Creative wedding, couple & family reportage photography covering Cornwall, London, UK and overseas
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!
Time is a funny thing. It seemed like I had been waiting for Victoria & Charles’ wedding day for ages, and yet it felt like it was only yesterday when we got together for their engagement session in Somerset. Taking on such a limited number of weddings means I’m looking forward to each one with even more enthusiasm, and I couldn’t have been more excited when Victoria & Charles’ big day finally rolled around!
Victoria got ready with her sister and friends at her childhood home, which added something really special to the proceedings. It was lovely to be surrounded by all the photographs and mementoes that told such vivid stories and formed a map of memories. Pat Mascolo, the mother of one of Victoria’s oldest friends was on hand for make-up, and Lauren from Tony and Guy perfected Victoria’s stunningly glamorous wavy hair-do.
Before Victoria stepped into her Valentino shoes and the most beautiful (I, mean really!) Monique Lhuillier gown from Browns Bride, her and Charles’ dog Albert came in for a quick cuddle and a pose. You could literally hear all the hearts in the room melting! After popping on her great-great grandmother’s pearl and diamond earrings, and Charlie’s family onyx and diamond bracelet, and picking up her simply stunning Hayford and Rhodes bouquet, Victoria was ready.
It was a short walk to the church of St Mary Abbots and after the ceremony, all the guests continued on foot to the Orangery at Kensington Palace for the party. There, Rhubarb was in charge of the catering and Pearl and Groove had created the most amazing gluten free cake. As well as stationery from Wren Press, Victoria’s own illustrations also played a part in the look of the day. She had illustrated all the escort cards to look like ‘Royal Ascot Enclosure’ badges, and each guest got a small cut-out caricature of themselves instead of a place card. It was definitely fun talking point (and a selfie opportunity!) and the guests took their portraits home.
Another talking point was a wonderful Photo Booth with a bespoke Reynolds oil painting backdrop, operated by the Photo Booth Guys. When the night fell, everyone got on the dance floor, and with a little help from the DJ’s Prelude Entertainment, boogied the night away.
It was such a pleasure to be a part of this joyful and beautiful day, and also to get to work with the amazing Gorgeous Film again. Victoria & Charles (and Albert!), I wish you all the best in your life together, I’m pretty sure it will be full of laughter and adventure! xo
What a strange and wonderful year 2015 has been! When we were leaving Cornwall after a short stay last December, I remember saying a silent goodbye to the ocean and wishing I never had to leave… It’s kind of mindblowing that now, a year later, we actually live here!
Most of 2015 got swept up by the whole rigmarole of selling our old home, finding and purchasing not only a new house in Cornwall, but also a little ‘city base’ closer to London, and everything that goes with it, including two moves. We’re still trying to figure out the new rhythm of life, when to be where, how to get used to the travelling, but there’s one thing that’s certain – I’m never happier than under the Cornish sky, watching my beloved ocean.
Despite the year being a bit of a whirlwind with lots of new challenges on all fronts, I did get to take photos of some wonderful people and beautiful events, while also mentoring many incredible photographers via Her Lovely Heart. I hope you’ll enjoy this small collection of my favourite photos from 2015!
Are you a photographer or an aspiring creative business owner? Her Lovely Heart is my way of helping heart-led creatives to run their businesses with purpose, freedom, and joy. By subscribing to the Inspire Your Inbox letters, you’ll gain access to a library of free resources and worksheets, plus regular letters of inspiration from me straight to your inbox. Click here to join and receive instant access to The Library.
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
