This stately home is the perfect venue for a discerning bride and groom to host their wedding, and is capable of seating several hundred guests if required, inside the ballroom.
The bride and groom contacted me when researching their wedding, after coming across photos that I had shot at previous couple’s wedding in the Gambia. I also will be returning to The Gambia in early Spring 2014 to photograph a Gambian wedding for another couple.
Their chosen wedding venue – Coco Ocean Hotel – is this magnificent luxury hotel in the Gambia in West Africa. The couple themselves are based in the UK, but have family connections to The Gambia, so it was the perfect choice for them. I stayed a full week, so was able to capture their cultural wedding ceremony – based on traditions in Sierra Leone – as well as general pics of themselves around the hotel prior to the actual legal ceremony in their private Royal Suite by their private pool, followed by a religious church-style ceremony outside by another huge swimming pool next to the sea.
This combined wedding and honeymoon, is a popular solution for many couples, particularly for those with family connections abroad, as it guarantees lovely weather, and a fabulous location for the wedding pictures. In this case it also made it easier for their family and friends who live in Sierra Leone to travel to a nearby country within Africa. By booking Reel Life Photos for their wedding they also were able to get the quality of storybook album their wedding deserved. Hope you enjoy looking, as there are many lovely portraits of all their special people, and unusually for my brides and grooms, I was given complete creative freedom, not only to create the design, but also to choose the images I knew they would like. Most couples spend hours choosing, but they trusted me to choose for them, which was wonderful.
If you are planning your wedding abroad or a multicultural wedding in the UK contact Elaine – wedding photographer at Reel Life Photos .
cover of storybook showing the main avenue from the hotel down towards the sea at night
Inside the Royal Suite
Bride and groom’s family enjoying their holiday at Coco Ocean
Romantic sunset and palm trees – what more could you want!
private pool in Royal Suite at Coco Ocean
Civil marriage ceremony in the Royal Suite
The couple’s daughter helps her mummy get ready for the wedding
Love this page in as it floats in black and white and a touch of colour.
bride leaves the Royal Suite with her father to go to her church style wedding ceremony by the pool at Coco Ocean
The bride is given a lift with her father and children to the poolside where the wedding blessing will take place
wedding guests waiting as the bride arrives and joins the groom
This is just magical! Everyone seated as if in a church – but outside in brilliant light of day, protected by white parasols, with the water sparkling alongside the guests and a see view.
The reverend conducts the wedding blessing by the pool
Getting married here by the side of that pool , facing the sea, must be a dream come true
pictures of Coco Ocean wedding in The Gambia
The rings are blessed.
So romantic!
Bridesmaids hold a bouquet of simple bougainvillea as hymns are sung and the couple’s children watch impatiently.
Sunlight and shadows, fan and foliage. Magic!
Such a romantic place to get married!
This minute could last forever in their minds as we look at this picture of such a happy moment.
Groomsmen take it easy during the ceremony.
Love the sight of the yellow bridesmaids dresses against the exotic foliage as the bride and groom walk out together
Lots going on as the wedding ceremony finishes…
“Now what shall I choose”, thinks the bride and groom’s son, when offered an array of nibbles by not one, but two waiters.
A big group shot all round the pool – so colourful!
Such great colours and so many happy people!
Perfect location for family wedding pictures.
Family wedding photos at Coco Ocean
photos by the pool then off to the wedding reception
Love this reception area with the dynamic stripey floor, so organised this pic of all the guests taken from the mezzanine floor above
bride and her family and close friends inside Coco Ocean reception area
Can you imagine having your wedding here? Such a brilliant family in an equally exciting wedding venue.
The couple enter their wedding reception dancing, and gather their children to dance with them.
Time to celebrate over a wonderful meal!
Amazing food and culinary delights at Coco Ocean. Just a shame I had to leave to catch a plane that evening on the last Thomas Cook flight out of the Gambia before the rainy season started, and also to photograph another wedding in the UK the very next day!
