Natalka & Dan – Nailcote Hall Wedding
Las Vegas I DO, wedding number 1
I’ve known Natalka for over 13 years, as we have both been in the wedding industry for a long time. I remember seeing her post about going to Vegas with her partner and being tempted to jokingly send her a message saying, “Off to get married then?” Boy, I wish I had, because that’s exactly what somehow managed to happen.
So when I heard the news, I was totally honoured that they asked me to be their wedding photographer. Natalka knows hundreds of people in the wedding industry, so to be asked to photograph her own wedding really did mean a lot.
Wedding Number 2 at Nailcote Hall
Natalka and Dan decided to get married at Nailcote Hall, as they wanted somewhere with a lovely outdoor space where their guests could enjoy themselves, but also somewhere large enough inside to fit all their family and friends.
Natalka and her family are from Ukraine, so I was especially excited to photograph the wedding as I love all the different customs and traditions that come together on a wedding day.
Morning Wedding day Prep
The day started at the family home, with their kids, friends and family all gathering together for what you could almost call a pre wedding party. There was already a real buzz around the place, with everyone together before heading over to Nailcote Hall. Dad even needed a little booze, the room was so busy.
Nailcote Hall Wedding Photographer
The ceremony, no longer needing to be a legal one, was conducted by close family members, which I absolutely love. It always brings such a nice personal touch to a wedding when someone who is genuinely close to the couple is the one standing up there conducting the ceremony.
Party Time at Nailcote Hall
With the ceremony complete, it was time to relax and enjoy the grounds of Nailcote Hall. The weather was absolutely perfect for an outdoor BBQ, with everyone mingling, enjoying drinks and making the most of the sunshine.
The couple had even arranged live music, which I totally loved, as well as a bouncy castle for the kids. Basically, everything you need for a great wedding.
The drinks reception really was lovely. You could tell Natalka has a huge number of close friends, as she was being hugged and grabbed for selfies from every angle. There always seemed to be someone wanting a photo with her.
With the drinks reception buzzing and the BBQ food sizzling away, it was time to grab the couple for a few quick sunset photos. The light was beautiful, and it was nice to steal them away from the madness for a few minutes before heading back inside.
Then it was time for the speeches.
But before that, we had another lovely tradition, the Korovai, where the parents meet at the entrance to share bread and honey. I really do love the blend of different wedding cultures, and being able to photograph these traditions is one of the things I enjoy most about weddings.
Then it was speech time
Natalka’s dad is clearly very proud of both his daughter and his heritage, and it was lovely to listen to him speak. Natalka, no surprise, then did a speech of her own, which was equally as lovely, and I’m sure definitely made Dan blush a little with her lovely words.
Finally, it was the turn of the best men, would we get to hear about the Portugal saga?
YES.
Although probably not as much as we all wanted to, It certainly sounded like a fun break though.
Time for some Dancing
First, Natalka and her dad shared a lovely dance, and then the pressure was definitely on Dan to follow this up. He managed it superbly, though.
Then came another tradition, the passing of the veil over to her daughters, which again was something I loved watching and photographing.
Although, after the veil had been passed to the daughters, I think the energy of the occasion took over slightly. Natalka ended up dancing around the room, sharing the veil with everyone and getting the whole room involved.
With the traditions done, it was time to properly party.
And there were definitely some very high energy dance moves happening from the kids in the room.
It was such a brilliant day, full of family, friends, laughter, great food, music, Ukrainian traditions and, most importantly, plenty of people having a genuinely brilliant time.
And for me, being asked to photograph the wedding of someone I’ve known through the wedding industry for over 13 years made it feel even more special.
