Beautiful Walls
July 10, 2019
Alice & Chris' Spring Wedding
Alice and Chris brought youthful vision and creativity to a wedding bursting with historic charm and tradition. The couple chose to marry at St Mary’s Church which sits within the grounds of Portchester Castle, deemed to be possibly one of the most stunning wedding venues in Hampshire.
The romantic mint and peach colour theme brought a fresh on-trend feel to the day, complimenting the breathtaking backdrops of bold coloured stained glass windows, ancient stone ruins and the pastel blue seascapes behind the old walls. Alice and Chris were inspired to engage with some modern photography by which to capture their big day, whilst also keeping a respectful sense of tradition through some classic wedding portraiture. Both styles blended perfectly to suit their personalities and helped showcase the importance of the varying elements throughout the day, whilst also highlighting all the gorgeous wedding details.
On the morning of the big day, groom Chris was getting ready at his parent’s house with the groomsmen. With Chris donning a peach tie and pocket square, the other guys wore contrasting mint ties to coordinate with the bridesmaid gowns and flower-girl dress. Sprucing up the formal wear, some understated yet fun Lego cufflinks were worn by all the party. The playful accessories were orange to coordinate with the hues of the peach theme and were a great idea for revealing a little bit of the ‘inner child’ of this manly group!
When it was time for me to go and photograph the bride, one of the first things I was soon to learn was that she was a lover of gerberas! Alice’s unique bouquet was designed by “I DO” Weddings of Hampshire and contained vibrant coral gerberas, ivory roses and sprigs of delicate minty green eucalyptus, which set the warm and romantic colour palette for the day. The colour-combo looked to be feminine and timeless and was perfectly selected to ensure the bridesmaids harmonised effortlessly with the look, in their springlike, elegant mint dresses.
Alice and her bridesmaids were getting ready together that morning, with hair being styled by Kerri Telford and make-up by Lucy Jean. They were enjoying a relaxed morning and feeling a little peckish (as you do of a busy wedding morning)! Thankfully a delightful lunch selection was on hand for the matching bridesmaids, who enjoyed munching on a sandwich whilst in their ‘getting-ready’ attire of obligatory floral robes!
Perhaps the most important member of the girl group present that morning was Isabelle, Alice’s daughter aged five, who was possibly also the most excited bridal party member! As she stood partially silhouetted against the window, a miniature bridesmaid in her matching robe, it was sweet to see her gaze up in wonder at her Mum’s stunning bridal gown. With her own mint flower-girl dress hanging up next to it, I expect Isabelle could only imagine how beautiful her Mum would be as a bride and also how happy she would feel to be wearing her own special outfit.
A couple of sarnies later and time seemed to be running away! Alice was soon being laced into her exquisite lace-covered dress, thanks to a helping hand from her attentive bridesmaids.
With Chris ready and waiting in the church, Alice soon arrived and made her descent down the aisle. With warm light streaming through the window up ahead, it was like nature illuminated the aisle, just in time for the bride's entrance!
At the signing of the register, it was heartwarming to watch both the bride and groom’s mothers joining them as their witnesses. Making the most of the stunning Grade I Listed church building, the colourful stained-glass window created an impressively vibrant backdrop.
Upon exiting the church, a 1935 Rolls Royce was parked up waiting outside the lynchgate for the newly-weds. This classic ivory wedding car provided by Lawnswood Limousines, was to take the couple in vintage style to their reception at the Marriott Hotel in Portsmouth. Before departing however, I wanted to explore the Portchester Castle grounds surrounding St Mary’s Church.
Originally built in the 3rd century, the Roman ‘Saxon Shore’ fort is a beautifully preserved tale of history. The castle ruins which lie to the north of the church provided a fantastic backdrop for our bridal party group photographs and offered an element of drama as moody clouds hovered overhead.
On the south side, Alice and Chris had fun creating some more contemporary compositions in the symmetrical archway, looking out to the expanse of sea.
Later, over at the Portsmouth Marriott, friends and family gathered together to enjoy a sophisticated wedding breakfast. With coral gerbera table flowers and pretty mint chair sashes, the room decor reflected the theme that had been so well considered from the start. Speeches ensured that whilst meaningful words were exchanged, also smiles and laughter abounded from every pocket of the room!
As guests went on to celebrate throughout the evening, I stole Alice and Chris away for a moment of serenity before heading back to their lively party. Stood in front of the geometric metallic panels of the modern hotel, the couple couldn't help but emanate romance and warmth, despite the bold lines and modern perspective of this image. This I thought, was symbolic of the lovely qualities they both brought to every part of the day.
Congratulations to Mr & Mrs Walls! I really enjoyed capturing your day and combining the variety of old and new to bring traditional together with the modern ideas. Your easy approach was just lovely to be around and your flexibility and ‘go-with-the-flow’ vibe has made for some great memories in pictures! I loved working with the large variety of fabulous walls that I actually encountered on your wedding day(!), and wish the Wall family the very best future together!
Love Kelly x
Kelly Hearn A.B.I.P.P - A.M.P.A