Here is some South Wales wedding photography at Fairyhill for the marriage of Aimee and Mark. They hosted their day at this South Wales wedding venue in Gower on 29th August 2019. In the morning I split my time between the bridal preparations at Mulberry House and the groom’s at Cerrig Glan. Both of these cottages are owned by Fairyhill, and available to rent by wedding clients. The marriage ceremony took place in the K Room, the purpose built extension of this Georgian country manor house. One of my favourite photographs from the day, is of the groom checking his watch as he waits nervously for his bride to arrive for the ceremony. Once the nuptials were exchanged, the guests followed the bride and groom into the grounds to exchange kisses and congratulations. It was a pleasant day, so the some family photographs were arranged on the lawn followed by the throwing of the confetti. The bride and groom only wanted a few posed photographs of just the two of them. So we just took a few minutes away from the guests for a little stroll to the boating pond. The remainder of the drinks reception was spent mingling with friends and family, whilst being entertained by a close up magician. In time the wedding breakfast was served, followed by the traditional wedding speeches. Before the evening brought the first dance as a married couple, there was time for the children to have a quick swing in the garden and kung fu prancing round the wedding cake, which made everyone a little nervous.
“Thank you so much Sacha, some beautiful moments captured.”
“I am finding it hard to narrow down so many good ones!”
Here are a few photographs from the second wedding I have ever photographed at Fairyhill. Today’s bride and groom were Jessica and Shalin, who married on 25th August 2019. In our pre wedding communication, the happy couple requested to have a few portraits of the two of them on the beach during some point in the day. I often hear this request, as quite a few of wedding venues in South Wales are blessed with a location near a picturesque coastline, be it rugged cliffs or sandy beach. However, more often than not, the bride and groom decide against such a venture on the day itself. This normally is because the schedule has over ran, or the prospect of climbing dunes in a big white dress and high heels loses some of its attraction, once a few glasses of champagne are consumed. Nevertheless, as a seasoned wedding photographer, one thing you must learn is how to go with the flow. However todays schedule was well adhered to and Jessica and Shalin were ever enthusiast about the excursion. So once the speeches were completed and whilst the wedding venue staff were preparing the room for the evening festivities, we made our way to the coast. The nearest and most accessible coastline is Llangennith Beach, over looking the vast panorama that is offered by Rhossili Bay. The evening sun was not quite low enough for the golden hour, the schedule for the first dance prohibited such timing, though the these was element of a soft warm glow to the portraits. However great care had to be taken with the timing and composition to ensure no sun seeking tourist was accidentally captured in the background. At the beginning of the day, the bridal preparations had taken place at Cerrig Glan, one of the accommodation options offered by Fairyhill. The ceremony, wedding breakfast and evening dancing took place in the modern function room at Fairyhill. In the intermediate occasions, guests took advantage of the summer weather on the venues patio and grounds.
The running theme for most of my wedding photography clients, is that one if not both, do not really enjoy having their photographs taken. Seems a very ironic position for a photography business to be in. Though this was the very reason I helped to pioneer a more natural approach to wedding photography. Taken a more observational point of view rather than dictating the pace of the day. So apart from a few family groups which the couple requested, we spent literally a couple of minutes to take some portraits of just the happy couple. The rest of the days photographic coverage was without intrusion or instruction. I merely let the couple enjoy mingling with their friends and let the day run its course. This lack of control is not for the faint hearted, it takes patience and a lot of hard work to capture the atmosphere without interference. Kate and David got married on 3rd August 2019 at Llanerch Vineyard in South Wales. The bride got ready in the old cottage at the vineyard, whilst the groom was in one of the new rooms that LLanerach have recently built. The marriage ceremony was performed in Calon Lodge, which benefits from the picturesque view of the vineyard. Where later the drinks reception is enjoyed by the wedding guests. The main wedding breakfast is served in the venues purpose built Woodland marquee.
“Oh my goodness! I can’t thank you enough for such beautiful photos. You are certainly extremely talented.”
“Thank you for capturing such special moments of our nearest and dearest, I will treasure them forever. Thank you so much again for really giving us the most wonderful memories of our special day.”
