The West Mill Wedding Photography: An Industrial Wedding

bride and groom walking through confetti at The West Mill wedding venue

The West Mill Venue

This was my first time photographing a wedding at The West Mill and WOW what a venue! I’m so excited to share this super cool, rock n roll, industrial wedding I photographed! As an added bonus for me the West Mill is located nice and close to my home town and so I got to have a lovely catch up with my family as well as shooting a gorgeous wedding! 🙂 I can only hope I get booked to photograph more weddings at this stunning Derby wedding venue.

I’ve known the lovely Lewis and Laura for a while now. I’d met them when I’d photographed a mutual friend’s wedding in Vegas which you can view here. (Las Vegas Destination Wedding). I love their style and sense of fun so when they asked me to photograph their day I didn’t have to think twice before saying YES!

The West Mill Wedding Photography

The West Mill is such a unique wedding venue. This former cotton mill sits next to the River Derwent and has great views out over the weir. It’s the perfect mix of local history but with a real modern feel to it and is full of character. I love that there’s such a great variety of backdrops for photos, from industrial and urban to the idyllic water and greenery that surrounds it. 

Love letters in front of an industrial brick building in Derbyshire
wooden rustic welcome to the west mill wedding sign

Alternative Bride Styling

Laura has such great fashion sense. I know she wasn’t interested in a typical wedding dress and this Lucy Can’t Dance creation was just perfect for her. Especially when she accessorised with her personalised leather jacket! Lewis looked pretty suave as well, I love that he went for a tuxedo. So classic and chic. 

Silver bridesmaid dresses and brides leather jacket hung up at The West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby
Brides wedding dress hung up against a rustic metal background at The West Mill
Wedding flower bouquet in rustic dressing room surrounded by silver metal jewellery
dip dyed wedding dress hung up in an industrial metal room next to a piano
Bride and bridesmaid having hair and makeup done at The West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby
bride having mist sprayed in her face during bridal prep in rustic room
bridesmaids laughing and smiling whilst getting ready at The West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby
Brides mum helping bride put on her jewellery in the dressing room at The West Mill Wedding Venue
Bride looking nervous during bridal prep in the dressing room at The West Mill Wedding Venue
Bride laughing and holding flowers at The West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby
Bride hugging father of the bride at The West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby
Guests hugging and greeting each other at the industrial looking West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby
Groom with his groomsmen in front of a brick wall outside the West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby

The West Mill Wedding Ceremony

The West Mill’s ceremony room is a great, industrial space. As a wedding photographer I particularly love the huge windows running down the length of it meaning that whatever the weather it’s nice and bright. Laura and Lewis had filled it with luscious green foliage and it looked (and smelt!) incredible. Brass lanterns and copper candlesticks were dotted all around the room and on the tables. The Mill is so full of character it doesn’t really need much decoration but I love that Lewis and Laura added their own touches to make it really them. I love to capture details like this when I photograph weddings.

Empty ceremony room with brick walls and metal ceiling at the West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby
Empty ceremony room with an unplugged wedding sign at the West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby
Groom and groomsmen waiting at the alter at the West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby
Bride and her father walking down the isle at the West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby
Bride and her father smiling at the groom during a wedding ceremony at the West Mill Venue in Derby
wedding couple holding hands & smiling during their wedding ceremony at the West Mill Venue in Derby
Bride and groom smiling during their industrial wedding ceremony at theWest Mill Venue in Derby
Bride and groom looking nervous during their wedding ceremony at the West Mill wedding Venue in Derby
Bride and grooms kissing during their wedding ceremony at the industrial West Mill Venue in Derby
Wedding guests crying and laughing during ceremony at the West Mill Venue in Derbyshire
Rock n Roll wedding couple walking down isle at The West Mill whilst confetti is thrown at them

Fun & Creative Couple Portraits

I love it when couples are up for a laugh on their couples shoot and these guys were amazing! They were keen to get creative and use smoke bombs in their photos, in fact they were game for anything I suggested to them. A wedding photographer’s dream! These two really know how to rock a photo and I know they’ll look back and remember how happy they were in that moment. 

bride and groom holding hands and kissing outside at the West Mill Venue in Derbyshire
Alternative Bride and groom holding hands and kissing in front of green trees
Rock and Roll style Bride and groom holding hands in front of green trees at the West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby
Rock and Roll style Bride and groom kissing outside in front of green trees at the West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby
Bride and groom holding smoke bombs with the industrial West Mill Wedding Venue in the background.
Bride and groom kissing with the industrial West Mill Wedding Venue and love sign in the background.

Autumnal Wedding Details

I love autumnal wedding styling laura and lewis added to this industrial venue. The green florals along with the wooden seating plan board really complimented the industrial rustic look. The gold and silver frames with old family photos were particularly special and added a real personal touch to room.

Wooden table seating plan and wedding details at the West Mill in Derby.
Wine glasses and stationary table details at the West Mill in Derby.
Bride and groom with best men laughing at the top table in front of a brick wall at the West Mill in Derby.
wedding guests laughing during wedding breakfast at the West Mill in Derby.
Bride crying whilst reading speech to the groom in front of a brick wall and green floral decorations at the West Mill in Derby.
Bride crying whilst groom is reading speech in front of a brick wall and green floral decorations at the West Mill in Derby.
Two best men laughing whilst reading speech in front of a window and brick wall at the West Mill in Derby.
Groom in a black suit sat down laughing in front of a brick wall at the West Mill in Derby.
Wedding desert sign and white sticky toffee pudding cake at the West Mill in Derby.
Bride and groom holding hands and dancing during their first dance at The West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby.
wedding guests having fun and and dancing during the evening reception at The West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby.
wedding guests having fun and and dancing during the evening reception at The West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby.
Bride singing and dancing during the evening reception at The West Mill Wedding Venue in Derby.

Lewis and Laura, I loved photographing your wedding day and I’m so pleased you asked me to be your West Mill wedding photographer. 

If you’re planning a wedding at The West Mill then I would love to chat to you! It’s an absolute dream venue and I can’t wait to photograph there again. Please use my contact page to get in touch.

The West Mill FAQs

Can I stay overnight at The West Mill?

The Mill House is a set of eight en-suite double bedrooms exclusivity ran by the The West Mill. Located just a stones throw from the main wedding venue. The Mill House accommodation is perfect for the bride & groom along with their closest family and friends.

What hotels are there in Derby located near to The West Mill?

The Coach House Derby, Cathedral Quarter Hotel & Jurys Inns are all within 2 miles of the Venue. The Cathedral Quarter Hotel is the first designer boutique hotel in the area whilst the The Coach House is not only the closest to The West Mill (0.5 miles) but also boasts excellent reviews.

How much does a wedding cost at The West Mill?

Prices vary massively from a weekday in the winter to a prime Saturday date in the summer. For up to date information I’d recommend getting in touch directly with the venue and requesting a copy of their most recent brochure. Which you can do so using this link: Request A Brochure.

The West Mill Address

Darley Abbey Mills, Haslams Ln, Darley Abbey, Derby DE22 1DZ