Tunnels Beaches Wedding Photography – Reena and Sam’s Colourful Summer Celebration

Reena and Sam.

As career choices go, wedding photography must be one of the very few where in the space of one ‘shift’ you not only witness a roller coaster of emotions, but live through them too. Reena and Sam’s hot and sunny wedding day at the incredible Tunnels Beaches in Ilfracombe, Devon, was the perfect example of one of those days.

Reena and Sam had been desperate to marry for a number of years, but other priorities had meant they’d had to keep pushing the date. So by the time it got to their actual day, everybody was feeling ecstatic and extremely emotional. Theirs was not only an epic love story that resulted in two families uniting, but two cultures, too. This meant that we were treated to the most colourful beach wedding we’ve seen to date. And it was stunning! The intoxicating mix of bright colours, sunshine and raw emotion saw this ‘shift’ absolutely fly by, and more than a couple of tears slip out from behind the lens.

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Salcombe Wedding Photographer | Sadie and Hamish

Salcombe!

I can’t tell you how much we love being asked to photograph a wedding in Salcombe. Well, OK then, I’ll give it my best shot!

Salcombe is steeped in maritime history from the honest pursuits of fishing, boat building and general sailing. Not to mention the not so honest smuggling, and downright exciting piracy. Salcombe is also a beautiful seaside town made from a magic mix of all that makes Devon so very Devon!

Nowadays Salcombe is well known for being a stunning coastal location with beautiful white sandy beaches and a bustling sailing community. I should know, it’s where my past sailing career was launched. Whenever we get asked to photograph in Salcombe I get really excited. It always feels like going home. Imagine how it felt, then, to arrive with Hamish and his groomsmen, only to discover that I went to university with half of them! It felt a lot like I’d been transported back in time, and that could only mean one thing – we were going to have a lot of fun!

I knew this lot, I knew how crazy things were likely to get as the day wore on. I knew drinking games would be a definite. Heckling during the speeches would be a given, and that the chances somebody would end up drinking from their shoe, was very high.

Sadie and Hamish’s wedding day.

Given both Sadie and Hamish are professionals within the sailing world, it was only right that Hamish’s day would start in the Yacht Club. It started with him leaping on to, and throwing himself off of the bar, face first! I know, us Devon sailing folk have some funny rituals. Must be all the sea air and rum. A risky business on any normal day, but particularly so right before your own wedding ceremony.

Hamish and his party, having escaped breaking any bones, made their way through the streets and the pouring rain, to the church. Here they eagerly awaited the arrival of the beautiful bride. Sadie was being driven to the ceremony in a classic, pink wooden dinghy by her proud Dad!

Boats and Bentleys.

The happy couple made their way through a tunnel of cheerful umbrellas, despite the wonderful Devon weather, and the confetti rained down. Then Sadie and Hamish climbed into the frighteningly rare vintage Bentley to be whisked through the lanes and back to the boats. I use the term ‘frighteningly’ from the viewpoint of us two photographers with heavy cameras dangling from our waists!

The guests settled into the celebrations at the spectacular private venue, complete with its own perfect private beach. We snuck off with Sadie and Hamish for not just one, but two boat trips around the picturesque estuary. A spot of the usual post-wedding boat trip photography! Followed by a stroll on the beach in the much welcomed sunshine.

Finally we walked away from the sea and headed up to enjoy the wedding breakfast. Drinking games and heckled speeches on (nearly) dry land led to a party in the boat shed that echoed off all sides of the estuary.

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Harriet, Will and Mariah Carey at Powderham Castle, Devon

IT’S CHRISTMAS! What better way to get ourselves fully into the festive spirit than with a Christmas wedding? I know, right? Too exciting.

The exceptionally beautiful Harriet and Will opted for not only a winter wedding, but an all-out Christmas wedding in the most festive setting; the elegant Powderham Castle and the iconic Buckfast Abbey.

The torrential rain and permanently dark sky only served to heighten the beautiful effects of the giant, roaring open fireplaces, hundreds of candles and sea of twinkly lights at Powderham Castle, and had absolutely no effect whatsoever on the enormous sense of excitement and volume of laughter that just kept growing as the day went on. Harriet, her sister and various friends, are all incredibly talented singers and musicians, so it was a complete joy to be treated to a few performances. Nothing gets you more in the seasonal mood than three stunning voices singing a mix of traditional carols and well loved Christmas favourites!

The impressive weather and enormous Christmas tree meant we took the opportunity to sneak off for some indoor portraits, only to be told that were were sitting on England’s most haunted staircase. It was two minutes after this that one of the hall lights went out, and one of ours started going off, all by themselves. That seemed like the perfect time to head back to the well populated, well lit dining room where all ghostly thoughts quickly evaporated with the popping and cheering that erupted as crackers were pulled by everybody.

Following the speeches, and after Harriet had led every single person in a magnificently uplifting rendition of ‘Let It Snow’, the bride and groom took to the floor and officially pressed the Christmas start button by dancing their first dance to none other than Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas’, in front of the biggest, sparkliest Christmas tree I have ever seen indoors.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night!

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