Night has fallen so I grab the bride and groom before the dessert course and take pictures of them within the delightful geometric designs of the contemporary architecture.
With the whole day being behind schedule after the Gambian registrar arrived one hour late, the daylight hours vanished so night time pictures of the bride and groom were the only solution.
Such a happy wedding picture on the beach at night!
Fun wedding pic on the beach at night
The night air is warm and the ambience delightful, but the bride and groom need to get back to their wedding reception and I need to head off soon for the airport!
Goodnight! Time to say goodbye to this wonderful couple in this amazing wedding venue in the Gambia, to fly back to the UK for an Asian wedding in Bradford in the morning!
If you are planning your wedding abroad or a multicultural wedding in the UK contact Elaine – wedding photographer at Reel Life Photos or keep up to date with recent weddings on Facebook
Lovely way to arrive at their wedding – by helicopter – through blue skies
Beautifully presented wedding at Davenport Green Hall
Details of the wedding venue at Davenport Green Hall in Cheshire
I knew this was going to be a very unusual Asian wedding as first of all there was no stage – just a traditional top table, and beautifully presented tables, in a lovely old barn in Cheshire. If you are planning your wedding and need any help, happy to do what I can, as have been a wedding photographer since 2000! See more on our website and Facebook page too.
xx Elaine
http://www.reellifephotos.co.uk +44 7990867058
wedding guests arrive at the Aakash on a lovely sunny Autumn day
Elaine of Reel Life Photos in blue Asian outfit while photographing a wedding at The Aakash in Cleckheraton
Confetti and smiles!
storybook cover picture of bride and groom, Helen and Bryn.
Helen and Bryn booked me well in advance for their wedding at Holdsworth House, to ensure they got what they wanted – a fun day, and happy wedding pics. They made sure even the youngest of the children there were catered for, with a ball pool, and games form the older ones to play, as well as delicious ice cream and candy floss provided by a great couple who run http://www.theicicletricyclecompany.co.uk/ice-cream-tricycle/
This is the design for their Italian storybook album.
First two pages of the storybook, with wedding rings on a white cushion
pages 4-5
Pictures inside Holdsworth House before the wedding starts pages 6-7
Helen and Bryn’s wedding album pages 8-9
Groomsmen
All ready for the wedding ceremony
pages 14-15 – ceremony page
Holdsworth House wedding ceremony pictures – pages 16-17
wedding bouquet and rings on register – storybook pages 18-19
Almost black and white with a touch of colour – beautiful window light… storybook pages 20-21
Such a beautiful location for wedding photography! pages 22-23
confetti pages 24-25
Great wedding venue as its gardens are perfect for an intimate family wedding. pages 26-27
bride and bridesmaids in the gardens at Holdsworth House pages 28-29
Great place to relax on a gorgeous summer’s day! pages 30-31
candyfloss, live music and icecreams pages 32-33
ball pool children, and ice cream – perfect recipe for a fun family wedding – storybook pages 34-35
relaxed family wedding pictures in the gardens at Holdsworth House in Halifax
Bit of romance on a wedding day is good! storybook pages 38-39
Big group photo – pages 40-41
wedding pictures by the Tudor arched doorway at Holdsworth House pages 42-43
wedding kiss – storybook pages 44-45
top table with flowers at Holdsworth House wedding – storybook pages 46-47
Beautifully presented tables! A real, pleasure to photograph! storybook pages 48-49
Its so beautiful here, so the photos evoke all the memories of a wonderful wedding day in Halifax – storybook pages 50-51
wedding decorations – flowers, sweets and cake – pages 52-53
wedding reception with top quality food. storybook pages 54-55
speeches and gifts of flowers storybook wedding pages 56-57
fun wedding reception! storybook pages 58-59
fun wedding photos in the gardens at Holdsworth House in Halifax pages 60-61
Bryn has a go at “driving” the tricycle full of ice cream! pages 62-63
fun with a ballpool at Holdsworth House wedding storybook pages 64-65
Nice and chilled after a lovely meal. storybook pages 66-67
kisses in between the pink flowers – storybook pages 68-69
Relaxed wedding pics in the gardens at Holdsworth House in Halifax pages 70-71
candyfloss fun wedding pictures – storybook pages 72-73
evening wedding reception pictures – storybook pages 74-75
cutting the wedding cake – storybook pages 76-77
More info for your wedding on Reel Life Photos main website
and loads of interesting , and very varied wedding pictures on Facebook. – over 30.000 pictures in fact! xx Elaine
See more travel and wedding pictures on our Facebook Page
or contact Reel Life Photos via our website if you have any travel projects , are getting married or would like a print from one of these cat or puppy pictures.
