This wedding was something really special. You could say it was a festival style wedding, but it was so, so much more than that. Whenever I talk about it, I always say, 'it was amazing! They had the reception in a glasshouse!' and you'd be forgiven for thinking that was it, that was the thing that made it amazing because, hello, wedding in a giant greenhouse?! YES. But then there's the 1920s fairground carousel. And the forest behind the glasshouse. And the bouncy castle. And the vintage travelling performer's cabin. And the bike suspended over the bar. And Morris Minor. And... you get the idea; I could go on. It was full of just non-stop wonder and I was in my element; I never wanted the day to end!
I came to do Andy and Amy's engagement shoot at the wedding location, which was the old nursery and land where Amy's parents lived, and I fell in love with it immediately. It made for a perfect shoot for the pair, who seemed very much at home (and well, Amy was!) in the countryside and woodland, and we kept things as relaxed as possible to suit them and the setting.
When I came back a few weeks later for the wedding, it had been transformed into a wonderland; the carousel and cabin were the first things you saw as you walked to the site, and then the huge glasshouse (we're talking massive, like could fit at least twice the 185-strong wedding in there), with Amy's parents' house on the right and a bouncy castle and kids area just behind. Beyond the glasshouse was an expanse of woodland, and on the other side fields, so it felt extremely private and vast at the same time. There was bunting everywhere and the glasshouse had been decorated with tonnes of colourful pom-poms and fairy lights so it all felt full of colour and fun, and everywhere you turned there were creative little details that had been meticulously crafted to bring the whole wedding style together.
Amy's bridesmaids wore gorgeous vintage-style Lindy Bop dresses and had pom-pom dahlia bouquets, which of course matched the paper pom-poms in the glasshouse! Amy herself wore a Candy Anthony tea length polka dot dress which she got second hand on Preloved to continue with the 1950s vibe and teamed it with the cutest mustard yellow t-bar shoes.
After the beautiful church ceremony, the day was very much a fun and chilled out affair; kids in their corner on the bouncy castle or having their faces painted, guests indulging in the incredible hot canapés and riding on the carousel in the sun, while Amy and Andy and I explored through the forest again to get some beautiful couple shots.
The day flew by like an absolute whirlwind; it was a big wedding and I don't think I stopped for more than the 15 minutes I sat down to eat the gorgeous picnic food with all the guests, but my goodness was it fun. I think the photos do a much better job of explaining just how fabulous it was, so feast your eyes on this beauty...
JNP x