Ashley Park House Wedding | Nicola & Barry
A Summer Wedding at Ashley Park House, Tipperary
Their Story
Nicola and Barry's story began at UCC, where they first met as friends. After a few years of friendship, things changed during their final year, and they've been together ever since.
Years later, while road-tripping around New Zealand's South Island, Barry proposed at a beautiful winery overlooking Lake Wanaka, a fairly spectacular setting for the beginning of their next chapter.
When it came to planning their wedding, they were doing it all from Melbourne, having called the city home for six and a half years. They discovered Ashley Park House in County Tipperary online and were immediately drawn to its character, gardens and beautiful country-house setting. Even from the other side of the world, it felt like exactly what they were looking for.
Their vision was simple: a relaxed summer wedding surrounded by the people closest to them, with Ashley Park House providing the perfect backdrop.
And that's exactly what the day became, relaxed, personal and full of the genuine, unscripted moments that make a wedding such a brilliant thing to photograph.
A Relaxed Start to the Day
The morning set the tone for everything that followed — relaxed, full of excitement and surrounded by the people closest to them. I like to keep this part of the day as natural as possible, documenting everything as it unfolds rather than constantly stepping in or directing.
It's often the little moments that end up meaning the most: the nerves, the laughter, the reactions and everything happening quietly in between.
Saying I Do at Ashley Park House
With its beautiful lakeside setting and surrounding gardens, Ashley Park House was the perfect backdrop for Nicola and Barry's summer ceremony.
This is one of those parts of a wedding day where I almost completely step back. There's no need to manufacture anything the anticipation, reactions, laughter and emotion are already there. My job is simply to be in the right place when they happen.
The Moments Between the Moments
Once the ceremony is over, everyone can finally relax, and this is often when some of my favourite photographs happen.
The hugs, congratulations, glasses being raised, old friends catching up and moments happening in every corner of the room are what make every wedding completely different.
My approach to documentary wedding photography is about noticing those moments without interrupting them. The photographs might only capture a fraction of a second, but they're often the ones that bring you straight back to how the day actually felt.
A Few Minutes, Just the Two of Them
Couple photographs don't need to take you away from your wedding for an hour.
The gardens and grounds at Ashley Park House gave us everything we needed for a short, relaxed portrait session with Nicola and Barry. I gave them a little direction when needed, but otherwise let them be themselves.
No complicated posing and no disappearing from the party for half the afternoon, just enough time to create some beautiful photographs before getting them back to their guests.
Dinner, Speeches & Dancing
As everyone settled in for dinner, the day moved into speeches, stories and plenty of laughter before the evening celebrations got underway.
I photograph this part of the day just as naturally as everything else not only focusing on whoever has the microphone or who's on the dance floor, but watching for everything happening around them. The reactions, glances, laughter and little moments between family and friends are often what tell the real story.
From the speeches through to the first dance and a packed dance floor, there's no need to recreate or manufacture anything. I simply capture the celebration as it happens.
Documentary Wedding Photography at Ashley Park House
My approach to wedding photography is primarily documentary, giving you the space to enjoy your day while I capture everything happening around you naturally.
For the parts of the day that need a little direction, family photographs, bridal party photos or a short couple session, I'll guide you through it without anything feeling stiff or overly posed.
The aim is simple: beautiful photographs that still feel like you, while keeping you away from your guests for as little time as possible.
Planning Your Ashley Park House Wedding?
Planning Your Ashley Park House Wedding?
If you're planning your own wedding at Ashley Park House and you're looking for natural, documentary photography without spending hours away from your guests, I'd love to hear what you have planned.
Tell me a little about your day and I'll check availability for your date.