Sixteen years together, a black Labrador with an important job, and a little adventure into the Peak District.
Ross and Lisa celebrated their wedding at The Maynard in Grindleford on 10th September 2026, surrounded by their closest family and friends.
Having met in their early twenties, they’ve spent the last sixteen years building a life together. From learning to snowboard and travelling to different places, to eventually leaving Hertfordshire behind and making Derbyshire their home, they’ve always shared a love of music, adventure and a good laugh.
I joined them for their ceremony, family photographs and a little trip down the road to Padley Gorge for some relaxed couple portraits. It was a lovely way to capture the parts of their wedding they wanted photographed while leaving them free to enjoy the rest of their celebrations.
And, of course, their black Labrador Rosie was there too, with a rather important role to play!
Sixteen Years of Adventures Together
Ross and Lisa first met through mutual friends sixteen years ago, back in their early twenties.
They quickly discovered they had plenty in common, particularly their love of music and adventure. Over the years, they’ve travelled, learned to snowboard together and lived and worked in different places, building a life together along the way.
As they told me before their wedding, they’ve always had to work hard for what they have. They also share a similar sense of humour, which apparently gets a little dark at times!
In 2021, they decided to leave Hertfordshire and move to Derbyshire, where they bought their first home together.
Not long afterwards, Rosie joined the family. Their black Labrador is now four years old, and there was absolutely no chance she was missing their wedding.
In fact, she had a very important job lined up.
Ross & Lisa’s Wedding Day at The Maynard
Ross and Lisa chose The Maynard in Grindleford for their September wedding, bringing together around 68 of their closest family and friends.
Set in the Hope Valley, The Maynard is surrounded by some beautiful Peak District countryside. It’s a lovely location for a couple who enjoy spending time outdoors, with the ceremony and celebrations taking place at the same venue.
Their ceremony began at midday, with Ross joined by his best man Tom and groomsmen Jordan, Joel, James and Adam. Lisa had her bridesmaids Dawn, Holly, Lauren and Hannah by her side.
But there was another particularly important member of the wedding party.
Rosie was their ring bearer!
In their wedding questionnaire, Ross and Lisa had joked that they were hoping she’d make it down the aisle without getting distracted by having all her favourite people together in one room.
I love it when couples include their dogs in their wedding days. They’re part of the family, and they bring their own personality to the occasion. Whether they’re walking down the aisle, carrying the rings or simply joining you for a few photographs, there are some lovely ways to involve them.
If you’re thinking about bringing your four-legged friend along to your own wedding, I’ve put together some advice for including your dog on your wedding day , covering a few things worth considering when planning their involvement.
After the ceremony, we spent some time capturing Ross and Lisa with their families. With parents and step-parents on both sides, it was important to make sure we photographed the different family combinations, along with some photographs of the newlyweds and Rosie.
I like to keep family photographs straightforward and relaxed. They’re important, particularly when you’ve got everyone together in one place, but they don’t need to take over the afternoon.
Once we’d finished, it was time for Ross and Lisa to enjoy a little time together away from their guests.
We were heading down the road to Padley Gorge.
A Little Adventure to Padley Gorge
One of the things I love about photographing weddings in the Peak District is having so many incredible locations nearby.
For Ross and Lisa, we headed from The Maynard to Padley Gorge, a beautiful stretch of ancient woodland with moss-covered rocks, winding paths and Burbage Brook running through it.
It’s a place I know well, and it offers something quite different from the surroundings of the hotel.
For a couple who have spent sixteen years sharing a love of adventure, heading into the Peak District for their wedding portraits felt particularly fitting.
I photograph weddings in a predominantly documentary style, and I take a similar approach to couple portraits.
I don’t want anyone feeling like they need to perform for the camera, especially on their wedding day. Instead, I keep things relaxed, allowing couples to walk, chat and enjoy a little time together while I capture them naturally.
It’s often the little moments between photographs that I enjoy the most.
