Blurry picture of couple, bride is sorting grooms buttonhole in the foreground whilst the photo is focused on flamingos in the background

Chester Zoo Wedding Photographer – Pumpkins, Colour & Party Vibes 🎃✨

If you’ve ever wondered what a colourful Halloween wedding with Disney nods at Chester Zoo looks like… Leanda & Jay absolutely understood the assignment 🎃✨

Their day was packed with autumn vibes, emotional moments, laughter and loads of personality! Plus a few VERY curious animal spectators along the way 🦒💕 The whole day felt wildly fun, completely relaxed and unapologetically them… which honestly makes for the very best kind of wedding to photograph.

The Reserve At Chester Zoo

It doesn’t feel right starting this blog without mentioning the absolutely stunning The Reserve at Chester Zoo, where Leanda spent her wedding morning 🎃✨

Honestly, if you’d told me when I first picked up a camera that one day I’d not only be a Chester Zoo wedding photographer, but I’d also be walking past giraffes having their breakfast on the way to morning prep… I genuinely wouldn’t have believed you 🦒💕

The Reserve was SUCH a gorgeous place to start the day, with beautiful natural light, loads of space and the loveliest calm atmosphere before all the excitement properly kicked off. I mean… just LOOK at how blooming stunning it is ✨

The outside of The Reserve at Chester Zoo
The outside of The Reserve at Chester Zoo. This picture shows the cabins you can stay in

Before The Party Animals Arrived… 🦁✨ – Chester Zoo Wedding Photographer

Morning prep was such a lovely, calm start to the day, filled with laughter, emotional moments and that excited “we’re actually getting married today” feeling 🎃✨

Little moments were happening everywhere you looked throughout the morning. The connected rooms meant everyone could move around and take a quiet moment if they needed to, while the gorgeous natural light made the whole space feel even more magical. Out the back, there was even a beautiful pond where wildlife would occasionally wander over and say hello… which felt VERY fitting for a Chester Zoo wedding 💕

Bridesmaids getting ready in a cabin at The Reserve at Chester Zoo one is in her pjs getting her make up done, another is looking in the mirror doing the bow on her orange dress up and the third one is drinking a coffee on the bed in her pjs.
Two bridesmaids getting ready for a wedding one is in the foreground getting her make up done in her pjs and the other is in the background on FaceTime to her friend.
Bridesmaid checking her make up in a small mirror she's lit by a spotlight.
Mother of the bride walking into the room where everyone is getting ready its a really wide shot so theres a bed and a tray of food in the foreground.
close up of brides mum doing up her wedding dress
Bride looking at her reflection in the mirror whilst her mum does up her wedding dress. Her dress is white with embroidered flowers on it
Bridesmaids seeing bride in her wedding dress for the first time all of them are wearing orange dresses and emotional expressions. One has her hands in front of her face.
close up of bridesmaids emotional reaction to seeing her friend in her dress for the first time her eyes are beautifully blue.
Bride leaving her lodge on the way to her wedding she's holding an autumnal bouquet and her dress is white with embroidered flowers
Bride walking through The Reserve at Chester Zoo in her wedding dress which is white with embroidered flowers

Leanda & Jay’s Ceremony at the Oakfield, Chester Zoo ✨

I was lucky enough to visit Oakfield during Leanda & Jay’s engagement session, and it was gorgeous then (even on the wettest day EVER 😭), but seeing it all dressed for their wedding just hit a little differently.

There was such a lovely nervous excitement in the air all morning, and the second guests started arriving, you just knew the whole day was going to be something really special 🎃✨

The ceremony itself was incredible. The room holds so much of the history of Chester Zoo, which made it the perfect backdrop for these two annual pass holders 💕 Honestly, there’s never been a better pair of tour guides, even during our very soggy engagement session 😂

Honestly, it felt less like they’d simply chosen a venue and more like they were getting married somewhere that already felt like home to them both 🦒💕.

