A Big, Joyful, Personality-Packed Wedding at Farnham House Hotel | Nicky & David

A ceremony full of laughter, confetti and tequila rose, and a party thrown by two of the most fun-loving people you could ever hope to meet.

Nicky and David, what a DAY! These two are big personalities, huge fun and born to throw a party, and their wedding was every bit as loud and joyful as you’d expect. Some of the most fun I’ve had at a wedding in ages!

Getting ready (and getting going)

Nicky’s morning was, shall we say, gloriously full of life. A packed room, a hair and makeup artist working her magic, bridesmaids getting themselves ready in various states of glam, and the kind of happy, buzzy chaos that tells you a family really knows how to enjoy themselves. When the littlest guests arrived, the energy went up a further few notches, as small people at weddings tend to do. Amongst all the whirlwind I stole a quiet, gorgeous frame of Nicky in soft window light, and some lovely moments of her being helped into her dress.

Before we dashed off, Nicky wanted a couple of portraits she will treasure: one of her on the staircase in her gown, and one with her daughter. Then it was go, go, go, because we had a church to get to.

The lads and the Jaguar

Over on the groom side, Nicky was being chauffeured to the church in style in the best man’s rather handsome Jaguar, so I caught David and his best man tying ribbons onto the car, grabbed some room details, and briefly met the magician who would be working his magic later in the day. More on him shortly.

A joyous ceremony at St Matthew’s, Blackmoor

The ceremony was held at the beautiful St Matthew’s Church in Blackmoor, near Liss, and what a lovely one it was. The vicar was an absolute delight, warm and full of personality, and she set the tone for a genuinely joyful service with plenty of laughter along the way. One of the smallest guests decided the ceremony simply could not go ahead without popping up to hold his nan’s hand, which had the whole church grinning. My heart!

David had cleverly chosen a few well-known hymns so everyone could join in, and while not everyone quite rose to the occasion, I can confirm I happily belted them out from behind my camera, because I do love a good hymn from my childhood.

Out we went into the sunshine for confetti, which is always a favourite of mine. And then came a very Nicky moment: her dress, I should mention, had pockets, which I will always adore, and from those pockets she produced a couple of mini bottles of tequila rose and toasted her new marriage in true celebratory style. ICONIC behaviour! We grabbed some quick, relaxed family formals right there at the church before hitting the road.

Back to Farnham House Hotel

Now, in the interest of honesty, the sat nav had a small crisis of confidence on the drive back and I may have taken a slightly more scenic route than intended, but I still made it back to Farnham House Hotel in time to catch Nicky and David’s grand arrival, so all’s well that ends well.

Nicky decided she would rather keep the rest of the family photos relaxed and go-with-the-flow than line everyone up formally, and what the bride wants, the bride gets, and it suited the whole feel of the day perfectly. A quick word for the team at Farnham House Hotel too, who were wonderfully accommodating and flexible, happily reshuffling a few things on the day to make sure every single guest was looked after.

There was a hog roast on the go, which meant I got to tuck into my own portion in the bar, and very good it was too!

Speeches, magic and a whole lot of laughter

The bridesmaids and the newlyweds all danced their way into the wedding breakfast, which set the mood beautifully, and then came the speeches: emotional, funny, and exactly what you would expect from a couple who live to have a good time. There were happy tears and big laughs in equal measure.

Then the magician really came into his own. He wowed Nicky and David with some jaw-dropping close-up magic, before pulling off a whole-room showstopper where he had the guests answer questions, and somehow every single answer turned up written in a letter Nicky then read aloud. Mind. Completely. BLOWN. Nicky was beside herself, and quite right too!

Portraits, cake and the party

I managed to sweep Nicky and David away for some couple portraits, which very quickly and very happily turned into a bit of a group affair as David kept cheerfully inviting friends to jump in. It was less “romantic couple shoot” and more “everyone’s invited,” and it was all the more them for it.

The cake cut deserves a special mention. What began as a civilised slice descended, magnificently, into full-blown cake warfare, with cake being smooshed, wiped and shared around with total abandon. Was it elegant? Absolutely not. Was it hilarious and completely on brand for these two? One hundred percent!

Their first dance was a lovely, gentle sway that did not stay a two-person affair for long, because David soon waved everyone up to join them. A few emotional faces appeared, David’s and his son’s among them, and it was really rather touching.

And then the dancefloor. Oh, the dancefloor. We are talking every cheesy classic under the sun: the Macarena, all the ones with silly actions where you brush your hair and pull daft moves, the lot. Every party banger from every childhood disco you have ever been to. Absolutely no notes. I LOVED it!

Nicky and David, thank you for having me along for such a brilliant, big-hearted, riotously fun day. What a pair you are!

Planning your own Farnham House Hotel wedding?

Farnham House Hotel is a relaxed, welcoming venue in Farnham, Surrey, made for couples who want a proper, personality-filled celebration. If you are getting married there, or anywhere across Surrey, Hampshire and beyond, and you want someone to capture the real, funny, emotional story of your day exactly as it happens, I would love to hear from you. I am currently booking for 2027, so head over to my contact page and let’s have a chat.

The dream team

Ceremony: St Matthew’s Church, Blackmoor, near Liss. Reception: Farnham House Hotel, Farnham, Surrey. Magic: Derek Oliver Magic. Cakes and flowers: Janis. Venue decorations: Nice Treats. Chair covers: Irene Bell. Makeup: Aga Rocks. Dress: Wed2Be. Photography: Emma Staley Photography.