And after sixteen years together, Ross and Lisa certainly didn’t need me telling them how to be around each other!
Their portraits at Padley Gorge gave us the chance to bring some of the beautiful Peak District landscape into their wedding photographs before they headed back to The Maynard for the rest of their celebrations.
A huge congratulations to you both, and thank you for having me along to photograph part of your wedding day.
Here’s to many more years of adventures together!
Getting Married at The Maynard in Grindleford?
The Maynard is a country hotel in the village of Grindleford, surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the Hope Valley.
With its Chatsworth Suite licensed for wedding ceremonies, couples can get married and celebrate in one place, without needing to arrange travel between separate venues.
There’s also a private garden and terrace overlooking the surrounding countryside, giving guests somewhere to enjoy drinks and spend time together after the ceremony.
For couples who love the outdoors, one of the lovely things about getting married here is having the Peak District right on your doorstep.
Whether you’d prefer to stay within the venue grounds for photographs or venture a little further into the countryside, there’s plenty of opportunity to make the most of the setting.
You can find out more about the venue, its wedding facilities and availability on The Maynard’s wedding website .
Wedding Portraits at Padley Gorge
If you’re considering heading out for couple portraits during your wedding at The Maynard, Padley Gorge is a lovely option.
It’s just down the road from the venue, with beautiful ancient woodland, Burbage Brook and plenty of natural scenery to explore.
It’s particularly lovely for couples who enjoy being outdoors and would like something a little different from traditional wedding portraits around the hotel.
The nearby Longshaw Estate and surrounding Hope Valley offer other possibilities too, depending on the weather, the light and how much time you’d like to spend away from your guests.
Of course, heading off-site for photographs does take a little planning. You’ll want to allow enough time for the journey, parking, walking and your portraits, rather than trying to squeeze everything into a few minutes.
That’s something I’m more than happy to help with when we’re putting together your wedding photography plans.
We can work around your ceremony and wedding breakfast timings, keeping things relaxed and making sure you’re not missing the parts of your wedding you want to enjoy.
And if you’d rather stay at The Maynard for your couple portraits, that’s absolutely fine too. There’s no need to leave the venue unless you want to.
Do You Need a Full-Day Wedding Photographer?
Not necessarily!
Ross and Lisa chose to have me photograph their ceremony, family photographs and couple portraits, rather than staying with them from morning preparations through to the evening.
It’s a lovely option if you’d like professional photographs of the important moments without needing photography throughout the entire day.
You might want your ceremony captured, photographs with your closest family and friends, and a little time together for relaxed portraits before heading back to enjoy the celebrations. Or perhaps you’re planning a full-day wedding and would love everything documented, from getting ready through to the speeches and dance floor.
There’s no single right way to have your wedding photographed.
I offer a range of wedding photography packages , including shorter ceremony and portrait coverage, as well as full-day wedding photography.
If you’re getting married at The Maynard, we can work out how much coverage suits your plans, whether that means staying at the venue or heading out into the Peak District for your portraits.
The important thing is having photographs that capture the moments you care about, without feeling like you need to build your entire wedding day around the photography.
Looking for a Peak District Wedding Photographer?
I’m Josh, a Sheffield-based wedding photographer covering the Peak District, South Yorkshire, the Lake District and beyond.
My approach is predominantly documentary, capturing the genuine moments, reactions and little things happening around you without constantly directing the day.
I believe your wedding should be about enjoying time with the people you love, rather than spending hours posing for photographs.
Of course, I’ll help organise your family photographs and we’ll make some lovely couple portraits together, but I like to keep everything as natural and relaxed as possible.
Whether you’re planning an intimate ceremony at The Maynard, a full-day celebration or an adventurous elopement somewhere in the Peaks, I’d love to hear what you have in mind.
You can explore more of my work and approach on my Peak District wedding photography page .
Planning your own wedding?
Get in touch and tell me about your plans.
