Leez Priory Essex Wedding of Carissa & Marc

You can now view Carissa & Marc’s Leez Priory Wedding Album over on the main Wedding Photography site if you click here!

So New Years Eve, bitterly cold but nice and bright. Off and out nice and early to Carissa’s family home for the usual Bridal preparations, handy because the boys were getting ready literally just across the way in the same place. All the usual details covered and it was time to head across the Essex countryside for about half an hour or so to the venue for today’s celebrations, Leez Priory.

The boys had left before me and I caught up with Marc and his merry men again on my arrival. Soon guests began to arrive and it was time for everyone to take their places to await the arrival of Carissa and her Bridesmaids. At last Carissa arrived at Leez Priory and was soon in out of the biting east winter wind, a quick chat with the registrars and it was time to head for the ceremony room and her waiting Groom, Marc. A touching and very funny ceremony followed, Marc and Carissa were very much at ease and their infectious laughter soon had everyone in stitches, it even seemed to affect the registrar who managed to get Carissa’s name wrong twice! But soon Marc and Carissa were man and wife and exited out to their champagne reception. Roaring log fires, champagne, canapes and just good old fashioned good company with friends and family, a truly lovely atmosphere. Now, time to brave the cold for a few moments to get those few family group shots for the album and then Carissa, Marc and I took our leave for some quiet time to capture a few, more intimate moments, that and some quite outrageous ones too, again all down to Marc and Carissa’s fantastic sense of fun.
Back in the warm again, and time for the formal reception meal, followed by the traditional speeches, which also held some different kinds of drama (definitely not a boring wedding here), with the Best Man going awol – still, suitable replacement was found and all’s well that ends well!!
Back downstairs again to the waiting log fires and warm bar, evening guests arriving and now time to cut the cake, Carissa also made sure Marc had a good first taster too! Then downstairs to the old wine cellar to find the dance floor and for Carissa and Marc to have their first official dance as man and wife. First dance over the tempo picked up and the dance floor filled. The rest of the evening glided by, a hog roast, to feed us all, and plenty more good cheer from the bar, a real house party event, even the falling of fresh snow outside couldn’t dampen any spirits. Midnight approached and everyone gathered just outside the huge back doors of Leez Priory, 5,4,3,2,1 BANG! Fireworks exploded into the cold crisp night air, Happy New Year everyone, what a way to celebrate it too!

A few of my favourite images from the day -