Marianne Taylor Photography | Portrait & Family Photographer in Cornwall
On-location portrait and family photography in North Cornwall. Siren of the Sea sessions, couples, families. Soft, romantic, coastal.
It was such a pleasure to get to return to Aynhoe Park for another beautiful and unique wedding day. The summer weather was showing its best, and the grounds of this beautiful venue transformed into a wonderland with cocktails on the lawn and deer coming up to see what was happening. There were out-of-this-world-beautiful floral arrangements, flamingoes, unicorns and plenty of laughter. Thank you once again Aynhoe for providing such a perfect backdrop for celebrating love!
I can’t quite express how much I love photographing weddings local to me. I moved to Cornwall for its immeasurable beauty and relaxed lifestyle, and Cornish weddings tend to reflect these very same qualities.
Tara & Simon got married in a beautiful marquee on the lawn of their own house in St. Ervan in North Cornwall. The day started in Tara’s own bedroom, with getting her hair & makeup done by the Pop Up Salon, before stepping into her Jimmy Choos and beautiful Claire Pettibone gown.
The morning looked a bit overcast and gray, but after the ceremony at St. Ervan Parish Church the sun broke through and brought with it the most beautiful golden evening. The simply stunning marquee by LPM Bohemia was beautifully decorated with flowers by Ginny’s Flowers, while Emma Easdon from Cornish Bluebird made sure things ran on time and Jack Bristow was in charge of catering all the delicious Cornish food.
While music from Mountain Ash mingled with the excited chatter inside the marquee, and the early spring sun stretched its beams over the beautiful countryside, I couldn’t help but feel like I had the best job in the world.
Thank you for having me, Tara & Simon! I wish you many happy surf-filled years together in your bit of Cornish paradise!
Mary-Jane & Andrew’s wedding was such a joy to photograph! The couple had their ceremony at a registry office in London the previous day, with just witnesses present. The next day, they hosted an intimate reception for their nearest and dearest at Rossini at The Leatherne Bottel, a magical place by the river, which is where I joined the party. There was something so light and joyful about the atmosphere of this day, which was made out of genuine smiles of family and friends, a gorgeous setting, sunshine, and a glowing bride and groom.
Thank you so much Mary-Jane and Andrew for letting me be a part of your day, it really was special. x
The last day of Aran & Mark’s fairytale Provence wedding weekend at Villa Baulieu started with a relaxed brunch by the pool. Hardworking planners Lavender & Rose and florist Miss Rose Perrine had created yet another pretty scene, which was the perfect way to say goodbye to guests who came from near and (mostly) far.
We took in the gorgeous scenery one more time with Super 8 film maker Mark Brown, before we kicked up our heels and enjoyed a well-deserved day off by the pool ourselves.
It was such a pleasure to be a part of this amazing weekend, I hope you’ll get at least a little glimpse of the atmosphere through these images. Thank you again Aran & Mark, for letting us play a part in your big day and the events around it! x
Whenever I get to work with Cannes-based wedding planners Lavender & Rose I know there’s going to be magic involved, and Aran & Mark’s Provence wedding certainly didn’t disappoint! Wedding planner Jennifer was in charge at the amazing Villa Baulieu, while Parfums & Saveurs took care of catering and the talented Miss Rose Perrine did gorgeous things with flowers.
The day started at a leisurely pace, with Camille Bonardi on make-up and Jen Hillyard on hair, before picking up speed once Aran stepped into her magnificent Oscar de la Renta wedding gown and electric blue Manolo Blahniks (check out the matching blue pedi!).
Super 8 film maker Mark Brown and I were spoilt with such beauty everywhere, from the outside ceremony to the stunning courtyard setting of the reception. Aran owns an art gallery in Los Angeles and Mark is a production designer for film and TV, so they are both highly visual, which meant there were pretty touches everywhere, from the adorable cake by Cakes by Pamela and the stationery designed by Holly Hollon, which was really the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen!
I loved all the pretty touches, but most importantly, all the smiles and happiness that surrounded us under the scorching South of France sun. Huge congratulations again Aran & Mark, and thank you so much for having us! x
Aran & Mark’s South of France wedding weekend kicked off on the Friday evening with welcome cocktails at Le Pigonnet in Aix-En-Provence. The surroundings and the setting sun couldn’t have been more beautiful. Add to that glamorous dresses, the excited sounds of people coming together, and all the little details, such as the adorable welcome packs and the stationery designed by Holly Hollon, and you could feel it all starting to weave its magic. It was good to be back in Provence!
It was such a pleasure to get together with Jennifer from Lavender & Rose, who was the planner extraordinaire for Aran & Mark’s wedding. And the whole trip was made even more special by the fact that we got to work (and go on some adventures) with super-8 filmmaker Mark Brown once again.
