Ria and Ryan’s wedding film followed the real movement of their July 2017 summer wedding, from bridal preparations in Cliffe Woods to the church ceremony in Cliffe and the reception at Cooling Castle Barn. It set out to capture the day as it actually ran, with the arrivals, speeches, cake cutting and first dances all carrying the story forward.
Morning
Filming began with Ria at Orchard B&B in Cliffe Woods, where bridal preparations were already underway before the move to the church. The morning had a clear shape, with Ria due to leave for the ceremony at 12.30pm and the service set for 1.00pm. Those final preparation moments gave the film its opening before everyone headed into Cliffe.
Ceremony
The ceremony took place at St Helen’s Church in Cliffe, with Ryan arriving ahead of Ria for the 1.00pm service. The film kept close to that build-up, including the arrival at the church as part of the story rather than rushing straight to the ceremony itself. After the service, the day moved on to Cooling Castle Barn for the reception.
Speeches and Wedding Breakfast
At Cooling Castle Barn, the wedding breakfast began in the late afternoon, with speeches saved until after the meal. Ria’s father, Ryan and the best man each had their turn, giving the film a natural run of voices from the people closest to them. The cake cutting followed the speeches before the room moved towards the evening celebrations.
Evening
The evening centred around the first dances at 8.00pm. Ria shared the first dance with her father, followed by Ria and Ryan’s first dance together. Staying through those moments and into the start of the party gave the film a proper closing chapter without stretching beyond what the day itself gave us.