Yay, I’m slowly but surely catching up with my blog posts. These last two years have been super busy with postponements, new bookings and other photography jobs! A month before this wedding I fell down the stairs at my mums house, hurt my back and broke three toes and part of the foot below the toes, so the race was on to recouperate, get my strength back and be able to walk on my part broken foot for 11 hrs. Just in case I also enlisted a second shooter to help me with the day.
So at the end of February 2022, I photographed the wedding of Emma and Jamie at the Oxwich Bay Hotel, Gower. That week we’d had some horrendous weather and the reports for that day were pretty awful, so planning for wet weather options! And a challenge for me as dark clouds mean less light and you know how I love my light.
I arrived three hours before the ceremony to photograph bridal prep, which on this occasion was downstair in the lounge area.
During hair and makeup I popped up to the bridal suite to photograph the details and dress. After a while it was time for Emma to get ready and have her first look with her parents. The bridesmaids wore yellow dresses which added a lovely touch of cheerfulness to the day.
While I was with the girls, my second shooter was with Jamie photographing his family and preparations.
It was time for the ceremony, I joined Jamie and everyone else downstairs in the Oak room. After speaking to the registrar the ceremony started, the bridesmaids and their way down the aisle, followed by Emma.
It was a lovely heartfelt ceremony.
After the ceremony the guests made their way to the bar area to clebrate. We decided to use the oak room for group photos as theres a lovely backdrop of the fire, the wood details and original stone walls on the opposite side. We had to do them inside as the rain was torrential and whereas I advocate taking the bride and groom out for portraits in the rain (with umbrellas etc), damp family and guests are very unhappy guests – and ultimately I want to avoid that.
After group shots and a while of celebration we made our way to the marquee, I took the bride and groom ahead of the others so that we could do portraits on the way and limit the time they’d need to be outside, well they’d have to walk that way anyway.
The marquee was adorned with beautiful table centrepieces created by Francis Floral Designs, and featured gorgeous storm lanterns with fresh flowers surrounding them. The table numbers were etched glass and made by the family.
The cake was created by Bella Cakes and was a gorgeous three tiered creation, dressed with similar blooms to those used in the bouquets.
The speeches were before food, which was good for a winter wedding, it was still light enough to have some natural light flooding into the marquee.
After food and few hours of celebrating it was time to cut the cake.
Then time for first dance, I set my strobe lights up to create a lovely backlit effect and captured the couple as they danced.
As it was so pretty outside and the rain had stopped I suggested we set up some pretty night time shots with the strobe, which the couple loved – always a great way to end a winter wedding, great for the last page of an album.
Hair: Kayleigh Adams | Makeup Artist: Sara Dymond | Florist and Venue Dresser: Rhian Francis | Venue: Oxwich Bay Hotel | Dress: Cariad Bridal | Suits: Formal Hire | Photography: Kate Richards Photography | Photobooth: Starlight Events | Cake: Bella Cakes
