Beautiful Cornwall and Devon Beach Wedding Vibes

There are so many things to love about beach weddings! Just imagine saying ‘I do’ under the warm sun with a backdrop of turquoise sea and beautiful blue sky listening to wavs crashing on the shore. Then paddling romantically in the sea, stroll around the beach, watch the sunset with a cocktail in your hand and dance the night away, maybe even outdoors under the stars, festival style. If that sounds like your idea of a perfect wedding day, then beach weddings are for you. I have made a collection of some of my favourite coastal weddings around Cornwall and Devon from the last couple of years to get you inspired.

I have also put together a few planning tips for your wedding by the sea. Collected from feedback of past couples and my observations to help you plan your dream beach wedding.

Why choose a beach wedding…

If you want a relaxed, informal do, especially one that stretches over a few days, beach weddings are great. There can also be less planning involved for your decoration as the stunning backdrop often needs little to add. And they're easy to keep small and intimate. Couples often keep their beach weddings relatively small and intimate to give you the option to stay for a bit longer and you can have your wedding and honeymoon all rolled into one! Just make sure you send your Save The Dates out early so people have time to plan.

They are also perfect if you don’t want any guests at all. Many of my real brides opted for elopement weddings, a little romantic get away for just the two of you. There are some stunning elopement and small wedding venues here in Cornwall which also offer boutique accommodation for a truly romantic runaway wedding.

Dream Dresses for Beach Weddings

The bride’s dress should reflect the beach wedding’s relaxed and casual atmosphere. Lightweight and flowing fabrics like chiffon or tulle create a stunning beachy effect. Beach Weddings also lend themselves perfectly to an effortless boho look. Mos importantly a beach wedding dress should be relaxed and super easy to wear, especially if you're splashing in the sea or playing games on the sand.

For your accessories, an effortless ‘just pulled together’ look is amazing for a day on the beach. Accessories that work well can include a delicate headpiece, bohemian-styled jewelry, and a bouquet made of loosely arranged tropical flowers and greens.

Think a relaxed up do or a twisting hair vine with shell hair pins. Or go for the wavy beach hair look. If your ceremony is actually on the beach, a short and simple veil that won't trail in the sand is a good idea. Or skip the veil altogether. Regarding shoes, keep it comfortable and ditch the high heels, they are not the most practical shoes to wear on a sandy beach! Sandals, glamorous flip flops or even barefoot is the way to go. To be honest most of my brides ditched their shoes soon after the ceremony and ended up barefoot the rest of the day. Also tell your guests as sometimes people don’t plan their outfit accordingly.

For the guys, think relaxed linen suits or even just linen trousers or shorts with casual short sleeve shirts. It can be quite hot when it’s a sunny day, so avoid thick tweed suits etc. , the linen or any light fabrics will keep you cool in the summer breeze.

Tell your guests to keep it casual too and to bring sunscreen, hats and comfortable shoes with them

Sea inspired Decor

Another bonus of beach weddings is that your surroundings are so beautiful, you won’t need much decor. A colour theme incorporating the whites and blues of the scenery is lovely and add some loosely arranged local Cornish plants or integrate some tropical flowers and greens. You can so easily create your own DIY beach-themed wedding decor, such as driftwood centerpieces, conch-shell candle holders, and starfish garlands and sprinkle some shells on the tables.

Beach themed Cake

No wedding reception is complete without a cake, and for a beach wedding, the cake should reflect the seaside setting. Opt for a beach-themed cake, such seashells or or beach themed cake topping. You can even customize it to fit your colour palette.

Beach Games

Entertain your guests with beach games, like a game of Rounders, Giant Jenga, Limbo dancing, Pétanque…and think about the little ones, get some buckets and spates, so they can build sand castles.

Choose the right Photographer

When searching for a photographer, it’s crucial to find one who has a candid, natural style and experience in shooting beach weddings. Look through their portfolio and be sure to inquire about their experience with relaxed style weddings. This will give you confidence in their ability to capture your special day in the best possible light.

With your couple portraits, have fun with it and be playful! Walk hand-in-hand along the shoreline, take a dip in the ocean, or include a candid moment with your guests. Whatever you choose, your pictures will be sure to bring a smile to your face each time you look at them.

If you hate your photo taken, which most of my couples do to be honest. Consider adding an engagement shoot to your wedding photography package. This way you can get comfortable with your photographer and practice ahead of your big day. This will also help you get to know your photographer better and develop a relationship and trust, which can help you feel more at ease on the day of your wedding. Plus you get some extra shots you can use as invitations or integrate in your decoration.

If you would like to get some more inspiration from a Boho DIY details wedding at Pohawnfort, please visit RockMyWedding to view a feature of Katie & Alex beautiful relaxed day there, also featured on my blog

And if you are planning a coastal wedding any time soon, please don’t hesitate to contact me for availability. I get booked up very fast for the summer months, so be quick!

