Documentary photographer, Matt Rock Photography

In this blog I take a look at some unposed, natural photos I love to observe during a wedding day...

NO POSING - NO DIRECTION - JUST REAL, HONEST MOMENTS

Bride getting ready at South Lodge Hotel, Horsham

If you are getting married you will no doubt be thinking about how you want your photographs to look and how you want to remember your big day. It may be the magazine style wedding with lots of staged, posed portraits and lots of group photos of everyone at the wedding. Or you may prefer your wedding photographer to have no interaction or influence in how your wedding is captured. Both styles will determine who you choose as your wedding photographer so they can capture the memories you want of your big day.

No one style is right or wrong as it’s your choice.

Speaking to my couples, they book me on how I work best and as a portrait photographer I like to make some portraits during a wedding as this will capture you, your dress, your suit and of course your venue. However, I don’t want to influence how your day runs as I believe a wedding should be remembered for what it was, not something that was staged.

So I have a unique approach of fusing these two styles together; getting those natural moments that happen throughout the day which tends to be around 80/90% of documentary photography but also spending a short amount of quality time on a small selection of directed portraits and a few group photos of your nearest and dearest.

This means your portrait session only lasts around 15/20 minutes so you get to spend most of your day with your closest friends and family.

Take a look below at some beautiful documentary style shots captured without direction at some of my favourite recent weddings.

NO POSING - NO DIRECTION - JUST REAL, HONEST MOMENTS

Eating Canapes at The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Groom at South Lodge, Horsham
Bride in her car looking at her bridesmaids, Kent
Bride with Dad at Bore Place, Kent
Confetti at Bore Place, Kent
Stairs at Lympne Castle, Kent
Father of the Groom, Bore Place, Kent
Bride getting ready at Bore Place, Kent
Bride and Groom walking down back down the aisle at The Secret Garden, Kent
Bride getting her shoes on at Lympne Castle, Kent
Bride waiting for her dad to see her in her wedding dress at Lympne Castle
Bride and her dad walking to the ceremony at Lympne Castle
Bride at Bore Place, Kent
Ceremony at Lympne Castle
Ceremony at Lympne Castle
Dancing on the dancefloor at The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Firt kiss at Lympne Castle. Kent
Groom getting ready at The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Bride getting ready at The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Bride and her mum at Hever Castle, Kent
Bride and groom after the Ceremony at Lympne Castle
Confetti in the courtyard at Lympne Castle
Astor wing ceremony at Hever Castle
Signing the register at The Secret Garden, Ashford, Kent
Bride dancing at The Oak Barn, Frame Farm, Kent
Dancing with the Bride at The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Father of the bride dance at The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Dancing at The Wheatsheaf, Edenbridge
Dancing at The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Guest taking a photo at Hever Castle, Kent
Groom kissing bride in the back of the wedding car at South Lodge, Horsham
Food at The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Chef preping the Wedding breakfast at The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Chef at The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Magician at The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Father of the bride speech at The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Groom at The Wheatsheaf, Edenbridge
Groom dancing at The Wheatsheaf, Edenbridge

NO POSING - NO DIRECTION - JUST REAL, HONEST MOMENTS

Are you looking for an experienced wedding photographer who fuses documentary, natural photos with some beautiful wedding portraits? Please look at some examples here and get in touch with me if you have any questions about how I can help you with your special wedding day.

You can also follow Matt’s instagram and facebook updates using the links below.

Why not look at this blog describing how I offer all finished photos in both Colour & Black & White

Lympne Castle Wedding Photographer Matt Rock

A chilly winters wedding at Lympne Castle - Christmas - 2022

Emily and Mike were so friendly it was a pleasure working with them on their big day! Here are some sneak peek photos of their wedding at Lympne Castle.

