Wedding at Slaters Country Inn
I first met Emily & Ben at the wedding of Stacey & Paul back in 2016 when Ben was best man and Emily was a bridesmaid, so when they got in touch to ask me to photograph their wedding at Slaters Country Inn I already knew that my style worked really well with their personalities. Emily & Ben are fun-loving, absolutely crazy about each other and always up for a laugh – a combination that promised an absolutely stonking wedding and reception. Theirs was the third wedding at Slaters Country Inn of the crazy wedding season and as such, I was really looking forward to it. Awesome couple, awesome venue and awesome wedding team, what’s not to love!
To be honest, I’m not entirely sure I need to write too much about this wedding – they say a picture says a thousand words and some of the photos I captured on their wedding day are absolutely priceless. The morning was a fairly relaxed affair with plenty of laughs and giggles – lots of hair being done (I’ve never seen so much wavy hair once the girls took their plaits out!) and lots of cute Mummy and daughter pictures! Now normally, when it’s time for the bride to get into her dress I make a strategic exit and return when those fiddly buttons need doing up (to capture the Mother of the Bride doing them up, not offer my services you understand!) However Emily was more than happy for me to stay in the room (even, if by the look on her face, her mother wasn’t so sure!) and the series of shots I got as Emily got into the dress are absolutely awesome. Although having said that, I still think my favourite photo of that section is the look on her Dad’s face when she’s completely ready – not sure a man could be more full of pride than Emily’s dad right then!
Holding a wedding at Slaters Country Inn offers guests a really good view of the ceremony the way the room is set up, which for Emily and Ben’s wedding meant that they could all see the gorgeous littlest bridesmaid being in charge of providing the rings – just too cute! Following the emotional service it was time for some awesome confetti action – the weather gods were really smiling on Emily & Ben for their wedding it was glorious (….at that moment anyway!) With drinks and nibbles been handed around it was an opportunity for some group shots and couple portraits in the lovely courtyard at Slaters. It was soon time for the wedding breakfast and the food and as ever at a wedding at Slaters Country Inn, was amazing! Following that it was time for funny and emotional speeches from Emily’s dad, Ben and his best man, Paul (returning the favour from last year!). Whilst the wedding breakfast had been taking place the weather gods had obviously had enough, making a quick bounce on the bouncy castle (great idea by the way!) a rather wet affair – not that it appeared to put the children off too much. As their guests were chilling out after the wedding breakfast, Ben used the opportunity to present Emily with his wedding present…no I’m not talking about ‘that’ photo (please look away now if you are easily offended!) but a personalised number plate, now that Emily was officially Mrs Smart!
I then got the chance to steal the newlyweds away from their guests for half an hour or so to take some absolutely amazing couple shots in the local area. Emily & Ben are so incredibly photogenic (it’s sickening really!) and they had both worked really hard to look at their absolute best for their wedding day. In addition they were literally up for anything, and always, always smiling, cuddling and just being sooo into each other and in love, they really were a photographer’s dream! They were so unbelievably smitten with each other you would have thought they were still in the early throes of their romance rather than having been together for ages. Again, sickening!!! 🙂
After one of the most fun and hilarious couple shoots I’ve done in a while, it was time to head back to Slaters Country Inn for cake cutting and first dance duties. People always ask me if I look forward to the first dance as it means that I’m nearly off duty but truth be told, I absolutely love what I do and it’s a testament to my couples that I always feel like I don’t want the night to end! Emily & Ben’s wedding was an absolutely epic day for a pair who are quite clearly made for each other. Their wedding day was full of laughter, warmth and love, and I feel very honoured to have been allowed to be part of it. Congratulations Mr & Mrs Smart, hope you have many happy memories of the day and are busy making many more!!
1 Comment
Gareth, the photographs are beautifully creative & capture the spirit of
Emily & Bens Wedding day perfectly.
It’s obvious that you are passionate about your work & this shines through in your photography.