Chester
Wedding Photographer

Are you getting married in Chester?

Getting married in Chester? Great choice. A city with 2,000 years of history, characterful venues and some of the most photogenic streets in the North West. Let’s chat.

I have photographed weddings in and around Chester for many years, capturing relaxed, story led celebrations in one of England’s most distinctive cities, and I never tire of working here.

Silhouette of couple embracing under a twilight sky.

A little about me

My approach is all about storytelling in a relaxed documentary style, focusing on the real emotions, and creative yet natural portraits. The weddings you see across Andy Wade Photography are all real days I’ve documented, so what you see here is exactly how I’d photograph yours.

Originally from South East London, I am now an honorary northerner after living in this neck of the woods for over 20 years. I live in Todmorden with my wife, two children and two dogs. I’m pretty chilled and love being out with my family, walking the dogs in the wilds of Lancashire, The Dales & The Lake District. I’m also a bit of a foodie and love a good crackly fire in the local establishment in the winter!

Andy Wade Photography is an award winning wedding photographer covering Chester and the North West of England.

MORE ABOUT ME
Smiling man holding a camera in monochrome photo.

THE START OF YOUR STORY

Chester: A city full of character

My approach to wedding photography in Chester is shaped by the city itself: I let the day unfold naturally and use the streets, the Rows and the riverside as a backdrop, rather than pulling you away from your guests for hours.

Chester brings a strong sense of place to a wedding. The Roman walls, the medieval Rows, the cathedral and the River Dee all give your photographs a character you cannot get anywhere else, and everything is within a short walk.

I focus on real moments rather than staged scenes: the anticipation before the ceremony, the glances during the vows, the chaos of the dance floor. Those are the photographs you will treasure.

Chester offers a setting that feels both historic and welcoming, grand enough for the biggest celebration, intimate enough for the smallest. My job is to reflect your day honestly, in photographs that feel like it really felt.

MY PORTFOLIO

My Favourite Cheshire Wedding Venues

STUNNING places to walk down the aisle

Chester and its surroundings are home to some beautiful wedding venues, from city centre grandeur to country house charm. Here are a few of my favourites.

Couple exchanging rings at a wedding ceremony.

The Chester Grosvenor

The Chester Grosvenor is one of the North West’s great wedding venues: a Grade II listed hotel in the heart of the city, with over 150 years of history and a timeless sense of occasion. I have photographed weddings here and it never disappoints.

Bridesmaids wipe tears during emotional wedding moment.

Rowton Hall Hotel and Spa

Rowton Hall combines historic character with contemporary comfort, a handsome Georgian country house in landscaped grounds just outside the city. Elegant, peaceful and lovely for photographs.

Bride and groom laughing joyfully outdoors.

Crabwall Manor Hotel

Crabwall Manor blends traditional architecture with modern comfort, a manor house venue near Mollington with a spa, pretty gardens and a relaxed feel. A great choice for a laid-back celebration.

Beautiful Wedding Venues in Chester

Each of these venues brings its own rhythm to a wedding day, and that variety is part of what makes Chester such a rewarding place to photograph. Whichever you choose, the city’s character will be part of your story.

PICTURE PERFECT MOMENTS

Award Winning Wedding Photography

Welcome to Andy Wade Photography. I am an award-winning wedding photographer covering weddings in Chester, Cheshire and across the North West.

Serving Chester and the North West

Planning a wedding in Chester offers something different to most North West locations: a city centre full of historic backdrops, from the Eastgate Clock to the riverside, plus country house venues minutes away in the Cheshire countryside.

I have photographed weddings across Chester and throughout the North West, from city centre celebrations to country house days, and I know the city’s photogenic corners well, including the quiet spots away from the crowds.

My Approach to Wedding Photography

Wedding photography should feel supportive rather than performative. My approach is observational and relaxed: I document what really happens, without turning your day into a photoshoot, so you can be present with the people you love.