xx Elaine
The cover of Tihitna and Patrick's storybook wedding album at Regents Park in London
Tihitna and Patrick travelled across London to meet us at the place where we were staying, when we were down in London for another African wedding. They are a lovely couple so we soon agreed to video and photograph their wedding which was to be held at St. Aloysius Church in London followed by the reception at Double Tree by Hilton West End. Our lovely bride and groom then invited us to stay at their place, as we are based in West Yorkshire, so perfect!
It was a bright and sunny day on 22 September, as you will see in the following pictures which the couple have chosen to use in their album. We usually have more photos of the guests and natural pics, but every couple are different, so happy to design something to suit them .
Make up time for all the girls
Beautiful Ethiopian girls getting ready for the wedding in London Hotel Double Tree by Hilton West End
Black and white and a spot of red..
time to go down stairs and head off to the church in the waiting limo
The bride and her bridesmaids climb up the steps to the church to join the waiting groom inside.
The bride and groom are in their own world, bursting with happiness
The church ceremony
Time for the rings
Exchange of rings
The children's turn to do a reading
signing the register
Signing the register in a tiny space isn't easy!
Beautiful stained glass!
Big group photo outside the church
wedding photos on the steps of St Aloysius Church in London
kiss in the wedding car then off to the park - well St Anne's Gardens inside Regents Park
Wedding pictures inside Regents Park
Love these gates!
Such a smiley couple, and Tihitna is like a model! Patrick is great with her too.
More pics in the park
Love the shadows and the sun by these gates
Great day for a romantic stroll through the gardens
Glorious golden light sets off the black and white pictures of Patrick well.
A bed of roses...
More pics of the bride and groom - seems they had fun posing for me.
Just the bride and groom in a world of their own
Love the rose gardens...
The bridesmaids and mainly Tihitna's sisters
the wedding party
Now for the groomsmen
Tihitna examines her husband's corsage
Love London weddings - even street scenes work well
Time to enter the hotel for reception at Double Tree By Hilton West End
Table layout and decorations
The groom's sister enjoying their chocolate fountain and the chief bridesmaid - the bride's sister - giving her speech
cutting the wedding cake and kisses
wedding reception pics and first dance
Throwing the bouquet - African style
These girls certainly know how to party!
If you fancy finding out more for your own wedding photographer – see our site http://www.reellifephotos.co.uk and for the latest pics see our Facebook albums https://www.facebook.com/destination.wedding.photographer.uk/photos_albums If you fancy liking our page too, that would be lovely! Call Elaine for your wedding on +447990867058
xx Elaine and Jorge
The wedding car arrives outside Nawaab's, but as usual everyone mills round and the couple stay in the car till the right moment .
Asian guests, mainly men, throng around in the entrance hall at Nawaab's in ManchesterNatural wedding pictures usually look the best I think, don't they.... Nice to see a bit of the architecture at Nawaab's too in the photo.
Bride and groom sit in the car together till its time to make their grand entrance into Nawaab's.
Bride and groom leave the wedding car to go into their Walimah wedding reception
The bride in her beautifully embroidered classic white wedding gown briefly poses for pictures with her husband
Bride and groom leave the wedding car and walk in together for their Walimah wedding reception at Nawaab's in Manchester
Bride and groom enter Nawaab's together
Natural wedding pictures usually look the best I think, don't they.... Nice to see a bit of the architecture at Nawaab's too in the photo.
