Country Charm at Southend Barns
January 21, 2016
Holly & Adam's Southend Barns Autumn Wedding
October 9th, a surprisingly sunny day with only a hint of anything remotely autumnal, was the date Adam and Holly decided to 'tie the knot' last year. When I first met the couple, they soon confessed that neither of them were particularly confident in front of a camera. With an October wedding you can never be sure what the weather might throw at you, so we decided to head to the beach in the middle of summer for their engagement shoot to make sure they had at least one sunny shot in their collection! We chose sunset for its warmth and romance and it proved a lovely setting firstly for the two of them to practice 'relaxing' in front of the lens, and also for me to get to know this young, trendy couple with good style and good humour. It made me really look forward to seeing how their wedding day would transpire.
The boys were in high spirits when I met them at a hotel in Chichester before the formalities began. Adam had two best men and another good friend who acted as Master of Ceremonies throughout, bringing a bit of personal humour to tie the day together. I had scouted out an industrial estate near the hotel which we took a stroll to, as the couple had wanted the groomsmen shots to have an edgier, more masculine vibe. The colour scheme for the day was a charming pale pink, accented with soft cream and gypsophilia. The groomsmen reflected this not only in their ties and shirts but with a bit of sneaky sock action too! Here they are chilling against the warehouse door and then cutting some serious shapes and showing off those excellent pink socks.
I then joined Holly in the Bridal Suite at Southend Barns in Donnington near Chichester. The barns are set in beautiful countryside on a working farm, full of rustic country charm which tied in to the little touches Adam and Holly had added to their day. Holly looked stunning, her makeup expertly done by the award winning team at ID and her hair in natural loose waves. I absolutely love this portrait of her beaming radiantly in anticipation of what is yet to come.
Holly was ready well on time which allowed us to explore the gorgeous high ceilinged room and get a bit creative with the space. Here she is on her very own pedestal, the beautiful beams and candles in the background, ready to face the music!
Holly's bouquet, designed by the team at Full Bloom, was a stylish blend of soft pink and cream roses. Here we used the room in a different way again capturing the natural sunlight streaming through the window to frame the flowers. Behind the calmness and serenity lies the 'outside world' where the Barns' two alpacas are found gently grazing.
Southend Barns name the different areas of their venue after what they used to be in their working farm days. The Bridal Suite is actually the 'Milking Parlour,' the ceremony barn being the 'Dairy Barn,' while the reception structure is a 200-year-old Threshing Barn. There is also a large outdoor space which incorporates a beautifully manicured lawn as well as sumptuous sofas covered with wonderful fur throws, really reminding us of the change of season for this October wedding. Here, I captured the calm before the storm with the cloudless autumn sky framing the majestically long Dairy Barn nestled peacefully against the lawn. A different perspective shows that 'butterflies-in-your-stomach' moment as Holly and her father make their way across the peaceful courtyard.
After the ceremony, Adam and Holly faced the confetti 'free-for-all' with laid-back laughter. The shorter autumn days meant that the sun was low, skimming across the couple giving a wonderful warmth to this more candid shot.
The party then took to the lawn and as a bit of a twist cut the cake right there and then. Here you can see the simple, elegant roses sweeping the length of the delicious looking cake, and the Threshing Barn behind. That delightful low sunlight is playing it's part again in the next shot; the soft sun delicately catching Holly's veil and creating long shadows on the lawn.
While the guests were mingling we took the time to take some outdoor group shots. Holly and Adam had a large Bridal party and I often feel when this is the case that it makes sense to split the 'special guests' up into smaller groups. I can then use this as a chance to show off the different characters of the guests involved and put some life and contrast into the group shots. We used the immaculate gardens to capture the adults looking stylishly cool, and the lawn to provide centre- stage for the children to get into character with this hilarious 'grossed-out' shot!
On meeting the mischievous flower girl and page boys, I noticed it wasn't just the groomsmen who were up for proudly displaying their pink socks. The next generation were embracing the trend too! The three cheeky page boys were definitely not shy in front of the camera, and provided me with this fun-filled shot.
Holly and Adam took some time out in the serene gardens for the next two images. This venue effortlessly provides not just the stunning barns, but hidden nooks and crannies for variety whilst remaining consistently full of country charm. The contrast of the manicured hedges and shrubs with the rustic log pile really does feel like we've sneaked up on these two in their country mansion! I couldn't resist showing off the dramatic lines in Holly's dress in the second shot, the striking deep V at the back and all that sweeping lace.
The next image is a contrast again, inside, looking relaxed and sophisticated before embarking on the evenings' adventures!
The whole party headed inside as the last of the winter sun flooded through the long windows of the Threshing Barn. Here the rustic country charm feel that the couple were going for really came into its own. On each table were cream jugs filled with flowers and a chalk board displaying the table number. The guests names were written on natural card, and the wedding favours were macaroons tied with rustic twine. Another lovely touch was the 'cookie bar;' an awesome selection of mouth-watering cookies in old fashioned jars for guests to help themselves to. The table plan was cunningly displayed on a stepladder, with chalkboards and card labels found again, this time surrounded by greenery and flowers; a delightful touch!
Adam and Holly decided to keep the pressure off and opt out of a first dance. Instead, a friend added a personal touch keeping guests entertained between courses with some gorgeous crooning, and the couple brought in high-energy party band 'The Deloreans' to kick off the evening's shenanigans and crank up the energy as darkness swept in.
That cloudless sky had turned a dark velvety blue by the time I headed outside to capture a final night shot of the lantern lit courtyard.
Adam and Holly, thank you for choosing me to be part of your sunny autumn wedding; may your marriage be as relaxed and charming as the 'big day' itself.
Love Kelly x
Kelly Hearn A.B.I.P.P - A.M.P.A