15 August 2026
A Derbyshire & Staffordshire wedding videographer's favourite kind of trip: further afield, into the woods, for a wedding film unlike any other.
Most of my wedding films happen closer to home, across Derbyshire and Staffordshire. So when an enquiry landed in my inbox for a wedding at The Wilderness, part of Preston Court in Kent, I'll admit I got a little excited before I'd even replied. A tipi wedding, tucked into the woods, for two grooms who clearly weren't interested in a template wedding film? That's exactly the kind of story I love to tell.
Why Rob & Jack's Wedding Film Started Six Months Early
I firmly believe a wedding film isn't just a highlights reel of one day, it's the story of a couple. So for Rob and Jack, the filming didn't start on their wedding morning. It started roughly six months before, when I sent them a small camera and asked them to simply live their lives with it running: date nights, quiet evenings, the in-jokes, the nerves, the excitement building as the big day crept closer.
That footage became the backbone of their film. It gave the final piece something a single day of filming never could: real context, real history, real them.
Capturing the Wedding Day at The Wilderness, Preston Court
On the day itself, The Wilderness lived up to every bit of research I'd done beforehand. The team were incredibly helpful from the moment I poked my head around the Tipi door. Tipis in a woodland clearing have a completely different energy to a traditional marquee or country house, softer light, natural texture, and a setting that let Rob and Jack's personalities take centre stage rather than fighting the architecture for attention.
Working alongside the brilliant team at Preston Court / The Wilderness, and photographers Lufu Wedding Photography, made the whole day feel genuinely collaborative. It's rare to click so easily with another creative team on site, and that shared eye for authentic, unposed moments over stiff, staged ones came through in every frame.
The Late-Night Interviews That Made the Film
Here's the part of the day I'm proudest of. Once the DJ had packed away and the dancing had wound down, I asked the guests still standing to sit together as a group. No script, no prompts beyond a few open questions: what they loved about the day, what they loved about Rob and Jack, what they hoped for the couple going forward.
What came out of that 10 minutes was pure gold. Tired, a little emotional, completely unguarded, the answers were funny, honest, and often quietly moving. It's a technique I loved using precisely because it can't be faked or re-shot. You only get one shot at that kind of honesty.
Weaving It All Together
The real magic of this film was in the mix: considered HD footage from the six months leading up to the wedding, sitting alongside the loose, organic, in-the-moment filming from the day and night itself. Two very different textures, one story.
I showed the finished film to my wife, and her reaction summed up exactly what I was going for. She said it didn't feel like watching a "cinematic" wedding video full of perfectly engineered moments, it felt like watching two real people, deeply in love, share their story. That's the whole goal.
Planning a Wilderness or Tipi Wedding Film?
If you're getting married at The Wilderness, Preston Court, or another woodland or tipi venue and want a film that captures more than just the ceremony and speeches, I'd love to hear from you. Based in Derbyshire and Staffordshire but always happy to travel for the right couple and the right story.