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I Belong To You, You Belong To Me

November 23, 2016

Abi & Rob's Southend Barns Summer Wedding

Abi and Rob had a standout wedding for so many reasons I barely know where to start! Their natural and effortless style brought a happy and relaxed vibe to the day from the get go, and the unavoidable romance between the couple made for a genuine and heartfelt celebration; it truly was a pleasure to photograph. With family close at their sides, you could see that these two were upheld with love and belonging, deeply connected to those around them. What gave their day even more prominence was the invitingly warm weather, clear summer skies and stunning backdrops which showcased beautifully the love that was marked within the rustic setting of Southend Barns that warm August day. 

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Abi was a familiar face to me as I had previously been lucky enough to shoot her sister Gemma's wedding a couple of years back in August 2014. It was a lovely mini reunion and seeing how the roles had now reversed with Gemma now as bridesmaid to Abi the bride, I realised what a special moment this was for the sisters to be sharing a couple of years down the line.  Abi wore a very pretty and unique vintage style dress with a long train, V-shaped front and back with a slash-neck lace overlay, cap sleeves and finished with a neat waistband. She looked stunning as she photographed very naturally with her dainty bouquet of pale pinks, peaches and whites created by Nursery Fresh. Abi's bridesmaids wore gorgeous pale mint knee-length dresses, sleeveless but also in slash-neck style with little waistbands which tied in perfectly with the bride's choice of gown, making for a very complimentary overall look.

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In the Dairy Barn ceremony room I popped over to photograph Rob before the guests (and the nerves!) started to trickle in. I soon learnt of some very romantic stories which would earn any man brownie points with his lady! Apparently since being together Rob has very regularly bought Abi flowers to mark their time together. Not only that, but all these flowers have been cherished and saved and the petals from them all collected for the very day of the wedding with the intention to decorate the aisle and throw out as confetti! How romantic is that?!

Anyway, back to reality!….Bang on trend in his navy blue three-piece and smart brown brogues, Rob had scrubbed up well. Considering I had started to learn of this very soft romantic side I thought he managed to effectively bring some strong masculinity to the shots as he stood with his groomsmen in the whitewashed ceremony room surrounded by, (you've guessed it), hundreds of rose petals! 

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It wasn't long before the benches were filled with guests and the doors flung open, to welcome the beautiful bride silhouetted in the bright daylight, being escorted down the aisle by her loving father. The anticipation and emotion was written all over Rob's face and Abi's Dad beamed with joy as he proudly gave his daughter away! 

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The ceremony was definitely a family affair very much honouring to the couple's parents as Abi's Mum and Rob's Dad gladly joined them at the front to act as their witnesses. Meanwhile Abi's father and sister Gemma looked on delighted from the 'pews' as vows and rings were exchanged. Soon the relationship's-worth of petals were flying overhead as the new Mr and Mrs Nash set foot out into the bright blue-sky day ready to greet their guests.

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Out on the lawns there was lots of time for drinks, catching up and those all-important group pictures of friends and family so as never to forget who was there!

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The simple and beautiful styling of the wedding showed off Abi's creative eye for detail which became even more apparent when I saw some of the ideas and touches that had been laid out for the Reception. Working with the by-default barn theme, the table planner had it's own rustic charm consisting of a framed piece of chicken wire to which tables of guests were pegged. Table arrangements of pastel pink roses and delicate white gypsophila filled wooden crates with pretty hand-cut table numbers assigned to each one.

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Another really fun touch was the 'Champagne Station' which offered various bits and pieces for 'pimping' one's glass of bubbly!  The little silver spoons hand-stamped with 'love' were laid out for adding various flavours to the drinks along with fresh fruits and a little menu outlined some fabulous champagne cocktail ideas.

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Not only did guests enjoy extra special champers, but thanks to a very generous Abi and Rob they also benefitted from two wedding cakes! Outside on the lawns stood a table showcasing a very english cake suited to those with more of a sweet tooth - three tiers of 'semi-naked' sponge, partially iced with each layer topped with fresh summer berries. Inside the reception venue was the savoury cake - a magnificent tower of cheeses, grapes, figs and chutney jellies. Both cakes were beautifully presented and looked absolutely delicious offering a real taste of decadence to any guest wishing to spoil themselves!

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After a wonderful reception, I was excited to take my couple to my awesome discovery a little stroll away from the barns for some pictures of just the two of them. I was aware that the gigantic haystack that I had clocked on a previous wedding was not going to be there for much longer so I dragged Abi and Rob out to the fields where they found it slightly amusing when they saw what I had brought them to! I was so pleased to make the most of this fleeting backdrop, which sadly now is no longer. This was one of those now-or-never moments! The sun going down created the perfect warm marshmallowy light and the scene couldn't have got much more romantic, when all of a sudden it did! As if in a movie, a couple of deer appeared in the field behind Abi and Rob and wandered into the shot. It was amazing, it couldn't have been any more magical!

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After recovering from the wonder of nature in all it's glory, it was time to get back and welcome in the evening party! The couple took to the floor for their first dance to the folky sounds of The Lumineers' Ho Hey. Wedding band Riser ensured all the guests stayed in the party mood the rest of the night, finishing a very special day on a very high note. 

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Abi and Rob it was a real joy to photograph you, along with your family and friends, enjoying such a happy day together and was so genuinely touching seeing the love you have for each other. Thank you for asking me back to capture another very important family occasion. And by the way, it's really clear that you really do belong together.

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Nash!

Love Kelly x

Kelly Hearn A.B.I.P.P - A.M.P.A