Emmy & Lewis’s Beautiful Wedding at The Riding School, Calke Abbey

If you’ve been following me for a while you’ll know by now The Riding School at Calke Abbey is one of my all time favourite venues. It’s one of those venues that never ceases to amaze me. I was lucky enough to be back here for Emmy & Lewis’s gorgeous summer wedding day.

The Venue

Nestled in Derbyshire, Calke Abbey is an exquisite Grade I listed country house, and The Riding School, their wedding venue, is a charming Grade II listed barn nestled within the breathtaking 600-acre Calke Estate.The magic behind the scenes is orchestrated by the incredible Ivy House Weddings.

Bridal prep

The day started with me joining Emmy and her bridesmaids at The Harpurs of Melbourne, a lovely boutique hotel just a short 10-minute drive from Calke Abbey. The room they were getting ready in had an amazing freestanding bath, which added a touch of fun to our pictures. Emmy’s sister gave her with their grandmother’s ring as her “something old,” and her bridesmaids gifted her a new lipstick for her “something new.” Her bouquet, brimming with leafy greens and white flowers, was a masterpiece crafted by the talented Jess Austin.. Emmy’s wedding dress was a Milla Nova creation from The Wedding Club.

The Wedding Ceremony

Emmy and Lewis opted for a brief and sweet wedding ceremony, conducted by the brilliant Derbyshire County Council registrars. The Riding School’s ceremony room was nothing short of spectacular, adorned with a massive leafy arch and hanging lights against the pale brick wall. After the ceremony there was a little drinks reception before getting everyone out in the courtyard for confetti and some crazy group shots, including one with ‘everyone from the group chat’.

Exploring Calke Abbey

We then got to my favourite part of any wedding day at The Riding School, the golf buggy ride! Ivy house wedding co-ordinator Emma organised a golf buggy ride to all the best spots on Calke Abbey’s grounds. So off we went, starting in the beautiful walled garden, before continuing to Emmy’s favourite spot, the breath-taking orangery. The Calke Abbey orangery is an iconic spot for wedding portraits, with its crumbling blue and pale yellow walls, over-growing botanics, and huge arched windows. After getting lots of pictures here, we continued on to our last stop, Calke Abbey itself.

Wedding reception and party

Our journey took us back to The Riding School for the heartwarming speeches and a sumptuous meal. I was lucky enough to be treated to a two course meal courtesy of the exceptional supplier Black Peppermint, so I can safely say the food was incredible. During this time, Emmy’s little nephew, Ruben, even joined me for a while, assisting in selecting the preview pictures.

The festivities continued with a fantastic performance by the talented wedding band The Colts.

Thank you Emmy & Lewis for asking me to capture your gorgeous day. It was such an honour to be a part of. Here are a few of my favourites from the day!

If a Calke Abbey wedding sounds like a bit of you, I’d love to chat with you! Get in touch and tell me more about what you’ve got planned for your day!