A Festive and intimate Christmas Eve Wedding, York - Graziella and Ian

I'm completely aware that it's February, and by rights we should all now be looking forward to the Spring rather than focussing on the winter and how cold it still is - she says, sat writing this with a blanket wrapped around her! - however I couldn't not share the gorgeousness that is this wedding!

On Christmas Eve I drove to York to photograph Ian and Graz's Big Day! I was so excited; it was to be my smallest Wedding Party ever, my first Christmas Eve Wedding and the only one in which the Bride and Groom actually spent the majority of the morning together! I arrived at their hotel, The Churchill, and the door to the Prince of Wales Suite was answered by Teresa, Ian's Mum. The room was totally decorated, full of cards, flowers, confetti, wedding attire and had a big pile of Christmas gifts on a table in the middle of the room - if I had any doubt on what time of year it was, this would have put me correct. Graziella was the image of fifties glamour in her silk dressing gown, her beautiful dark hair in rollers and a huge beaming smile on her face.

Ian followed in soon after with his Dad, the Newlyweds-to-be had decided to break certain traditions the morning of their wedding; waking up together, exchanging cards, seeing each other getting ready but they stuck to others and Graz had kept her dress a sort-of secret (she'd shown him her Top Three!) and sent Ian away whilst she did the final touches of getting into full Bridal attire with the help of her Mother-in-Law-to-be!

The five of us all went to York Registry office in one car - an absolute first for me as to sat in between the Bride and Groom on the ceremony. The exchanging of vows was full of huge smiles, nerves and tears and from there we all went to the amazing, grand Principal Hotel. They had a beautiful table reserved in the huge bay window for an intimate afternoon tea with champagne. We took some time to get some photographs of the new Mr and Mrs Walton, outside and around the hotel, and they told me about their decisions to have such a small, private day and about their Leap Year Engagement - yes, she braved it and did it!

I adored sharing this special day with these lovely people - it's a Christmas Eve I certainly won't ever forget! XO