On 14th July 2019 I photographed the same sex wedding at St Donat’s Castle in South Wales for Kim and Kirsty. Kirsty is well known in the local wedding industry as she works for Your South Wales Wedding magazine. So I was very pleased that she choose my as her wedding photographer. St Donat’s castle dates back to medieval times, located in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales, it now hosts the internationally renowned Atlantic College.The brides decided that I was to cover the morning of preparations of Kim, before meeting up with Kirsty at the castle where the ceremony was to be performed in the Brandenstoke Hall. The drinks reception was held on the castle lawns with its majestic view of the Bristol Channel. Whilst the guest enjoyed said vista the brides asked for a few portraits around the grounds of the castle, and specially on the sea wall at its own private beach. Just before the wedding breakfast was served, confetti was thrown on the happy couple as they walked through the old portcullis entrance of the castle. Once the food was enjoyed, it was time for the speeches. In the early evening the low sun cast a warm glow to the occasion of the first dance and the celebrations continued into the night.
As a South Wales wedding photographer, I have more than my fair share of marquee weddings, thanks to its abundance of rural areas. Sophie and Tom’s wedding on 12th July 2019 was held at her parent’s farm in the South Wales village of Rudry. The day began here with the bridal preparations before the marriage ceremony, a short drive through the country lanes to St Michaels’s Church at Michaelstone-Y-Fedw. The nuptials were rounded off with the vicar producing a mobile phone on a selfie stick to take his picture with the newly married couple. Once outside and congratulations had been given and the confetti thrown, it was bak to the farm. A marquee had been erected next to one of the paddocks, where guest could enjoy the country side views in the sunshine. Like a lot of my clients, Sophie and Tom did not want to spend too much time posing for photographs, so apart from a few minutes for the family and groups and a couple of portraits of the bride and groom, the majority of the photographic coverage was in the natural flow of the day. This approach allows for pictures to show the true story of the day. The lovely thing about this approach you never know what you are going to get, be it singing waiters, outside conga, crying at speeches, dancing on tables or swinging kids around on the dance floor.
This was my first time providing the photography for a wedding at Fairyhill. This new exclusive use venue is run by the same company that owns Oldwalls in Gower, South Wales. Fairyhill use to be a boutique hotel and restaurant, but now thanks to the stylish extension it can now host sizeable weddings and events. Situated near the village of Reynoldston and short drive form the coastal city of Swansea, it benefits from picturesque rural surroundings. The bride and groom for this wedding was Charlotte and Daniel. I had been recommended to them from previous clients whose wedding I had photographed a couple of years ago at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff. Also Charlotte’s mum, Ann McCormack is a well known face on the wedding circuit, being a well respected hair stylist. And in fact a week later I was bump into Charlotte and Daniel again at another friends’ wedding which I was also photographing. All of this cements the belief, how important personal recommendation is to a freelance business. I estimate the vast proportion of my wedding photography assignments come from referrals from previous clients. So it is nice to know I am doing something right! Todays wedding took place on 4th July 2019, the bride was getting ready at Mulberry House and the groom down the road at Cerrig Glan. Both cottages are owned by the venue and provide covenient locations for said preparations. The marriage ceremony took place at St Rhidians and St Illtyds Church in the village of Llanrhidian. Once the nuptials were exchanged and the confetti thrown, the wedding party made its way to Fairyhill. Here guests were treated to reception drinks as the sunshine filtered through the trees onto the patio and lawn. During the wedding breakfast the entertainment included some surprise singing waiters and some marvellous speeches. Though the spotlight was stolen by the groom’s father with is comical song, much to everyone’s amusement and amazement. Just before the sun was setting, myself and the videographer, Richard from Aurora Wedding Films, followed the bride and groom down to the little boating pond within the grounds, where the evening sun hidden behind the woodland was creating some soft, atmospheric light. As the evening progressed it was soon time for the cutting of the cake and then the first dance for the newly married couple. I generally then stay on for a few more songs to get some images that reflect the celebratory dancing and then make my way home into the night air.
