The West Mill Wedding Photography

Submitted by Darren on Thu, 16/04/2020 - 13:51

The West Mill Wedding Photography - Darley Abbey, featuring my favourite images from this stunning venue.

This is an epic wedding venue in Darley Abbey Derbyshire– it’s a stunningly converted industrial mill that dates back to the early 1800s so it’s steeped in history. It’s split over four floors which means that every part of the day has a different feel as you move between the different areas.

The grounds are fabulous too – the south facing courtyard is perfect for pre- and post-ceremony drinks and has lovely views across the historic mill weir. There’s a walkway that runs alongside the river so there are plenty of opportunities for outdoor West Mill photo shoots.

It was originally a cotton-spinning mill and it played an important part in the industrial revolution. Although it lay empty and derelict for years, The West Mill has been beautifully restored. It still has all its original industrial architecture – barrel-vaulted ceilings, exposed brick walls, cast iron columns and beams – so it’s a unique venue and perfect as a backdrop for some fantastic and interesting photography.

The wedding venue is licensed for civil ceremonies and the four floors offer great spaces for the service, the wedding breakfast, drinks receptions and dancing for up to 160 guests.

The Cotton Quarter in West Mill is where the civil ceremonies take place, and the lighting is fab – it’s south-facing with huge Georgian windows. The acoustics are good too, thanks to the industrial-style bare brick walls.

Bridal prep takes place in The Dressing Room – the furniture and feel of the room is rustic and vintage so again, it’s a great room for taking photos of the bridal party drinking bubbly while they’re doing their hair and make-up. And it’s right next to The Cotton Quarter, so we can perfectly capture the bride and her maids as they walk down the aisle towards the groom.

Both The Gallery and The Breakfast Room are light and spacious. The Gallery has cast iron columns, massive Chesterfield sofas, traditional butlers’ tables, vintage mirrors and even a traditional post box! It’s flooded with natural light and it’s the perfect space for post-ceremony drinks and photographs.

For both the wedding breakfast and the evening food, The West Mill’s in-house caterers will go through your dietary requirements in detail with you well before the big day. I’ve always found the food and the service excellent here and they use local Derbyshire produce wherever they can.

They’re really flexible and will give you a range of options to pick and choose from, from canapés and three course meals to barbecues and fusion menus.

Dancing takes place in The Spinning room – it has an industrial style bar and vintage booth seating – and with its large dance floor, I can easily capture the first dance and your guests having fun well into the night.

All in all, it’s a really unique venue – it’s a real treat to photograph weddings at the West Mill.

Contact The West Mill
http://www.thewestmillvenue.com