Real Weddings

matt cook 9/12/24 matt cook 9/12/24

Joe and Amy's Wedding at Howfield Manor

For me, this was not a typical wedding! The groom is one of my oldest good friends and when he asked me to cover his big day, I was filled with equal amounts of excitement and anxiety!

It was an absolutely amazing day to cover, held at Howfield Manor on the outskirts of Chartham, Canterbury, and my pre-wedding nerves soon went away.

The sun was beaming all day, which was perfect for the outdoor service in front of the meadows surrounding the River Stour. This beautiful late summer light continued through to the evening, when I sneaked Amy and Joe away to a nearby spot I knew about (I grew up in Chartham and I used to use this route for late night walks home from Canterbury!) for some relaxed golden hour portraits.

Here are a few of my favourite moments from the day!

matt cook 9/4/24 matt cook 9/4/24

Eilish and Joe's Wedding at Solomans Estate

Eilish and Joe held their wonderful wedding at the Solomans Estate, situated in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

This awesome couple held their Catholic service at Sacred Heart Church, where Joe’s parents previously married. This was extra special, as the Priest was in fact Joe’s Uncle!

Following an emotional service and some formal group shots, everyone headed over to Solomans to enjoy a drinks reception in the sun, before the wedding breakfast.

After some enjoyable speeches, myself and the videographer managed to sneak these guys out to catch the last few minutes of sun for some relaxed and natural portraits.

‘Matt we are speechless!!! We have had the most amazing evening looking through them all we are SO happy!! We can’t thank you enough, you captured everything so perfectly, they are absolutely amazing!’

Here are a few of my favourite moments from this day:

matt cook 8/27/24 matt cook 8/27/24

Jade and Danielle's Wedding at the Crown Inn at Finglesham

Jade and Danielle held their summer wedding at the Crown Inn in Finglesham, situated near Deal, Kent.

I was absolutely buzzing to capture this day, having worked with Jade and her sister on a number of weddings in the past (Jade is a bridal hair dresser and her sister a MUA)! I knew this would be a fun day to cover and it really didn’t disappoint!

The service was filled with a lot of emotion, with the sun appearing just before Danielle walked down the aisle! Following this beautiful service, guests enjoyed the weather, followed by a set from a steel pan band.

Following the wedding breakfast and speeches, I sneaked these guys off for some relaxed portraits in a nearby location, returning in time for the first dance and start of the party.

Here are a few of my favourite moments:

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Charlotte and Jamie's Wedding at Hayne House

Charlotte and Jamie held their relaxed wedding on a stunning summers day at Hayne House, situated in Hythe, Kent.

The weather was absolutely perfect for their outdoor service, with guests enjoying the garden games in the sunshine once the service was done.

After some emotional speeches, I had some time to capture some relaxed portraits around the gardens, as the sun started to set.

Here are a few of my favourite moments:

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Rachael and Charlie's Wedding at the Orangery

Rachael and Charlie held their wedding on a sunny August day at the Orangery in Maidstone.

This awesome duo held their service in the gazebo area, which was absolutely stunning in the August sunshine. Following an emotional service, where Rachael and Charlie delivered personal vows, guests had the chance to enjoy a drink whilst listening to the Sparkle Band.

Following some great speeches, myself and May Media sneaked these guys off for some relaxed portraits in the early evening sun. Once back, the party started in full swing (although we did get a few minutes away for an epic sun set).

Here are a few of my favourite moments from this great day:

matt cook 7/23/24 matt cook 7/23/24

Jade and Simon's Relaxed Wedding at the Glamping Hideaway

Jade and Simon celebrated their special day at the Glamping Hideaway in Broadstairs, Kent. The couple had officially tied the knot at a Registry Office a week prior, but chose to have a meaningful gathering with their closest loved ones in this charming setting by the Kent coast.

The celebrant-led service was incredibly touching, eliciting many tears, especially when their two boys delivered a poignant reading. With the rain holding off, guests enjoyed post-service drinks in the gardens, followed by the wedding breakfast. The speeches, particularly by Simon’s best men, were a highlight, keeping everyone entertained.

Later following a bit of rain, I managed to get this awesome duo off the dancefloor for a short, yet stunning, golden hour!

matt cook 7/18/24 matt cook 7/18/24

Hannah and Tom's Relaxed Summer Wedding at the Secret Gardens

Hannah and Tom held their special day at the Secret Gardens, one of my favourite venues situated in Ashford.

This wedding quite literally had it all; heavy rain, beaming sun, colourful rainbows and an England victory in a penalty shoot-out!

The day started with rain, leading to these guys making the decision to hold the wedding within the Chapel, although the summer sun quickly returned to allow for guests to enjoy the garden games.

Following some epic speeches, the weather remained dry long enough to allow for some relaxed and natural portraits around the venue’s gardens.

Later into the evening, the decision was made to delay the first dance to allow for guests to huddle around mobile phones and tablets to watch England win a penalty shoot-out, leading to progression to the semi-finals in Euro 2024.

To wrap up the perfect day, the sun returned just long enough for some golden hour photos of this awesome duo.

