A laid-back weekend celebration with vintage buses, a live band, and an inflatable assault course.
Aaron and Rosa live in London but decided to host their wedding in Suffolk at the stunning Nedging Hall - a private manor house you can hire for the weekend, tucked away in the middle of the countryside. They didn’t want anything too grand or formal, just something classy but relaxed with their favourite people - so Nedging Hall was a pretty solid choice.
They split their wedding over two days, which I absolutely love. Day one was the slightly more structured part - legal bits, outfits, confetti etc. - while day two had a bit more of a garden party vibe about it.
From a photography point of view, two-day weddings are a dream. I get to meet everyone and get comfortable on the first day, and then when I turn up the next day, it can sometimes be like walking into a room full of friends. I can't tell you how intimidating it is for an introvert to rock up and photograph a wedding where you don't know anyone there and you've never been to the venue. I've done a few in the past where I've covered for other photographers so I've not even known the couple and it's honestly terrifying.
So anyway, day one. I rocked up just as lunch was finishing and everyone was getting ready. It wasn’t a huge group - more like a big family gathering. Very relaxed, very calm, and just a really lovely vibe all around. Hair and makeup were done by the team at Lipstick and Locks, and after that, everyone bundled onto a classic red Routemaster bus (cheers to Carter’s Heritage Buses) for the trip into Ipswich.
We parked up outside Crown House and, being a little early, made a quick detour to The Botanist for a pre-ceremony drink. Then we wandered over to Ipswich Town Hall, where Aaron and Rosa had their little "are you being forced into this?" chat with the registrars before the ceremony itself. Rosa’s dad walked her down the aisle, and Aaron’s son had the honour of being best man (and ring bearer).
After the ceremony we hopped back on the Routemaster - this time with glasses of champagne in hand. Once back at Nedging Hall, everyone lined up beside the bus and let rip with confetti as the couple stepped off. Then it was time for canapés and drinks in the garden.
Food on both days was catered by Mark Weeks, and honestly, it was incredible. So much care, beautifully done, and everyone was raving about it. I slipped away just before dinner, ready to return for day two.
Back again around lunchtime on Saturday, and the vibes were even more laid-back. Mark Weeks was back with more ridiculously good food.
Rosa’s mum – who, from what I gather, is a teacher - put together what might be the most impressive programme of children’s entertainment I’ve ever seen at a wedding. We’re talking piñatas, an Easter egg hunt, hidden orange ducks scattered throughout the house, and enough games and distractions to make it look like a wedding-slash-mini festival.
And then came the inflatable assault course, provided by Castle Capers, which was every bit as chaotic and magnificent as it sounds. Rosa and Aaron kicked things off with a demo run, and then everyone took their turn trying to outdo each other.
I ended up crawling inside because I felt like I might be missing out. Fun fact: it’s quite hard to take decent photos while bouncing around in the dark and I came out with significantly fewer useable photos than I might have hoped.
After that, pudding, and as the evening set in, a band (The Brightsons) set up in the lounge like some kind of music video/Hollywood house party.
The whole thing, was a fantastic way to kick off the season. It was my first proper big wedding of the year - early April, just as things were starting to wake up again. It felt like the perfect re-entry: joyful, relaxed, and full of lovely, slightly chaotic energy.
More inflatable obstacle courses at weddings, please. And if you’re planning a two-dayer? I’m in.
