Nikki and Dan's wedding at The Hundred House Hotel in Shropshire was heartfelt, relaxed and full of deeply personal moments. Their Hundred House Hotel wedding included a quiet first touch before the ceremony, a surprise message played before Nikki walked down the aisle, emotional wedding speeches, sparklers at dusk, twilight wedding portraits in the gardens and a saxophonist surprise during their first dance.
The Hundred House Hotel is a characterful Shropshire wedding venue near Shifnal, with beautiful gardens, relaxed spaces and so many thoughtful details already built into the venue. Nikki and Dan's wedding there was full of emotion, family, humour and the kind of personal moments that make a wedding day feel completely their own.
For this real wedding page, I asked Nikki to share more about their story, why they chose The Hundred House Hotel, the moments that mattered most to them, and what helped their day feel so relaxed.
"We first met on the beach at Clarach Bay in May 2014, though it wasn't until June that we found our way back into each other's lives. From that point on, we were inseparable. By November, we had moved in together and we were engaged.
There was no grand proposal, we simply fell into building a life together, and it felt as though that's how it had always been meant to be."
"Originally, we were meant to get married at Madeley Court in 2020, then COVID turned everyone's world upside down. The morning we went to look around The Hundred House we actually also had an appointment at The Shropshire.
Needless to say, when we viewed The Hundred House, we fell in love. It was everything we had been looking for, and more. We cancelled the other appointment straight away."
"I knew I didn't want to do a first look with Daniel. I wanted the first time he saw me to be when I was walking down the aisle, but we also knew we wanted to have a moment of calm, where it felt like just us.
Although there was a door between us and some strategically placed mirrors so there was no peeping, it felt like there was nothing between us. We got to have a few spoken words to help calm our nerves. I could tell Daniel was nervous and I remember how emotional I felt. I don't know how but I managed to hold back the tears."
"The best thing about The Hundred House is the amount of thought they put into the venue. They prepared and supplied everything apart from the tiny finishing touches like the name tags which I made myself. They dressed the room beautifully and took the stress out of the day.
We had extras like the outdoor games for the children, to help keep them occupied in the quieter moments and whilst the guests were enjoying the sun outside.
The gardens are just beautiful as well and make for some amazing photo opportunities.
We were going for a relaxed vibe in the day and the team made sure everyone was happy."
"For me, there were a few. My best friend and maid of honour Nicky prepared gifts and a card for both me and Daniel from Marcus. He wrote a beautiful message in the card and gave me a lovely little bracelet with all our initials on. My fresh make up was very nearly smudged in that moment.
For Daniel, it was when my message played over the speakers and he shed a few tears. Seeing me for the first time walking down the aisle also got him feeling very emotional as after all those years we were finally getting married. Seeing our family and friends surrounding and supporting us meant the world to both of us.
The speeches were lovely. Daniel opened the meal and Mike, the best man, set the scene. Marcus also melted our hearts. He did not prepare a speech and decided at the last moment to deliver. Everyone commented on his words and how brave he was."
"We were both dreading being the centre of attention but you honestly went above and beyond for us on our special day. You made us both feel completely at ease and captured the special moments without us knowing. It felt like you were meant to be there and you got involved with everyone."
"One of our favourite parts of the day was the evening. We had a saxophonist come out part way through our first dance and helped to start the party. You cannot beat the sound of a saxophone."
"When we were meant to get married the first time I fell in love with your style and actually had you booked for that day as well.
I loved how your photos looked natural and everyone looked at ease. I didn't want overly staged photos but we still wanted guidance and you definitely ticked all the boxes.
I always knew I'd have you when we finally booked the day again. You were amazing and when we were let down last minute by a videographer you helped step in to capture all those special moments I thought would be lost. I can never thank you enough."
"Trust the staff, they are all absolutely amazing and they helped guide us when we weren't sure. From the booking process to the care on the day, we were kept updated in all aspects. We had no worries and it was exactly as they advertised it. I wish we could do it all again."
"I honestly can't pick just one. You captured the day just perfectly and I treasure every single photo."
Note from Sam: As Nikki loves and treasures them all equally, I am going to put forward this one from just after the confetti throw. I love how genuinely happy they both look, and capturing raw, real moments is always my primary focus.
The Hundred House Hotel is a characterful Shropshire wedding venue near Norton and Shifnal, with beautiful gardens and a relaxed feel that works so well for natural, story led wedding photography. Nikki and Dan's day was a lovely example of how personal a wedding there can feel, from their first touch and ceremony message through to sparklers, twilight portraits and the evening party.
If you are planning your own wedding at The Hundred House Hotel and are looking for a Hundred House Hotel wedding photographer, I would love to hear more about your plans. My approach is calm, natural and gently guided, so you can have photographs that feel elegant and true to your day without anything feeling overly staged.
Venue: The Hundred House Hotel
Hair: RB Hair
Make up artist: Aimee Paige Makeup
Saxophone and photo booth: Emily Woods Music
Flowers: Shellys Florist
Cake: Shugabudz