Rhubarb Farm, Langwith | A Wedding That Gave Something Back
I've photographed weddings at grand hotels, historic buildings and beautiful country houses. But a community farm in a little Derbyshire village? That's a new one. And I absolutely loved the idea.
Meet Laurie and Jamie.
Rather than choosing a traditional wedding venue, these two celebrated at Rhubarb Farm in Langwith. Not exactly the first place that springs to mind when somebody mentions wedding photography, but once you understand what this place is all about, it makes perfect sense.
Because Rhubarb Farm isn't really a wedding venue at all.
It's somewhere that genuinely changes people's lives.
And I think that's a pretty brilliant place to celebrate getting married.
Not your average wedding venue
Forget the chandeliers, perfectly manicured lawns and enormous country house staircases.
Rhubarb Farm is a working community project, full of greenery, growing spaces and the sort of character you simply can't recreate at a purpose-built wedding venue.
It's different. Unpretentious. A little unexpected.
And that's exactly what makes it interesting.
For Laurie and Jamie, their celebration wasn't about following the usual wedding formula. It was about making the occasion their own, in a setting that represents something much bigger than a single day.
As a photographer, I love that.
Because some of the most interesting weddings aren't necessarily the most expensive or elaborate. They're the ones where the couple has made choices that mean something to them.
A place that does some serious good
Here's where Rhubarb Farm gets really interesting.
Based in Langwith, on the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire border, Rhubarb Farm is a charity and social enterprise supporting people through therapeutic gardening, practical activities and community programmes.
It helps people develop confidence, learn skills, improve their wellbeing and find a sense of belonging.
The farm also provides support for people facing difficult circumstances, including access to emergency food.
It's a genuinely important project doing real work for the local community.
And while you might not immediately associate a place like this with weddings, I think there's something rather special about celebrating somewhere with such a worthwhile purpose.
Laurie and Jamie's wedding also gave me an opportunity to shine a little light on the work happening here.
And if this blog encourages even one more person to learn about Rhubarb Farm, that's a lovely bonus.
Different is a good thing
One thing I've learnt from photographing weddings is that there's absolutely no correct way to have one.
You can get married in a castle. A registry office. A pub. Halfway up a mountain, if that's your thing.
Or you can celebrate at a community farm in Derbyshire.
The important bit is that it feels right for you.
I think couples sometimes feel an enormous amount of pressure to create a wedding that looks a certain way. The perfect venue, the perfect decorations, the perfect everything.
But there's so much personality to be found in doing something a little differently.
A venue doesn't need to be conventional to be memorable.
And it certainly doesn't need to be expensive or extravagant to give you photographs worth keeping.
A wedding with a purpose
What I particularly liked about Laurie and Jamie's choice was the bigger picture.
Yes, it was their celebration. A day about the two of them and the people they wanted around them.
But it was also a chance to bring attention to somewhere doing genuinely valuable work.
That's worth celebrating in its own right.
As a documentary wedding photographer, I'm much more interested in the people, the atmosphere and the reasons behind a celebration than whether a venue happens to appear on a list of the UK's top fifty wedding destinations.
Every wedding has a story.
And this one had a pretty good cause behind it too.
Laurie and Jamie, thank you for inviting me along and introducing me to somewhere a little different. What a brilliant way to celebrate.
A little love for Rhubarb Farm
If you're local to Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire and haven't heard of Rhubarb Farm before, I'd really encourage you to have a look at what they do.
From wellbeing programmes to community support, they're doing work that deserves far more attention.
You can learn more, find out how to get involved or support their work at www.rhubarbfarm.co.uk.
Wedding photography for couples doing things differently
I'm Jay, a Derbyshire-based documentary wedding photographer covering the Midlands and beyond.
Big stately home or little community farm, it really doesn't matter to me. If you've planned a wedding that reflects who you are, I'd love to photograph it.
My approach is relaxed, natural and focused on the moments that actually matter.
And if your venue happens to be somewhere doing a bit of good in the world, even better.
