Real Wedding Film
The West Mill Wedding Videographer
Ellie & Jordan — 8th April 2024
A real spring wedding film from The West Mill in Darley Abbey, Derbyshire — a restored cotton mill beside the River Derwent where the day moves through four floors of industrial character, natural light and a moodier evening atmosphere.
Ellie & Jordan — The West Mill
Watch Ellie & Jordan's wedding film
Ellie and Jordan's wedding was filmed on an April day at The West Mill, with preparations in a bright dressing room, a ceremony in The Cotton Quarter, a surprise animal reception outside, riverside portraits and a moodier evening in The Spinning Room.
Ellie & Jordan's wedding at The West Mill
Ellie and Jordan's wedding came to me fairly last minute. It was April, outside the busiest part of the wedding season, and I had never filmed at The West Mill before.
I remember arriving and immediately realising this was not going to feel like many other venues I had worked at. The whole wedding moves through different levels of one old industrial building beside the river. Outside everything feels neat and considered; inside you still have the exposed brick, visible structure, darker materials and raw character of the mill, but it is softened by warm bulbs, natural light and the way each room has been dressed.
Ellie started the morning getting ready nearby before finishing preparations in The West Mill's dressing room beside the ceremony area. It was a brilliant room to film in — spacious, bright and full of natural light and mirrors. She had five bridesmaids around her, helping with the final preparations.
Once Ellie was dressed, her dad came in for a first look. It was not one of those very serious, tearful moments. He was smiling from ear to ear, laughing, making jokes and clearly just incredibly happy. It felt completely natural.
Jordan was already at the venue with his best man. I met him downstairs, had a quick chat, filmed a few shots of him and the rings, and then moved back upstairs ready for the ceremony.
When Ellie walked down the aisle with her dad, Jordan cried as soon as he saw her.
Their ceremony was Christian and was led by a family friend who was a minister, with readings from the Bible. The Cotton Quarter was kept relatively simple, which worked beautifully. The large windows, daylight and industrial structure already give the room so much character that your attention naturally stays on the two people standing at the front.
After the ceremony everyone moved outside for the drinks reception, where Ellie and Jordan had arranged a surprise for their guests. Animal handlers arrived with an owl, lizards, meerkats, rabbits and a parakeet. There was also mini golf, popcorn and sweets.
There was a lot happening, which is exactly the kind of reception I enjoy filming. Rather than organising moments, I could move between people and capture genuine reactions as everything unfolded.
We began the photographs with one large group picture before moving into the smaller family and wedding-party groups. Once those were finished, everyone headed into the wedding breakfast room ready to welcome Ellie and Jordan.
There was another surprise waiting inside — a magician performing beside the top table. For video, I am often less interested in recording the trick itself than the faces of the people watching it. Ellie and Jordan's reactions were the moments I wanted.
The traditional three speeches followed from Ellie's dad, Jordan and the best man. They had the mix you hope for — funny, emotional and occasionally tearful.
Later, I took Ellie and Jordan outside for a short walk beside the river and around the gardens for their couple shots. Because it was an April wedding, I was conscious of the earlier sunset. We did not disappear for ages. We worked together for a short period, got what we needed and let them get back to their guests.
The evening moved into The Spinning Room for the first dance. It was darker in there, but I deliberately did not bring a large video light onto the dance floor. The DJ had created a mood in the room and I wanted the film to feel like the room actually felt rather than flooding it with light simply because that would make filming easier.
The West Mill made me work differently because different parts of the wedding happen on different floors. You are constantly thinking about where your cameras, lenses and audio equipment need to be next.
But that is also one of the venue's biggest strengths. Each stage of the wedding has a genuinely different atmosphere without Ellie and Jordan ever needing to travel somewhere else.
They were incredibly easy to work with, as were both families. It was my first wedding at The West Mill, and by the end of it I was already hoping it would not be my last.
How I film weddings at The West Mill
The unusual thing about filming at The West Mill is that the day does not stay in one main room. Preparations and the ceremony happen towards the top of the building, drinks move elsewhere, the wedding breakfast has another dedicated space and the evening changes atmosphere again. For me, that means thinking ahead. I do not want to realise speeches are about to start while an audio recorder, lens or camera I need is several floors away. I try to anticipate the next part of the day, move equipment before the guests move where possible, and keep the essentials with me. The upside is the amount of visual variety you get without leaving the venue — bright natural light upstairs, industrial interiors, the river and gardens outside, then a much darker evening atmosphere in The Spinning Room.
I set up ceremony audio and cameras early because preparations and the ceremony happen towards the top of the building, while drinks and the wedding breakfast move to different floors.
The large windows in The Cotton Quarter give the ceremony space strong natural light, which works beautifully for cinematic wide shots without needing additional lighting.
The spacious dressing room near the ceremony area is bright and full of natural light and mirrors, making morning preparations easy to film.
With the wedding moving across different floors, I use the lift regularly to move myself and equipment around the venue, and I try to move equipment before guests move where possible.
I pre-position audio recorders before speeches and ceremony so nothing important is missed while I am on another floor.
I keep couple portraits short by the river and gardens so Ellie and Jordan can get back to their guests quickly.
For an April wedding I am conscious of the earlier sunset, so I plan the couple session efficiently rather than keeping them away for long.
In The Spinning Room I preserve the actual dance-floor lighting and mood rather than flooding the room with a large video light, so the film feels like the room actually felt.
What works particularly well for film here
Natural light in The Cotton Quarter — the large upper-floor windows give the ceremony space a bright look while the exposed structure and brickwork keep the industrial character
Industrial textures — exposed brick, cast iron, visible structure and warm lighting create backgrounds that feel very different from a traditional manor house or barn
Riverside portraits — the river, gardens and outside areas give the couple somewhere visually different for portraits without needing to travel away from the wedding
A different atmosphere for each part of the day — because the ceremony, drinks, wedding breakfast and evening party have dedicated spaces, the film naturally changes visually as the day progresses
The evening atmosphere — The Spinning Room becomes considerably darker and moodier, which can work beautifully on film when it is allowed to look like the actual party rather than being over-lit
See more from Ellie & Jordan's day
Getting married at The West Mill?
If you like the feeling of Ellie and Jordan's film, the best place to start is The Film — my main wedding videography package from £1,549. It includes full-day coverage, a highlight film, trailer, ceremony, speeches, first dance where possible, professional audio, drone where possible and a private online gallery.