Debbie & Simon's sunny crisp winter wedding at The Green Cornwall

I'm always amazed how different the woodland by the Green looks throughout the year. It's one of my most visited venues and I love witnessing the change of season there, it always looks good on the photos! Debbie & Simon tied the knot there on the 24th of February on a sunny and crisp winter's day. In fact, the weather for their wedding day in Cornwall was the best it's been since a while down here! Lucky guys! They celebrated with just a small circle of friends and family and the day had a lovely relaxed and intimate feel to it. 

Their two lovely spaniels were given the task of 'Ring Security' for the day and they've done a great job. During the couple portraits they were chasing up and down the woodland truly enjoying themselves. Ok, maybe it would have been better if they wouldn't have jumped into the pond, probably the muddiest place on the grounds... Ah well at least it was after the ceremony! 

After the photoshoot, they were called into the Red Brick Barn to enjoy their wedding breakfast listening to the talented Kaj playing an acoustic set.

I was only booked for 2.5 hours, but captured a lovely collection of the day. Here is a small preview..

Venue: The Green Cornwall // Date: 24.02.18 // Flowers: The Flower Mill Cornwall // Hair: Traci Mortimer // Dress: David's Bridal // Cake: Dollybird Bakes // Food: The Green Catering // Music: Kaj Music 

Cornwall Engagement Photography at Holywell Bay // Becca + Mike

Becca and Mike wanted a bit of practise in front of the camera before the big day and what better way to have some relaxed engagement photos taken on the beach. So we ventured to Holywell Bay just after a brief meeting to go through the details of their wedding day. We were blessed with a beautiful sunny winter's day on the beach. I walk my dog a lot at Holywell Bay and I think its one of the most stunning beaches in Cornwall. No surprise they did quite a bit of filming there including the most recent Poldark. Becca and Mike soon relaxed in front of the camera and the engagement shoot felt like a casual walk on the beach.

If you are thinking of adding an engagement photoshoot to your wedding package or if you just want to get some natural portrait photos taken here in Cornwall, please contact me for further details

Here are just a few of my favourite shots from the day

Why to take your dog to your Wedding

We all adore our furry companions and it's not a surprise that many couples want to include their pets in their wedding day.

Anne & Simon took their beloved Cockerpoo to their hotel Tresanton Wedding...

Let's face it, there is nothing more adorable than a french terrier in a tux! And if dress ups are not your thing, there are so many cute decoartive items you can buy. I've even seen custom made wedding collars or special flower arrangements to be fitted on lead and collar. Make sure you check with your florist though as some flowers are poisonous for dogs. Also any other dress up items should fit perfectly and not cause any discomfort, and ensure that any accessories like bow ties don't come loose and pose a choking hazard to your pet.

ask your florist to add a flower piece for your dog's collar..

matching outfits anyone?

If you're planning to include your dog, there are a few more precautions you need to take to keep your pet safe and happy during the day.

Consider your pet's personality, he can simply be a guest of honour or you can give them a specific role like ring bearer, flower girl or page boy. I photographed a wedding in St ives last year, where George the french bull terrier was the ring bearer of the day and they created a great short film to be shown at the ceremony. I hardly ever seen so many people laughing at a ceremony! The story was the following: It turns out that the best man forgot the rings at the ceremony! So he calls George to save the wedding day. George, lazy as he is, still in bed, gets the wake up call and has to chase through St Ives to get to the venue in time with the rings.. The film was not just funny and a great contribution to the ceremony, but also showed off the surrounding area and St Ives beaches beautifully. George became famous after the wedding as the film went viral on youtube with over 55000 views!

Here is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXQdKTLPSK8

George the french bull terrier and faithful ring bearer during the ceremony at St Ives Harbour Hotel

But before you give your pet a starring role, think about if this will be an enjoyable experience for him. Even a most friendly and well behaved dog could be overwhelmed by a crowd of guests, so it's reasonable to organise a pet sitter. You can hire them or choose one of your friends who is familiar with your dog. It is just one thing less to worry about.

Make sure you include your pooch in some of the couple portraits. It's usually a great time of day where they can stretch their legs and come along with us for the photoshoot. I love getting them involved, they make some great shots!

