wedding photographer thornbury castle — Sarah Cameron Photography Blog

Janet and Steve’s Christmas wedding at Clearwell Castle

January 13, 2012 By sarahc View Comments

Just before Christmas and on a lovely crisp morning, I drove over the bridge and up to the Forest of Dean for the lovely Jan and Steve’s wedding. By the time I arrived, the air was heavy with snow and, in contrast to Bristol, it looked like there had been some already – very Christmassy!

Jan was upstairs getting ready with some of her girlfriends, who were all wearing tiaras from her hen do! The getting ready time before a wedding is always so special and particularly nice to share it with some girly friends and of course a glass of Champagne or two! Janet’s dress was a really stunning asymatrical gown with a gorgeous bow and she looked amazing in it. Her little flower girl Darcey also looked very cute in her little dress and she looked like she was enjoying playing with her fairy wand!

Downstairs, guests were enjoying a drink next to the crackling fire – very welcome at this time of year! Steve was checking the rings, getting sorted with his button hole and chatting to his sons Joe and Ru.

Everyone took their seats for the ceremony and little Darcey made her entrance followed by Jan. Both Jan and Steve looked very happy throughout the ceremony – particularly during one of Steve’s best mate Rick’s reading, which he said was his first forray into public speaking and had everyone laughing!

Afterwards, as it was getting dark quite quickly, we did some pictures outside – despite it being December there was a beautiful red rose in flower which looked lovely against the snow. We then came back in to enjoy the fire and the lovely atmosphere with the Christmas tree and all the decorations.

Here are a few of my favourite images:

Rani and James’ wedding in the Wye Valley

December 16, 2011 By sarahc View Comments

I haven’t been over the bridge for a wedding since earlier in the summer so I was looking forward to Rani and James’ wedding last weekend in the beautiful setting of Llandogo – just up the river from Tintern Abbey.

It was a crisp bright morning and looked almost like a Monet painting as I drove over to Lindors Country House, set up on the hill above Llandogo village and a really stunning setting for a wedding. I thought the house itself looked a bit like it was made out of gingerbread with the white edges to the roof!

Rani and bridesmaids Claudia and Amber were getting ready with Rani’s friend Kate. It was all go with hairdrying and make up and we were soon joined by Rani’s mum Elaine who decided to get back into bed after a while!

I then headed down to Llandogo to meet James and the boys. The light in the valley was just lovely and I was admiring the views when the bright red London bus Rani and James had organised for guests turned up to drop everyone off.

The vicar was great and pretty much let me shoot what I wanted to during the service which was so nice and made for some great shots. Afterwards everyone completely covered Rani and James in confetti and they headed off in a sports car to Lindors for some couple shots while their guests had a scenie bus trip. As the light faded we came inside and everyone enjoyed mulled wine and canapes before sitting down to dinner. Part way through the meal in a break between courses, I took Rani and James outside for some night time shots which I love doing as they are so atmospheric!

Here are some favourite images from their day:

Jo and David’s wedding at Hotel du Vin in Bristol

November 30, 2011 By sarahc View Comments

A couple of weeks ago I photographed Jo and David’s wedding at Hotel du Vin in Bristol (a great setting for a Winter wedding as it’s just so cosy!). When I arrived, Jo and her Mum Penny and Aunty Jo were getting ready in the Veuve Clicquot suite upstairs and there was, appropriately enough, a bottle of Champagne chilling ready for a pre-wedding drink to calm everyone’s nerves! Jo’s make up was done by a friend of mine – Clare from Pure Pampering (www.purepampering.co.uk) – so Jo was able to sit with her glass of bubbly and just relax!

Jo had chosen a short 1950′s inspired dress which looked amazing – I have not seen a dress quite like that before and it made me think that more brides ought to try shorter dresses – particularly in the Winter if you are going to be spending most of the day inside or are having a black tie dress code – very chic and much easier to move around and dance in!

Downstairs, David and Best Man Guy were chatting to guests in the ceremony room – which they had decorated really well with lot of candles and trailing plants. The ceremony was really intimate with such a nice number of guests and Jo’s friends Steph and Katy both did readings – including the one by Pam Ayers which I love.

Afterwards, as it was about to go dark, I took Jo and David off briefly for some couple shots just along from the hotel and we then headed back to their guests who were getting stuck in to the wine and canapes in the library.

Jo and David had their speeches before the meal and at one point Jo got really emotional after receiving a present from her beloved horse Manny who had ‘sent’ her a good luck shoe painted silver!

