Today’s real wedding is a sophisticated, elegant day with a huge personality! Gorgeous grooms Mike & Lewis chose Derbyshire’s Yeldersley Hall as their venue, and Nottingham wedding photographer Matt Selby to capture their day. He gets a glowing review from the happy couple, who’ve shared some fantastic supplier recommendations with us!

Wedding photographer’s website

Matt Selby / https://www.mattselbyphotography.co.uk/wedding-at-yeldersley-hall/

Wedding photographer review

Matt did an amazing job capturing our wedding and we couldn’t have been happier with the results. The photography was a really important aspect for me, and we loved Matt’s style and offering.

Communication was great ahead of the wedding (we were organising it from Australia), as well as on the big day. My husband and I were negotiating about how long we were prepared to spend away from guests to capture photos. In the end, it didn’t really matter as Matt and his second shooter were capturing lots of natural shots of what was going on, he captured the formal family shots quickly and when we went outdoors in the evening for photographs with just the two of us, we were ready to stretch our legs and get some fresh air anyway.

They blended in so much that we didn’t even notice them most of the time but they captured all the key moments as well as the finer details that really helped tell the story of the whole day. We got the final photos quicker than expected, with easy download options and links to share with guests. We are so happy with the results.

Your best moment or memory

Standing outside the doorway immediately before the ceremony as our musician played Simply the Best, then walking in together and seeing all our friends and family from across the world there to celebrate with us.

Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)

The Humanist ceremony that Louise Gather pulled together was outstanding and really reflected our values and what we wanted. Not the traditional ceremony – it had fun audience participation, lots of laughter and really told our story beautifully. We also cracked a bottle of champagne and poured for each other at the end of the ceremony.

Venue name + review

Yeldersley Hall. We really liked the ‘rustic farmhouse with a touch of Downton Abbey’ style, including the beautiful grounds and gardens that Yeldersley offered. There were some really nice features like the former stable, Rose Garden and Orangery that we knew we could use during the day.

We were able to supply our own drinks until early evening (served by onsite staff) which helped keep it more affordable. It also had onsite self-catering accommodation that could host our families and some of our overseas guests for the whole weekend.

The gardens were a big selling point as we wanted an outdoor ceremony. Whilst the ceremony itself didn’t happen outdoors in the end (due to rain), we were still able to use the gardens throughout the weekend, as well as the features like the barn and courtyard. The owner Andrew was also really approachable, down to earth and upfront about a couple of minor restrictions. This gave us confidence that we could organise the day we wanted.

Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!

We went for blue suits with maroon Italian silk tie and bowtie and braces for a more styled look.

Dress or suit shop name + review

We got our Joe Black suits in Australia where we now live. Tie / Bowtie – https://declic.com.au/collections/ties/products/declic-kontur-floral-tie-burgundy

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

Lewis’s step-Mum Lin made the button holes, flower arrangements and chair sashes which helped keep the wedding in budget and gave a nice personal touch.

Wedding readings?

If you can love each other (tap to read), “Marriage” and a short speech / story from Mike’s sister

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

We put together a medley of Somebody to Love (Queen), Vogue (Madonna), Spice up Your Life (Spice Girls) and Don’t Stop Now (Dua Lipa). We had a dance choreographer who put the dance together and taught it to us. It ended with Mike sliding through Lewis’s legs which gave a good ending!

Wedding planner name + review

Ourselves. We were organised and split up tasks, working to our strengths. There were moments where groomzilla came out but it went well overall.

Hair + makeup name + review

Preston Guild Hair (Sydney) / ourselves.