On the day itself, I stay alert to what is happening rather than directing it. From quiet preparations to the energy of the evening, I capture it all, and when we do sneak off for portraits, I keep it relaxed and quick, about 20 minutes.

View My Wedding Portfolio

My portfolio includes weddings photographed in Chester and across the North West: relaxed, candid moments, the big emotional bits and the details that made each day theirs. Have a look and get a feel for how your own story could look.

Get In Touch

If you are planning a wedding in Chester and looking for photography that feels calm, genuine and story led, I would love to hear from you. Tell me your plans, and let’s chat.

CONTACT ME
  • A group of people stand in a circle on a grassy lawn, with shadows cast clearly by the bright sun. Center frame, part of a bride's white dress and a groom's suit are visible. A shadow of two people, one with a trumpet, is prominent in the foreground. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A young girl wearing a white dress and pink sunglasses sits on a grey sofa, holding a black electronic device. The sofa has two patterned cushions, and there is a floor lamp and a small table with plants in the corner of the room. A red "M" logo is in the top right corner. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A person wearing a "Bridal Party" shirt arranges large, silver, inflated letter balloons in front of a decorative wall mirror in a floral-patterned room. The image is in black and white with a "Reportage Award" logo in the upper right corner. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • 2026 Wedding Awards, Regional Winner badge.
  • A badge with a black background shaped like a stylized "R." It reads "TOP 10 Photographers UK 2022" in white and silver text. Perfect for a wedding photographer, the bottom of the badge features the "This is Reportage" logo in white. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A black and white badge with the text "2022 TOP 30 PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE WORLD" in bold white letters. Shaped like a stylized 'R,' the badge features "This is Reportage" at the bottom in smaller letters, celebrating excellence in Documentary Wedding Photography. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • Text in the image reads "Top 2 Wedding Photographer UK & IE 2023 - MASTERS of Wedding Photography" in black and gold text on a white background. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A blue square graphic featuring a white illustration of a raised fist holding a camera, with the text "Wedding Photographer of the Year" and "Top 10". The phrase "Keeping It Real" is also included in a smaller box below the fist. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • Green text inside a rectangular frame reads "Fearless Award" with the words divided across three lines. A small, stylized ampersand connects the second and third lines. The frame and text are drawn in a simple, clean style. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A circular logo with a red center featuring a stylized white "M" and the text "MASTERS OF WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY" encircling the red center against a white background, followed by the words "AWARD WINNER" at the bottom. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • WPS Inspirational Wedding Photographers logo. The text features 'WPS' in bold black letters, with the 'S' in red, followed by 'INSPIRATIONAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS' in black. Below, it reads 'ABOUT ME: WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY SELECT' in smaller black font. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A logo featuring the text "ISPWP - International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers" on the left, and a mosaic pattern with the word "MEMBER" on the right, perfect for your About Me page. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A circular badge with a dotted border reads "Fearless Photographers." Inside, the text says "2023 World Top 50" with "Andy Wade" and "UK" beneath. Learn more about me and my journey in capturing moments that matter. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • Regional Wedding Industry Awards logos

What my couples say

LOVELY WORDS FROM LOVELY PEOPLE

ALL THE BEST BITS…

My Wedding Blog

My latest blog posts from weddings around Chester.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Check out my FAQs

Here are some of the frequently asked questions I get about my wedding photography.

No. 90% of any day I shoot is completely candid. I can photograph all day without a single ‘posed’ photo. The portraits of you both, if you’d like some, are kept simple and as natural as possible; nothing cheesy and nothing awkward. Usually the portraits of you are created during a relaxing wander together for 20 minutes or so with me capturing shots as we go along – so not really posing. We may stop in a certain spot but most of that time you’ll forget I’m there and the portraits will feel and look perfectly natural. Just think of this as a bit of ‘you time’! There is the option to create a specific photo with flashes which I set up – but only if you want that. Even if I do it will be set up before we do it so that you can spend the maximum time with your guests. Otherwise I’ll just photograph the day as it happens.

