’s sailed down the aisle until an entire bunch of excited wedding guests were lighting up the baroque nave with their own grins!

The clearly elated father-of-the-bride eventually managed to let Debbie go as she met her husband-to-be at the altar. However, the couple snatched a kiss (collective ‘ahhh’ from assembled wedding party!) whilst Debbie’s dad still had hold of her hand. Fathers and daughters; it’s always emotional! Luke and Debbie merrily tied the knot, and honestly?! merry is the correct adjective to describe their nuptial’s! If there were any nerves, I didn’t see them (And I see everything, I have a zoom lens). All I saw were beaming faces.

Without the rain, there would be no rainbow – Gilbert K. Chesterton

Although early summer, the forecast was for rain, and rain it did! It seems like the weather is the one thing that even a bride can’t control, although she can be organised! Hence the bridesmaids’ were well kitted out with photo-friendly matching brollies! Back at the wedding reception, All Blooming Things had created beautiful flower arrangements; delicate white, purple and grey pastel roses, matching Debbie’s bouquet. Even the stylish wedding cake, supplied by Cake Craft, tied in with the wedding day’s silver-grey colour scheme.

Genuine laughter bubbling around the room as friends and family listened to a fine bevvy of speeches from the groom, Debbie’s dad (who was a great laugh) and Best man, Kyle. One of the day’s special touches added to my Kilhey Court photography selection, was Debbie’s nails. Now, nails aren’t something I’d usually focus on, maybe because I’m a bloke?! However, even I couldn’t miss the curve of diamantes decorating the nail on Debbie’s ring finger; they offset the bling of a serious looking wedding ring perfectly! Nice touch, Mrs Solczak!

Look what happens, with a love like that, it lights the whole sky – Hafiz

Guests danced, quaffed and jabbered happily away as I snuck the newly weds off to get a few photos in Kilhey Court’s landscaped grounds. As the evening sun shone through the trees, the bride and her bridesmaids were in brilliantly high spirits; I took some unplanned, no posing pictures, the sort I feel contribute most highly to the telling of a fantastic wedding day tale, which this really was.

Debbie and Luke, I hope you continue, all your lives, to look like the two most in love people on the planet!