Fusion Wedding at Stanbrook Abbey

Jaccy & Uttaran’s day with two ceremonies

Photographed by Robin & Sarah

Jaccy and Uttaran’s wedding day could only be described as an ‘epic adventure’!  With an early start, two wedding ceremonies and two meals plus extensive time in-between and an evening party we knew we were in for a very long day indeed!  Mixing Hindu and western wedding traditions and with 120 guests, their day is the one the most memorable we’ve had in all the years we’ve been photographing weddings.

Getting ready

Our day began early – a 7am start at the gorgeous Stanbrook Abbey – a venue we’ve worked at a few times over the years but never for quite this long!  Their day was held entirely at the venue which meant once we arrived, there was no extra travelling to do.  This was a very warm August day, with temperatures never dropping below the high 20’s all day long.

Jaccy, her bridesmaids and family all prepared for the day in the beautiful Bride’s Manor, while Uttaran and the rest of the groom’s party were in one of hotel’s many rooms.

Hindu wedding ceremony in the Garden Pavilion

The firsr of Jaccy and Uttaran’s two wedding ceremonies was held under a Mandap in Stanbrook Abbey’s large marquee, named the Garden Pavilion.  This was a traditional Hindu ceremony and many of the guests dressed in Indian wedding attire.

Couple photos & midday meal

With the Hindu ceremony wrapped up it was time to relax a little with a short drinks reception for the guests.  As the couple would be changing before the second wedding ceremony, we used this time to take Jaccy and Uttaran off for a short photo shoot while they were still in their Indian wedding attire.

At this point in the day we’d already done half a day’s work, so the buffet lunch of Indian food put on for everyone was most welcome!

Civil wedding ceremony in Callow Great Hall

Jaccy and Uttaran’s legal wedding ceremony was held in the afternoon.  Once everyone had enjoyed the meal and changed into western wedding attire, it was time to enter probably the most striking part of Stanbrook Abbey – the Callow Great Hall.  This gorgeous space was formerly the chapel when the venue was a working abbey and it looks absolutely spectacular, with its tiled floor, arches and carved woodwork.

Drinks reception & couple photo shoot

By the time the civil wedding ceremony was complete we were more than half-way through the afternoon.  The sun was still shining and temperature hovering around 30 degrees!  Everything relaxed again at this point as it was time for a longer drinks reception.  Guests sat in the shade and enjoyed drinks while we got to work with a second round of family and friend group photos.

We also used part of this time to take Jaccy and Uttaran off for a second photo shoot, this time a little further into the Stanbrook Abbey gardens.

Evening meal & speeches

As the day moved from the afternoon into early evening it was once again time for food, this time a sit-down dinner for everyone (including us) followed by the speeches.  However after the meal was complete, we popped out to check the conditions and noticed the sun starting to set behind the treeline, so quickly, we got the couple out again for a few minutes to takes advantage of the light!

Party time in St Anne’s Hall

The evening party kicked off around 8pm in St Anne’s Hall with Jaccy and Uttaran’s first dance.  Evening entertainment was provided by the band New Vintage Plus who were brilliant.  As an added bonus Jaccy’s brother joined the band on lead vocals and her dad did the same on his trombone!  A brilliant way to wrap up what had been an unforgettable day.

Huge thank-yous to Jaccy and Uttaran and all their guests!