Tips for Planning Your Devon or Cornwall Wedding and to get the Best out of Your Wedding Photography
So you’ve decided to get married in Devon or Cornwall – what a great choice. Now, regardless of whether you are from the area, have been making this your second home since you were a child or have never been before there are a few things to consider when planning your wedding celebrations here.
As Cornwall wedding photographers we’ve photographed and attended A LOT of wonderful wedding celebrations in the West Country. We thought you’d like to hear a few tips which are mainly from a wedding photographer’s perspective but which also double up as wedding planning tips.
Tips about your Timetable
Do make a timetable and plan your day, of course, but allow for some alteration on the day. There will be some things which must run according to time such as the ceremony and the meal but other than that stay flexible – this way you are less likely to get stressed, and factors which are totally out of your control such as the weather are less likely to cause problems.
If you want a relaxed wedding day with time to drink and mingle before dinner but you also want a few family photos and a trip to the beach, make sure you have enough time set aside for it. For the average wedding we recommend at least 1.5 hours between the ceremony and sitting to eat. This way you can easily schedule about 20 minutes for family photos, 30 minutes away for your photo shoot and time to chat with your guests. Each wedding is different but that should give you some idea. If this makes the meal later than hoped, arrange for some games and snacks to keep the guests happy.
We recommend having a Plan A and a Plan B – talk these through with us and let’s have a back up plan in case it rains while we’re supposed to be doing your outdoor photo shoot.
For example, Plan A involves family photos in the garden at 3.30pm followed by a half hour photo shoot on the beach starting at 3.50pm. But it starts raining at 3pm and doesn’t stop until 5pm. So you move indoors and switch to Plan B which involves family photos in the garden at 5.30pm followed by an evening meal and speeches at 6pm, and a twenty-minute photo shoot in the garden just before at sunset at 8.30pm.
If possible then it is handy to have us with you until after sunset in case we missed out on the outdoor shots earlier in the day or to make the most of ‘golden hour’.
The key feature with Devon and Cornwall weddings is the great outdoors with our wonderful beaches, woodlands and rural backdrops. Consider checking to tide timetable, looking at the sunset time and planning accordingly with good footwear and umbrellas just in case. Just so you know, we are fully equipped and willing to take photos outside in light rain. We’re game if you are … in fact photos in the rain can be so atmospheric.
Wedding Photography Tips
It’s your day – no really it is!
As wedding photographers we don’t intend to steal the show – in fact we prefer to be as invisible as possible. Forget your traditional image of the bossy photographer, we much prefer to be quiet observers. Your day should happen your way and we’ll document it – simple!
Well almost …
With a limited amount of time and photos which are a ‘must have’ for you, there are a few exceptions to the rule on this:
Although we hope you’ll agree that a documentary approach to the wedding day is best, we do still see the merit in still having a few traditional family photos and having a photo shoot with the newlyweds. Below are some details on the best way to approach this.
About the family photos (formal photos)
Standing in a line and looking at the camera is the only way to guarantee a photo of you and aunt Sally (we can’t promise we’ll spot you having a chat with her and get a candid shot – plus we haven’t got a clue what she looks like!). We believe that these photos can be a true family heirloom and they are an important part of the wedding day for most people. We also believe that spending your wedding day standing in a line saying ‘cheese’ is BORING for you, us and your guests! Therefore we recommend limiting these photos to about 15 – 20 minutes. In that time we can give you about 8 – 10 different group combinations (if everyone is present and listening!), e.g. bride and groom and immediate family, bride and groom and bridesmaids, groom and best man, bride and bridesmaids etc.
The Photo Shoot (time alone with the newlyweds)
The photo shoot is great for two reasons: firstly, we get great photos of you and secondly, you get to spend some time together! We do ask that this time is just for the newlyweds with no guests with additional cameras – it means that we get better shots because you have less pressure and distraction from on-lookers and you have a chance to enjoy quality time together on YOUR wedding day.
We normally start the photo shoot by encouraging you to go for a walk together, then we’ll approach you and instruct a little on how to stand and what to do etc so that we can get a large variety of good shots in a short space of time. The photo shoot part of the wedding day usually takes about 20 – 30 minutes but this is totally up to you to decide according to your requests and timetable. At the end of the shoot we are more than happy to run back to your guests ahead of you, allowing you to have some time totally alone should you want to. If your timetable is looking stretched then it is possible to do your photo shoot on a different day (ask us about options).
If you want to get used to being photographed before the wedding day then an engagement session is a great way for us to get to know each other and for you to get used to the format of a photo shoot.
Things to Consider For your Ceremony
We are big believers in documenting the ceremony without distracting you. We respect that it is an intimate moment and document it appropriately. There are a few things to consider and discuss regarding photography during your wedding ceremony – particularly if you are having a church wedding where vicar/priest restrictions can limit what we can do. We’ve written about it in our wedding ceremony gallery .
Choosing your Suppliers
As with any place in the world, Cornwall and Devon have an abundance of people offering services in the wedding industry. There are a whole heap of truly talented and professional businesses offering their services here, but it is worth doing good research and planning rather than just booking the first person you find. My top tip is to choose people because you like what you see on their portfolio … that is proof that they can perform to the standard they say they can. As a general rule you do get what you pay for so spend your budget wisely. See our list of top suppliers below.
Wedding Venues in Cornwall and Devon
You may already have an idea of the type of wedding venue you want to use and the style of wedding you are looking to have. Some people choose to have their wedding ceremony outdoors and even on the beaches and cliff tops (unfortunately the laws in England still place quite heavy restrictions on where a couple can say their vows in order to have them legally sanctioned, but you can always opt to have a blessing and do the legal part on a different day). We’ve made a list of some of my favourite venues/ideas at the bottom of the page. You can also browse through the galleries of our wedding photography to get some inspiration.
The Scarlet Hotel – luxury eco-hotel on the North Coast catering for elopements, intimate wedding parties and full hire. Offer onsite civil ceremonies.
Rosteague – A small private house and gardens on the South Coast of Cornwall, with walled gardens for an outdoor civil ceremony, barns and a lawn over-looking the sea. Offers on-site civil ceremony indoor and outdoor.
Boconnoc House and Estate – Large House and Church on 300 acre estate near St Austell – tucked away into the Cornwall countryside available for private hire and best suited to larger weddings.
Polhawn Fort – An historic fort tucked into the cliffs on Cornwall’s South Coast. Available for full private hire with private beach and lawns over-looking the sea. Offers on-site civil ceremony indoor and outdoor.
Cornish Tipi Weddings – Offers onsite outdoor civil ceremony in a woodland clearing, space for marquee and has a stunning quarry lake.
Lusty Glaze Beach – Private beach just outside Newquay on the North Coast with restaurant and limited accommodation, offers beachfront civil ceremony. Perfect for a laid-back Cornish beach party.
Other Wedding Suppliers to Look at:
Flowers: The Blue Carrot ,
Make-Up: Suzi Winter , Amy Skinner , Ella Butler , Sally Orchard .
Wedding Hire: Inspire Hire
Talk to Us!
Hopefully you feel that our style looks effortless and natural. It is. But this doesn’t mean that there is no forward planning involved. On your wedding day itself we plan to leave you to have a stress-free day and enjoy every minute of your celebration while we take care of the photography.
We like to chat to you in the build up to the wedding – a Skype, phone or email chat is normally plenty but let us know if you want to meet in Newquay for a coffee or a dog walk. We go over your timetable together and look at any specific photography requirements you may have. This then gives us a chance to point out or flag up any potential issues with timings etc.