I hope these images from the first day will set the mood and make you want to see more, as I’ll be blogging the next two days later on. Enjoy!
On Sunday, after two amazing days, from the Welcome barbecue to Alev & Can’s incredible wedding day, we returned to Le Hameau des Baux for a farewell brunch, which gave the guests a chance to recharge after a long night of partying, and before saying their goodbyes and heading to the airport.
Florist Laetitia C had created yet another gorgeous collection of cheerful flower arrangements, and Eveil de Papilles was back in charge of food. The atmosphere was relaxed and very happy, with everyone already reminiscing over the events of the past days. Alev & Can were glowing in a way only newlyweds do, and Kerry and the Lavender & Rose Weddings team looked tired but very happy with what they’d accomplished with their amazing efforts.
Thank you Alev & Can for having us with you on this amazing weekend in Provence, it really was special. We wish you all the happiness in the world in your life together! xo
Are you sitting comfortably? Despite dividing Alev & Can’s Provence wedding weekend into three instalments (I posted the welcome bbq yesterday), this post of the wedding day on Saturday is a bit of a doozy. There was just too much amazingness to try to cut it any shorter.
The day started back at Le Hameau des Baux where most of the wedding party was staying and getting ready. Camille Bonardi was on hand for make-up and Ahmet Ozismen was in charge of hair. Alev wore the stunning Harper gown by Monique Lhuillier teamed with funky YSL silver color pumps, and she looked incredible!
After a first look in the garden, the whole party headed to Chateau D’estoublon for the main celebration. Kerry, Jen and Dani from Lavender & Rose Weddings were incredible, making sure everything ran on time, and looked absolutely flawless. Marrou was in charge of the delicious-looking food and the macaroon pyramid. Florist Laetitia C had created yet more stunning flower arrangements, and Crème de Papier was behind the pretty stationery.
The location and the styling, the exuberant atmosphere, the dancing until dawn, it all came together to create a truly magical wedding day that we felt very honoured to be a part of.
Oh, and the last portraits with the sparklers? Credit where credit is due, it was a collaboration with the boys from Shark Pig – and when I say collaboration I mean I mostly ran around with sparklers looking like a crazy person, while Brian and Jonathan figured out what to do. So if any of you future brides get any ideas about these sort of portraits, I’m perfectly happy to do them, but only if you also hire  Shark Pig to do their part. ;) P.S. did you catch their sneak preview film over here yet?
I’ll give you a little while to digest all this, and I’ll be back tomorrow with the final instalment of day three! x
After spending ages trying to figure out how to condense Alev & Can’s Provence wedding, with its three days of events, into one blog post, I came to the conclusion that it’s not possible. There was just too much gorgeousness that took place each day, so it’s only fair each event should get their own blog post.
Things kicked off on Friday with a welcome barbecue at the stunning Le Hameau des Baux. Planner extraordinaire, Kerry Bracken of Lavender & Rose Weddings, had created the most charming setting, which set the wedding weekend off in a beautiful way. A couple of hours before the guests were due to arrive, the skies opened and what was the biggest downpour the South of France had seen for awhile descended on the pretty scene. Kerry and her team performed a miracle in keeping everything more or less dry and pristine for when the guest started arriving, and the sun appeared again.
The barbecue gave a glimpse into the magic that florist Laetitia C would present over the next three days and everything that caterer Eveil de Papilles presented was absolutely delicious-looking. After months of anticipation, and hearing about Alev’s plans, it was such a joy seeing it all starting to unfold, looking as pretty as she had hoped with all the little touches she had collected over the months.
It was also such a pleasure to finally meet the video team, Shark Pig, with whom I share many friends with, but hadn’t had the pleasure to work with before. They have posted a little preview film over here.
Without further ado, please sit back comfortably (perhaps with a long drink in hand) and join me over the next few days to relive the magic of the South of France and Alev & Can’s fairytale wedding weekend.
Ever since Katie & James’ London engagement session I had been impatiently waiting for their wedding day at the ever-incredible Aynhoe Park. Well last month, that day finally arrived! And it certainly lived up to the expectations, and then some.
After having her make-up done by Sarah Brock and hair by Gustav Fouche from Van Clarke Salon, Katie slipped into her Grove wedding gown by Lela Rose (from Browns Bride) and slipped on her Lisa shoes by Freya Rose – and promptly transformed into a fairytale princess. She looked simply incredible! Walking down the isle, past the giraffe suspended by balloons, to live music played by a Jazz Trio (supplied by Stylish Entertainment), she simply took everyone’s breath away, most of all James’s!
