We’ve been slow to update our blog recently, with August and September being so crazy busy with weddings and horses. We’ve loved every minute of our summer 2017 – so many amazing models and moments captured in a few months!

Its time to share a few of our photos from Elena & Tim’s fabulous wedding at Coombe Lodge, in Blagdon, from earlier in the year! We’ve been reccomended photographers at the venue for many years now so its a location we know and love, and we were pleased when Elena & Tim called us up early in 2017 asking to meet with us. After an hour spent chatting through their plans, they booked us for their 17th March day and all the plans were put in place.

“Thank you so much for our amazing photos & album! Thanks also for all your wonderful help, support and guidance with our day – you really went above and beyond and we are so lucky to have found you & Nic!”

Elena & Tim had decided to break with tradition and have a “first look” before their civil ceremony at the lodge. We had decided that the best spot for their rendezvous was the greenhouse in the Walled Garden. So we headed down there with Tim, and arranged for Elena to be secretly ‘delivered’ …….it was then a wonderful, intimate moment when Elena entered and Tim saw her for the first time, ready to marry in her stunning ‘Grace Loves Lace’ gown with a stunning, long veil. They were both very emotional and tearful, and we felt honoured to be there. And somehow or other, even though the glasshouse is right next to the car park where all the guests were arriving for the ceremony, we managed this whole 20 minutes without anyone spotting us!

After a lovely ceremony in the Music Room, some confetti and the group shots, the drinks party began for real! Thankfully although it was a fresh, wintery day, it stayed dry outside long enough for us to do the family photos and a few ‘couple photos’ of the newly weds around the grounds. During dinner, the skies suddenly opened, & it then rained and poured. We really wanted to capture a few evening shots of Elena and Tim, so we used the beautiful arched covered entrances to the venue, and got creative with our lighting to create some special shots.

We’ve photographed many varied culturally diverse weddings before, but Elena was our first Russian bride, so we were thrilled that she incorporated some of her home country’s tradition into the day. Just before the wedding meal was served, Elena’s mum met the couple in the reception room, and presented them with “Bread and Salt” – they broke off pieces of the bread, dipped them into the salt, and fed each other – symbolising that they will take care of each other, and not be short of life’s necessities in their life together. The bread was passed around the room for guests & family to enjoy  – and we can vouch for the fact that it was absolutely delicious!

Here are a selection of our favourites from their wonderful Coombe Lodge, Bristol wedding day – we hope you love them as much as we do!