At the reception you could include photos of your dog in the decoration, or make wedding favours in tribute to your pooch. I've also seen couples collecting and donating money to animal charities like the greyhound trust, which is a nice gesture and serves a good cause.

some table decoration ideas including your pooch..

With a lot to tick off your 'to do' list, it's easy to forget this simple-yet important step, check with the venue if your pet is allowed. You don't want to show up on the day with your four legged ring bearer in tow only to be told he needs to stay off the property!  

And if you manage to take your furry friend to your big day, what's better than a fresh air dog walk in a beautiful setting to cure the hangover the day after..

doesn't he look pleased to take part at his owner's ceremony at The Green Cornwall Wedding & Events?

Melodie enjoying the day with her pooch at Polhawnfort

A tender moment flowergirl and wedding dog, just adorable…

Becky and Alex enjoying a stroll on Lusty Glaze beach just by themselves with their adorable German Shepperd …

Dog friendly wedding venues in Cornwall:

The Green Cornwall

Lowerbarns

Polhawnfort

Trevenna

Polpier

St Ives Harbour Hotel

Bedruthan Steps Hotel 

Lusty Glaze Weddings 

Knightor Winery

Ellen & Jack's Rustic Farm Wedding at Pengenna Manor & Gelly's Farm

Ellen and Jack got hitched on a beautiful summery day at Pengenna Manor. This 800 year old family home is tucked away in a quiet, secluded valley just three miles inland from the North Cornish coast. The over 300 acres of beautiful Cornish countryside offer great photo opportunities and playground for your outdoor wedding. 

Ellen and Jack were blessed with warm weather and blue skies and could fulfil their dream of an outdoor wedding. The ceremony was followed by Pimm's and Cream Tea, homemade by grandma. 

The reception was held in a farm barn at Stephen Gelly Farm near Lanhydrock, owned by a family friend. They had a lot of work pimping up the reception venue as I heard a few days earlier the barn was still a cowshed! Very impressive what can be achieved with the help of a few friends and family. Ellen and Jack's transport of choice was a beautiful classic Morgan. The decorations were kept in a fitting rustic DIY style. Ellen handmade all the save the dates, invites and wedding favours/name tags, designed the tables and her mum made all of the bunting and the back drop at the barn, and all of their friends and family helped to decorate. Another smaller barn served as help yourself bar with everything you could wish for from spirits, mixers, ales, wine, cider, craft beers and I even found some German beer!  

 It was a perfect relaxed day with some beautiful people, a wedding I will remember! 

Venue: Pengenna Manor // Date: 19.08.17 // Flowers: DIY // Hair & Makeup: Cornwall Hair and Mua // Dress: Amica Bridal Boutique-Plymouth // Cake: Made by Jack's sister, Bronnie Gibbons //Food: Paul Deakin/Trennick Farm Hog Roasts // Music: Swingololgy // Videographer: Sean White Wedding Films

Best of 2017 Collection

OMG it was a tough decision to make the cut, so many beautiful weddings and moments captured in 2017! So I would like to present you a rather large collection of the best shots from last year. It was a busy year and I have witnessed some beautiful people tying the knot in some incredible places in the south west and further afield. 

Some of you braved the elements just to get some great photos, including torrential rain, thistle fields, dodging sheep poo, climbing up high cliffs and avoiding sparkler burns.. I have witnessed happy tears and raw emotion and of course lots and lots of alcoholic beverages which provided fuel for some wild parties and dancing! I can't tell you how fortunate I feel to have been able to document all your beautiful wedding stories, to meet so many lovely people and to make some new friends along the way.

I also had the opportunity to work with some great talented people in the UK wedding industry. Thanks for all your support, without you I wouldn't be where I am today.

Roll on 2018 for some more amazing adventures! 

Lorna & Chris' Autumn Wedding at The Green Weddings in Cornwall

It's the day I will always remember when it comes to rainy weddings in cornwall.. I was really worried it would rain all day for Chris and Lorna's wedding, but we must have been in a 'magic pocket' as it stopped 9well just drizzled) for a few hours just when we left the church after the ceremony to head to The Green, Weddings in Cornwall for the reception and photos.. Lorna wanted some shots with the Minions in the background as that's where she went quite often in her childhood. Lorna grew up not far from the venue near the moors and the back fields have stunning views to her childhood playgrounds.. And how beautiful is Lorna's father's vintage bristolcar all polished up as a stylish classic wedding car!