Bride and groom walk passed the fountain, heading for the lift to the Ottoman Suite on the first floor of Nawaab's
The groom adjusts the bride's train then they both pose together in a private room before entering into the Ottoman Suite
Our lovely bride looks very regal on those elegant golden thrones, don't you think?
details of the bride's Mehndi and classy pearl and silver necklace
The Ottoman Suite at Nawaab's in Manchester
Table reserved with a red rose, for the bride and groom's close family.
The Stage
Top Table details
view of the Ottoman Suite from the direction of the stage.
White rose in a vase as table decorations
Top table in Ottoman Suite by the stage
Gambian family in the village of Jorem
In April 2010 I was a guest of the Best Man at one of my client’s wedding in The Gambia. These pictures were taken on my second visit to The Gambia in April 2012 when I again visited the Gambian Groom’s family in their village.
Muslim families often live together like this and having two wives, as the grandfather has here, is a common practice. They lead a very simple life, full of love and huge daily struggles. They have to grew their own food, which consists almost entirely of rice and peanut curry. I bought them a fishing net on my first visit, but that didn’t last long so had to be replaced again on this trip too, and no doubt will again have fallen apart by now.
The river supplies them with salt too which is painstakingly collected as dry slabs of salt encrusted sand, then when enough has been gathered up is piled into baskets and carried on their heads across the hot sand to their house a couple of kilometres away. It is subsequently washed and boiled to release the pure salt.
encrusted salt by the river in the Gambia
Dried salt by the river bed in The Gambia
Gambian boys and a dog enjoying the river
Peaceful existence as the children take time out to play in the river
Every grain of rice is winnowed by hand then pounded with a stick similar to a baseball bat. I have videoed that so will find the clips and add them here later.
Fatou pounding rice at their family home in the village of Jorem in the Gambia.
Gambian girl pounding home grown rice in the village where she lives with her grandparents
Child drinking water from a black and yellow striped plastic kettle
There is no tap water, so water has to be drawn from underground, either by simple buckets from traditional wells, which are lowered down on rope, or knotted rags and a rusty old petrol can full of holes – or via foreign-aid-funded pumps.
These pumps are used by certain families, one end of the village, but the family in this post still rely on traditional wells with buckets lowered and pulled up by hand
Gambian grandmother dressed in a beautiful tie dyed flowing robe. She is chewing on a toothbrush-stick, commonly used for oral hygiene throughout the whole of The Gambia
There was no mains electricity when I went to this village the first time, though good-meaning Germans had funded a few solar panels on the roof of their house, but these were insufficient to power more than a few light bulbs, so the old CRT television sat forlorn, unable to be powered up, in one corner of the room. On my last visit, however, the government was in the process of bringing electricity all down this main highway, which was often just a dirt road, so am hopeful it may have been installed by now.
Gambian children, sitting on the ground, drinking water from a plastic cup
The children sleep on beds, looking like bunk beds, but without the top being a bed, arranged in rows within one room, covered with tattered mosquito nets that would certainly not keep them safe from the dangers of Malaria. (I’ll add pics of this later as are on an older hard drive.) The kitchen when I was last there was unable to be used as the roof was falling in and the whole construction in serious danger of collapsing. They were only built from mud, shaped into bricks, which are dried in the sun, but the rainy season causes many problems, as you can imagine.
Entrance to the upstairs bar at Kewz, 4 Queen Street, Huddersfield
Kewz is an independent, family run bar in Huddersfield. These pics are from the upstairs bar that is available for private use for parties over 18 year olds, free of charge. T & C’s apply. See their website http://www.kewzbarhuddersfield.co.uk
View of the separate ladies and gents toilet doors and bar
View Kewz upstairs bar from the DJ Station.
Reflection in the mirror - and this bar is full of unusual mirrors