Rowton Castle
- Feb 15
- 6 min read
A fairytale celebration of love, laughter, and a little bit of sake — set against the backdrop of one of Shropshire's most enchanting castles.
CASTLE DREAMS: AN ELEGANT GARDEN PARTY AT ROWTON CASTLE
Some weddings just have that feeling from the very first moment. Jay & Ferne's celebration at Rowton Castle was one of those days — the kind where everything aligns so perfectly you'd swear someone scripted it. An elegant garden party, a 17th-century castle, 110 of their favourite people, and their little girl Ivy stealing the show as flower girl. Honestly, what more could you ask for?
Set within 17 acres of rolling Shropshire countryside, Rowton Castle was the most incredible backdrop for a couple who wanted their day to feel romantic, lively, and unmistakably them.
"When we first chatted with Jay & Ferne about their vision, we knew this was going to be something special. An elegant garden party at a fairytale castle, with carnival games and sake on the tables? That's our kind of wedding." — Dominic & Ruby
THE MORNING: ORCHARD SUITE MAGIC & A PUB WITH THE LADS
Wedding mornings are where the story really begins for us, and Jay & Ferne's couldn't have been more perfectly them.
Ferne and her incredible squad — maid of honour Erin (her sister), bridesmaids India, Savannah, Georgina, Nancy, and Danielle, plus the cutest flower girl in the land, little Ivy — took over the Orchard Suite at Rowton Castle. The suite was practically designed for moments like these, with its beauty counters and natural light flooding in. There was that gorgeous chaos we love so much — hair and makeup, champagne, laughter bouncing off the walls, and Ivy being absolutely adorable through all of it.
Meanwhile, Jay and the boys — best man Matt (his brother), Adam, Rick, Chris, Jonny, and Ash — had set up camp at the Old Hand & Diamond down the road. That easy, relaxed energy you get with groomsmen who've known each other forever. No rush, no stress, just mates getting suited and booted together before making their way to the castle.
"We always love the contrast between bridal and groom preps. Ferne's morning was this beautiful whirlwind of sisters and friends and excitement, with Ivy running around being the most perfect tiny human. And then you walk into Jay's morning and it's just... calm. Lads being lads. Both absolutely perfect." — Dominic & Ruby
THE CEREMONY: SAYING 'I DO' IN THE CASTLE GARDENS
This is where it got properly magical. Jay & Ferne had planned their ceremony for the rear gardens of Rowton Castle, and the weather gods absolutely delivered. The Alerion String Quartet played as 110 guests gathered in the gardens, the castle rising up behind them, Shropshire countryside stretching out in every direction.
There's something about an outdoor ceremony that just hits differently. The natural light, the breeze, the feeling of being surrounded by nature and history all at once. And when Ferne walked out... honestly, the look on Jay's face said everything. That moment — the one where everything else just falls away and it's only the two of them — that's what we live for.
After the ceremony, guests showered them with confetti in the rear gardens, and the celebration properly kicked off. The string quartet carried on playing, the sun was shining, and you could just feel the joy radiating off everyone.
"Outdoor ceremonies at places like Rowton Castle remind us why we do this. The gardens, the music from Alerion Strings floating through the air, Ferne walking towards Jay with Ivy beside her — it was one of those moments where we had to remind ourselves to keep shooting and not just stand there taking it all in." — Dominic
RECEPTION: CARNIVAL GAMES, STRING QUARTETS & ROLLING SHROPSHIRE HILLS
What followed the ceremony was pure Jay & Ferne magic. While we whisked the newlyweds away for portraits around the castle grounds — the walled gardens, the hidden pools, the woodland walks, all those gorgeous pockets of light that Rowton Castle does so well — their guests were treated to something brilliant.
"Carnival games at a castle wedding. Mini golf on the lawns. A string quartet playing while people attempt the hoopla. It shouldn't work and yet it was absolutely perfect — elegant and fun in equal measure, which is basically Jay & Ferne in a nutshell." — Dominic & Ruby
Carnival games and mini golf on the castle lawns. Seriously. With Alerion Strings still playing in the background and the Shropshire hills rolling off into the distance, it was this perfect blend of elegant and fun that completely summed up Jay & Ferne as a couple. Guests were laughing, competing, drinks in hand, just properly enjoying themselves.