Here are some favourite images from their day:

Sam and Les’ wedding in Bath

November 22, 2011 By sarahc View Comments

Last friday I photographed Sam and Les’ wedding at Bailbrook House in Bath. It is such a nice wedding venue up on the hill above Bath and has lovely views across the valley. I got there a bit early to wander around the grounds and find which trees still had some leaves on them for Sam and Les’ couple shots – luckily there were quite a few and it was a mild, dry day which was great.

Upstairs, Sam was having her hair done with daughter Katherine – who decided to get back into bed after she had had her hair and make up done! The girls then shared that classic pre-wedding snack – chips and spicey potato wedges (well there’s nothing like carbs to calm a nervous stomach!).
Luckily for Sam, a close friend of hers is none other than silk wedding dress specialist Catherine Miller (http://www.silkspecialistcatherinemiller.co.uk/) so she arrived to help Sam into her dress.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Les was chatting to guests in the bar and looking quite relaxed. Everyone then sat down for the ceremony during which Isla, another of Sam’s close friends, did a lovely reading and Sam and Les seemd to really enjoy themselves!

Afterwards, guests enjoyed Champagne and we even managed to take their family photos and some shots of Sam and Les outside in the grounds – not bad for mid November!

Here are some pictures from their day:

Bristol Wedding Photographer – Abi and James’ wedding at Thornbury Castle

October 12, 2011 By sarahc View Comments

On Saturday I headed up to Thornbury Castle for Abi and James’ wedding. Abi was up in the King Henry VIII room (said to be where he used to stay with Anne Boleyn!) with bridesmaids Helen and Debbie all in matching white bathrooms and looking very zen! Hair and make up was well underway by friends of mine Chris (http://www.fhdmobile.co.uk) and Clare (http://www.purepampering.co.uk) and as I arrived Debbie even put the kettle on for a pot of tea – so a great start to the morning!

I then drove over to Olveston church which is only about 10 minutes from the castle to meet up with James and his best woman Siobhan and ushers Barry and Robert. It was quite a bright morning so guests were chatting outside and before long it was time for James to take his seat at the front of the church.

Abi arrived looking sensational in her beautiful 1940′s classic style 3/4 length gown – take note any brides to be who are thinking of a shorter dress – they do look amazing and are much easier to dance in!

During the ceremony Abi’s sister Helen did a reading and during the signing of the register the choir sang a lovely piece I didn’t recognise – it was really beautiful.

Outside, we took a few family pictures and then Abi and James got well and truely covered with confetti before they were waved off to the castle.

October is such a nice month to get married as the colours are so rich at this time of year. Thornbury as stunning plants over some of the walls of the castle and they were such a nice red that I decided to use them as a background to some of Abi and James’ couple photographs.

They then enjoyed Champagne and canapes in the drawing room with their guests while a harpist played, before sitting down to dinner in the Tudor Hall – which looked lovely dressed with berries and Autumn foliage. During the meal they had a mind reader come around to the tables. A fan of Derren Brown et all myself, I thought he was really fun and a great way to keep guests entertained.

Here are a few favourite images from their day:

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Bristol wedding photographer – Emily and Rob’s wedding at Ston Easton

September 23, 2011 By sarahc View Comments

On Saturday, I drove down the road to Ston Easton, a little village not far from me and home to a favourite venue of mine, Ston Easton Park.

Emily was having a wander around when I arrived, having just got back from the hairdressers so it was great timing to say hello and then head upstairs to have her make up done and get dressed. I love the lighting at Ston Easton, because the lovely big windows give just gorgeous soft light which is really nice for people pictures. Emily had her make up done in her parents’ room, meanwhile, bridesmaids Hayley and Becky were just along the corridor getting ready as well. Emily’s mum Theresa came very well prepared with a picnic and Becky cracked open the Bucks Fizz – so the celebrations were off to a great start!

Emily and Rob had booked a horse drawn carriage to take her down to the church and them both back up to the house afterwards. I caught a glimpse of it outside waiting as I drove off to the church and thought what huge horses they were! Over at the church, the weather had turned but fortunately the shower turned out to be brief and it cleared soon enough leaving Rob and best man Phil free to chat to guests as they arrived.

I have been blessed all season with fantastic vicars who have been really helpful and have appreciated that it’s my job to get the best set of pictures possible for the couple, without disturbing the ceremony in any way or being obtrusive at all of course. Anyway, on Saturday, this wasn’t the case and I was basically banned from taking anything in the church after the first hymm, which I knew wasn’t what Emily and Rob wanted at all and would leave a huge gap in their coverage. I decided to go with the flow, not say anything and stayed well back in the church – very quietly taking what I could during the service. I don’t think anyone, including the vicar, noticed at all, so I felt I had done the best job possible given the circumstances!

