A Winter Wonderland Wedding at Southend Barns
April 10, 2014
In February 2014 I returned to the stunning family-run venue of Southend Barns in all it's wintery glory, excited to shoot the wedding of Sarah and Jay. I particularly love these exquisitely presented barns for their notable charm and rustic quality which never fail to provide me with a variety of beautiful backdrops for my photography. On this bright and sunny morning, the crisp blue sky perfectly framed the turrets to the the venue's entrance, setting the scene ready for the grand arrival of the special couple.
My first port of call was with Jay and the groomsmen. To sum up my time with the guys I felt it would only be true to reality if I captured the multiple goings on, in one house, at one moment in time! Whilst the haste and slight chaos was so much fun to capture, I also like that the details such as the clock remind us that this was a real time moment. Even the ornamental heart hanging above the door adds another unplanned but significant message to this picture.
And from chaos to calm. And from calm to quirky!
There are very tangible elements at Southend Barns which lend themselves to capturing the essence of winter. Ideal for humble and laid back gatherings inside, the warm aged oak beams, soft stone flooring and glow of candle light create a soft and romantic setting. In contrast, the cold flint stone of the outer walls along with the grey slate pathways and bundles of firewood just create a wintery yet homely ambience. I wanted to make the most of capturing these contrasting raw and natural details in the photography for this wedding. Sarah's beautiful wedding shoes provided the perfect picture of refinement and class when combined with her delicate ivory fur wrap against the rustic stacked wooden logs, an unusual but wintery scene.
When I found Sarah getting ready, her hair had been done beautifully courtesy of Mark Lewis Spreadbury from Hair-Solutions and she was looking fresh and radiant. It was really touching to see Sarah's Mum standing proudly with her daughter whilst her Dad is captured, reflected in the mirror, coming in to see her in her dress for the first time.
After a happy and heartfelt ceremony I took the opportunity to utilise the warm glowy low light of the early setting winter sun. Once the guests had assembled it was a pleasure to see Sarah and Jay's new-found wedded bliss celebrated with the traditional throwing of confetti! I have found that always being prepared to adapt the often tight schedule on a wedding shoot, can often enable the best shots of the day to be caught. I took Sarah and Jay aside from their guests for a short time while the light was still soft and crisp to capture some romantic pictures of the two of them, just married, on cloud nine and full of smiles.
Sarah and Jay had an intimate reception and added their own very personal stamp of class and sparkle to their day. They showcased the winter theme beautifully with the glimmer of candle light from tall and elegant candelabras, and the flashes of crisp blue up-light looked striking against the attractive old beams of the barn. A delectable looking reception meal was served by Field and Fork who not only use fresh and local ingredients but also grow their own fruit and vegetables as much as possible. Sarah and Jay had chosen an appetising and varied menu to suit every taste and just like the venue and the couple's style, the food was homely and imaginative yet sophisticated.
I was pleased to be invited to photograph the evening celebrations as something that had really stood out to me about Sarah and Jay was their brilliant sense of fun, which I predicted would be shining through in their choice of entertainment. And I was right! Guests marvelled at the outstanding skill and ability of a world class professional contortionist, also a close friend of the couple. In addition to the lineup was Dawn's Vintage Do, a burlesque cabaret act brimming with bags of life and effervescent personality. The night was full of laughter and I'm sure will be one to be remembered by all for years to come.
As the day wound to a close the dreamy soft lighting outside the barn made for some magical pictures of the newly wedded couple. The use of a sparkler creating a heart to symbolise the love between Sarah and Jay was so fitting, as sparkle is what they both did throughout this beautiful wintery wedding day.
It was a real pleasure to be part of Sarah and Jay's special day and I wish them many years of sparkly, happy times together.
Kelly Hearn A.B.I.P.P - A.M.P.A