“We sat down with a glass of champagne last night and went through them all, they are beautiful. You have really captured the feel of the day!! Thank you so so much. We loved having you there.”
Ellen & Ben
Small Home Wedding in Redditch
Ellen & Ben
St Leonard’s Church Beoley
Outdoor reception at home
Photographed by Robin
All of the weddings we had booked in from March 2021 onwards have been affected by Covid. Whether the effect has been diminished numbers of guests, limitations on what can take place or has resulted is the wedding being delayed for up to two years, the pandemic has affected every single couple we work with. And while some have understandably abandoned the idea of a 2021 wedding entirely, others have forged a new path and have reimagined their wedding from the ground up. One such couple was Ellen and Ben.
When they first booked, Ellen and Ben’s day included 100+ guests, but as restrictions continued into 2021 they decided they “just wanted to get married” and pared down their plans into something altogether more cosy and intimate. Their ceremony took place at St Leonard’s church in Beoley – a lovely little church we’d not worked at for about 10 years. The reception was hosted at Ellen’s parents home in Redditch, with fewer than 30 guests in total and embracing the restrictions by holding everything outside in the garden. Here’s some photos from their day.
Wedding Ceremony at St Leonard’s Church Beoley
Beoley church is situated on the north side of Redditch and dates from the 12th century. It’s s beautiful old building, tucked away from the road and surrounded by lush trees, making for gorgeous setting for a wedding. Here Robin met up with Ben and guests shortly before the service was due to begin.
Outdoor Garden Wedding Reception
The home of Ellen’s parents provided the beautiful setting for the reception. A small open-sided marquee had been set up and the tool shed converted into a makeshift bar (complete with hand sanitising station). The fabulous food was provided by our friend Colin from local company Complete Caterers. We’ve worked alongside Colin and his team many times over the years and they provided the catering for our own wedding back in 2011.
Although some couple photos has been done at the church, the garden provided even more opportunities so Robin was able to sneak the couple away for a few minutes at a time at various points during the afternoon.
Home-Made Pudding, Speeches & Goodbyes
Although the caterers handled the main meal, Ellen’s mum made the wedding cake and puddings. An experienced chef herself, Wendy’s creations went down a treat with the guests and were served by Ellen and Ben. How lovely is that?
Suppliers for this wedding:
Ellen’s dress: The Dressing Rooms Halesowen
Ben’s suit: Moss Bros
Florals: Flowers of Elegance Droitwich
Catering: Colin at Complete Caterers
Cake & Puddings: Ellen’s Mum, Wendy!
Hair: Creation Hair Redditch
Singer: Hayley Jones
Home and garden wedding photography by Robin & Sarah Gillespie, wedding photographers in the Midlands.