Need super summer wedding planning inspiration? Take a look at our May round-up as a Summer Wedding Photographer. Which includes a Harry Potter-themed day, our first Aynhoe Park wedding and trip to sunny Santorini for a Greek destination wedding. Let’s go…
Katie and Tom
It was all aboard the Hogwarts Express (ok, our car) for Katie and Tom’s Harry Potter themed wedding! Held at the Barns Hotel in Bedford, a gorgeous venue with picturesque lakeside views for our couples photos.
Katie and Tom had gone all out with their theme from the beginning of the day to the end. For the venue and reception we had Harry Potter bunting, parchment decorations and Hedwig’s cage was used to collect wedding cards. The tables were named after each book, and of course the reception venue was decorated with big house flags – the top table was Hufflepuff. A definite highlight was Katie and Tom asking all of their guests to eat a Bertie Botts Any Flavour Beans – and of course one unlucky guest got the vomit flavour!
Naturally followed a fabulous party. To get both young and old involved there was dressing up box for the kids (well that was the theory!) – there were lots of very grown up witches and wizards dancing around in round glasses and capes! Of course we couldn’t resist a themed portraits of our couple too, we stepped back out into the night armed with wands, scarves and broomsticks for some silliness to end the day.
https://vimeo.com/275830640
Clare and Sam
May was a month of themed weddings, and our second do was Clare and Sam’s radio-inspired day (they met working at BBC Radio Cambridgeshire) Sam’s a sports presenter and huge Peterborough United fan, which also featured in the day. First we had an order of service presented as a football programme, followed by the tables at the reception named after radio DJs and shows. A simple but quirky way to reflect their passions.
The ceremony was at a local church with beautiful grounds. The weather was fantastic so we were able to capture some beautiful couples portraits here before the reception. After the ceremony guests headed over to the reception venue, Granary Estates, to take their seats at their radio-themed tables. The reception featured a speech from the bride, something we always encourage, and fabulous video tributes from Peterborough United fans on the big screen. A wonderful surprise for the groom! More of this wedding will be on Love My Dress soon!
Before the party started, and as the sun was setting, we headed back out with Clare and Sam for golden hour outdoor photos. The summer light was perfect! Then it was back inside, with the celebrations starting with an ever so lovely and high energy first dance before everyone else piled in!
https://vimeo.com/276960633
Sian and James
Less than a week later it was back down to Granary Estates for Sian and James’ super colourful day. Firstly, the bride rocked an amazing painted biker jacket. We absolutely love these photos, what a queen. As ever it was awesome to work with the brilliant Hall & Co on the event design and amazing food – just look at that gin bar!
The ceremony took place in the cosy, traditional Flint Barn on the grounds – festooned with flowers and showered with confetti later on. The reception featured a gin bar, with four kinds of gin, fruity garnishes, and of course ice and lemon. The cake was similarly luxurious – a naked cake finished with fresh flowers and gold leaf, plus Mr and Mrs Jack Skellington dolls.
For party time the barn was decorated with huge luxury light up letters from The Letter Hire People and colourful pompoms. The pièce de résistance was two giant confetti cannons, a fab Granary Barns staple, launched during the first dance. Sian and James injected so much fun and colour in to their day, thank you for choosing us to capture all the smiles!
Summer Wedding Photographer Lina and Tom
https://vimeo.com/277795242
Tori and Ben – Santorini
In mid-May we excitedly packed our camera bags for our first destination wedding of the summer, shooting in Santorini for Tori and Ben. They chose the Le Ciel as their venue, a wonderful venue high on the Caldera cliffs with breathtaking scenery.
We kicked things off shooting their pre-wedding get together – a standard in all our destination wedding packages – and had so much fun with the wedding guests who were clearly excited about the big day!
We’ve been so excited to shoot a Greek destination wedding, we love the country and the sunsets are to die for. The outdoor ceremony was perfect, you really can’t ask for a better location – the glittering sea, the dramatic rocks and the big, big skies.
After the ceremony and the start of the reception, the heat started to dissipate and it was the perfect time for some couples photos. The fading light and the clouds make this scene so dramatic, and don’t our newlyweds look so glamorous? We loved the cape on Tori’s Pronovias dress, definitely an idea to pin to your Pinterest board!
As night fell guests continued to celebrate on the gorgeous balcony, and of course there was some partying too. The next day we explored the island for a post-wedding shoot (included in all destination wedding packages) and came back with some gorgeous, relaxed photos of Tori and Ben. A wonderful wedding week in the most idyllic setting.
https://vimeo.com/277689623
Lucy and Alex
From one picturesque setting to another, this time we were at Castle Hedingham for Lucy and Alex’s Essex wedding. This 900-year old Norman castle is so atmospheric! This countryside wedding started super relaxed, with lots of fun for us while shooting both the bride and groom getting ready. The boys were suited and booted in dark navy suits and the bridesmaids matched in navy gowns – a great touch which makes for fab group shots.
