Paris and Fahad had already married in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before their UK celebration at Highley Manor. This was a chance to bring their British and Saudi family together in Sussex, with around 100 guests sharing the occasion. I photographed a day full of people and connection, from the gathering beneath the wooden wedding arch to the quieter moments Paris and Fahad had together.
There was so much to enjoy photographing here. The house and grounds gave their celebration a beautiful setting, but the photographs I keep coming back to are the ones where you can see how close people feel: an embrace, a smile across a group, or Paris and Fahad leaning into each other.
The people around Paris.
The photographs begin with Paris surrounded by the women sharing this part of the day with her. There are glasses raised together, smiles and the lovely detail of her dress and lace-edged veil. I enjoy keeping these pictures alongside the more formal portraits. They remember the company around a bride as well as how she looked.
Outside, the red brick of Highley Manor made a warm backdrop for Paris and her white bouquet. Her reflection in the window adds another little detail to the photograph. Sometimes a portrait can hold both the person and a quiet description of the place, without needing anything more.
A celebration beneath the wooden arch.
The wooden wedding arch gave the outdoor gathering its own distinctive setting. Its steep lines framed Paris and Fahad, with trees and countryside behind them. I liked being able to include that wider view, then move closer to the faces and hands beneath it.
Their marriage had begun in Jeddah; this Sussex celebration brought another part of their story together. The photographs under the arch belong to that gathering with family. There is a lovely warmth in their smiles, and the natural backdrop leaves plenty of room for those expressions to be the focus.
British and Saudi family, together in Sussex.
With around 100 guests at the celebration, the family photographs were an important part of the collection. A group outside the house records the people who came together for Paris and Fahad, with the manor’s windows and brickwork behind them. Alongside it, a close photograph of Paris being held in an embrace tells something much more intimate.
As a Sussex wedding photographer, I want to make space for both. For couples planning a gathering with family coming together from different places, it helps to agree a manageable group list beforehand, while leaving room to photograph the connections that happen around it.
A little space for Paris and Fahad.
The intimate couple shoot gave us a different pace. Beneath the arch, Paris and Fahad held hands, with her veil spread behind her and the trees around them. In the closer photographs, the setting becomes softer and their smiles take over. I love having that variety within one part of a wedding gallery.
We also made a portrait of Paris on the staircase inside the house. The dark wood and the shape of her dress give it a very different feeling from the outdoor pictures. These changes of setting can make a collection feel rich without needing a long journey away from the celebration.
Highley Manor from a different perspective.
The drone photographs let me show where those intimate portraits happened. From above, you can see the arch beneath the trees, the lawn and the house, with Paris and Fahad together within the landscape. One photograph catches Paris lifting her bouquet towards the camera; another gives the outdoor setting room to unfold around them.
I like these wider photographs alongside the close portraits. They bring the place back into the story. If you are considering drone wedding photography in Sussex, we can discuss your venue and plans; coverage depends on location permission, suitable weather and safe flying conditions.
Back to the celebration.
Inside, the cake photographs bring us back to Paris and Fahad enjoying the occasion together. Their changed outfits, the white cake and Paris’s heart-shaped sunglasses give this part of the gallery a playful character. I loved the contrast with the more formal portraits beneath the arch.
From Jeddah to Sussex, their marriage had brought people and places together. Highley Manor gave the UK celebration its setting; Paris, Fahad and their families gave it the warmth I wanted these photographs to remember.
Planning your own Sussex wedding photographs.
If you are planning a celebration at Highley Manor or elsewhere in Sussex, I would love to hear about the people and moments you want to remember. We can make a plan for your family photographs, your time together and the wider story of the day.
