The West Mill Derby Wedding – Yellow Suit & Floral Details

Wedding Photography at The West Mill Derby

Martin & Nils’ wedding at The West Mill was an absolute dream to photograph. I had been so excited to finally shoot a The West Mill Derby wedding, and it somehow exceeded every expectation. This incredible historic mill has everything you could want in a wedding venue. Gorgeous industrial character, huge windows flooding every floor with light, views over the water, and different spaces for each part of the day. It is basically a playground for a Derbyshire wedding photographer.

They found me on the LGBTQ+ wedding directory Rebel Love which I’m so proud to be a part of! I’m so glad it brought us together so I could photograph this day. They both looked amazing in their suits, the perfect combo of a classic black tux/bow tie and a completely custom made yellow velvet jacket. The contrast looked so good in in the photos and really captured their personalities. I also loved the little details, especially the Martin’s penguin cufflinks as a nod to his love of reading. Those thoughtful touches always make a wedding feel even more personal.

A Ceremony with a Hint of Sudoku

Their ceremony was celebrant led by their wonderful friend, which made everything feel relaxed and full of meaning. Celebrant led ceremonies are always my favourite as you can really do whatever the hell you like, and they’re always so much more personal than the typical registrar script. Instead of signing a legal register (which they had done previously), they did a sudoku together while guests took photos. Honestly iconic behaviour. It had everyone smiling and perfectly summed up their playful energy as a couple!

The confetti moment was next level thanks to the legends at Flutter Darlings. The courtyard at The West Mill can get a bit breezy, and when the wind caught the confetti in just the right way, it floated through the air for ages against the brightest blue sky. It looked completely magical and made for some of my favourite photos of the whole day.

Cardboard Cut-outs, Partying and Proper Good Vibes

As the evening rolled in, the celebrations kicked up a notch with a live band and cardboard cut outs of their beloved pets making an appearance on the dance floor. Their pets were also featured on the cake, which I absolutely loved. It was such a fun, relaxed and personality filled day from start to finish.

If you are planning a The West Mill Derby wedding and want a venue with character, light and loads of space to make the day your own, this place is a gem. I would be back there in a heartbeat.

Claire photographed mine and my husband Nils’ wedding in April 2025, we found Claire through an LGBT+ directory, as having an ally for our day was important to us. We are so glad we chose Claire as our photographer, we knew immediately she’d take great care of us. Her calm, friendly presence was exactly what we needed amongst the chaos of our day, and she captured everything so perfectly. We didn’t want to be take away from the day so her style and her approach allowed us to do that. The pictures are absolutely amazing. We are blown away by how beautifully Claire captured our day. We shed a tear or two looking through them. We are so, so happy we booked Claire and we are so thankful for her talents.

– Martin & Nils