Best of 2024 - some of my favourite moments

Finally! Here it is, some of my favourite moments of 2024! It is a bit of a funny one for me, capturing love everywhere and losing my own long term relationship at the start of the year. But hey, I’m staying positive and looking ahead excited what the future will bring…

I want to take this as an opportunity to thank all my amazing couples to put their trust in me to capture one of their most important days in their life, I truly feel honoured to have the privilege. And to all the suppliers I worked with this year, we have such a great community in the Southwest, what a beautiful industry to work in. Thanks for your support! I can’t wait what 2025 brings, some well known places and also exciting new ones on the list so far And to all my 2025 couples, I can’t wait to meet you soon!

If you’re still looking for a wedding photographer for 2024, I have a couple of spaces left. 2026 is filling up super fast, so please don’t hesitate to reserve your favourite suppliers and contact me for availability.

Eden Project Cornwall Wedding Photography // Ash & David

It’s always a pleasure to photograph a wedding at the Eden Project, a feast for the eyes and inspiration. And even better if it’s such a lovely couple like Ash and David. I met Ash early afternoon just down the road for some bridal preparation photos. How amazing is her bespoke sparkly dress by Hen House Brides, and it’s blue! I love to see something fresh when it comes to weddings and I have a special weakness for non white wedding dresses…

Ash and David tied the knot in the Mediterranean Biome on the 13th of May in beautiful golden afternoon light. They had a registry office ceremony before the ‘big day’, so one of their close friends could hold a much more personal ceremony at the Eden. It was fantastic! You would have thought it was his job, so special, so personal, so emotional, one of the best ceremonies I have ever witnessed!

After the ceremony we made the most out of the location and had a wander around the Mediterranean and Tropical Biomes. The photo opportunities are plenty and I had to force myself to stop as it was time for dinner and speeches. I got spoilt with a 3 course meal and it was one of the best I had in ages, so delicious. The Eden Project is definitely in my top 5 list for food!

There was plenty of laughter and tears during the groom’s and bride’s speech and the warm sunset light added a great Mediterranean flair.

Sadly Ash and David didn’t opt for a cake or first dance…I love a first dance, but their friend’s made good for it with some great moves.

I’m not very good with words and writing so I let the images so tell the story…I hope you this little preview of an epic day

Venue: Eden Project // Date: // Bespoke Dress: Hen House Brides // Suit: Fox in the House // Flowers: Floral Creations Cornwall // Makeup: Sally Orchard

Festival Tipi Wedding in Cornwall // Catherin & Marcus

Let’s just get one thing straight here, it does not matter what I write about this day, I simply will not do justice to how magnificently brilliant Catherin and Marcus’ wedding was…A true gem to share with you today, Catherin and Marcus’ festival style tipi wedding in Cornwall…

So I met Catherin and Marcus at his parent’s beautiful house in Trewoon to have a chat abut their big day. Straight away I thought what an amazingly wonderful pair! They have been together since 2006, so a true romance which was meant to be… theur true bond could be felt immediately. We had a walk around the beautiful grounds and a chat about their day, which was planned to be a chilled day of celebrations with friends and family, super informal, but mixed with great banter, dancing and entertainment, a festival style wedding in a tipi which sounded right up my street!!!

And it was, in fact it was more than that, it far exceeded the high hopes I already had when I drove to Trewoon on the morning of the wedding. The sun was out, the guys already opened their first beers, the gils had a right laugh getting ready…the ceremony was held in St Mewan Church just down the road. And it wasn’t just a wedding, it was also the christening of Freddie, Catherin and Marcus’ adorable son.

The reception was epic! Sunshine, laughter, lots of alcohol, fire pits, an old Jaguar, great food, great people, great music and good vibes. Oh and did I mention the entertainment would be by Marcus himself who happens to be a super talented singer/ songwriter…I surely couldn’t help myself singing along amongst the dancing crowd. So good! I’m sure I missed something…if I am, it’s all documented in the preview below, just go see…

Reception Venue: Private with thecornishtentcompany // Ceremony Venue: St Mewan Church // Date: 28.05. 2022 // Makeup: Georgina Markham MUA // Hair: RI Styles Hairdressing // Flowers: Annas Flower Barn // Dress: Elaine Rawlings // Suits: Moss Bros. // Bridesmaid Dresses: Silkfred // Food: Big Pan Parties // Bar: The Fizzy Pheasant // Video: Hushabyefilms

Cornwall Wedding Photographer The Green // Eleisha & Luke

Oh how I loved the styling of Eleisha and Luke’s wedding at The Green in Cornwall. A touch of Boho is just up my street. The stunning flower arch, hat and deco was created by the talented Gemma from Dried Designs. I loved the earthy colour scheme running through the decorations, it suited the rustic venue very well.

The ceremony was held in the wedding barn and for the rest of the day most guests were mingling outside as it was a gorgeous sunny may day. Everything about this wedding was epic, talking great styling, emotional moments, funny moments, blue skies, smoke bombs, great music, a gorgeous wedding couple, a great bunch of wedding guests and a sparkler exit to finish it all off. So many great memories to capture and an honour to be a part of. Thanks again for having me Eleisha and Luke. I’m super excited to show you a little preview here…

If you like what you see and are planning a wedding at The Green or anywhere else in Cornwall or Devon, please don’t hesitate to contact me for further information and availability. I get booked up pretty early and 2023 is looking really busy already, so get your enquiries in early to avoid any disappointment.