Here are a few of my favourite moments from the day:

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Hayne House Wedding Photography

Hayne House is a truly beautiful venue, situated in Hythe, Kent. With a huge focus on sustainability, this venue has it all; from amazing wedding coordinators to the airy Orangery and the colourful gardens, this is the perfect venue!

As a recommended supplier at Hayne House, I’m always really excited to go back!

Amber and Aaron held their special day at Hayne House, a stunning venue situated in Hythe, Kent.

Despite being the middle of July, it rain (a lot) but this didn’t dampen their spirits and despite the weather, they still managed to tie the knot outside in the venue’s beautiful gardens.

Following the service, the party went into full swing; the speeches were emotional yet hilarious and the Wedding Chaps kept the energy high with a number of planned games, including an epic tug of war on the lawn.

As the weather improved, and the sun peaked through the darkened clouds, I sneaked these guys off for a few relaxed shots amongst the gardens before the coverage finished with their first dance.

Here are a few of my favourite moments from the day.

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Frasers of Egerton Wedding Photography

Frasers of Egerton is perfect for couples looking for an outdoor, English countryside theme to their special day. Tucked away in the British countryside, this location is full of charm and natural beauty. As one of their recommended suppliers, I’m always excited to shoot at this stunning venue.

Chelsey and Jamie held their relaxed and intimate wedding at Frasers, one of my favourite venues!

Chelsey and her bridesmaids got ready in the always stunning Stag Barn and despite a few concerns regarding the weather, the rain stayed away to allow for an outdoor ceremony.

Following a handful of group shots, Chelsey and Jamie enjoyed the gardens with their loved ones before the speeches and wedding breakfast.

It was during this. these guys had a great surprise with a signing waiter, courtesy of their Best Man, who got everyone up on their feet, signing and dancing!

As the sun started to set, we headed around the back to the meadow, for some relaxed golden hour portraits, whilst the magician kept everyone entertained.

To wrap up the wedding, these guys had an awesome fireworks display.

Here are a few of my favourite moments from this amazing day.

matt cook 6/13/24 matt cook 6/13/24

Old Kent Barn Wedding Photography

One of my favourite venues, Old Kent Barn is situated in the picturesque village of Swingfield, between Ashford and Dover. From the getting ready areas, the garden and the gardens, this venue is absolutely pristine. Adding the top level service provided by the wedding coordinators, Old Kent Barn is one of the best Kent wedding venues for a valid reason.

Hayley and Bradley held their big day Old Kent Barn, nestled in the Kent countryside near Folkestone and Canterbury.

The sun was beaming throughout the day, as guests arrived from literally across the globe, including Canada, Australia and parts of Europe.

Following an emotional service, these guys enjoyed the summer sun, followed by a BBQ in the iconic barn.

Before these guys danced the night away, I managed to sneak them off for some quick portraits as the sun started to set.

“We had Matt do our photographs for our wedding in June 2023. We chose him specifically due to the fact he was local, friendly and not posey with his photos. My husband and I do not enjoy photos being taken of ourselves so it was extremely important our photographer understood this and was able to almost stay hidden. Matt did an excellent job of staying hidden whilst also getting the most beautiful photos. Our family and the venue were really impressed with him and we recommend him to anyone needing a photographer. Thank you Matt for making one aspect of our wedding flawless!”

— Hayley Vine

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Wedding Photography in Sandwich

The historic town of Sandwich is a fantastic location for weddings, with the Court Room at the Guild Hall providing a truly unique backdrop. Beyond this, there is the Bell Hotel and St. Mary’s available to provide fantastic reception locations. Sandwich is also great for intimate weddings and elopements, with the winding lanes, historic buildings and the Quay providing a wonderful location.

Grace and Alex held their special day in the historic town of Sandwich in Kent.

This truly was a beautiful blend of faiths and culture, with Grace’s family being Irish Catholic and Alex being French Jewish.

With Alex’s friends and family travelling from Paris, they first held their civil ceremony at the iconic Town Hall. Following some brief family formals, we travelled to the Salutation Gardens (which you may recognise from the TV show Googlebox).

Within the grounds of the house, Grace and Alex held a mixed Catholic-Jewish service surrounded by their friends and family. This was followed by guests enjoying drinks in the gardens, whilst myself and the videographer sneaked the couple off for some quick and relaxed portraits.

After leaving the Salutation, the couple and their guests walked to St. Marys, where a Jewish-French inspired evening was planned. This involved multiple courses of food, with speeches and dancing inbetween.

Here are a few of my favourite moments from the day!

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Wedding Photography at Chapel House

Chapel House, situated near to Minster, is one of my all time favourite venues! From the old barn to the walled gardens and apple orchard, every knock and cranny of this venue provides unique photography opportunities.

Kelly and Barney held their special day at Chapel House, situated outside of Ramsgate. This venue is quite simply stunning; from their walled garden to the natural meadows, which surrounded the venue, it is a sensational venue! Add to this one awesome couple, 80 fun wedding guests, plenty of sunshine, and this was the dream wedding to cover.

Kelly and Barney held their service outside amongst the orchard and there were plenty of unique and scenic spots to capture their relaxed portraits later in the day.