Bride walking to the entrance of The Oakfield at Chester Zoo where her dad is waiting on the front step. Her dad and bridesmaids are waiting for her and her mum is carrying her dress there's lots of autumnal colours
Bride is fixing her dress in a mirror that has welcome to our wedding printed on it just inside the lobby of The Oakfield at Chester Zoo, hee dad is behind her and the registrars are waiting on her smiling
This picture shows the very nervous groom waiting at the top of the isle in a blue suit with an orange tie. all the guests are in the background and you can just see the bride whos about to come through the door in the background
Bride fixes grooms pocket square during the ceremony she wears a white dress with embroidered flowers on it and he wears a blue suit with orange accessories.
guest reading a wedding newspaper during the wedding ceremony the bride and groom are blurry in the foreground holding hands
brides brother handing wedding rings to couple during their ceremony with all the other guests looking on
bride and groom sharing their first kiss during their wedding ceremony whilst guest clap in the background.
close up of wedding guests one in a suit and one in a green dress holding the couples wedding news paper which has the headline of happily ever after with a picture of them underneath
Close up of the bottom half of a bride and groom who are holding hands. Bride also holds her beautiful autumnal bouquet.
Wide shot of bride and groom as they're about to walk back up the isle

A Chester Zoo Drinks Reception ✨

The original plan was to get all of the group photos done outside, with Oakfield providing the perfect backdrop before everyone headed in for the drinks reception… but unfortunately, the weather had other ideas 🌧️😂

So instead, we very quickly hotfooted it back inside to finish the photos in the dry before we all ended up looking like we’d gone for a dip in the penguin enclosure 🐧✨

Honestly though? We still managed to have loads of fun with it before everyone tucked into some VERY yummy cakes and chatted away during the drinks reception 💕

And can we PLEASE take a moment for the personalised napkins with the couple’s cats printed on them 😭✨ Because honestly, who says your pets can’t still be part of your wedding day even if they can’t physically be there?

Bridesmaids are using their arms to make a heart around bride whos got her hands framing her face. It's a fun group shot
Fun group shot of the whole wedding party. Bridesmaids are in orange groom and groomsman are all in blue with orange accessories. Bride has her hand in the pocket of her dress which has embroidered flowers all over it
Guest laughing she's holding a glass of fizz and is wearing a blue dress. she is being framed by one of the bridesmaids bouquets
Bride getting some cake during drinks reception the napkin she is holding has a drawing of her cats printed on it. You can see all the yummy cake in the background
Bride eating cake in the foreground whilst her bridesmaid is just about to tuck into a cupcake behind

A Wildly Cute Couples Shoot 🦩🐧💕

I feel like one of the BIGGEST perks of having a Chester Zoo wedding has to be sneaking off for couples portraits with actual penguins and flamingos casually wandering around in the background 😭✨

Whilst the guests headed off on a private tour of the zoo, we got to roam free and explore all kinds of little corners together. Honestly, it felt less like taking wedding photos and more like the cutest little post-wedding date. Leanda & Jay were completely in their element the whole time, chatting away, taking everything in, and fully embracing the adventure of it all 💕

We also made a little stop at the Japanese Garden, which felt SO peaceful compared to the buzz of the rest of the day. Surrounded by all the autumn colours, it gave us the perfect little moment of calm before heading back into the celebrations ✨

And can we PLEASE talk about the flamingos for a second because they genuinely felt desperate to be included in the photos 😂🦩 Meanwhile, the penguins were busy being their iconic little selves in the background, which somehow made everything even cuter.

