Emma and Steve are the cutest, loveliest couple. Emma is constantly smiling and both of them were a genuine pleasure, and dead easy, to shoot! They got married at the infamous River Cottage HQ as they both love food and wanted to have a small intimate wedding with their closest loved ones. They booked a holiday cottage nearby so they could all get ready together with their best people party in the morning- I LOVE shooting the prep for both parties, it tells a fuller story! The ceremony was conducted by their good friend, who incorporated humanist elements and a hand fasting. They held it in the River Cottage Garden which still had growing plants for the season, and decorated the cottage with bunting and flowers. To get to the ceremony you have to take this huge blue tractor down a slope with the most gorgeous view!
Almost all their best people team cried like crazy, Emma also blubbed her way through it 😀 I don’t normally show many ceremony shots but with a friend as the celebrant and loads of emotions on show I had plenty of leeway to move around and capture everyone’s reactions.
At the end of the ceremony everyone filed out to a field where classic games like welly wanging, wooden ten pin bowling and archery.
Before the dinner, Emma and Steve had a few short speeches. Then, the River Cottage HQ chef comes and explains to everyone what fresh ingredients they have used in the wedding dinner, there were a lot of nettles and Emma and Steve were very lucky to have fresh asparagus that were ready that week!
Also, unique to River Cottage HQ, they also invite wedding guests to come to the kitchen to see the food preparation.
After dinner, we went out for a few couple shots whilst the chefs prepared the coolest petite fours I’ve ever seen of fizzy sweet laces made from beetroot stems, and cherry truffles. Two of my favourite sugary things, so I was in heaven!
Emma and Steve’s friends made DIY felt photo booth props including lots of animal ear headbands. The ceilidh band also kicked off whilst home made marshmallow were brought out for toasting on the fire pit
There were also fresh proper pizzas in the evening cooked with their real wood burning pizza oven. All the food all day was super tasty!
Emma and Steve were super kind and let me stay at their holiday cottage where I joined them for a final patron shot of the evening!
Big shout out to:
Louise Alway on Hair // Claire Bowring on Make Up // Claire Arscott on cake // Holly Bee Flowers on Floristry // Dorset Ceilidh on moosic