Here are just a few of my favourite moments from this day:

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Wedding Photography at St. Augustine's

St. Augustine’s, situated in Westgate-on-Sea, is a turly unique venue. The chapel itself provides a truly special backdrop to either your service or reception, whilst only a few minutes away is the beach - perfect for relaxed golden hour portraits!

Lauren and Ben held an intimate twilight wedding at St. Augustine’s in Westgate-on-Sea. Despite July 2023 being a complete washout with (what feels like) non-stop rain, these guys held their special day on the perfect summer’s evening.

Following their formal service, guests enjoyed the gardens, before moving over to the Chapel for speeches and the first dance.

Once done, I sneaked these guys away for 15 minutes and headed down to the nearby beach, just in time to catch the perfect sunset.

“Thank you for capturing these moments and making us feel so comfortable. You were brilliant 🤩”

— Lauren Meyrick

Here are a few of my favourite frames from the evening.

matt cook 6/13/24 matt cook 6/13/24

Wedding Photography at Deal Town Hall

Charlie and Kate’s amazing wedding spanned over 2-days covering some stunning venues in Deal, Kent.

On the first day, Kate and her closest family and friends got ready at the farmhouse at Updown Farm, situated on the outskirts of town. Once ready, these guys travelled into Deal, where Kate and Charlie wed at the Town Hall. The service was emotional and incredibly intimate, with only closest family and friends in attendance.

This awesome duo and their guests braved the early spring wind to go down to the beach to enjoy a glass of champagne, whilst I sneaked the couple off for some relaxed portraits.

Following this, we headed by to Updown Farm, where everyone enjoyed the gardens followed by a meal in this stunning restraunt.

For day two, I teamed up with Jack to Jack Media to cover Charlie and Kate’s larger celebration at the Lantern Inn, situated between Deal and Dover. They had an emotional ceremony, witnessed by wider family and friends, with the couple’s mums acting as the celebrants.

The marquee held up, despite the wind, and these guys enjoyed an amazing meal with speeches scheduled throughout the afternoon.

To wrap up, these guys danced into the night with an awesome band - Groove Essence - playing some awesome tunes!

Here are a few of my favourite moments:

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Wedding Photography at Reach Court Farm

Emily and Jack held their big day at Reach Court Farm, situated in St. Margarets near Dover.

With a steel band playing and loads of bright and bold colours, they had a stunning garden party theme for the day. The day itself was not only emotional but so much fun to cover - all the guests were laughing, smiling and a having a great time!

Despite the threat of rain, and the forecast changing by the minute, the weather stayed dry for an outdoor service and we even had a bit of sun for some relaxed golden hour portraits towards the end of the day.

Once the sunset, everyone got the dancefloor with The Redfords performing some classics!

Here are a few of my favourite moments from this amazing day:

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Wedding Photography at the Cider Works in Dover, Kent

Becki and Billy held their relaxed wedding at the Cider Works, situated between Dover and Deal.

Becki and her bridesmaids got ready at her parent’s house in River and a intimate service was held at the local church.

With the sun beaming, everyone headed over to the nearby Cider Works, for the reception followed by some epic speeches.

After the wedding breakfast, the party started, whilst I managed to sneak the couple away for some relaxed golden hour portraits as the sun started to set.

Here are a few of my favourite moments from this fantastic day!

matt cook 6/11/24 matt cook 6/11/24

Becki and Billy's Wedding at the Cider Works

Becki and Billy held their relaxed wedding at the Cider Works, situated between Dover and Deal.

Becki and her bridesmaids got ready at her parent’s house in River and a intimate service was held at the local church.

With the sun beaming, everyone headed over to the nearby Cider Works, for the reception followed by some epic speeches.

After the wedding breakfast, the party started, whilst I managed to sneak the couple away for some relaxed golden hour portraits as the sun started to set.

Here are a few of my favourite moments from this fantastic day!

matt cook 6/11/24 matt cook 6/11/24

Grace and Alex's Wedding in Sandwich, Kent

Grace and Alex held their special day in the historic town of Sandwich in Kent.

This truly was a beautiful blend of faiths and culture, with Grace’s family being Irish Catholic and Alex being French Jewish.

Here are a few of my favourite moments from the day!

matt cook 6/7/24 matt cook 6/7/24

Maria and Chris' Wedding at Westerham Golf Club

Maria and Chris held their special day at Westerham Golf Club situated nearby to Sevenoaks, Kent.

Maria and Chris held their special day at Westerham Golf Club situated nearby to Sevenoaks, Kent.
This was an absolutely amazing day to cover, with them tying the knot at St Peter and St Paul Church, the same church where Maria’s parents were married.

Following an emotional service, the sun was beaming and this awesome duo and their guests travelled to the nearby Westerham Golf Club, where they were entertained by Spencer Wood Magic, a walking band and illustrators.

The speeches were simply epic! And shortly after the wedding breakfast, myself and the videographer - David from John Payton Photography - took these guys out on the golf carts for some relaxed portraits around the grounds.

As soon as we got back, the band started, with everyone hitting the dancefloor!
Here are a few of my favourite moments from this day: