Ava and Liam celebrated their wedding at Coton House Farm near Lichfield on 12th September, and it was a day that combined a beautiful countryside venue with some really personal touches.

They had actually chosen to officially get married in private a few days earlier, which meant their celebration at Coton House Farm could be exactly what they wanted it to be. Instead of a traditional wedding ceremony, they gathered their family and friends in the venue’s chapel for a very special blessing conducted by Liam’s father.

Getting Ready With Ava and Her Bridal Party

My photography started with Ava getting ready alongside her bridal party, giving me the opportunity to capture all those little moments before the celebrations began.

Her bridal party wore sage green, a colour I have seen so much throughout this wedding season. It has definitely been one of the colours of 2026, and it worked beautifully with the relaxed countryside surroundings of Coton House Farm.

Getting-ready photography is always about more than the final preparations. It is the conversations, laughter, nerves and excitement between the bride and the people closest to her that help tell the complete story of the day.

A Personal Blessing in the Chapel

Having already married privately, Ava and Liam chose the chapel at Coton House Farm for a blessing in front of their guests.

With Liam’s father conducting the blessing, it was an incredibly personal way for them to celebrate their marriage with their family and friends without trying to recreate the private ceremony they had already shared a few days earlier.

The chapel also provided a lovely change of atmosphere before everyone headed outside to continue the celebrations.

Live Music for the Drinks Reception

After the blessing, a live band played during the drinks reception, bringing plenty of atmosphere to the afternoon while everyone relaxed and enjoyed the venue.

It also gave me a great opportunity to concentrate on candid photography. These are often some of my favourite photographs from a wedding day – guests talking, laughing and enjoying themselves without necessarily being aware of the camera.

And I have to mention the cake. It looked amazing! There are some wedding cakes that absolutely deserve their own photographs, and this was certainly one of them.

Relaxed Couple Photography at Coton House Farm

Ava and Liam had told me that they wanted to keep posed photographs to a minimum, which is something I am always happy to work with.

We started their couple session very naturally, taking a walk around Coton House Farm and using different parts of the venue as we went. What was lovely was watching them gradually get into the swing of it.

Once they realised that couple photography doesn’t need to mean standing rigidly in front of a camera, they really started to enjoy themselves. A little direction with where to stand, how to move or where to look was enough, while still allowing their personalities and relationship to come through naturally.

By the end, I think they enjoyed their couple photographs far more than they had expected!

A September Wedding at Coton House Farm

Coton House Farm gave us plenty of variety throughout the day, from the intimacy of the chapel to the open spaces and countryside feel around the venue.

Ava and Liam had created a celebration that suited them perfectly – marrying privately beforehand, having Liam’s father conduct their blessing, enjoying live music with their guests and keeping their photography relaxed rather than allowing it to dominate the day.

From the morning preparations with Ava and her sage-green bridal party through to the blessing, drinks reception and couple portraits around the venue, it was a wonderful September wedding to photograph and a day filled with genuinely personal moments.