Firstly I have to be available on your day but after that just say “Let’s do It!”. Just fill out the email form on my contact page or just send me a text, a message on Instagram or just give me a call. A small deposit then secures the day. That deposit is refundable up to one month after the agreement to go ahead. In the meantime, I will send you some paperwork and that will include a contract which has the terms and conditions, which we both sign when you’re 100% happy. You’ll also receive a summary of what is in your package.

Your photos will be delivered in a beautiful gallery that will work on any device. You can control the sharing of your photos from your gallery for family and friends or to social media. You can download your photos in full, high resolution or in a smaller version should you wish to share them. There are no watermarks on your photos and are free for your personal use. There is also the option to buy prints and wall art and you can create and order albums from the ‘Shop’ area of your gallery. If you have a slideshow made then it can be viewed from your gallery as well.

For a 9 hour wedding you get an edit of about 500+ photos. If it is a 12 hour day then around 700+. I work on your photos intensely after the wedding, lovingly crafting them so that they are perfectly colour balanced with a bright, fresh look. There’s probably a ratio of a third black and white and two thirds colour.

I’ve photographed weddings at The Chester Grosvenor, Rowton Hall Hotel and Spa and Crabwall Manor Hotel, among others around the city. Each brings its own rhythm to the day, and knowing them means I can plan the photography properly rather than guessing on the day.

Yes. I think it’s good to meet as you can ask all the questions you need to. I’ll be around you for almost all of your wedding day so meeting up before the day is a great way of getting to know each other. I’m a nice chap and very comfortable with people I’ve just met, so it’s not a problem if we don’t. A video call is a really good way of talking things through if we can’t arrange a meeting.

Yes. Most people like a few photos of mum, dad and their close family as well as the bridesmaids and groomsmen. I get that it is important and can be good fun, too. It takes about 10 minutes to organise a photo of everyone, for example, and then about 2-3 minutes for each one after that providing everyone is available. You decide what those photos are if you want them – I don’t have a ‘list’ of my own. If there is 1.5 – 2 hours between your ceremony and wedding breakfast then I’d suggest to have something like 20 mins with you portraits and then 20 mins of group photos dotted about, so between 6-10 group shots max. This way you spend more time just being with your guests, which I will capture naturally. I hear many stories of people who have been to weddings and were really bored and made to stand around for hours while the photographer goes through a repertoire of their own group photos. That’s not me!

Yes. There is an amazing choice of albums and wall art that will be available from your gallery and that I can send you information on. There is so much choice that I do not put albums in my packages unless on specific request. I do have three album packages that broadly cover the options so if you would like to include one I would be happy to chat and look at putting an album in your package.

Yes, but you can have another photographer if you wish – called a ‘2nd shooter’. If, for instance, you’d like the groomsmen preparation photos covered fully as well and they are over 15 mins away, I can employ a second photographer to cover that for £350/day and they will stay until the speeches – so about 6 hours. A second photographer is great to cover a specific span of time but does not necessarily mean a ‘better’ set of photos. I can be in and amongst a whole wedding party quite easily and capture the essence of the day without a 2nd shooter but it does enable us to do more portraits together – if that is what you’d like – and we can have more angles covered in the ceremony. If you would like a 2nd shooter then we’d book them about 3 months before the day. They are always 1st class, professional photographers like me and shoot in my style.

Chester gives a wedding real character. I use the Roman walls, the medieval Rows and the riverside as a backdrop rather than pulling you away from your guests for hours, since everything is within a short walk.

Chester is grand enough for the biggest celebration and intimate enough for the smallest, with the cathedral, the walls and the Dee all giving your photographs a sense of place you cannot get elsewhere. It suits couples who want history built into their pictures.

SEE MY FULL FAQS

Contact Me

I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

If you’re looking for a Chester Wedding Photographer, get in touch for a chat!

Whatever stage you’re at in your wedding planning, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a message to see if we’re a good fit or to check my calendar and we can go from there. I’d love to hear from you!

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