This part of the day felt so relaxed and natural, and I think that’s why I love couples shoots like this so much. No stiff posing, no awkwardness… just the two of them spending a few quiet minutes together in a place they already loved 🦒💕

couple stood on a bridge in the Japanese garden at Chester Zoo they are framed by orange leaves
couple laughing together during portraits they are framed by green leaves. Bride is holding her bouquet on grooms shoulder
Couple stood in front of penguin tank at Chester zoo. Bride is holding a autumnal bouquet and is wearing a leather jacket groom is in a blue suit.
Groom is pulling funny face whilst his bride is sorting his button hole you can see pink flamingos in the background
couple stood kissing in the doorway to the love bird enclosure at Chester Zoo. There is wording on the wall that says love birds this way with an arrow pointing directly at them

The Funniest (and Sweetest) Speeches Ever ✨

By the time everyone sat down for speeches, the room already felt so full of love and excitement… and honestly, it only got more emotional from there 💕

There were the kind of stories that had the whole room howling with laughter one minute and reaching for tissues the next, mixed with so many lovely little moments that really showed just how loved Leanda & Jay are by the people around them. You could feel how much joy there was in that room the entire time ✨

And honestly? Watching the two of them react to everything, laughing at old stories, getting emotional during the sweeter moments, and constantly looking at each other like “we actually did it” made this part of the day feel really special to photograph 🎃💕.

couple stood at bar waiting to enter the room for their meal
Couple walking into their recpetion holding hands groom haas taken off his jacket and is wearing a blue waistcoat bride is in a white dress with embroidered flowers on it
Couple sat at their sweet heart table they're wearing Disney ears whist their maid of honour takes their picture on her phone
Dad walking to the front of the wedding breakfast to deliver his wedding speech
groom is face palming whilst listening and laughing at his dads speech
bride is dabbing her eyes with a tissue whilst she listens to her mums emotional speech
wedding guests are raising a glass to the happy couple at the end of speeches
one half of the couple is wearing a hat with his partners pictures printed on it he is pulling a funny face as he pulls the hat down on his head
this pictures shows the wedding guests sat talking to each other it's taken through a hatch in the lobby of the hotel it's framed by pictures of all the animals at the zoo

Evening Magic at Chester Zoo ✨

It honestly felt wrong not to pop back out for one last little wander around the zoo before the night properly kicked off, especially when Chester Zoo had their Halloween trail set up 🎃✨

I mean… couples portraits under a gigantic pumpkin spider? Can you say ICONIC 😂🕷️

Everything felt extra magical once the lights started coming on, too, and I absolutely loved how playful these two were during this part of the day. No overthinking, no awkwardness… just fully embracing the weird and wonderfulness of having a Halloween wedding at Chester Zoo 💕

couple are stood under a halloween display at Chester Zoo. They have a giant pumpkin spider above their heads
Couple stood together laughing as the evening shenanigans at their wedding are about to begin
couple are flipping the wedding photographer off with their ring fingers. One is pulling a funny face whilst the other looks proud as punch

In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle… The Party Animals Came Out ✨

And WOW did the party animals absolutely deliver 😂🪩✨

The second the dance floor opened, it stayed packed for the rest of the night. There was singing, questionable dance moves, people fully committing to the chaos of the music and the kind of energy that makes it impossible NOT to smile whilst photographing it all 💕

Honestly, this is exactly why I always encourage couples to throw the wedding day rules out the window a little and just focus on having FUN. Leanda & Jay’s guests completely understood the assignment, and the whole evening felt like one massive celebration from start to finish 🎃🦒✨

And between the Halloween vibes, the incredible atmosphere and everyone dancing like nobody was watching… it really was the perfect ending to such a wildly joyful day 💃💕

groom is laughing at one of the guests whilst he dances with is bride
wedding guest is pulling a funny face at the camera whilst busting a move on the dance floor. there are light trails behind them
wedding guest is showing bride something funny on her phone, shes pulling a funny face whilst the bride laughs
Maid of honour is busting a move on the dance floor she is backed by light trails and has a guest dancing with her
two people are dancing together whilst enthusiastically along to the song the DJ is playing

So there you have it, my day as a Chester Zoo Wedding photographer, definitely a massive tick off the photography bucket list and something I’d like to repeat ASAP.

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