Even though Aynhoe Park in itself is already a feast for the eyes, there were lots of pretty touches that elevated the space into a bit of a fairytale wedding scene. I adored the delicate pastel coloured flowers by Scarlet and Violet, which the prettiest of stationery by BerinMade complimented beautifully. And the Fiona Cairns cake (made by James’s Aunt Rachel Eardley) must have been the most adorable cake I’ve ever laid eyes on.
Wedding Planner Celeste Rose was an absolute gem in making sure everything ran on time, while Indulgence was in charge of the incredible looking food. Photo Emporium had provided hands down the coolest Airstream photo booth, which kept guests happy late into the night.
So, it suffices to say, I love every second of this day, and most of all it was such a privilege to get to witness Katie and James so happy and in love, and all their family and friends glowing with happiness for them. Thank you for having us! xo
This is a day everyone involved had waited for a long time! Rachel & Alexander were supposed to get married the year before, but due to health reasons had to postpone their date. The silver lining in this was that, while I wasn’t available on their original date, I was on the new one. And I am so so glad I got to be a part of this truly magical day.
Northbrook Park looked better than ever, with the gardens in full bloom and the weather showing us it’s best. Add to that the amazingness that Steph aka Fairy Nuff Flowers created, she really outdid herself with the amazing flower arrangements! Rachel looked gorgeous in her Phillippa Lepley wedding gown and Jimmy Choo (of course!) shoes, and she completely took Alex’s breath away when coming down the aisle.
It was such a pleasure to work with wedding planner Always Andri and Jacaranda catering again. Othes I need to mention are The Cake Parlour, who was responsible for the amazing cake, and Louise Richardson who created the adorable stationary. Chrystal Palace String Quartet provided beautiful music throughout the day, until night fell and none other than The Wedding Smashers took to the decks and got everyone on the dance floor. I don’t know how they do it, but it just always happens like magic!
Northbrook Park is one of those place where I really wouldn’t mind working every weekend if I had to. But I am so glad it was this particular weekend, and this particular couple. Thank you so much Rachel and Alexander for having us share your gorgeous day with you! xo
A beautiful summer’s day, a blooming English garden, some ice cream & Pimm’s and a beaming bride and groom – this is what good days are made of. Caroline & Andrew’s wedding was an absolute joy from start to finish.
Getting ready at her parents house, Caroline and her bridesmaids were made to look (even more) gorgeous by the talented Gemma Sutton who was in charge of makeup and hair. When Caroline finally got into her beautiful wedding gown by The Vintage Wedding Dress Company, slipped on her shoes and veil, and held her amazingly pretty bouquet by Kate Avery Flowers, she looked absolutely breathtaking.
After a ceremony at St Bartholomew’s Church in Haslemere, we headed back to the house where the garden had been transformed into the perfect venue for a cocktail party and where Daisy the Vintage Ice Cream Van was waiting for us, before moving into the prettiest marquee for the wedding breakfast. It was such a joy to see the adorable stationery designed by my former bride Flo of Charlie Scribble, and more gorgeous flowers by Kate Avery filling the space. Tandem Catering was in charge of the food, and took brilliant care of us, too. The gorgeous cake was by Rosalind Miller. One of the special touches of the day was a surprise where one person from each table had been chosen to be the designated carver for the dinner, complete with getting kitted out in chef’s outfits (which were such a hit some didn’t take them off all night!).
After the first dance, we went for a last hunt for the setting sun with the couple and Aaron from Reel Weddings (who was such a pleasure to work with, can’t wait to see the film he’ll produce!), trying to capture every last inch of the magic of the day. As the night fell, Supatight got people on the dance floor, and that’s where we left Caroline & Andrew, heading home feeling warm and fuzzy after a perfect day.
Thank you so much Caroline & Andy for having us, it was a huge huge pleasure to bear witness to your happiness! x
It feels strange to finally be blogging Hanna & Bruno’s wedding. It’s seems like such a long time ago when Hanna first got in touch with me, and now, looking at the pictures of her wedding day, it somehow feels like the last and the first chapter of a story all at the same time.
The plan for the day was a garden wedding in the South of France. But it seems that Hanna & Bruno are destined for dramatic weather; their Paris engagement session was on one of the coldest days of the year, and on their wedding day it rained and rained and then rained some more. But that didn’t dampen the beautiful spirit of the day. The party might have moved inside, but the atmosphere stayed sunny all through the day.
