Although most of the weddings we photograph take place in the midlands counties, we do occasionally venture further across the country. One such occasion came in August and saw us travel down to Somerset for the wedding of Julia and Stuart at Maunsel House, located a few miles from Taunton.
As they live on the south coast, we never got a chance to meet Julia and Stuart before they booked. We knew that we’d be photographing for a bit longer than usual, but the rest of the details were left until we met them for their pre-wedding shoot at the venue.
Stuart, his best man and (new) father-in-law had stopped at the Castle Hotel in Taunton the night before the wedding, so this is where Sarah met them to start the day’s coverage. Rob met Julia and her bridesmaids at the vneue where they were getting ready in the luxurious rooms. The whole of Maunsel House is filled to the brim with paintings, trophies, suits of armour, weaponry and a myriad of other artefacts so it makes for a very rich environment.
There were two wedding ceremonies and both took place outdoors in the gorgeous Maunsel grounds. The weather had been somewhat unsettled during the morning so the decision to hold the ceremonies outside was made at the last possible moment.After the the civil (legal) ceremony, a jewish blessing took place, complete with the traditional breaking of a glass.
Julia and Stuart planned a relaxed day and wanted the photographs to reflect that. A bare minimum of formal photos and an easy-going schedule meant that we could concentrate on the candid, photojournalistic images that we love creating. It was fantastic to have the chance to really indulge in this – to mingle properly with the guests and be able to capture so little moments. Julia and Stuart have a huge circle of friends and it was a lovely crowd.
Although this was long day for us – indeed the longest day we’ve ever been asked to cover – the pacing of the day meant the day just flowed nicely. From the outdoor ceremonies, to the long drinks reception, to the wedding breakfast held under Maunsel’s lovely pergola, to the evening entertainment from two live bands – this was just a fantastic day.
