The joy of a gorgeous Upwaltham Barns wedding, my first out of lockdown in 2021!

Having postponed their wedding three times, the lovely Beth and Nick finally had the opportunity to tie the knot and celebrate their marriage at Upwaltham Barns in May 2021. The feeling of spending time with a couple on their most special day is always wonderful, but when you’ve rode the wave of disappointment with them for a year and finally managed to get off that wave to celebrate, the feeling is incredible! With just 13 guests, lovely weather, and this beautiful location, the day was set to be a cracker.

I started my day at groom’s preparations in Petworth, with the groom and his best man, recording the goings on and setting the scene for the first part of the wedding day. Next was bride’s preparations in the cottage at Upwaltham Barns, amongst a flurry of activity with the bride, bridesmaids, mother of the bride and flower girls. Getting to know the groomsmen and bridal party during preparations is a sure way to make everyone feel comfortable and to record the moments that the couple will treasure. With only a handful of additional guests to come, arrivals proved to be a simple task and suddenly the ceremony was upon us.

The entrance of the bride was a lovely sight and with two more family guests going from New York on Zoom, the scene was set for an emotional and fun ceremony. Beautiful chosen vows were spoken and despite the face masks, the laughter and emotion filled the barn. At last the ceremony was complete, the walk back down the aisle took place and the confetti launched outside to signal the start of drinks. The sun shone and it was a glorious reception in the courtyard with those beautiful floral displays and rustic charm. I had time to record all the natural moments, shoot some groups in the courtyard and take the bride and groom, their groomsmen and the bridesmaids up to the hill for some photos, before the reception was over.

When it was time to leave Beth and Nick hoped into their carriage and we headed off to the outdoor wedding reception at the Angel Inn Petworth, stopping along the way in Duncton to take advantage of some more beautiful scenery and wild meadows. This day was a complete joy to photograph and I’m so pleased to share some of my favourite images from the day. What’s even better is that we get to do this all over again in October, this time with all the guests and hopefully a golden hour shoot too! Enjoy! x