Claire & Tom’s Wedding at Halton House

I’d been looking forward to Claire and Tom’s wedding as it was my first time photographing a wedding at Halton House, a venue that had been on my wish list since moving to Buckinghamshire. Set in the Chiltern Hills, Halton House is a breathtaking Rothschild country house and still used by the RAF as the officers’ mess for RAF Halton.

My coverage began at Halton House with Claire as she had her hair and makeup done. One of my favourite moments from prep was photographing Claire and her dad walking down the magnificent staircase on their way to the wedding car.

The church ceremony took place at St Mary’s Church in Wendover. Claire and Tom’s nephews kicked off the procession, one walking and the other being carried while holding signs reading “Uncle Tom, Here comes Auntie Claire” and “Don’t worry ladies, we’re still single!” The ceremony itself was relaxed and personal, with a lovely moment where the priest presented the couple with a bottle of bubbly and glasses so they could enjoy a celebratory drink during the service.

As they left the church, Tom’s RAF colleagues formed a sword arch guard of honour for the newlyweds to walk beneath. Heavy rain meant Claire and Tom headed straight into their wedding car afterwards, making the short journey back to Halton House.

Back at the house, I photographed group portraits on the staircase before focusing on couple portraits indoors. With strong winds and rain outside, we made full use of the house’s balconies, chandeliers, and grand interiors to create elegant, romantic images.

The wedding breakfast took place in the stunning central hall beneath the glass dome, an incredible setting with ornate walls and soaring ceilings.

Towards the end of the meal, the rain eased briefly, so we headed outside for a few quick portraits with Halton House as the backdrop. It was cold and windy, but I’m so glad we grabbed the opportunity.

The evening celebrations began with Claire and Tom’s first dance to Die A Happy Man by Thomas Rhett, followed by a father-daughter dance before the dance floor filled.

As the weather had ruled out confetti earlier, I suggested an evening confetti shot indoors on the dance floor. It turned out to be the perfect way to end my coverage of their wedding day.