A British/Greek Peckforton Castle summer wedding
Sophie and Theo’s Disney-inspired Peckforton Castle summer wedding, by photographer Wes Simpson.
I’ve been wanting to photograph at Peckforton Castle again for ages! So, when Sophie and Theo contacted me to be their Peckforton Castle Summer Wedding Photographer, I was thrilled about the chance to return!
The fun-loving couple was planning a British/Greek wedding celebration. They didn’t want to waste time posing for photos and desired the day to be captured in a professional documentary style, which is precisely my speciality…
Summer wedding photos at Peckforton Castle
As a UK and destination wedding photographer, I’ve photographed weddings around the world. However, Sophie and Theo’s Peckforton Castle summer wedding was one of the hottest weddings I’ve ever photographed!
The wedding was a learning experience for me because it was my first time using a new camera. After 15 years of photographing weddings with Canon, I switched to a mirrorless system with the Sony a9 flagship camera.
Like my new camera, Sophie and Theo’s wedding did not disappoint!
Here’s their fairy-tale Packforton Castle summer wedding photography story…
Peckforton Castle summer wedding story
Hi, we are Sophie and Theo Tsiolas, and this is our Disney-inspired, fairy-tale Peckforton Castle summer wedding photography story.
We are both from Southport, but Theo is a Greek Cypriot. We met on Social media and have been together for 4 years.
We’ve always wanted a summer wedding in a castle. We adore this time of year and love the hot weather, so a summer wedding at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire was a no-brainer.
Disney-inspired wedding in Cheshire
We hoped for a perfect happy memorable fairy-tale-style Cheshire wedding and got it. We are huge Disney fans, so we incorporated Mickey and Minnie mouse into our grey and pink wedding theme.
We had 90 guests, including wedding guests from the U.K. and Theo’s family from Cyprus. We had two best men, four bridesmaids, one flower girl, and our son as a pageboy in our wedding party.
My wedding dress was from Warrington’s Wife To Be; it was a proper princess-style wedding gown, sparkly, flowery, and with a long trail, perfect for a summer wedding at Peckforton Castle.
The men’s suits were purchased from Grooms Room of Birkdale. Navy blue suits with pale pink ties and navy waistcoats. Theo looked very handsome.
I adored our outfits; the men looked smart and sexy, and my wedding gown made me feel like the perfect beautiful princess for our fairy-tale Peckforton Castle summer wedding.
Wedding details
My favourite part of the day was the actual ceremony, all the emotions, nervousness, excitement, happiness and love.
One of the most memorable parts of our Peckforton Castle summer wedding was becoming husband and wife. Walking down the aisle as Mr & Mrs is an experience we will never forget.
We cut the cake with a sword during the wedding breakfast, which was hilarious. It was a dream come true to plan a fairy-tale wedding and have our family and friends celebrate a Peckforton Castle summer wedding with us.
We had Greek dancing and a special father-daughter dance that I will never forget. I remember our first dance, standing in the middle of the main hall, looking into each other’s eyes and soaking in every second of the perfect moment.
The suppliers we used were Hipswing entertainment, Ian Lloyd events, and our photographer was Wes Simpson Weddings.
Wedding planning tips
The best wedding advice we can give to anyone planning a wedding is to enjoy yourself on your wedding day and throughout the planning process.
Don’t get confused. It’s not about the people who have been invited. It’s all about the bride and groom, who are number one.
Invest in a good photographer and make the most of every moment because the day passes so quickly.
We chose Wes Simpson as our Peckforton Castle wedding photographer after seeing his work on the internet and thinking it was fantastic. He has extensive wedding photography experience and immediately helped to put us at ease.
When we first met with Wes, he was professional, friendly and funny, and he knew exactly what we wanted and was determined to give it to us on our special day.
Peckforton Castle wedding photography
When it came to our Peckforton Castle summer wedding photography, we didn’t want to spend the day posing for pictures, but photography is extremely important.
Wes was awarded Wedding Photographer of the Year 2022, and on the day he works quickly and specialises in capturing natural moments. So you get all the important shots without it taking over your day.
Because there are so many photo opportunities at Peckforton Castle, we felt it was critical to select a photographer who can make the most of the location without it being a lengthy photoshoot. Wes’s documentary style was perfect!
We want to relive our wedding because it was the best day of our lives, and our photos will help us do so. But, for now, we can’t wait to spend our future together as husband and wife, thanks to our fairy-tale Peckforton Castle summer wedding.
Wedding photography testimony –
“Bloody hell Wes, that took me a couple of days to get threw, tissues were needed as I sobbed at so many of the pictures!”
“Honestly, they are absolutely fantastic! Theo was laughing at me sobbing. They are beautiful, thank you so so so much… cannot wait to show them to the family.” – Sophie
About Peckforton Castle
Wedding photography at Peckforton Castle is spectacular due to its dramatic architecture, spacious rooms, and impressive grounds.
If you’re planning a wedding in Cheshire, it’s difficult to find a more impressive and well-established wedding venue than Peckforton Castle.
This venue tops the list of grand and luxurious wedding venues in the North West of England. It is a popular destination for Cheshire’s elite and stylish couples.
English Heritage recognised the Castle in 1952 when it was granted Grade I-listed status. The venue has preserved the castle’s original features while remaining an accessible venue for all.
Peckforton Castle has 48 stunning guestrooms, each of which has been individually designed, blending luxury, comfort, and a mix of classic and contemporary décor.
For more information on Peckforton Castle prices and wedding packages, contact the venue directly –
Address: Peckforton Castle, Stone House Lane
Peckforton, Tarporley
Cheshire, CW6 9TN
Peckforton Castle Wedding Photography
Since my first time as a Peckforton Castle wedding photographer in 2009, I’ve photographed many weddings at this magnificent venue.
Booking an experienced photographer for your wedding is important, especially at Peckforton castle due to the contrasting lighting conditions in the main hall and the multitude of photographic opportunities.
Peckforton castle has so many amazing features. Inside the castle, a large bay window with lots of natural light is one of my favourite photo locations. Sophie and Theo appreciated it as well, so we used it in their photos.
Peckforton Castle wedding photographer
I’ve photographed many weddings at this venue and would be delighted to show you more! I recommend that couples request full wedding galleries when selecting a wedding photographer.
It’s also a good idea to look at photos from your wedding season. Winter weddings have shorter days, so check with your photographer to see how they work in these conditions.
I have photographed weddings at Peckforton throughout the seasons and would be delighted to share more photos with you.
For more information and examples of work, check out the highlights for a selection of my favourite photos, and portfolio for full galleries. And you can keep up with the latest weddings on the blog.
I hope you have enjoyed Sophie and Theo’s Peckforton Castle summer wedding photography story as much as I enjoyed photographing their special day.
If you are looking for a Peckforton Castle wedding photographer and like the idea of having a professional documentary wedding photographer capture your special day, please contact me today.