It's a funny thing how strong a connection you feel to the area in which you grew up. I always feel like I'm discovering a lost relative when I meet someone from Heathfield in East Sussex, and admit that I feel a little extra love for any weddings connected to that area. With this in mind, it will come as no surprise that I felt a special connection to Beckie and Dan's wedding as they live in Heathfield, and their ceremony (St. Bartholomew's church) and reception (Goodsoal) locations were in Burwash, just short distance (I ran it once) from where I grew up in Broad Oak, on the outskirts of Heathfield.
One of the things that makes this area so special is that being on a high ridge there are incredible views both to the North and South. I remember as a child looking out of my bedroom at night to the South, and seeing the flash of the Sovereign Light Tower (nearly 6 miles into the English channel), and to the North, you looks across at Mayfield, and further on to the radio mast at Brands Hatch. As you can imagine, this means that for a venue such as Goodsoal, bride and grooms (and their guests) get to enjoy some truly stunning scenery on their wedding days.
Goodsoal is a relatively new wedding venue, purpose built with stunning features, and surrounded by open fields and the sight of rolling hills to the north. This was my first time as a wedding photographer at Goodsoal, and it made a excellent impression on me. It's ticks so many boxes for me personally, and if I was to get married again, it would definitely be one of my top choices.
Beckie and Dan had done a beautiful job with decorating the venue with lots of intricate details and personal touches in the wedding breakfast room, including an engagement gift cake knife, printed quotes around the tables, lots of flowers, and a naked wedding cake sat on tree stump stand surrounded by vintage tea cups with petals in. It looked beautiful. In the grounds was an open marque with garden games and a collection of photos of them, and their nearest and dearest.
I thoroughly enjoyed photographing Beckie and Dan's wedding (such a nice couple) I hope it won't be long before I return to photograph another wedding at Goodsoal, East Sussex.
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