Venue: The Green Weddings in Cornwall // Date: 15.05.2022 // Hair: Brigitte Fisher // Makeup: Emma Roberts MUA // Flowers: Gemma Dried Designs // Cake: The Sugar Studio Cornwall // Dress: Kiva and Zen Bridal // Suits: Moss Bros // Band: Breakfast For Two // Videography: Andy Union Video

Cornwall Wedding Photographer at Knightor Winery // Lauren & Joe

Lauren and Joe tied the knot at Knightor Winery early October. I met the bridal party late morning for the getting ready shots in the old manor house. Lauren’s mum and dad told me they had a surprise for Lauren: her dad had a new tattoo on his arm just for his daughter’s special day. Lauren didn’t have an idea and it was a huge surprise, so special!

And Lauren’s little daughter Avda couldn’t hold back her tears when she saw her mum in her wedding dress the very first time…her words: ’ you loo so beautiful, mummy! ‘ Awwwwwww!

Such an emotional morning full of excitement and joy.

The ceremony was held in the barn and straight after we ventured out in the autumnal grounds for some photos. I love this time of year, the autumnal colours and light, it’s just so great for photos!

The party was in full swing when I left… such a good day to be a part of!

Sorry it took so long for the preview, I’m finally

Venue: Knightor Winery // Date: 11.10.2021

Wedding Photography in St Ives Cornwall // Dan & Reva

Dan & Reva’s wedding at Porthgwidden Beach in St Ives was another interesting ‘Covid Wedding’. They were originally planning for the whole day at Porthgwidden Cafe , a stunning location on a small picturesque beach in the heart of St Ives.

However the cafe had to close it’s doors because a member of the staff tested positive. Just a week before their wedding everything seems to fall apart. Gladly the lovely owner of Porthgwidden Cafe found a back up plan last minute. She is friends with the management of the St Ives Brewhouse and they offered to move the reception there. So the plan was to still have the ceremony at the beach cafe and then move to the St Ives Brewhouse for the evening, ca 15 minutes walk away on top of the hill with stunning views over St Ives. A great backup plan and everything ran smoothly. It shows yet again that if you stay relaxed and flexible about your wedding day everything will just work out fine…

It was an epic day in St Ives and I had so much fun photographing it. Dan and Reva are such a gorgeous, humble couple, a pleasure to work with, even more so as they are both highly creative and really understand photography, which helps me to get the results I hope for, well it also helps when you have just the right mix: a gorgeous couple, a stunning location (or two), great people to celebrate with and a dedicated team of suppliers.

Dan and Reva, thanks again for letting me be a part of your epic day, it couldn’t have worked out any better! Here is a little taster for you…

VENUE: Porthgwidden Cafe (ceremony) & St Ives Brewhouse (reception) // MAKEUP: Reva // HAIR: Reva’s aunt Amanda // DRESS: Laura May Bridal Cardiff // FLOWERS: Wheal Sara Flowers // SUIT: Moss Brothers

Top wedding tips for 2021

The global Covid pandemic has meant that 2021 started out as anything but a normal year. However, many people are still hoping to get married before 2022 begins. As Britain prepares to emerge from Covid restrictions and rules and regulations about holding events change, here are our top tips for wedding planning during the strangest of years.

Keep informed

As we have all found out over recent months, the Covid situation is constantly changing and so are rules regarding how events, such as weddings, can be held. Hopefully, the second half of the year will see all restrictions lifted, but it will still be necessary to keep abreast of the current conditions or the foreseeable future. Major news outlets such as the BBC are always a good source of information, or keep up with the latest government coronavirus advice and information online.

Stay flexible

Due to the unprecedented times we continue to live in, flexibility is key to so many things. It can be very difficult to maintain high levels of flexibility when it comes to planning large events, but it can be helpful to try to avoid being too rigid with your plans wherever possible. That might well mean celebrating what you can have on your wedding day, rather than focussing on things you might be missing out on. This can really help to adapt your mindset to suit the current climate, too. 

Celebrate simplicity

In a year when a simple hug would be considered by many to be more valuable than diamonds, it is more important than ever to celebrate the simple things in life. This may not be the easiest year for holding or arranging extravagant events, but there has never been a greater time to appreciate and celebrate life itself. What better way to do this than to focus on the value of true love and the optimism that a wedding can create? There is no doubt there has been lots of disappointment over the past year, with many couples unable to hold the weddings of their dreams. However, there has also been lots of cause to put things into perspective and look forward to a more positive future. You can simply enjoy spending time with the people you love most in the world and accept that however that happens is just fine for now.

Make memories

There is unlikely to be another year in your lifetime that resembles 2021. Add a marriage to this, and it’s easy to see why it is more important than ever to make memories and record them this year. Even if you can’t have every person you want there for your big day, make sure you have a great record of one of the most momentous occasions of your life. People will be talking about Covid for many years to come, and you will never forget your wedding day. Combining the two and having a permanent record of events, whether in the form of photographs, videos, or both, is the best investment you could make.