Whisky before the jackets
Justin and his groomsmen got ready on site at Tatra, and when we found them they were standing outside in crisp white shirts, whisky tumblers in hand and grins all round. We like to start the guys outdoors under a veranda: the roof keeps the light soft and even, and nobody squints. Inside, beside tall white curtains, Justin stood between two loved ones for a proud family frame. Then jackets on, pink ties straightened, a dusty pink bow tie for the groom, and the five of them strode down the driveway towards us, tall trees behind.
Veil in the bay window
Kathryn was also getting ready at the venue, in a room with a deep bay window full of garden light. We sat her on the window seat and let her lift the long veil out to the side, so the daylight came straight through the tulle. Then we brought the veil down over her face against the floral wallpaper for a quieter frame, her pink and white bouquet with ferns resting in her hands. Window light like this is our favourite for brides: soft on skin, bright on lace, no flash needed. Family came in for portraits in the same bright room.
A walk with her dad
Before the ceremony, Kathryn and her dad stood together on a gravel path lined with slender trunks and ferns, and we kept the frame simple: just the two of them, side by side, calm and smiling. Down at the stone terrace Justin waited with his groomsmen, hands clasped, trying very hard not to beam too early. Then Kathryn’s dad walked her down the aisle between the white chairs, her arm through his. We stood a little ahead of them with a longer lens, which lets us catch her smile without ever stepping into the aisle.
Roses over the stone circle
The ceremony sat on a round, stone-paved terrace under a wrought iron cupola, its top heaped with pink and white roses, baby’s breath and long fronds. Low stone walls ring the circle, so guests sit close and the couple stays framed from every side. When the moment came, Kathryn wrapped her arms around Justin’s neck for the kiss, one hand on his cheek. A pale sky that afternoon gave us gentle, even light through the trees, which is kind to faces and lets the flowers keep their true colour without any harsh shadows.
Every arm in the air
Straight after the ceremony, everyone gathered on the lawn for the full guest photo Kathryn and Justin had asked for. We shot it from up high so every face had a clear line to the camera, with the forest standing tall behind the crowd. One serious frame, then one with every arm in the air and a cheer to go with it. Then came the family groups in smaller sets on the same lawn, including Kathryn with two older loved ones in front of the clipped topiary balls, one in bright blue, one in a red jacket.
The corgi in a bow tie
Their dog was always going to be the star of this part, and he arrived ready for it in his own navy bow tie. Kathryn and Justin knelt with him on the stone circle under the roses, then sat on two of the ceremony chairs for a kiss while he looked up at the camera. To finish, the three of them walked back up the aisle together, dog on his lead, petals still on the paving. Our tip for pets: plan them in early, straight after the ceremony, while everyone is fresh and there are treats to hand.
Pink satin and a carry
Tatra Receptions wedding photos need no car, so the wedding party walked from spot to spot. Four bridesmaids in blush satin and the groomsmen in navy lined up on the lawn with a shingled gazebo behind, then set off together, laughing and arm in arm. On a gravel avenue under arching trees, Justin scooped Kathryn up and carried her along with the groomsmen around them, and she stole a kiss mid-stride. The bridesmaids gathered with her at the foot of a set of timber stairs, bouquets up, for one more.
Chapel stairs and the white bridge
Up on the timber stairs in front of the ivy-covered chapel, Justin struck a pose among the bridesmaids while Kathryn’s train spilled down the steps. Stairs are a gift for wedding parties: everyone gets their own level and nobody hides. Then it was just the two of them. Kathryn swept her skirt down the stairs, and on a white wrought iron bridge over the tree ferns they held hands and laughed. Further in, on a log crossing in the fern gully, Justin pulled her close while her veil lifted and streamed out sideways.
Chandeliers, cake and a lift
The light was dropping by the time we stopped on a shaded path, Justin’s hands on Kathryn’s shoulders and the trees going dark behind them. Out on the lawn they stood among giant white LOVE letters beside a garden lamp. Inside, they cut a naked cake topped with roses in front of a silver mirror and a curtain of fairy lights. Then the first dance under the chandeliers, guests in a ring with their phones up, and Justin lifted Kathryn high off the floor to finish it, her skirt swinging out.
