The Old Palace Chester
Carla & Paul
Simple, modern elegance with a black and white theme, captured by Old Palace Chester wedding photographer, Phil Salisbury
Carla and Paul got engaged in Edinburgh after 8 years together, and invited me to join them as their Cheshire wedding photographer at Old Palace Chester. They’d chosen this venue for their modern but classic wedding, with an elegant black and white theme.
Make sure you follow your satnav carefully as you arrive, there’s a sneaky turning into the driveway of Old Palace Chester, and it’s easy to miss it as it’s so tucked away! The perfect secluded spot, whilst still being at the centre of the city.
This relaxed, down-to-earth couple wanted to enjoy their wedding day without too much fuss, so they could just be themselves. They’re such a light-hearted pair, and the exclusivity of their venue meant they had plenty of space and privacy to chill out with their family and friends.
From the moment they all started getting ready in the morning, everyone was smiling all day. The girls were listening to 90’s music and giggling together, as Hair by Bethan and Jessica Grant Makeup worked their magic. The boys arrived and strolled in to their spacious room to get into black-tie mode, with suits from Moss Bros. Carla’s satin gown from Ava Rose Hamilton was the perfect mix of simple, elegant, and glamorous, she looked incredible. Both Carla and her dad were super emotional when he saw her for the first time!
When Carla walked down the aisle to Paul, you could see them both light up with joy and excitement, ready for their beautiful ceremony. The bouquets and floral arrangements from Aimee A Flowers with muted green foliage and roses were another win for their simple and elegant styling.
As part of their zero-fuss ambition for the day they didn’t want confetti, so went straight into a drinks reception to celebrate with their loved ones, accompanied by a saxophone player from We are Musique.
Old Palace Chester has a couple of areas you can use for photos together as a couple, and as Carla and Paul are quite shy, we opted for the sheltered garden area so they didn’t feel like they were on display. After some group photos on the steps, it was nice to give them a chance for a few quiet moments together, away from the crowds. There’s also the option here to have a walk down by the water if you are feeling brave.
Carla and Paul added little touches throughout the day, including a personalised neon sign and playing cards with their photo on. They made the space their own and we enjoyed some really funny speeches before partying into the evening, with a DJ from We are Musique providing the soundtrack.
Congratulations Carla and Paul, what an amazing, elegant and welcoming day – I enjoyed every minute of capturing those emotional moments, right through to the party on the dancefloor. In fact, when I went to say goodbye to Carla she said ‘Oh, I didn’t even know you were still here!’ – Which means my photography ninja skills must have been in full effect! Photographing the day as unobtrusively as possible means everyone feels relaxed with me around, and I can just focus on capturing the real stuff!
