Dean & Claire's Victoria Warehouse Wedding | Manchester Wedding Photographer

Some weddings just feel completely Manchester, and Dean and Claire's was one of them.

From getting ready at one of the city's most iconic hotels to celebrating inside the exposed brick and industrial surroundings of Victoria Warehouse, their wedding brought together two very different sides of Manchester and made for a brilliant day to photograph.

Bridal Prep at The Midland Manchester

The day started with Claire getting ready at The Midland Hotel in Manchester city centre.

The Midland has been part of Manchester since 1903 and is one of the city's best-known historic hotels. The Grade II listed building was originally created to serve rail travellers arriving in the city and, more than 120 years later, it's still one of Manchester's landmark hotels.

For bridal prep, that classic setting worked beautifully.

I always approach this part of a wedding quite naturally. Rather than turning getting ready into a photoshoot, I'm looking for everything that's already happening. The little interactions, final touches, nerves, laughter and the people around the bride.

There was still time for some more considered portraits of Claire once she was ready, but without taking her away from everything for ages. That's generally how I like to work throughout a wedding day: document what's really happening, then gently step in when a little direction will create a great portrait.

And then it was time to head across Manchester to somewhere with a completely different feel.

A Victoria Warehouse Wedding

Dean and Claire held both their ceremony and reception at Victoria Warehouse in Manchester.

If The Midland represents Manchester's grander architectural history, Victoria Warehouse represents its industrial one.

The warehouse was built during the height of Manchester's textile industry, with construction beginning in the 1920s and the building completed in 1932. It was originally used by the Liverpool Warehousing Company to store cotton, fabrics and confectionery. Many of the original industrial features remain part of the venue today.

That history gives Victoria Warehouse a look that is completely different from a traditional wedding venue.

Think exposed brick, huge industrial spaces, pillars, dark corners and loads of texture. For photography, I loved it.

The Ceremony

Once everyone had arrived at Victoria Warehouse, it was time for Dean and Claire to actually get married.

This is one of the parts of the day where I interfere as little as possible. I'm looking for Claire coming down the aisle, Dean's reaction, glances between family and friends and all the small moments happening around the ceremony that the couple might not even notice themselves.

Victoria Warehouse has several spaces licensed for civil ceremonies, including The Bays, The Archives, The Cellars and The Cotton Sheds. Its original brickwork and industrial architecture have deliberately been retained, giving weddings there a much more atmospheric backdrop than a conventional hotel ballroom.

And that suited Dean and Claire's day perfectly.

Relaxed Wedding Photography at Victoria Warehouse

After the ceremony, my focus shifted back towards the people.

Guests chatting. Drinks in hands. Hugs. Reactions. People laughing when they don't realise they're being photographed.

Those photographs often end up being some of my favourites from a wedding because they're the ones that bring you straight back to how the day actually felt.

We still made time for the photographs Dean and Claire wanted with the people closest to them, as well as portraits of the two of them.

My approach isn't about avoiding posed photographs completely. I do give direction when it's useful. The difference is that I don't want you spending a huge chunk of your wedding standing in front of my camera.

A bit of guidance, get the shot, then get you back to your wedding.

Wedding Portraits at Salford Quays

We also managed to sneak away from Victoria Warehouse for a little while and head over to Salford Quays for some portraits.

Dean and Claire jumped back into their wedding car and we headed out for a really quick shoot. No disappearing for hours or turning the day into one long photoshoot.

Salford Quays gave us a completely different backdrop again. The modern architecture, water and urban surroundings worked brilliantly for portraits and gave Dean and Claire a chance to have a few minutes together away from the busy reception.

I gave them a little direction where needed, but kept things relaxed and moving. We got the photographs we wanted, jumped back in the car and headed straight back to Victoria Warehouse to carry on celebrating.

That's exactly how I like to approach couple portraits on a wedding day.

They should add to the day, not take you away from it.

Back to Victoria Warehouse

Victoria Warehouse is particularly good for portraits because there is so much character already built into the venue.

The original warehouse spaces date back almost a century, and areas such as The Bays retain restored industrial pillars and original brickwork.

Instead of trying to hide the darker surroundings, I wanted to use them.

The contrast, brickwork, architecture and pockets of light give photographs here a completely different atmosphere from a bright country-house wedding. It feels urban, dramatic and unmistakably Manchester.

And you don't need an hour-long couple shoot to take advantage of it.

A few short pockets of time throughout the day are enough to create some beautiful portraits without Dean and Claire feeling as though they'd disappeared from their own wedding.

From The Midland to Victoria Warehouse

One of my favourite things about Dean and Claire's wedding was actually the contrast between the locations.

The day started with the historic elegance of The Midland in Manchester city centre, before heading to the raw industrial surroundings of Victoria Warehouse for the ceremony and celebrations. We also took a short trip out to Salford Quays for some waterside portraits before heading back to Victoria Warehouse.

Three completely different backdrops, all in one wedding.

But ultimately, the locations are only the backdrop.

The photographs that matter are Dean and Claire with the people they love, the expressions they didn't know I caught, the atmosphere of the room and all the little moments they'll be able to come back to years from now.

That's always the bit I'm looking for.

Planning a Victoria Warehouse Wedding?

If you're getting married at Victoria Warehouse, The Midland or elsewhere in Manchester and you're looking for photography that feels relaxed and natural while still giving you beautiful portraits, I'd love to hear what you're planning.

I'm a Manchester wedding photographer specialising in documentary-led wedding photography with relaxed, gently directed portraits, so you can spend more of your wedding actually enjoying it rather than feeling like you're on a photoshoot.

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