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An outdoor September wedding in the UK? As the English Philosopher, Bernard Williams once said, "September tries its best to have us forget summer." In reality, you can expect anything, from blistering heat as per Sarah and Tania's woodland ceremony I shot last September, to light cloud and dry conditions shifting into torrential downpours later in the day, which is exactly what the weather gods offered up to Kylie and Matt earlier this month.
Kylie and Matt are a fab Black Country couple with a great back story, which will remain theirs to share.
We met a couple of times following their booking and so were by no means strangers on the day. Kylie and Matt requested documentary photography with a few naturally posed photos in a variety of photo edits with a specific request from Matt to incorporate some colour selective photos highlighting the details of their theme.
The couple opted for The Firs Wedding Venue in Worcestershire, as featured in a previous blog post here: Winter Peach Photography: Wed-Fest: Ready For The Afterglow?
I was aware that Kylie and Matt were aiming for rustic, hippy vibes featuring sunflowers and a split screen campervan. So far, so great. Want to how they achieved it? Read on.
One of the first people I encountered when I arrived bright and early, was unmistakably the groom's father - a real character, who also revealed to me that his late father was the Wolves footballer Stockin. You can read about him here: Ron Stockin | 1931-2024 | Club | News | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (wolves.co.uk) Here's Matt's Dad rocking his sunflower button hole.
On the day, whilst the atmosphere was relaxed, the couples' nerves were palpable (understandably so); they had put a great deal of time and effort into creating a beautiful and inclusive day.
There was no risk of missing the turning to the venue for example.
There was a touching tribute to dear, departed relatives...
...an audio guestbook...(ahead of the 2025 wedding trend)...
...and who doesn't appreciate a crisp wall and selection of old school sweets to help with the pre-wedding breakfast hunger pangs?
Kylie arrived in style and emerged from the split screen camper van wearing an exquisite bridal gown, her bridal party dressed in back and carrying sunflowers.
Meanwhile, in the woodland glade, anticipation was building and the gathered guests were observed from the skies by a drone, operated by a friend of the couple.
Kylie, your groom awaits!
Here comes the bride!
The celebrant created handfasting ceremony was beautifully personalised.
Sealed with a kiss...
....natural confetti...
...and sweet relief!
The couple didn't want to labour over portrait photos, but did want to make good use of their hired VW camper. I took along a bottle of bubbly and persuaded Matt to do his best Formula 1 shake of the bottle. I made sure to distance Kylie from the fallout and laughed when I admitted to Matt that I was a bit jumpy around popping corks, only to discover he felt the same. Somehow, we got the shot!
I took various other portraits in and around the camper, although I was mindful of Kylie's dress, which needed its train adjusting every time she adjusted her position. With documentary photography, it's vital to have eyes in the back of your head and not miss moments like this, when Nat, the Venue Manager and Wedding Coordinator, gave Kylie her first glimpse of their wedding cake.
Next, it was onto the front lawn for the requested group shot. I confess to being nervous about this one. It's no mean feat shepherding over 100 guests into position and assessing the best way of capturing them. I knew that I was going to require a wide angle and an upstairs window vantage point, but had also planned something more ambitious than the usual line up formation. With me shouting directions from the first floor window of the Georgian farmhouse and Nat's help, this was the result.
And so it was time to kick back and relax a little and I set about capturing the couple's very funky guests.
...and the emotions of the day.
The children were well catered for; both inside and out.
A good time was had by all!
After speeches...
The tipi sides were hurriedly rolled down.
The couple just about made it into the tipi without getting soaked to the skin.
Didn't I mention the couple's attention to detail? Well when the dancing started, there were no excuses!
But obviously, it was down to the bride and groom to set the pace...
...which they did in impressive style...
...before being joined by their friends and family...
...at which point I said my goodbyes and made the perilous journey home in driving rain, carefully navigating the county's dark, rural lanes. What a day! Thanks both! Wishing you all the joy and happiness!
The nosedive in the weather continued and as such, we were forced to delay the start of our holiday in North Devon by one day, not relishing the M5 motorway in the midst of severe weather warnings of floods. That turned out to be a wise decision and on our first evening walk into the Valley of the Rocks, we were rewarded with these gorgeous scenes. We had nothing planned - purely relaxation.
The weather held up for another blissful day on the coast...
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| Over the rooftops to Foreland Point, Countisbury |
...and we made friends with at least one local cat. This one we recognised. A little older, but still beautiful.
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| Jackdaws on lobster pots |
Yet another low pressure system moved in and settled over us for the next few days. Windswept Exmoor is something to behold. The nightly soundtrack was akin to an Express Train.
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| Lynton |
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| Lynton |
We muddled along for a few days, enjoying our immediate surroundings and some incredible locally sourced food (including crab sandwiches, cream teas, fishcakes, Eggs Benedict and caviar) and I was permitted to take some portraits (with strict instructions on which ones I could share and where)...
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| Graveyard, Lynton |
...until the sun reappeared for our final two days. We walked to Watersmeet National Trust Tea Rooms in dappled sunlight, amongst the wind twisted trees....
...and Exmoor ponies...
...indulged in mindfulness on the beach, watching and listening to the crashing waves...
Astrophotography is not my forte really - I took this photo leaning out of a loft window in the dead of night on a long exposure - handheld - but trust me when I say, the stars were densely layered and totally mesmerising.
As is usually the way, I was just hitting my stride and getting into full relaxation mode when it was time to come home. Still, the magic of this place always leaves its mark and our last night was no exception. Check out this sunset.
