Some weddings suit themselves from the off, and Will and Jade’s did exactly that. Set at Umberslade Adventure Park, their day had everything I love to photograph. Woodland surroundings, loads of energy, plenty going on and a couple who never looked like they were trying to force a single moment.

That is usually a very good sign.

More than anything, the whole day felt natural. Nothing about it felt stiff or over-managed. Instead, it had that lovely balance of good people, a great setting and enough freedom for everyone to actually enjoy themselves.

Jade’s morning somehow managed to be relaxed and chaotic at the same time, which is actually quite impressive. There were loads of people around, prep started spilling outside, and through all of it Jade was the one keeping her bridespeople together. As for the nerves, those were handled in the only sensible way, with champagne straight from the bottle.

Will got ready in a cabin just behind the bar, with people appearing every five minutes and the usual wedding morning traffic going in and out. He was nervous, but ready to marry his best friend, which is the sort of nervous you can work with. To be fair, he seemed pretty settled overall, although I am happy to take a completely unreasonable amount of credit for that. I do consider myself something of a calming presence for nervous grooms. A service I really should charge extra for.

One of the best things about Umberslade Adventure Park wedding photography is how naturally the venue lends itself to a relaxed day. The outdoor spaces are brilliant, the woodland setting gives everything a strong backdrop, and the light is exactly the sort of light I like to work with.

Better still, there is loads of variety. You get shade where you need it, open space where you want it and enough room for the day to breathe. As a result, the whole wedding felt connected to the setting rather than boxed into one spot.

The ceremony was celebrant-led and held right in the middle of the woods, which suited the day perfectly. Outdoor ceremonies always work beautifully with the way I shoot, and this one felt calm from the minute it started.

When Will and Jade saw each other, there was no huge theatrical reaction. Instead, it was quieter than that. They just looked like two people who were exactly where they were meant to be, which honestly says far more.

As the day moved on, the atmosphere lifted even more. Yes, the drinks helped, because they always do, but the setting did a lot of the hard work on its own. Umberslade Adventure Park is the sort of venue that gives people permission to relax properly.

Because of that, guests got involved straight away. There were games, lots of movement and plenty of fully grown adults throwing themselves into the adventure park like they had been waiting years for the opportunity. Naturally, that makes documentary photography far easier, because people are too busy having a good time to worry about the camera.

A couple of my favourite images came later on. One was the portrait at the end of the tunnel in the adventure park, which gave the gallery something a bit different. The other was the group shot with everyone climbing the ropes, which tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the energy of the day.

Then came the evening, which carried on exactly as it should have. Live music was played by the grooms brother and his partner, and that made it feel far more meaningful than just dropping a band into the corner and hoping for the best. It felt personal, and more importantly, it felt like them.

I should also mention that this wedding was a useful reminder that confidence and ability are not always the same thing. In what can only be described as an ambitious misreading of my own talent, I flew my drone into the woods like I was starring in Top Gun: Forestry Division and crashed it instead. Turns out I am significantly less Maverick and significantly more bloke with expensive hobby making poor decisions near trees.

Even with my brief aviation humiliation, this was exactly the kind of wedding I love to photograph. Relaxed, outdoors, full of personality and completely comfortable being what it was.

A huge thank you to Will and Jade for having me there to photograph such a brilliant day. It was an absolute pleasure to be part of it and to capture it all as it unfolded.

If you’re planning a wedding at Umberslade Adventure Park and want photography that feels relaxed, natural and fully part of the day, give me a shout. I’ll bring the camera, you just get on with climbing things and having a good time.