The September weather was perfect for Fiona and Ben's outdoor wedding at the picturesque Aston Marina, near Stone. It's not often that I get the chance to photograph an outdoor wedding ceremony and it's even better when the location offers such great backdrops, like the canal basin and the gardens.

Fiona and her bridal party got ready on site, so we'll start the pictures there, including her reaction to Ben's wedding day present of a charm for her bracelet:

While Fiona was dressing, Ben arrived at Aston Marina with his entourage of groomsmen and his parents.

Then it was time for the wedding ceremony, under the bright September sunshine.

With the ceremony complete, the Registrars from Stafford Registration Office oversaw the signing of the marriage register by Fiona, Ben and their witnesses, before the happy couple ran the gauntlet of their guests throwing confetti.

After a drink and some canapés, it was time for a few formal photographs in Aston Marina's scenic grounds.

There was time for a couple of fun shots before the wedding breakfast, with Fiona throwing her bouquet, though I'm not sure if the person who caught it will follow the tradition of being next to marry!

Unusually, Fiona and Ben had decided to break the speeches up, with a speech between each course. The Aston Marina staff were well up to the task, though, clearing the tables quickly, quietly and efficiently so that the guests could listen to the speeches without distraction.

With the wedding breakfast and speeches completed, I dragged the happy couple away for some shots around the Marina in the golden lighting just before sunset.

With the majority of the day's posed photos out of the way, it was time for Ben, Fiona and their guests to party into the night at the evening reception, still at Aston Marina, of course.

The evening gives me lots of opportunities to take natural, candid photos of people enjoying themselves, especially on the dance floor and, of course the happy couple's first dance.