Romsey Abbey Wedding Photography - Angela & David
An absolutely stunning winter's day for a beautiful wedding at Romsey Abbey and a reception in the heart of the New Forest...
Very often when couples approach me about winter weddings, one of their questions - perfectly reasonably - is what sort of impact the reduced daylight and possibly inclement weather can have from a photographer's point of view. Of course there's always the risk (and this is true for any time of year really) that the weather isn't going to play ball, and one thing you can certainly guarantee is that the sun will be setting much earlier and as a result any outdoor photos will need to take this into account, but I'm always keen to point out that an out-of-season wedding doesn't have to mean any compromise on the wedding images. Far from it - in many ways winter light is the most dramatic and exciting of all, with the sun that much lower in the sky and the potential for some incredible sunsets. And as Angela & David's beautiful wedding at Romsey Abbey, followed by a reception at the Beaulieu Road Hotel in the New Forest, so amply demonstrates you might just find that you're actually getting married on one of the most stunningly sunny days of the year anyway!
I'd been looking forward to this wedding for a long time - my first one at Romsey Abbey, which is an absolutely beautiful church in the heart of this gorgeous Hampshire market town. Bridal preparations were taking place at Angela's parents' house, a stone's throw from the town centre, and it was action stations with tonnes of people coming and going throughout the morning - all the while with Angela as an island of calmness and serenity in the middle of it all. A beautiful blue winter's sky outside and the sun shining... happy days. Much of the morning seemed to be taken up with the handing out of gifts before Angela suddenly realised once the house had cleared and pretty much everyone else was already on the way to the church that perhaps she'd better get into her wedding dress...
Meanwhile, over at the Abbey...
Happily, David was safely inside the building, which was a bit of a relief given that he'd apparently spent much of the previous 48 hours in hospital having a fair chunk of his ear sewn back on after a bit of pre-wedding excitement. It all seemed to be there again, so the worst he had to endure was an endless barrage of ear-related puns throughout the day. No matter - much more importantly he looked absolutely excellent in full Scottish regalia (have I mentioned before that I really like to see Scottish dress at a wedding? Once or twice, i suspect) and everything seemed to be running to plan. The sun was positively streaming in through the windows casting the most beautiful directional light over everyone. The Abbey itself is an absolutely beautiful building both inside and out; a real sense of grandeur and occasion - highly recommended for a visit whether you're actually planning on getting married there or not.
One exchange of rings, two sets of vows, two readings, several hymns and one signing of the register later, Angela and David were walking back down the aisle together as husband and wife. With daylight now at a bit of a premium for the rest of the day, we'd agreed to capture the main family and group photos outside the Abbey given that it was such a lovely location, which we duly did, before heading out into the New Forest en route to the reception venue - the Beaulieu Road Hotel - for some time-out photos of the happy couple. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but with that incredible warm light, the rich forest colours, the heathland and heather, and David's kilt it's only the absence of mountains which stops those photos from looking like they were taken in the height of summer in the Scottish highlands. Oh, and fewer midgies of course.
And on to the hotel, just a few hundred yards from our photo spot, for the reception - kicking off with a grand confetti entrance before drinks and speeches, the wedding breakfast and finally a few more group photos (all very relaxed and informal - I find that taking this approach really works well, especially for couples who are keen to have something a bit different with their friends compared to the perhaps more traditional family photos earlier in the day) and then - joy! - a Ceilidh! I've never seen a Ceilidh at a wedding which wasn't absolutely brilliant, and I love the way so many people get so into it right from the start. No danger of the dancefloor clearing one or two tracks after the first dance here - these guys were in for the long haul!
What an absolutely fantastic wedding, what a wonderful couple and what a day! Many congratulations to you both, Angela & David, and I can't wait to see how your photos look printed up in your album.
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If you are planning your wedding either at Romsey Abbey or out in the New Forest and would like to know more about my wedding photography services, packages and prices, please feel free to contact me any time to discuss your plans and ask me any questions you might have - I'm always happy to help however I can.
I hope you enjoyed the photos and, as ever, thanks for reading,
Stephen