After a ceremony in the beautiful Cathédrale Sainte-Marie in Bruno’s home town of Bayonne, the reception took place at Golf de Chiberta, where Virginie from 123nousirons was in charge of the decorations. The theme centered around Hanna & Bruno, both French, having travelled all the way to Australia to meet each other (how’s that for a plot for a romantic movie!). Hanna’s Polish roots also played a part in the form of traditions, such as Hanna’s mother offering bread and salt to the newlyweds entering the reception. The day was filled with incredible food, warm hearts and happiness.
Thank you so much Hanna & Bruno, for having us there for your big day, and for much much more, for really making us feel like a part of the family. I wish all the happiness in the world, and plenty of sunshine to make up for the rain. x
I am not shy about my love for Cornwall, and every time I get to photograph a wedding down on the magical coastline I pretty much jump for joy. Jo & Tom’s amazing Cornish wedding day was no exception. Tying the knot at the edge of the rugged cliffs of  Trevose Head was pretty much my idea of wedding paradise.
Getting ready, while  Sally Orchard was attending to their make-up, Jo and the girls looked so cute in their Pretty Plum Sugar dressing gowns. The bridesmaids then got on their pretty Phase 8 dresses, before Jo slipped into her bridal gown… and I mean just wow. The (aptly named!) Marianne gown by Naomi Neoh was seriously breathtaking, with its hint of blushing rose shade that came out in a certain light.
After a beautiful humanist ceremony conducted by the lovely Zena Birch in a marquee in the garden (of which my favourite moment by far was everyone belting out ‘I’m a believer’ by the Monkees!), a vintage bus took us the short trip to the reception marquee on the edge of the cliff. Wedding Planner  Sarah Vaux was on hand to make sure everything ran smoothly,  The Park at Mawgan Porth was in charge of catering, while George Mackay Flowers created the beautiful blooms. The cutest stationary was designed by Flo (who’s wedding I also shot a few years back) from Charlie Scribble and I should also mention that the amazing cake was created by the bride’s mum.
I know no words can really do justice to this gorgeous day, so I shall let the pictures do the rest of the talking.
Thank you so much for having us Jo & Tom, and for giving me yet another reason to love Cornwall so! x
Sitting here on this warm sunny day, it’s hard to picture how a very short while ago we were so ecstatic to get just a few minutes of sunshine during Josie & Phil’s wedding, when most of the day it was more a case of arctic winds and sleet! Despite the chilly temperatures, this wedding was brimming with such warmth, not least because Josie & Phil are themselves like little rays of sunshine.
The setting for the day was Tythe Barn, and it’s beautiful surroundings. The day started with Kate Hughes working her magic on hair and make-up, after which Josie slipped into her Lusan Mandongus gown and Emmy Shoes, and proceeded to take everyone’s breath away with how gorgeous she looked. Fabulous Flowers sprinkled some flower magic all over the barn, while Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts was responsible for the mouthwatering spread of food. (Talking of food, when I first met Josie & Phil all they really wanted to talk about was the food, that was they were most looking forward to – but on the day they were both too excited to eat!)
Thank you so much Josie & Phil for being so amazing, for enduring the cold weather, for making me smile every time I think of you two. I hope you had a fabulous time on your honeymoon, and all your travels to come! x
I couldn’t be more excited to share this wedding with you! As I told you when blogging Joan & Albert’s engagement session, I love these guys to the moon and back, and it was such a huge privilege to be a part of their wedding day. The gorgeous day pretty much had it all: sun, rain, laughter, tears, peacocks, cakes, beauty and more happiness than you could ever wish to witness. And you couldn’t really have a more perfect venue for a summer wedding than Larmer Tree Gardens if you ask me!
It was so incredibly hard to cut this blog post down to a ‘reasonable’ length, so the least I can do is write a little less and let the pictures do most of the talking.
Thank you so much Joan & Albert for having us, for being so lovely, and for reminding everyone who sees you two together what it’s all about. You will have an amazing adventure of a life together! x
Crystal & Tom’s wedding day was a bit of a whirlwind, (well, almost) literally. The winds were so strong that at times people had their work cut out trying to keep hats, balloons, babies, bunnies etc. from blowing away, but all that (combined with the chance to take wedding portraits in a lupin field) most certainly made for a memorable day!
The ceremony was held at St Peter’s Church in Terwick, and even though the original plan was for a picnic reception in a close by field, the wind and relentless summer rain forced Crystal & Tom to move the party to Rogate Village Hall. This didn’t really dampen the atmosphere at all – the brass band and petting zoo were still huge hits, and the picnic food by Blanch & Shock looked most delicious. Despite the tricky weather, the day was jam packed with colours, fun, laughter and warmth.
Thank you Crystal & Tom for having me be a part of your day! I wish you so much laughter and happiness in years to come. x
Back from the incredibly beautiful Isle Of Skye. Travelled all day. Now backing up images. Had to share one just because…
