Apton Hall · Rochford, Essex
Rebecca & Ben: a late summer wedding at Apton Hall
A late summer wedding at Apton Hall in Rochford for Rebecca and Ben, with a ceremony at Holy Trinity Church in Rayleigh, a red Routemaster bus, a surprise Mustang and sunset photos in the fields at Apton Hall.
At a glance
Getting ready: Rebecca’s parents’ house
Ceremony: Holy Trinity Church, Rayleigh
Reception: Apton Hall, Rochford, Essex
Time of year: September
Colours: pinks and whites
Golden hour: sunset in the fields at Apton Hall
Entertainment: Oakwood String Quartet and a bouncy castle
The morning
Getting ready at Rebecca’s parents’ house
I have been working as a wedding photographer at Apton Hall since it first opened, and actually had the privilege of photographing the venue before they even first welcomed any guests! You can read more about the venue in my guide to Apton Hall weddings. I have always enjoyed working at the venue, and have a great working relationship with the team down there! They have even been kind enough to add me to their recommended suppliers. I photographed Rebecca and Ben’s wedding at Apton Hall in September. They found me originally online and said that on first inspection they were impressed by my photos, and would like to find out more. As they say, the rest is history. Luckily they booked me up after a short meeting, and our next encounter was in August for their engagement shoot.
On the day itself, it was split into 3 parts. The bridal preparations at Rebecca’s parents’ house, the ceremony at Holy Trinity Church and then the wedding reception at Apton Hall. It was a super relaxed day, and I couldn’t believe just how chilled Rebecca was when I arrived in the morning. This was perfect and made for some really beautiful photographs of her and the girls enjoying the morning together.
The ceremony
Holy Trinity Church, Rayleigh
The church, Holy Trinity, is another venue I have shot lots of weddings in the past. It’s one of my favourite local churches, not only because it’s beautiful, but also because all of the Vicars that take the ceremonies there are so nice! Below you can read a questionnaire that I sent Rebecca, finding out about their day and the suppliers they used. I hope that you enjoy the read!
How did you meet?
We met back in May 2008 in Rayleigh High Street.
How did he propose?
On a gondola in Venice (the most romantic Ben has ever been!)
What wedding venues did you choose and why?
For the ceremony, we chose Holy Trinity Church in Rayleigh High Street, as it’s our local church and we can see it/hear the bells from our house! This was also where Becca’s parents married and a venue her late grandparents had been to when they were alive.
We chose Apton Hall for our reception venue. We viewed this venue back in 2017 when it was still a building site! As soon as we pulled into the gravel drive Ben said that this venue was the one. The location couldn’t have been better for us and as soon we saw what it was going to look like and become when finished, we knew it was our perfect wedding venue! We loved the fact that the venue was a mix of modern and rustic (we especially loved the beams in the reception room) and it was the perfect size/layout for the reception we wanted.
Apton Hall
A Routemaster, a Mustang and Apton Hall
Where did you buy your dress?
Bellissima in South Woodham Ferrers. They managed to find me my perfect dress!
What about the groom’s suit?
Oliver’s Formalwear. We had Ben’s suit made to measure so it fit perfectly.
Did you have a colour scheme for your wedding?
The colour scheme was pinks and whites (you can probably guess who picked it..)
What source did you use as your inspiration?
Pinterest, Instagram and wedding groups on Facebook. We got quite a few ideas for some of our homemade items from those groups.
Golden hour
Speeches, then sunset in the fields at Apton Hall
If you could turn back the clock before planning started, what advice would you give yourself?
None at all, the day went as perfectly as it could have done. We did have just shy of two years to plan it so we were very organised from early on..!
What was your favourite photograph of the day?
There are so many to choose from! Our top favourites are the sunset shots in the field and one of us just married and starting to walk out of the church. There are so many more, sorry but we can’t just pick one!
The evening
First dance and a full dance floor
What song did you choose for your first dance?
Ellie Goulding, How Long Will I Love You
Was Gary Derbridge Photography the right photographer for you?
Yes, 100%!! Gary is AMAZING! We love our photos and are so glad we were able to have him picture our day.
Suppliers
Rebecca and Ben’s suppliers
Venues: Holy Trinity Church, Rayleigh and Apton Hall, Rochford
Wedding dress: Bellissima Weddings, South Woodham Ferrers
Men’s suits: Oliver’s Formalwear, Rayleigh
Florist: The Flower Mill
Cake: SophieBakesCakes
Hair: Hair by Michelle Smith
Make-up: Debbie Lloyd Make-up Artist
Videographer: Dean Smith at Hitched Wedding Films
String quartet: Oakwood String Quartet
Bouncy castle: Leaping Lilly
Light-up love letters: Events on Fleek
Routemaster bus: Blueline Travel Ltd
Mustang: American Car Hire, self drive (Becca surprised Ben with this the day before the wedding!)
Getting married at Apton Hall yourselves? Have a read of my Apton Hall wedding photographer guide, with the photo spots, timings and tips I share with every Apton Hall couple.
