Elegant and Relaxed Countryside Wedding in Kent

SOPHIE & WILL’s CLASSIC COUNTRY WEDDING

You know what I love about country weddings? They are often like a mullet: business in the front and party in the back, or, classic at the start, and PART-AY at the end!

Sophie and Will’s is one such wedding from this summer.

They wanted an emphasis on relaxed fun throughout their day, and PLENTY of party time…and I would say they absolutely smashed that brief.

Featuring a brass-band procession, colourful florals, and one hell of a shin-dig, it was clear to see from the smiles on everyone’s faces just how much fun was had.

We took the ‘fun and candid’ theme for the day and sprinkled that into super relaxed group photos and couple portraits too. Though as much as I was there to help guide Sophie and Will into this, they truly set the vibe all by themselves…

SOPHIE GETTING READY WITH THE GIRLS

Sophie had one of the most relaxed bridal preps I think I have ever photographed, simple joy of looking forward to her wedding with her family and maid of honour, school friend Poppy. In the comfort of the family home, with beautiful light pouring in on what was a gorgeous summer’s day.

One thing I always notice when getting ready at home, is the photographs. The childhood photos scattered with wedding photos of parents and grand-parents, it is a truly lovely reminder of your heritage, of how monumentous it is to be celebrating your own wedding day.

Sophie’s mum watched with pride as make-up was applied, giving a natural, bronzed and dewy finish with a hint of shimmer, showcasing her bright blue eyes,.

Sophie’s dress was a stunning high-neck lace Pronovias gown, found at the incredible Brides Do Good who sell pre-loved wedding dresses and donate to charity. With a champagne lining, this really highlighted the intricate pattern of the lace itself.
Her outfit was complemented with burned orange shoes from & Other Stories, and stunning pearl ear-rings. With her hair in a high-bun, the key-hole back of her dress with those delicate buttons could shine.

With her girls helping with the buttons on her dress, they were delighted to see Sophie in her dress for the first time. These are always such treasured moments when getting ready, all those emotions of excitement, pride, joy coming together.

Her bridesmaids wore the perfect chic white summer dresses with orange shoes to match Sophie’s, and gorgeous flower crowns.

WILL, THE BOYS, & THE PUB

What better place to put on your button-holes than down the local pub? A sparkling, ice cold pint was in order for Will and his boys as they put the last touches together and relaxed ahead of the ceremony. Will was supported by his brothers, best friends and his parents.

The bright sunshine completely set the tone for them all as they envisioned the day ahead, just a few minutes down the road from Sophie.

GOING TO THE CHAPEL…

The local village church was the perfect scene for their ceremony, with Sophie escorted to the church by her father in a gorgeous red vintage car. Sophies’s sister and best friend were on hand to greet them, helping Sophie with her shoes after sustaining an ankle injury before the wedding (what are the chances?!).

Will patiently waited with his best men at the alter, Sophie absolutely beaming from ear to ear as they saw each other for the first time that special day.

SOME EPIC CONFETTI THROWING!

Slightly delayed by a swift shower of heavy rain, it was time for confetti as Sophie and Will left the church for confetti time.

Their fried flower confetti was a riot of summer colours, perfectly matching Sophie’s shoes and bouquet. The sheer joy from the newly weds was palpable as they embraced the confetti shower, excited to enjoy the rest of their day.

PS: Take a leaf from their book, get MORE confetti than you think you need. A small handful of teeny petals really doesn’t go that far. You want a good old chunky handful for each guest! Plus if there’s more left over, we can do it again! Trust me, guests absolutely love the confetti. everyone becomes a five year old again when chucking that colourful stuff about.

GETTING THE PARTY STARTED

I just love a wedding surprise, and Sophie and Will had the perfect one tucked up their sleeves! The incredible Das Brass appeared as if from nowhere to start the party early; they were absolute champs as they got caught in the downpour, but you would never have guessed from the pure vibes they jammed.

Das Brass processed guests from the church down to the family home where Sophie and Will greeted them with a cheeky tinnie or bottle of beer, as they then led the way down the hill to the reception.

A QUINTESSENTIAL COUNTRY GARDEN RECEPTION

With so many family and friends present, Sophie and Will really wanted to capture the relaxed and fun nature of their wedding, with candid photography taking centre stage.

When it came to group shots, they wanted completely relaxed and happy photos; photos that represented their families and how they are together. We kept these minimal and super chilled, everyone with a glass of something lovely in hand.

There is absolutely a place for more formal photos, however, I think Sophie and Will’s group shots are a perfect example of how you can gather your VIPs without them being totally stuffy!

A SUMMER MEADOW MARQUEE

What I love about a marquee reception is that you can really bring the ‘outside in’ and extend that summer garden vibe as you have dinner and speeches. Their rustic long tables were sprinkled with wild florals in pretty jars and bottles from Coco Bloom, and local hops hung from the ceiling. Tapered candles complemented the colour scheme and as the sun set created a cosy atmosphere.

HATE HAVING YOUR PHOTO TAKEN? I’VE GOT YOU!

You really don’t need to be away from your guests for long when having your couples portraits, but I always recommend you make the most of this time together. This is likely the only time you will have been together just the two of you all day, it’s time for a breather away from prying eyes, to celebrate the fact you have just gotten married!

The best way to think about having your photograph taken is that you are going for a little wander with teeny bits of guidance along the way, that you’re not shoved into overly forced poses that don’t feel like you at all; cos that’s exactly what it’s like with me.

A relaxed walk, some subtle prompts on where to stand, what to do with your hands, where to look, that’s basically it folks, and I think you’ll see this creates the most relaxed and happy, romantic photos you’ll ever have taken of you.

BRING THE VIBES!

If you want a proper party vibe for your day, you have got to be the ones to bring it! Sophie and Will literally were the life and soul of the party, giving a burst of energy into their reception for speeches to begin.

Sophie’s brother and best friend did a stellar job of getting guests in the party spirit, getting everyone on their feet to wave their napkins, with whoops and cheers as Sophie and Will danced and raced their way to greet them. If you are ever going to let loose, totally be yourselves and soak in every second, your wedding day is the best day to do that!

GET THE PARTY STARTED

“Now you found the secret code I use
To wash away my lonely blues
So I can’t deny or lie cause you’re
The only one to make me fly”

— Tom Jones

Following the theme of the day: fun and nothing but fun, Sophie slipped into her golden sequinned party dress, and the couple took to the dance-floor for their first dance to the iconic Sex Bomb by Tom Jones. It was absolutely no surprise that these two had some serious moves either, if it wasn’t choreographed though I would have believed that!

It wasn’t long before they were joined by all of their guests, everyone completely committed to the party spirit from the very beginning. Once that party got started, I’m told it didn’t stop until the early hours, I think you can tell from these shots that that is absolutely not a lie in the slightest!