MEET ME IN THE CHURCH RUINS (SUTTON VENY, WILTSHIRE WEDDING)

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Oct 1

WHENEVER I SET OFF TOWARDS THE SW FOR A WEDDING, I KNOW I’M IN FOR A GOOD ONE. THE DRIVE MIGHT BE LONG, BUT MAN ARE THE VIEWS WORTH IT. OFTEN, THE CEREMONY IS IN A GORGEOUS LITTLE LOCAL CHURCH, THAT MEANS SOMETHING TO THE FAMILY. THEN, THE RECEPTION IS OFTEN SET INTO THE FAMILY HOME AND GARDEN, WITH TONNES OF PERSONAL AND LOCAL TOUCHES. AND AS CLASSIC AS ALL OF THIS SOUNDS, I AM YET TO SHOOT ANY TWO WEDDINGS LIKE THIS, THE SAME.

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These weddings are usually ram-jam-packed (yeah, ram-jam-packed, I just made that up) with genuine country home details. The rooms, the windows, the furniture, the little keepsakes like an antique hand mirrors or tiny frames; the gardens, the flowers, the lawns.. it’s all there. Not placed or curated just for the day, but just THERE. Then you’ve got the homes themselves, standing back proudly like an old relative; looking down during a drinks reception, onto a lawn where the same people played as kids. In these situations, I often think of the home as another character, to be included. THIS is what I mean when I say a wedding is HOMELY.

But guys, David & Lucy had another little gem up their sleeve. As if the church, and the house and the gardens, and the marquees weren’t all enough for my camera.. right around the corner, almost outside their front drive, was a church ruin. Yep. You heard me. An absolutely idyllic, unspoiled but easily accessible, church ruin. And again, much like everything else, it was just there. No set, no dressing, no prep for the day. It was just there, exactly as it had been for god knows how long. And we stopped by here on the way from the church to the house, the journey which by the way, was no more than 2 minutes drive.

The ruin was surrounded by long grasses and mature trees. Some of the church’s buttresses and arches had remained intact, but the roof had gone. In it’s absence, daylight flooded in and greenery climbed it’s walls. We just walked up, walked around, and walked out again. The whole day felt so natural, so easy.

Which, quite frankly, is no coincidence. David & Lucy are much the same. Easy going, genuinely, lovely people. We’d had a brilliant time shooting up in Edinburgh for their couple shoot, so I knew they’d nail it in-front of the camera. Not because they love having their picture taken, but because they trusted me, and laughed together a LOT.

Small piece of advice to take from this couple-

Long drinks receptions are always amazing. So long as you’ve got plenty food drink flowing, it gives you loads more time to chat to everyone, and for us togs to shoot both your groups, AND your guests chatting and laughing. Give yourself that extra half hour guys. Don’t rush through to Dinner.

I’ll take more of these magic days, every Summer, all Summer.

Thanks to David & Lucy, and everyone who I met that day. You were all brilliant!

GWx

Don’t forget to scroll to the end to find out what awesome people made this day possible, aka, the suppliers list.

Awesome People What Made This Happen

aka Suppliers List

Venue- Home Sweet Home

Dress- Pronovias from Kavelle in Edinburgh

Hair - Natalie Cole & Charlie Miller

Make Up - Steph Malone, Ethical Marketing Up Artist

Shoes - Office

Flowers -