The venue was simply decorated with white flowers, nothing else is needed among the splendour of the castle. We adore the moodiness of the Norman keep and really wanted to keep this for the ceremony, still shooting using the natural light available to keep the atmosphere and not disrupt with flash.
After the ceremony it was time for games. A spot of archery, as they would have done in Norman times, for the newlyweds and guests. Thankfully not too much champagne had been drunk by this point, our couple were a pretty good shot too!
What we loved so much about Lucy and Alex’s day is that they chose a majestic venue, but they had fun with it. We loved touring the grounds with them, both day and night, and then ending the day in a fantastic party – we were there right til the end to capture everyone’s awesome moves.
https://vimeo.com/281257463
Janine and Rich
A wedding venue takeover! Janine and Rich hired North Cadbury Court for an entire weekend of wedding fun. Pre-wedding guests played games in the evening, woke to relaxed breakfast and took walks around the grounds. When it came time to start preparing for the wedding it was super to see the venue buzzing with activity – people getting ready, breakfast on the go and guests catching up over cups of tea. The boys even fitted in teeing off on the infamous North Cadbury Court roof on the morning of the wedding!
The ceremony was held in the gorgeous wood-panelled North Hall room, with simple white floral decorations. Janine wore a really simple lace gown and a pretty flower crown. The groom looked simply dashing in a navy blue suit.
The weather was amazing so the reception started outdoors, with plenty of drinks of course. What’s great about having the run of the venue is that Janine and Rich were able to bring their dog! We had many cuddles, and she was so popular among the guests. Super cute.
After a delicious lunch we headed out for some couples portraits one by the lake, and then one with the couple in a pedalo! Janine had no qualms about getting in wearing her dress. We were also able to find some secluded parts of the house to explore, we love the view from one of the many balconies.
Weddings can often be super rushed, but Janine and Rich gave themselves time by taking the venue over for the weekend. The guests enjoyed their mini Somerset holiday (as did we!) and it was a great chance for the bride and groom’s families to get to know each other. A fantastic weekend all round!
https://vimeo.com/280945067
Kim and David
Possibly our most anticipated wedding of the year was in May, Kim and David’s spectacular destination wedding at Anyhoe Park. We’ve wanted to shoot at this venue for such a long time, but it had to be the with the right couple who would embrace it’s quirkiness with us, and we couldn’t say yes quick enough when our couple’s wedding planner, the awesome Vanessa Harness of R&F weddings, approached us and told us about Kim and David!
We first met them in person a few days before the big day and bonded over some espresso martinis, before heading into London on their pre-wedding shoot.
Aynhoe Park is epic. And so was Kim and David’s wedding. It’s testament to Vanessa that she knew Kim and David were a perfect match for us! 16 hours of pure, unadulterated fun. The guests, who for the most part came from the other side of the world as every single one of them had to travel to the UK, had no idea where they were going until they arrived. After a chilled but fun morning, we started with an outdoor ceremony among the trees with one of our favourite celebrants, Katie Matthews. Next was a sumptuous reception, where the bride and groom danced their way into the room, to some Skrillex, classic!
The venue is huge so we’d planned well in advance where we’d shoot, and one of our (many) favourite shots from the weekend is our newlyweds in the library. There’s just SO much to look at in this photo. Aynhoe Park has an incredible collection of antiques, as you can well see here. And yes that is a dinosaur skull.
What came next was the loudest, brightest, booziest party ever! The shots were out, the bride changed into trainers and it was party time. We loved this pair of party animals – Aynhoe Park’s wonderful weirdness was a perfect match for their unforgettable wedding, and we like to think so were we to capture it. There can’t be too many wedding photographers who are still going for the basement after party at 2am? We’ll be bringing you a more indepth look at this awesome wedding soon!
https://vimeo.com/282353068
Rosemarie and Sam
Just as we love the thrills and spills of a couple of party-going newlyweds, we love chilled affairs too. Rosemarie and Sam’s special day at South Farm was intimate, romantic and gorgeous.
South Farm is like a second home to us, and so we know the land inside out, and all the many ways to make the most of each couple’s day and capture their personality. We loved the Moomin touches in the decor! We were able to be right there in the centre of their day, without being in the way, and our documentary-style really shone through. We love finding special moments, like this one during the signing of the register. The look of love!
After a chilled ceremony and reception the party really started! Rosemarie swished the night away in her dress, with Sam by her side. A fabulous way to end our busy month of early summer weddings.
https://vimeo.com/282888838
Loved our selection of images as a Summer Wedding Photographer? Read more about our fabulous couple’s in Kim and David’s Aynhoe Park blog or our post dedicated to the awesome party moments we capture.
Planning a destination wedding, or something closer to home? Get in touch to see if we’re free on your date.