After the ceremony, the heavens opened again so we retreated inside the church for a few minutes until luckily it stopped and Emily and Rob were able to get in the carriage and make their way back down to the house. We then managed to duck the showers to get Emily and Rob’s family pictures done outside and some lovely ones of the two of them before the rain closed in and everyone headed inside. Ston Easton is such a comfortable venue – guests just made themselves at home in the lounges and enjoyed the Champagne and canapes.

The meal was a jolly affair with the children (and some adults!) loving the bubbles on the tables and everyone enjoying the food. Afterwards it was time for the speeches and cake, followed by a very well choreographed first dance!

Here are some favourites from their day:

Rachel and Andy’s wedding in Priston, Bath – part 1

September 22, 2011 By sarahc View Comments

A couple of weeks ago I photographed Rachel and Andy’s wedding just up the road from me at Priston Mill near Bath. The morning started off fine as I drove into Bishopston to catch up with Rachel who was getting ready with her family, friend Hannah and flowergirls Tia and Cerys. The girls were enthralled with Rachel and Andy’s chickens – but were even more excited about getting into their dresses. We were all upstairs when the car pulled up outside – it’s not every day you get a beautiful shiny car outside your house to chauffeur you around!

I then headed over to the mill to meet up with Andy who was chatting to guests and looking nervous! He didn’t have too long to wait though until Rachel arrived and the ceremony was underway. Rachel had gone to a lot of effort to decorate the ceremony room – even making strings of purple fabric hearts, which looked fantastic.

Afterwards, everyone had drinks on the lawn and delicious homemade welshcakes which were served warm (I only had one I promise!). I took Rachel and Andy off briefly for some couple shots using the lovely country backgrounds and then it was time for the wedding breakfast. As I drove away after the speeches, the earlier fine weather had disappeared and it had started to rain – perfect timing!

Here are some of my favourite images from the first part of their day:

Bristol wedding photographer – Emily and Rob’s pre-wedding shoot in Bath

August 5, 2011 By sarahc View Comments

Last Friday I met up with Emily and Robert, who are getting married in a few weeks’ time, for their pre-wedding shoot. We had decided to take their photos in Bath around the Royal Crescent and Botanical Gardens area as the backgrounds are great – buildings and really nice plants. It had been a bit of a grey day but it stayed dry and the evening light was really soft.

Here are a few favourites:

Filed Under: Weddings Tagged With: wedding photographer Bristol, wedding photographer devon, wedding photographer ston easton park, wedding photographer thornbury castle, wedding photographer wiltshire, wedding photographers bath, wedding photographers wiltshire, wedding photography Gloucestershire, wedding photography the Rectory Crudwell

Devon wedding photographer – Katy & Steve’s wedding part 2

August 3, 2011 By sarahc View Comments

Here is part 2 of Katy and Steve’s wedding in Ilfracombe – enjoy! :

Devon Wedding Photographer – Katy and Steve’s wedding part 1

August 2, 2011 By sarahc View Comments

Just before I went away, I photographed Katy and Steve’s wedding down in Ilfracombe. I was really looking forward to it as I had been there a couple of years back for a weekend walking along the South West Coast path and remembered what a nice spot it was. The forecast for the day was not great so all the way down the M5 I had my fingers crossed it would be fine!

Katy, her sister and bridesmaid Alex, Mum Chesca and other bridesmaid Vicky were all getting ready in a lovely hilltop hotel in Ilfracombe looking out towards the bay and the sea. They had the whole ground floor to themselves including a pretty funky 1920′s style bar, which they made full use of! I spent some time with them while they were getting ready – and got major shoe envy when Katy showed me her bright scarlet LK Bennet heels – what a great colour for a wedding shoe!

I then headed down the road to Tunnels Beaches, which is a gorgeous old seaside resort which has just had a fabulous wedding venue open up above the beach. I love open glass buildings – and this was a really eye catching curved building with a big terrace outside overlooking the sea. Steve was having a calming coke and a chat with his best man Ian and some of the other guests when I arrived so I captured all the goings on and we all waited for Katy to arrive. Managing to time her arrival for a bit of a break in the weather, despit the ceremony starting with brolleys up, by the end, the skies had cleared and we all enjoyed a bit of respite from the rain.

When I had first met Katy and Steve, they told me they were going to do an Italian style aperitivo after the ceremony - which I thought was a great idea. For those not familiar with this – in several areas mainly in the north of Italy, for a couple of hours each evening, bars and cafes lay out a buffet of snacks which you can help yourself to with your drink (much more civilised than the usual British bag of crisps or nuts for munchies!). They had really gone to town on it so everyone tucked in to big platters of cheeses, cold meats, salad and warm focaccia - canapes eat your heart out!

I took Katy and Steve off down to the beach for a few shots by themselves, but as I have got so many nice images from their day here are a few just until the end of the ceremony. Part 2 coming soon: