A Beautiful Micro Wedding at Gilstrap Registry Office, Newark-on-Trent

A Fun & Intimate Micro Wedding at Gilstrap Registry Office, Newark-on-Trent


Some weddings are big, elaborate celebrations, while others are all about keeping things simple and spending the day with the people who mean the most. This Gilstrap Registry Office micro wedding was the perfect example of how beautiful an intimate wedding can be.


With just the couple and their ten closest guests, the day was relaxed, personal and, most importantly, full of laughter. I joined them for two hours of wedding photography in Newark-on-Trent, capturing the ceremony and the lovely moments that followed.

Kind words from Ellie & Olly


" Pippa photographed our wedding day so perfectly! She captured every precious, hilarious moment! We really cannot thank you enough Pippa! ♥️ "

Radiant bride with red hair laughing in lace wedding dress holding white bouquet outside church.
Elderly couple smiling outdoors, woman in blue dress and fascinator hat, man in gray suit holding a cane.
Wedding guests in formal attire converse outside a stone church building surrounded by autumn trees.
Historic Victorian stone building with ornate entrance gates, surrounded by mature trees on a quiet urban street.
Black and white photo of a bride and groom sharing a tender embrace in a registry office after their wedding ceremony.
Bride and groom share a kiss in a registry office, bride holding a white bouquet, stone arch backdrop.
Bride and groom share a tender moment in an elegant stone-arched venue, bride holding a white bouquet.
A groom in a grey tweed waistcoat and floral tie smiles while standing in a bright room on his wedding day.
Bride in lace wedding dress laughing with man in white shirt during church wedding ceremony.
Bride in white gown laughs joyfully with groom and guest during an intimate wedding ceremony indoors.
Black and white photo of a bride laughing joyfully with an older man in a church wedding ceremony.
Bride and groom smiling at each other while holding hands during their wedding ceremony indoors.
Laughing bride and groom holding hands at wedding ceremony register table in bright elegant venue.
Happy couple holding hands at wedding ceremony altar, groom in grey waistcoat and bride in lace gown.
A laughing bride and groom hold hands during their wedding ceremony indoors.

A ceremony full of laughter


From the moment the ceremony began, it was obvious that this was going to be a fun one!


The couple simply couldn't stop smiling and laughing throughout the ceremony. There were plenty of genuine moments of joy, and the atmosphere was incredibly relaxed. Exactly how an intimate wedding should feel!


With only their closest family and friends there, everyone felt involved in the celebration. There was no pressure for the day to feel formal or traditional. It was simply about two people getting married surrounded by the people they love.


And there were plenty of laughs along the way.


As a Derbyshire wedding photographer, I love photographing weddings like this. The smaller guest list means there is often so much interaction between everyone, and those natural, candid moments happen constantly.

Black and white photo of a couple exchanging wedding rings during a ceremony, with a child visible in the background.
Bride placing a wedding ring on groom's finger during ceremony, with a child in bow tie visible in background.
Black and white photo of bride and groom exchanging rings during wedding ceremony.

Confetti and a walk through Newark


Once the ceremony was over, it was time for confetti!


After a few photographs outside the registry office, we took a short walk through Newark-on-Trent towards Newark Castle Gardens.

And this is where the day really became about simply enjoying time together.


We stopped for ice cream, which naturally became a highlight for both the kids and the adults. Then it was time for the playground, where the children and the adults of course got involved!


These aren't necessarily the moments you might traditionally think of when you imagine wedding photography, but they're exactly the sort of moments I love capturing.


They're the photographs that bring back how the day actually felt.

Black and white photo of a bride and groom walking hand in hand down a street on their wedding day.
Bride and groom walking hand in hand along a tree-lined brick sidewalk, bride in lace gown, groom in waistcoat.
Smiling groom in grey plaid suit and sunglasses holds bouquet, arms outstretched, outside brick building on wedding day.
Elderly couple sitting on stone wall outdoors, man in gray suit, woman in blue dress and hat, smiling together.
Older man in glasses, black jacket, and floral tie smiling at a wedding ceremony outdoors.
Bride and groom holding hands on playground swings, wearing wedding attire outdoors.
Bride in white lace gown laughing on tire swing as groom in suspenders pushes her at outdoor playground.
Elderly man in flat cap and suit leaning against brick building wall on cobblestone street.
Bride and groom holding ice cream cones outside Riverside Parlour brick building on their wedding day.
Bride and groom share a romantic moment outside Riverside Parlour, a charming brick building with vintage signage.
Bride and groom smiling and holding ice cream cones outside a riverside ice cream parlour on their wedding day.

Wedding portraits at Newark Castle Gardens


To finish my two hours of coverage, we took a walk around Newark Castle Gardens for some relaxed couple portraits.


Rather than spending ages posing for photographs, we kept things natural and allowed the couple to simply enjoy being together. After a day filled with laughter, ice cream and family fun, they were completely relaxed in front of the camera.


The gardens provided a lovely setting to finish their Newark-on-Trent wedding photography, giving the couple some quiet time together after the excitement of the ceremony!

Bride and groom walking under a clear umbrella in the rain, with historic ruins in the background.
Bride in white lace gown and groom in plaid suit share a clear umbrella near historic ruins on a cloudy day.
Bride and groom walking under black umbrella on rainy wedding day, bride in lace gown with red hair.
A bride and groom share a romantic moment under a clear umbrella on their rainy wedding day outdoors.
A bride and groom embrace before historic castle ruins, her white gown flowing in the breeze on their wedding day.
Black and white photo of a laughing bride and groom, groom wearing sunglasses, sharing a joyful moment on their wedding day.
A groom kisses his red-haired bride on the cheek as she laughs joyfully outdoors on their wedding day.
Laughing bride in lace gown holds hands with groom in plaid vest and sunglasses walking outdoors.
Bride and groom walk hand-in-hand through a park, she in lace gown, he in plaid vest and trousers.
Bride in lace ballgown kisses groom in plaid vest near historic stone building under willow tree.
Bride's hand with diamond engagement ring resting on groom's gray vest and white dress shirt at wedding.
Smiling groom in sunglasses, grey vest, and floral tie, with bride's hand on his shoulder showing wedding ring.
Bride and groom dancing outdoors near a historic stone building, with a weeping willow tree in the background.
A bride and groom share a romantic kiss outdoors on their wedding day, with the bride in a white gown and red hair.
Black and white photo of a smiling bride and groom embracing outdoors on their wedding day.

An intimate wedding full of personality


What I loved most about this Gilstrap Registry Office wedding was that it felt completely true to the couple.

They didn't need a huge guest list or a full day of formalities. They had the people closest to them, plenty of laughter, a little confetti, ice cream, a playground adventure and a beautiful walk through Newark.


Sometimes, the smallest weddings are the ones that feel the most personal.

Bride and groom walking hand in hand along a park path surrounded by lush green trees on their wedding day.

If you're planning a micro wedding at Gilstrap Registry Office, an intimate ceremony followed by time exploring Newark can make for such a relaxed and enjoyable wedding day. And with just a couple of hours of photography, you can still capture the important moments alongside all those little memories in between.


As a Derbyshire wedding photographer, I photograph intimate and relaxed weddings across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Newark-on-Trent and the wider East Midlands.


If you're planning a small wedding and want photography that captures the laughter, personalities and genuine moments of your day, I'd love to hear from you!