Sparth House, Lancashire

The Wedding Itself

One of my first priorities when arriving on any wedding day is making sure the bride, groom and bridal party feel completely at ease with me being around. Wedding mornings can feel busy and emotional, and the last thing anyone needs is a photographer who feels intrusive or awkward. Thankfully, a few bad jokes, some easy conversation and a relaxed approach usually does the trick. Lead by example and before long it feels less like “having a photographer” and more like having an extra friendly face around for the day.

Days like Kate & Josh’s wedding at Sparth House are always made even easier when there are familiar faces involved. Several years earlier, I’d photographed Kate’s brother’s wedding, so it was genuinely lovely to catch up with family members again as the morning unfolded. That sense of familiarity instantly set the tone for the day and helped everything feel relaxed from the very beginning.

Kate & Josh approached their wedding plans with a refreshingly laid-back attitude. There was no rigid schedule or pressure to do things a certain way — instead, the focus was firmly on good company, enjoying the moment, and creating a fun, memorable day with the people closest to them. That kind of mindset always translates beautifully into photographs, as everyone feels free to be themselves rather than worrying about what comes next.

The day began with some incredibly heartfelt first-look moments, including a particularly emotional reveal with Kate’s father and her brother. These personal moments are often some of my favourites to photograph, as they tend to be full of genuine emotion and natural reactions. From there, the day flowed into the ceremony and drinks reception, with laughter and plenty of relaxed conversation filling the space.

Things became even more memorable with the arrival of Kate & Josh’s two dachshunds, who quickly became the stars of the show with guests absolutely loving them. The drinks reception soon took on a party-like feel, helped along by a good hundred or so enthusiastic games of prosecco pong, which kept everyone entertained well into the afternoon.

From a photography perspective, the day struck the perfect balance between structure and natural spontaneity. Nothing felt rushed, which allowed me to capture plenty of candid moments alongside relaxed couple portraits and group shots. It was the kind of wedding where the story unfolded naturally, and my role was simply to document it as honestly as possible.

Sparth House The Venue

Sparth House is a stunning wedding venue that effortlessly blends historic charm with timeless elegance. Set just outside the centre of Accrington, it offers a wonderfully private feel while still being easily accessible for guests travelling from across Lancashire and the North West.

With the good weather on Kate & Josh’s wedding day, the hidden gardens at the rear of Sparth House really came into their own. These outdoor spaces were ideal for relaxed guest photographs, candid moments during the drinks reception, and a calm couples’ shoot away from the main crowds. The gardens offer a lovely mix of greenery, pathways and tucked-away corners, making them incredibly versatile for photography throughout the afternoon.

The front of Sparth House is equally impressive, with its striking architecture providing a completely different backdrop from the barns and manor houses of Lancashire. The contrast between the softer garden spaces and the bold, historic exterior meant we could create a varied set of images without needing to travel anywhere else. It’s a venue that offers plenty of photographic opportunities in a relatively compact space, which is always a huge bonus on a wedding day.

Despite being located just ten minutes from me, this was actually my first time photographing a wedding at Sparth House. I’d driven past it hundreds of times over the years, so it felt great to finally have the opportunity to work there properly and put my own photographic spin on the venue. Discovering new angles, working with the available light, and finding spots that best suited Kate & Josh’s relaxed vibe made the experience even more enjoyable.

Sparth House works particularly well for couples who want a wedding day that feels elegant but not overly formal. The layout allows the day to flow naturally from one part to the next, and there are plenty of spaces for guests to spread out and enjoy themselves. From a storytelling point of view, that kind of flexibility is perfect for documentary-style wedding photography.

As the evening rolled in, the venue took on a warmer, more intimate atmosphere, with guests gathering inside to celebrate into the night time party. By this point, everyone was fully relaxed with the help of a few drinks, which led to some brilliant moments on the dance floor and plenty of natural interactions to finish the story of the day. Can’t wait to have the opportunity to photograph here again.