Orange Grove | Hampshire Wedding
Rob + Adele
Some weddings just have a brilliant energy from the moment you arrive, and Rob and Adele’s wedding at Orange Grove Hotel in Hampshire was exactly that. Rob is an old work friend (and a fellow photographer!) so I was honoured when he asked me to photograph their wedding. We were blessed with one of those warm, sunny spring days that makes everything feel a little bit more special. The gardens were glowing, the windows were throwing beautiful light into the rooms, and everyone seemed ready to celebrate!
Getting ready for the big day
The morning had that lovely mixture of calm anticipation and barely contained excitement. Adele’s beautiful lace wedding dress was hanging ready, with her shoes waiting underneath, while the bouquets of white roses and delicate gypsophila perfectly matched the soft, romantic feel of the day.
A beautiful ceremony
The ceremony took place surrounded by beautiful stonework, stained glass and an incredible floral arch packed with white roses and greenery.
Rob and Adele looked completely at home together as they walked back down the aisle. The setting was grand, but the moment itself felt wonderfully personal, which is the sort of combination that makes for brilliant wedding photographs.
A wedding party in full swing
The bridesmaids looked fantastic in slinky black dresses, carrying bouquets of white flowers, while the groomsmen wore smart neutral jackets as a contrast to Rob’s black tux. Rob and Adele stood out beautifully amongst them, and the whole group made the most of the glorious weather.
One of my favourite things about this part of the day was how relaxed everyone seemed. There was no stiffness or over-posing; just a group of fun people genuinely enjoying being together.
That makes my job considerably easier 😉
Speeches… but standing!
Now, I’ve photographed a lot of weddings, and the traditional seated speeches are something I know very well.
Rob and Adele decided to do things a little differently and have everyone standing for the speeches. I loved it! It’s always great for me to try something different.
It felt wonderfully informal to have everyone up and engaged rather than disappearing behind a table. It kept the atmosphere lively and made the whole thing feel more like a celebration than a formal presentation.
The room was full of laughter, reactions and those brilliant little unscripted moments that are absolute gold for a wedding photographer.
There was also a gorgeous moment for the cake cutting, with everyone gathered beneath the floral arch. It was one of those scenes where the whole wedding seemed to come together in one frame.
And then came the dancing…
If the daytime had been elegant and romantic, the evening took a rather different direction.
The dancing was raunchy, ridiculous and absolutely hilarious – in the best possible way!!
There were big moves, questionable moves, enthusiastic moves and plenty of moments that had the entire room (including me!) laughing.
Adele was right in the middle of it all, and Rob was certainly not holding back either.
These are some of my favourite photographs from any wedding: the ones where nobody is thinking about the camera anymore. Just friends and family throwing themselves into the party, laughing until they can barely stand, and having the kind of fun they’ll still be talking about years later.
The day had an elegance without things feeling too formal, emotion without it becoming overly serious, and plenty of laughter throughout the day. From the quiet anticipation of the morning through to the wonderfully unruly dancing in the evening, it was a wedding full of personality.
And those are the weddings I love photographing most.
Congratulations, Rob and Adele!
Venue | Orange Grove Hotel, Hampshire
HMUA | Julie Frewin
Flowers | Hampshire Flower Barn
