Wedding Photographer at Wilde Lodge, Powys, Wales

And so our 1 in 5 million couple tied the knot, with me as their designated wedding photographer at the wonderful Wilde Lodge... and what a wonderful wedding day it was. With our gorgeous newlyweds being very outdoorsy, it certainly comes as no surprise when you see the venue of choice for their big day. Rachel, a keen runner and horse rider, and Tom, an avid hockey player, and captain of his local team no less, love to explore the countryside, walking the lengths and breadths of the country, with their two four pawed friends, Margot and Cooper, their English Pointers. There are many stunning places to get married in these fair isles, and some of the places I am privileged to visit and photograph are truly breathtaking... Wilde Lodge being one of them. Billed as a place to 'lose yourself in the magical un spolit and wild countryside', I think they've got their description right on the money, as it offers spectacular views and a wonderrous setting for any newly engaged couples on the look out for a venue for their big day. Now I say 'newly engaged couples' as if this was the process for Rachel and Tom... in what is probably a first for myself, this wasn't technically the case for our love birds... especially as when asked where their place of engagement was, they replied...

"Technically, Wilde Lodge! Neither one of us had proposed when we went to view our wedding venue. Maddie even asked us how long we had been engaged when we went to the open day and we both had a nervous laugh and said ‘um, technically we are not!’ She must have thought we were mad!"

Now that's a unique engagement if you ask me! And this first visit really did leave a lasting impression, not least with the catering options available. As well as describing the views as 'breath taking', allowing for a relaxed and personalised day, I'm told that the cinnamon buns are a real winner, having enjoyed them on their first visit! However, that would be amiss of me to then not highlight one thing that both our happy couple and I remembered on the day... the amazing staff who looked after them, and were an incredible help to me too. I can't wait for my return visit... and an especially big thank you to Jemma and Maddie!

There are always lots of lovely moments that I spot and capture during the day as the wedding photographer. One that particularly stood out in my memory were the tears from Rachel upon opening a present from Tom... there is a black and white photo of the moment in the gallery below, as I watched our bride reading a letter inside the parcel... it certainly set some magical tears off. For the newlyweds, they mentioned so many that really meant so much to them, and it was a clear indication of just how much they enjoyed their special day together:

1. "Walking down to the river for photos... this also allowed us to have some time together away from our guests to just enjoy being in the beautiful setting"
2. "Our first dance together... Avicci, Addicted To You, performed by our amazing band Indiana"
3. "Tom spent Saturday morning watching the sun rise over the back of Wilde Lodge, a beautiful way to start the day!"

Amazing.

And so after a wonderful wedding day, and a few days on the beach with Margot and Cooper, Rachel and Tom rounded off what was a beautiful wedding weekend. With a summer honeymoon to Singapore and Bali planned, I wish them every happiness in the world, and thank you again for choosing me as your wedding photographer. Congratulations to Rachel and Tom!

Wedding photography by Jon Thorne at Wilde Lodge, Powys, Wales.