What makes a great Winter Wedding? Sparklers, for sure. Some fur trim, maybe. A great venue like Lympne Castle helps of course, decked out with - or at least as far as I counted - half a dozen Christmas trees. Good weather and good light helps. And good timing. But we know what makes a great wedding any time of the year, really, don't we. A great couple with wonderful family and friends.
And that's where Charlotte and Dan got it so right. Both laid-back AND on point, they let their day unfold without fuss, without the appearance of effort, yet totally organised and perfectly timed. And what a lovely day it was. In keeping with the spirit of Christmas Charlotte had chosen and organised for her mid-December wedding a really tasteful winter theme of red and white, simple and effective, with stunning vintage styling for both the girls and boys.
My own theme, as photographer started out obsessing with hairspray shots and reflections...
I think we're gonna need a bigger can of hairspray!!!
Lympne Castle dates back to the eleventh century when it was built for the Archdeacons of Canturbury on the edge of a cliff over the Romney Marshes. The view that you see today of countryside stretching to the coast was mostly under water, submerged beneath the sea which, unlike most coastal areas, has actually retreated, which I think is fascinating. The castle was rebuilt in the fourteenth century incorporating a building with a tower at each end, and it is thought that the square tower may be on the site of an original Roman watch tower. If this is the case then Lympne's history dates back two thousand years! Restored in 1908 to its present condition, the castle boasts the kind of dark wood panelling and generous casement windows that let the light flood in and then get soaked up. This goes some way to explaining why I loved shooting bridal prep here and may have gone overboard.
The light is redolent of a Vermeer painting, wonderfully soft and falling off rapidly into areas of shadow, giving Charlotte a little the look of a tudor Princess.
Well that was my obsession with light and reflections and hairspray well and truly put to bed. But it's well worth taking a moment to congratulate the venue. While everyone was made to feel comfortable and looked-after throughout the day, the staff at Lympne had gone all out to make sure the spirit of Christmas was round every corner.
And while the girls took their time getting ready, as is only right and proper, and very much the way with girls at weddings, the boys, true to form, had showered and changed in less time than it takes to eat that ever-so-vital cooked breakfast.
Ooops! Bless. When the ring-bearer took a tumble and dropped the rings, we were worried for a moment. And that's what best men are for, as Dan's right-hand man gallantly stepped into the breach and quickly retrieved the rings and popped them back on the cushion.
Who doesn't love a Christmas winter wedding!? With sparklers and christmas trees and log fires and a medieval castle and a gorgeous couple working their vintage style in the Kent countryside. And we got beautiful December sunshine! Congratulations Charlotte and Dan xA great couple, a great venue, a great day with awesome friends and family. Congratulations Charlotte and Dan, and Merry Christmas! x
