Abbie and William’s wedding was the kind of day I absolutely love to photograph: super sentimental, and absolutely buckets of fun. Though they both live and work in London, they planned a Welsh wedding with a church ceremony and a garden reception for a very special reason — and it couldn’t have suited them more.
At-home wedding reception in the bride’s grandparents’ garden
The reason Abbie and William wanted a church wedding in Wales with an at-home garden reception, in a very particular spot in Wales: Abbie’s grandparents garden, to be specific, where her parents had married in the same garden 29 years ago, so it held a lot of nostalgic value.
As well as the sentimentality of having their wedding reception in grandparents’ garden, it has to be said: the garden was absolutely, jaw-droppingly GORGEOUS. I was blown away by the flowers and colours in the garden, which Abbie’s Gran told me they’d worked especially hard on during the year leading up to the wedding (essentially, ever since they found out they’d be hosting it). They looked super proud of their efforts – as well they should – and I got a photo of them in the garden later on in the evening.
There were so many beautiful flowers in full bloom throughout, which made a stunning backdrop for the wedding reception. The wedding breakfast was held in a marquee, but guests spent as much time as they could soaking up all the beauty outside. Luckily, the weather allowed it!
A laidback wedding timeline (and why it matters)
Another thing that made Abbie and William’s wedding so special was their timeline, which was super laid back – my fave! This allowed everyone to go through the day at a relaxed pace and therefore enjoy everything to the max without having to rush from place to place or moment to moment.
Do you want to know more about how to plan your wedding timeline so you don’t feel pressured or rushed at any point? Check out my blog on why time is so important on your wedding day.
Couple portraits without the awkwardness
We even had enough time to split the couple’s wedding day portraits into two 15 minute sessions; one before, and one after the meal. We did this because William had previously mentioned his worries about the couple portrait portion of the day (30 mins tops!); something I hear a lot from couples who don’t love being in front of the camera. If this is something that’s worrying you, please don’t panic: part of my job as a wedding photographer is to put you totally at ease, so you don’t feel like the paparazzi are in your face all day!
I’ll do everything I can to make you feel more comfortable, and I’m happy to say it worked here: William did really well and trusted the process, which resulted in some amazing photos of the two of them.
The bohemian Jesús Peiró dress
It wasn’t just the timeline that was relaxed on their wedding day, either: Abbie wore the most perfect bohemian Jesus Peiro wedding dress, with incredible polkadot crossover detailing on the front. The floaty skirt and billowing sleeves gave everything a romantic, effortless feel, and she looked just as amazing in the church as she did at the reception, as well as in the gold vintage car they took to travel between the two. It also looked fab on the dancefloor, where she paired it with chunky Nikes.
Slightly more formal but no less impressive was William’s outfit. Starting off in a suit and tie, he changed to a dinner jacket after the meal – more outfit changes for grooms, please, its your day as well!
At-home wedding reception ideas
Abbie and William had paid attention to lots of little details for their garden marquee wedding, like the bridesmaids all getting matching pyjamas to get ready in before they changed into their dusky pink dresses (with the flower girls in navy blue), the table names being places that meant something to them as a couple, and loads of Polaroids of them dotted around the bar. Plus, in lieu of favours, the bride and groom had donated money to Blood Cancer UK, a charity very close to their and their family’s hearts.
Sentimental wedding photographer
It was a total privilege to capture Abbie and William’s wedding day in Wales, and give them a gallery full of images they’ll treasure forever.
If you’re planning an at-home wedding reception (or a garden marquee celebration), the best thing you can do is give yourself loads of breathing room in the timeline – it’s what makes the whole day feel relaxed, not rushed.
My approach is effortless, attentive and unobtrusive, with gentle direction when it helps, so you can be fully present while I capture how it felt. If you’re searching for a wedding photographer who brings calm confidence, emotional storytelling, and a elevated but laid-back feel, I’d love to hear about your plans.
Check to see if I’m free for your wedding date here.
Gushy Note
And don’t just take my word for it. Here’s what the lovely Abbie and William whatsapped me after I sent their gallery over:
“We have spent the morning looking through the photos and are in love. They are more than we could have ever asked for and can not thank you enough. You have managed to capture the day perfectly for us! Thank you for everything you did on the day and the photos.”
Thank you, Abbie and William, for having me there!
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