The Oak Barn Frame Farm Wedding Photographer

I WORK QUICKLY, QUIETLY & UNOBTRUSIVELY;

CAPTURING THOSE CANDID MOMENTS YOU NEVER KNEW HAPPENED.

A KENT WEDDING VENUE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH

“Matt,
You were an absolute legend! Thank you so much, I had so many comments about how nice you were and that you fitted in perfectly to the day. I can’t recommend you highly enough.”

— Mrs & Mrs Ellis

When Emma & Bradley first contacted me and asked me to be their wedding photographer, back in January 2021, I asked the same question as always; “where are you getting married?” Often the answer is one i’m familiar with or at a venue I have already worked at.

However, The Oak Barn, Frame Farm in Kent was not one of those venues. Actually I’d never heard of it, let alone worked there before. So the first thing I did was look at their website and it looked lovely. So I was very excited when they booked me as I knew it would be a special place for me to work.

I was not disappointed...

The wedding day itself went really well; lovely guests and great weather, which is always a bonus when it comes to the unpredictable English climate & even more lucky for the helicopter pilot!

I started the day as I normally do - candid photos of the the bride getting ready and then it was a quick 25 minute dash through the countryside to the church for their ceremony. I say a quick dash, it was more like a hair raising race through lots of twisty small country lanes trying to follow the brides wedding car…

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After some light refreshments it was the Bride & Grooms time to go and catch the helicopter and meet us all back at the venue.

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Play the music photo-film below and turn up the volume…

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If you would like to book your Award Winning Wedding Photography contact me HERE for more information

Suppliers below:

Venue: @theoakbarnff - Website here

Hair & Make up: @makeupangelcouk

Ice Cream van: @indulgent_ice_creams

Dress Alterations: @bridalalterationsmaidstone

Sax Player: @davebraziersax

Photography - Me! @mattrockprophoto

Follow me on social media:

The Castle Westenhanger - Kent Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock

A look back to September, 2017 - The wedding of Kayleigh & Jack - The Castle, Westenhanger, Kent.

Due to COVID-19 there was not much work on in 2020 and early 2021, so I thought I would take a look back at ‘the old days’. To a wedding held at one of my favourite Kent wedding venues.

This wedding has some great memories for me and I can not wait to work there again this year. (all being well of course)

Kayleigh & Jack were recommended to me from both The Castle, Westenhanger and their friends; a couple I had worked with the year before. Recommendations is where most of my wedding work comes from.

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The weather was good, the couple were really lovely and everyone seemed to have a great day celebrating Kayleigh & Jack’s wedding. One word to describe this wedding was ‘FUN’.

It was 14th September 2017 and as is often the case, my day started at 11.30am.

When I turned up at Westenhanger Castle the bride prep was all going well and no-one seemed to be too stressed, which is a good start to any wedding day.

I normally work alone during a wedding and most of the time the day starts with bride prep. The first time I get to see the groom is often at the church or ceremony venue. However, The Castle, Westenhanger is a venue that i’m able to shoot the boys getting ready as well. This is because there is a dedicated brides room upstairs and the boys use downstairs. They never see each other before the ceremony starts but I can go between the two rooms getting both sides of the story.

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Candid, documentary wedding photography is best when it starts at the beginning.

Which is why my wedding collections offer full day coverage, starting at the bride prep. (and groom prep if possible) This helps to make your wedding album complete and when you look back on your wedding day in the years that follow it will give you the chance to re-live it all over again - from start to finish.

“Set in 14 acres of magnificent Kent countryside, The Castle Westenhanger has it all. A medieval castle steeped in history with a stunning manor house, castle turrets, and romantic ruins, it’s the perfect location for your dream wedding.

Dating back to 1343, The Castle Westenhanger enjoys a rich history and was once King Henry VIII’s preferred party palace. It has since been lovingly restored into a fully licensed, exclusive-use wedding and events venue with three stunning inside and outside ceremony options.”

— https://www.westenhangercastle.co.uk

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I try to fuse together my candid photos with some natural portraits where possible. I find this can give the couple some time to breath and think about what they are about to do.

This portrait above was made once the bride was ready and before she was about to walk outside to meet her groom.

The image below is of the groom and his best man just after he saw Kayleigh walking out of the Castle door for the first time - his best man can tell the emotions are now starting to get real.

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There isn’t long to wait until the wedding breakfast is served and the dreaded speeches to begin. This is always a great time for candid emotional photos. Nerves and the fear of public speaking is always on show here.

My advice would be to embrace the fear and enjoy it because as soon as it’s over you will probably want to say more.

Anyway it’s really the best man who needs to worry. There is a lot more expectation on him to be funny and of course interesting.

Tip for the best man:

Not everyone finds the best man stories appropriate to share with the rest of the guests...

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As soon as the wedding breakfast has been eaten and the speeches are finished, it’s time to welcome the evening guests, cut the cake, let your hair down and start the evening off with a bang.

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This was a wedding i’ll remember and the Castle Westenhanger is a great venue to hold your wedding day celebrations. See link here: https://www.westenhangercastle.co.uk/

If you would like to get in touch and find out what I can offer you for your big day, please contact me on 07970668592 or see the ‘contact me’ link below.

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Photo-Films from The Castle, Westenhanger

Photo-Film

Hit the play button in the middle to watch Kayleigh & Jacks Photo-Film below.

PHOTO-FILM

Hit the play button in the middle to watch another wedding from Westenhanger Castle - August 2019

Photo-Film

Hit the play button in the middle to watch another wedding from Westenhanger Castle - July 2018

Photo-Film

Hit the play button in the middle to watch another wedding from Westenhanger Castle - August 2018

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View the wedding blog of Denise & Joe, Westenhanger Castle - August 2019 - BLOG

BEAUTIFUL - CREATIVE - TIMELESS

Venue: Westenhanger Castle

Photography by: Matt Rock Photography

Tel: 07970 668592 - E: matt@mattrockphotography.com

Twilight Wedding by Rowhill Grange Wedding Photographer

Natalie & Jason’s beautiful late November wedding day at Rowhill Grange - November 2019 - Wedding photos by: Matt Rock Photography

The Clockhouse & Thatchers Loft, Rowhill Grange, Dartford, Kent

With lots of Autumn colours still falling from the trees, Natalie & Jason’s twilight Kent wedding in late November was a beautifully sunny & dry day. I love days like this when it’s cold with bright blue sky. I knew this was going to be a very relaxed day without any fuss. Because, when we met up to discuss the details of their day Natalie & Jason had already said they wanted a relaxed wedding day with natural, candid photos to look back on in their wedding album - No posing required here...

There was lots going on when I arrived at Rowhill Grange that afternoon. I was greeted with big smiles from the bride and her mum at the Thatchers loft suite in The Clockhouse.

Bride prep for a twilight wedding is always much later than normal and it felt like everyone was ready for a great afternoon wedding and a big party in the evening.

The champagne had already been popped a few times I think - the shots weren’t going to be far behind! It was the afternoon after-all.

By now, Jason and his sons had arrived downstairs, ready to welcome more guests to the The Clockhouse bar. Having the two areas close by I can move easily and quickly from the Bride to the Groom to capture both the girls getting ready and the boys greeting guests arriving and getting the last minute plans finalised.

After a few more drinks all the girls start to get ready and that is normally my time to go elsewhere for a few moments. Although sometimes venues, like at Rowhill Grange have a good area for changing, so I don’t need to go far and can still document the wedding as though I am one of the guests, and not be that ‘official’ photographer who gets in the way and barks orders at everyone... Nobody likes those photographers.

One for the road - what’s the worst that can happen?

She didn’t like that!

You can watch a short photo-film below - just press the PLAY tab in the middle & turn the volume up - there’s music too!

Once Natalie, was ready to come down, Jason & all the guests were safely ushered into the ceremony room.

- It was time for the Father-of-the-Bride to see his little girl -

This is the point at which I always imagine seeing my own little girl - who is currently only 4 years old, so plenty of time to save - in her wedding dress on her special day. So I can understand how this guy must be feeling at this point - you can even see a tear in his eye when I made this portrait, just moments before Natalie came down the stairs to see him. When I spoke to him, he seemed a little nervous but very excited to be walking his daughter down the aisle.

Once the ceremony was over and being a twilight wedding in late November, it was already dark outside which meant everyone stayed indoors to greet Natalie & Jason and congratulate them on getting married. There were lots of guests and lots of cuddles! This part of the wedding is all about capturing the guests, the laughter, the conversations, the hugs, the fights!?

No, not really. I’ve never had any fights break out at one of my weddings - yet.

Almost time for the Speeches - I love the build up to the wedding speeches and it tends to start early in the day when the best man and Groom are having lots of banter with each other trying to make the other one more nervous as the day goes on. Listening to the speeches often brings out some funny one-liners which make me laugh or an emotional story or two which can often make for great candid photos of the guests reacting to the stories. There weren’t any speeches planned for Natalie & Jason, just a few words of thanks, so I knew these speeches were going to be less formal than others. But in the end they were longer than expected and quite emotional for the people involved - as an experienced wedding photographer I am used to not having too much of a plan because weddings can and often do change throughout the day. With friends, family and a microphone the combination often brings out the emotional side to people and at times like this, if things need to be said to close loved ones - say them.

