On Friday, I had the pleasure of photographing Leanne & Kevin's wedding at The Gardens in Yalding.
The weather couldn't really have been much better, with glorious sunshine throughout the day making the gardens and tipi look absolutely fantastic. It had the feel of a relaxed summer garden party from the moment guests arrived, and that atmosphere stayed right through until the evening.
The ceremony took place outside before everyone enjoyed drinks and canapés in the sunshine. One of the standout features of the day was the collection of handcrafted garden games spread across the lawn. These weren't hired in but painstakingly made by Leanne's sister, with plenty of help from their dad. She described them as a true labour of love, and you could immediately see the amount of time and care that had gone into every one of them. After the wedding breakfast, guests of all ages gravitated outside to try the different games, making the most of the beautiful summer evening. They were an enormous hit and such a lovely personal touch.
The speeches were another real highlight, with speeches from the father of the bride (Derek), the groom (Kevin), the bride and groom's eldest daughter (Caitlin), and best man (Dan). There was plenty of ad-lib comedy too; their youngest daughter, Keira, seemed determined to add her own commentary throughout, earning smiles and laughter from everyone in the room. Then, after Caitlin's speech, one of Leanne's sisters suddenly stood up and shouted, "Bride or die!" — a running joke from the hen weekend. Every hen then had to either produce the tiny toy hat they'd all been given or down their drink!
As the evening approached, we headed back outside for a few more portraits before Leanne & Kevin shared their first dance to Use Somebody by Kings of Leon. Dave Brazier then helped keep the celebrations going as guests filled the dancefloor.
Congratulations Leanne & Kevin — thank you for having me there to capture it.
Suppliers:
- Cakes and Desserts Jodie Stearns (Baking @ 49) [email protected]
- Sax player Dave Brazier (Dave Brazier) [email protected]
- Make Up Louise Macintosh [email protected]
- Photo Booths Phil Harvey (Twenty 20 Events) [email protected]
- She Said Yes to Bridal hair Kimberley Hearn (She Said Yes Bridal Hair) [email protected]
- The Flowersmiths Suzanne Price (The Flowersmiths) [email protected]
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