St Mary’s Guildhall Wedding Photographer – Laura and Mark

Last Friday I was back in Coventry for Laura and Mark’s wedding which was at St Mary’s Guildhall, followed by their reception at The Best Western Plus Manor Hotel in Meriden.

I met with Laura and her bridesmaids at The Manor Hotel with the bridal preparations well underway, makeup and hair were by Mosey Bow and Elizabeth Bayton. As the time of the ceremony approached Laura got into her Mori Lee wedding dress which was from Brides of Solihull. As the wedding photographer you usually end up getting involved in many different aspects of the wedding day, but I think this was the first wedding where I’ve had to dress the bride! To get from the hotel in Meriden to the ceremony in Coventry Laura and her dad travelled in style in a stunning 1968 gold Rolls Royce which was hired from Hooray Henry’s.

St Mary’s Guildhall in Coventry City Centre is a stunning venue for a wedding, and one that I love to shoot at. The guildhall has a long and fascinating history, it was constructed in 1340 on the former site of Coventry Castle and became home to the city’s merchant guilds and leading businessmen. With the dissolution of the guilds in the 16th century it then found use as the city’s council house and also a theatre space, often frequented by some bloke called Shakespeare. Between 1569 and 1570 it was used by Queen Elizabeth I for the imprisonment of Mary Queen of Scots. The Guildhall is also home to the famous nine meter wide and three meter high Coventry Tapestry which dominates the main room and has been hanging in the very same spot since 1500.

The Great Hall at St Mary’s Guildhall really is a grand space, lined with original artworks, armour and stained glass windows. The ceremony, which took place right in front of the Coventry Tapestry was a jovial affair and featured Laura and Mark’s three children as well as four other little ones who did a beautiful reading during the proceedings. It was also great to catch up with Sarah and Steven, who were guests, whose wedding I photographed at St Mary’s Guildhall three years ago.

Once the wedding ceremony was completed Laura and Mark hopped next door into the ruins of St Michael’s Cathedral for a few quick photos before the rain started and we had to make our way back over to Meriden for the wedding reception at The Best Western Manor Hotel. Following the wedding breakfast the guests were treated to some fantastic speeches (including possibly the best groom’s speech ever) before the room was readied for the evening entertainment. As the lights dimmed Souled Out 2 Funk hit the stage and got the dancefloor bouncing with a string of funk, soul, R&B and disco hits which kept everyone grooving. Here’s a few pictures from Laura and Mark’s wedding . . .