Venue: The Green Cornwall and St Sampson's Church, South Hill // Date: 16.09.17 // Flowers: Escential Blooms // Hair & Makeup: Posh & Cosy // Dress: White Orchid Bridal // Suit: Hawkes Bespoke Outfitters // Cake: Marks & Spencer // Music: Stone Roots

Family Portrait Photography at Trevone Beach in Cornwall

I was quite excited when I received a call from Martyn's sister a few months ago that she wanted to surprise Martyn and Katie with a family portrait photoshoot for his birthday present.  I shot Katie and Martyn's wedding back in 2014, they are such a lovely couple and it's nice to hear that they are a family now. Their little son Harvey is a bundle of fun! Nice to see a couple again after a few years and have the opportunity to photograph them again, this time with their whole family including 'Buddy' the little terrier who I already met a few years back..We went on their local beach Trevone on the north cornish coast..here are a few shots from the day..

But if you can’t wait and have a trip to the beach planned anytime soon with your own camera and want some tips about beach photography, Pixpa.com have written an in depth article to improve your beach portrait photography skills to get better family snaps.

  https://www.pixpa.com/blog/beach-photography-tips

A Family Portrait on Crantock Beach, Cornwall

Becky and Anthony are getting married next may at the Green in Cornwall. They booked a package with an engagement shoot included. When we had the pre-wedding meeting they asked me to capture some natural family portraits on the beach instead. We've chosen Crantock Beach in Cornwall as it was close by and it's one of the most picturesque cornish beaches in this area. 

Taking children's portraits is always fun especially when they just 'do their thing' and which place is better than the beach!  We're blessed to have such beautiful locations on our doorstep! Here are just a few from our day out at Crantock..

Yes, I'm a finalist in the Southwest Wedding Awards!

I’m pretty chuffed to hear I made it to the finals! Thanks for all your support from recent newly weds in 2016 and 2017 I had the privilege to photograph in all these stunning locations in Cornwall and the rest of Southwest UK.  Without you this wouldn't have been possible. 

Dan & Sally's Rainy Late Autumn Wedding in Cornwall, Cosawes Barton

It rained all day for Dan and Sally's late autumn wedding but they didn't care! The best way to be and wow, what a fabulous day it was full of fun and style. It was my first visit to Cosawes Barton and I must say I fell in love with this venue straight away. Set in 17 acres of Cornish woodland and fields this beautiful historic 17th century estate is a pleasure for the eye and offers endless photo opportunities. Shame about the rain, but we still managed to get out there and get some beautiful couple photos, I'm so pleased Dan and Sally are such a relaxed couple and enjoyed putting their wellies on for the photoshoot.

For the reception entrance, Dan pushed Sally on a wheelbarrow, great fun! I also loved the gin theme going on, the tables were all named after different gins and there was a Gin Mix Bar of course, 'let the celebrations be Gin!' Being a gin lover myself, this really scored some extra points! The main bar was a sailing boat, not just an ordinary sailing boat, but Dan's childhood boat on which he learned to sail. Another lovely personal touch were the framed images in the woodland telling Dan and sally's love story.  They really planned this for a while and most of the decoration was DIY. The cake wasn't your ordinary wedding cake, it was gluten free chocolate brownies covered in strawberries and cream, hence it wasn't your ordinary 'cut the cake' image, which I loved, and did i mention it made your mouth water just looking at the mountain of goodness! 

The highlight of the day was Sally's dad's surprise: he ordered some royal marine drummers just after the first dance! It was spectacular and Sally almost couldn't hold back her tears.

Everything about this wedding was just beautiful, a great example that you can have a blast on your wedding day in Cornwall inspite of the rain!

Venue: Cosawes Barton // Date: 07.10.17 // Flowers: Ruby Alice Designs // Hair & Makeup: TBC // Dress: The Bridal House of Cornwall // Cake: DIY // Event Planner: Jenny Wren Weddings and Events