PORTRAITS: THE CASTLE GROUNDS
The grounds at Rowton Castle are a photographer's dream, and we made the most of every corner. The walled gardens gave us that timeless, romantic feel, while the wider grounds with the castle framed behind offered something more grand and dramatic. Ferne looked absolutely stunning, and the way these two are together — relaxed, laughing, completely wrapped up in each other — made our job effortless.
DINNER, SPEECHES & A HOMEMADE CAKE WITH A STORY
The wedding breakfast kicked off at half four in the castle, and this is where the personal touches really shone through. On every table sat bottles of sake with little sake cups as wedding favours — a nod to Jay & Ferne's trip to Japan that clearly meant the world to them. It's these details that make a wedding feel truly personal, and we made sure to capture every one.nce to the bride's joyful energy.
"Rowton Castle just gives and gives when it comes to photography. Every corner, every turn, there's something beautiful. But honestly, with Jay & Ferne, we could have shot in a car park and the images would have been gorgeous. They're just that couple." — Ruby
And then there was the cake. Made entirely by Jay's mum Jan, along with the wedding favours. There's something so lovely about that — a family labour of love sitting right at the heart of the celebration. The cake toppers, also by Jan, were the cherry on top (literally).
The speeches after dinner were everything. Father of the bride David set the tone, Jay followed with words that had the room in tears and laughter in equal measure, best man Matt delivered exactly what you'd expect from a brother who knows where all the stories are buried, and then Georgina rounded things off beautifully. Four speeches, four completely different energies, all of them brilliant.
"The speeches at Jay & Ferne's wedding were properly special. You could tell that every person up there meant every single word. And when Jay spoke about Ferne and Ivy... yeah, we were hiding behind our cameras trying not to cry. Again." — Dominic & Ruby
DANCING INTO THE NIGHT
First dance at seven, cake cutting at half past, and then Little Gem FX took over and the castle came alive. The DJ and uplighting transformed the evening into this incredible party atmosphere, and Jay & Ferne's guests did NOT hold back.
The polaroid photobooth was a stroke of genius — guests filling up the guestbook with instant photos and messages throughout the night. And as the evening guests arrived (another 30-40 people flooding in), the energy just kept building.
"There's always that moment at a wedding where the party really starts. At Jay & Ferne's, it was like someone flipped a switch and suddenly everyone was on the dance floor. The castle looked incredible with the uplighting, the music was perfect, and these two were right in the middle of it all, having the absolute time of their lives." — Dominic & Ruby
A LOVE STORY WORTH CELEBRATING
What struck us most about Jay & Ferne's wedding was how grounded and real everything felt. Yes, it was in a castle. Yes, it was elegant and beautifully planned. But at its heart, this was a celebration about family, friendship, and two people who are completely mad about each other. With little Ivy right there in the middle of it all, the day had this warmth to it that you just can't manufacture.
They're both police officers, they're both brilliant humans, and together with Ivy they make the most gorgeous little family. Their wedding wasn't just a party (though it was an incredible party) — it was a declaration of everything they've built together and everything that's still to come.
Jay & Ferne, from the first moment we met you both, we knew your wedding was going to be one we'd remember forever. Thank you for trusting us to capture it, for making us feel like part of the day rather than just the photographers, and for throwing one of the best castle weddings we've ever had the privilege of documenting. This is just the beginning for you three, and we couldn't be more excited to see what comes next.
With all our love,
Dominic and Ruby xx
SUPER SUPPLIERS
📸 Photography & 🎥 Videography: @dominiclemoinegrams
🎻 Ceremony & Reception Music: @alerionstrings
💒 Venue: @rowton.castle
👗 Wedding Dress: @wifetobebridal
👔 Men's Attire: @spektrum.apparel
🎂 Cake & Favours: @janwishb
🎵 DJ & Uplighting: @littlegemfx
Mr. & Mrs. @jaebuckley // @ferne21
💃 Maid of Honour: @erin_timperleyx
🤵♂️ Best Man: @mattbuck78
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