Images wise, I like to get in close for these shots - almost like a guest at the table - you can get a sense that you, as the viewer, are there in the room and even sitting at the table all over again.

Remember that at a wedding you will only get to see what happens from your perspective. So getting candid, documentary style photos from an experienced photographer can mean you see your wedding day in a totally different way from a totally different angle and these will be memories you will share for a long time, way into the future.

With all the speeches finished, the tears dried and the cake cut, the room has to have a quick tidy-up & turn around. So there’s time for a few more drinks at the bar and the kids can play outside whilst the band and the DJ’s; The Award Winning Discologic can set up their equipment. Then, it’s time for the the newly married couple to have their first dance as husband and wife.

Then the time that everyone has been waiting for…

P - A - R - T - Y

T - I - M - E

The Clockhouse & Thatchers Loft, Rowhill Grange, Dartford, Kent

If you would like to book me to photograph your wedding with creatively candid, natural, photographs that document your big day and maybe some beautiful couple portraits too, please get in touch HERE. I am a Kent wedding photographer however I am available to work all over the UK and I’d love to work on my first European wedding in the near future too.

Useful supplier links below:

Venue: Rowhill Grange - Wedding Dress: Ring O Roses - Suits: Bespoke & Tailoring -

Bridesmaids Dresses: Lipsy - Singer & Band: Jayne Snow - Flowers: Forever Flowers By Em -

DJ: The Award Winning Discologic - Cake: Belles Bakery - Wedding photos: Matt Rock Photography

To see more of my work please take a click HERE - To see more information about prices, my style and some of your questions answered - click HERE

BEAUTIFUL - CREATIVE - TIMELESS

Being a recommended Kent Wedding Photographer...

In this BLOG I take a closer look at two great wedding venues that I am lucky enough to be recommended by. I will showcase another two soon. Most of my wedding couples find me through their friends recommendations. Another way I get clients is being recommended by many Kent wedding venues, which is a real honour to be trusted by them. These venues are places I like to work at as they all have their own look and style. Here’s a look at the first two on the list - venues who recommend me: The Boathouse, Bexley and The Darenth, Sevenoaks. - Alphabetical order.

Are you part of our NHS or Emergency Services? Special Offer - see more information here

“Have you worked at my venue before?”

Being recommended by a venue is great and if you are getting married in Kent, Essex and London, the chances are I have worked at your venue.

But there are so many I haven’t yet had the opportunity to see. Which is why I love wedding photography; because shooting at a new venue is very exciting too and as an experienced photographer, working somewhere new is a great opportunity to make photos that no one else has in their wedding album. So I am always looking to work with other venues in Kent, Essex, London too.

In fact I can work all over the UK! So get in touch and we can chat about your plans

Danson House, &

The Boathouse - Bexley, Kent

They make the perfect combination…

The Boathouse is the closest wedding venue to me and I grew up only a couple of miles away, so I know it well. Set in the beautiful Danson Park in the Borough of Bexley, Kent gives you and your wedding guests lots of outside space with lake views & lots of photo opportunities. There is a terrace out the back of The Boathouse too, which offers a great space to relax after the wedding breakfast and the speeches are all over. You do have the option to hold your wedding ceremony at The Boathouse too. However, lots of wedding ceremonies are held at the nearby Danson House, which is a beautiful Grade 1 listed Palladian villa built in 1766 by Sir John Boyd and is a historic landmark in Bexley.

You can learn more about Danson House - here.

It’s just a short walk from The Boathouse too, which is why they make the perfect combination.

** Look at this BLOG about my NHS & Emergency Services - SPECIAL OFFER **

The Darenth, Shoreham, Kent

You can hold your ceremony inside or outside at The Darenth

Attention to detail… This venue has been constantly improving and changing over the last 4 years and is almost unrecognisable. Kerry & Jason have really made this Kent wedding venue one to see. This should, without doubt be one to consider for your wedding. Every time I go there, something else has been improved, changed or been tweaked. The Darenth is just a short country walk from Shoreham, so when the time is right, you can take a few moments away from the party. It’s a lovely walk down to Shoreham & so we can make those special couple portraits I love to make - the best bit is, I work fast and discreet, so you won’t be away from your guests for long.

So if you haven’t seen this Kent wedding venue for a while speak to Kerry on 01959 522944 and take a look around.

You can see my last BLOG here from a wedding at The Darenth last December - 2019.