Christmas tree at night at Lympne Castle
Drone photo of Lympne Castle and the views
“Lympne Castle has been providing hospitality to visiting nobles since the 12th century and in itself has a fascinating history stretching back to Roman times; beneath the foundations of the Castle are the remains of Portus Lemanis (the sea came right up to the door 2,000 years ago!) and much of the stone used to construct the original castle and next door church came from here. Nowadays we still pride ourselves in making our guests welcome and with comfortable modern additions, they can now enjoy an unforgettable medieval experience but with 21st century improvements, although some people do claim to have seen the odd ghost still happily going about their business after many centuries.”
— Lympne Castle website

Keep reading to find out about a SPECIAL OFFER for our Emergency Services and the NHS…

NEW FOR 2023

My couples have really enjoyed receiving their sneak peek photos soon after the wedding day and I’m happy to say I will be including this as standard for all 2023 weddings.

** Due to very positive feedback over the last few weeks I am now offering all finished photos in both COLOUR and BLACK & WHITE **

Now you can decide for yourself the way you want your wedding photos to be printed.

Looking through the gates at Lympne Castle.
Christmas tree and reef at Lympne Castle

Emily & Mikes wedding was a very cold winters day in late November.

Kate, Aimee & the team at Lympne Castle had just finished putting up their Christmas trees and decorations ready for the 2022 festive winter weddings to begin.

My day started with the bride and groom getting ready and this is a fun part of the day for me as there’s always lots of excitement and nervousness in the air.

Groom getting ready at Lympne Castle
Best man and usher getting ready and looking in the mirror at Lympne Castle
Father of the groom fixing his tie at Lympne Castle
Ushers looking cold at Lympne Castle
Best man holding the wedding rings outside at Lympne Castle
Flower girls shoes at Lympne Castle
Flower girls posing for a photo
Flower girl not enjoying her hair being fixed at Lympne Castle
Bride getting her dress down from the window hook
Mother of the bride helping her daughter get ready at Lympne Castle
Mother of the bride helping her daughter get ready at Lympne Castle
Silhouette of the bride with her flowers at Lympne Castle
Bride with her bridesmaids at Lympne Castle
Flower girl at Lympne Castle
Father of the bride see his daughter in her wedding dress for the first time on the stairs at Lympne Castle
A nervous groom waiting for his bride to arrive
Flower girls walking down the Isle at Lympne Castle
The groom sees his bride for the first time at Lympne Castle
Bride walking down the isle
Bride and groom about to say their wedding vows
An emotional Father of the bride watching the ceremony
Brides parents holding hands at Lympne Castle
Bride and groom exchange rings
Bride and groom first kiss
Bride and groom having fun with the registrar at Lympne Castle
Bride and groom walking out the front door of the castle with Christmas tree
Bride and groom sharing a moment just after their ceremony
Bride and groom sharing a moment after their ceremony
Bride and groom entering the front door at Lympne Castle
Bride and groom with their parents
Brides parents
Bride and groom with their bridle party
The guests have confetti ready and waiting for the bride and groom
Bride and groom starting their confetti run

Before the wedding breakfast starts I always like to make some portraits for the bride and groom. These can be traditional portraits and more natural portraits to compliment the candid photographs I make all day and capturing the wedding as it happens.

Bride and groom walking down the driveway with Lympne Castle entrance in the background
Bride and groom on the stairs at Lympne Castle in black and white

It’s alway a good idea to have a microphone with the speeches in The Great Hall so everyone can hear what the best man has to say about the groom - but the secrets are safe with me - I never tell…

During the winter months when the dark nights start a lot earlier I like to use strobes (flash) to make the couples portraits. This can often give these winter wedding portraits that little something special.

Bride and groom portrait in front of the Christmas tree at Lympne Castle
Bride and groom portrait with flash light from behind
Bride and groom first dance at Lympne Castle
Christmas tree with decorations at Lympne Castle

See some more weddings from Lympne Castle below - music photo-films -

HIT THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE CENTRE AND TURN THE SOUND UP - aprox: 3 min long.

Anna & Carl - 2022

Harriet & Tom - 2022

Lucy & Micheal - 2022

Drew & Nick - December 2021

Amy & Nathan - 2017

If you got this far - Thank you for reading and I wish you a very healthy and happy

NEW YEAR!

2023 - here we come!

Wedding - Lympne Castle - Speak To Kate

Photography by: Matt Rock Photography

You can see another blog from June 2020 - Lympne Castle HERE