The day that Mikey and Emily asked me to be their Cott Farm Barn wedding photographer, was definitely a very special day indeed!
Let’s take a few steps back to the depths of December 2017; I received an email from the couple telling me about their outdoor wedding, for which they were looking for lots of natural and candid photos. We exchanged a few emails before talking over Skype, these guys were funny, cool, really lovely and I really really wanted to be their wedding photographer!
Lucky for me, they really wanted me to be their wedding photographer too! Amen! Mikey and Emily decided to add an engagement shoot to their package and so in March I met them at Highcliffe Beach in the New Forest so we could get to know each other and take some pre-wedding photos along the way (which you can see here). We walked across the sand, paddled in the sea (we all agreed this was a bad idea in March) and climbed on the rocks. All the dogs said hello and we got some great shots!
Fast forward to May, and it was their wedding day. Needless to say I was thrilled to be spending their wedding day with them and their family and friends! Emily got ready at a friend’s holiday cottage nearby with her bridesmaids by her side; her bridesmaids Amy-Louisa and Ellie styled Emily’s hair and incorporated a beautiful headpiece. Local florist Little Thatch Florist provided the wedding flowers, and Emily’s sister Catherine helped her get into her Hannah Elizabeth wedding dress.
Meanwhile Mikey greeted guests at Cott Farm Barn and awaited Emily’s arrival. The ceremony was held outside at the wedding pergola surrounded by beautiful views all around. Mikey and Emily’s pastor lead their ceremony, along with several readings from family and friends. After exchanging rings, first kiss and celebratory arms held high in the air, the couple’s church family prayed for the new couple. Emily’s brother then lead the worship band and several joyous songs were sung; they say it’s hard to fill outdoor spaces with singing but these guys didn’t even break a sweat whilst succeeding! The bride and groom had secretly arranged for big brass band, the Tuba Libres, to play after their ceremony; as the ceremony took place the band had set up behind everyone. As the newly weds walked down the isle, they played Beyonce’s Crazy in Love; what an exit! You had to see Mikey’s face to truly understand how awesome this was (scroll down!).
The rest of the day was as amazing as it started out, great brass music played during canapés, group photos (hence the dancing) and games. The barn had been beautifully decorated by the couple the day before using fabrics, foliage and candles; simple yet so perfect. The roofs were raised with laughter during the speeches, tears were shed (mine too) and many toasts were raised. Before we knew it, the cake cutting and first dance were upon us, and GraceNote band put on a great party for everyone to dance and let loose to!
So the day that Mikey and Emily asked me to be their wedding photographer, really was a very special day indeed, and I can’t thank them enough for their support.
Here are some kind words left by the lovely couple:
‘Heather took the photos for our wedding at Cott Barn Farm in May and also did a pre-wedding shoot with us a couple of months beforehand. Straight from the start she was easy to get on with and we had a lot of fun together. We are fairly awkward and she put us both at ease. And then when we got the photos back we were so pleased with the job she'd done - not only were they just stunning - really beautiful - but they captured the day so perfectly. Really natural - lots of lovely moments. So many of our guests commented on how well she fitted in. We are so glad we went with Heather and could not recommend her highly enough!’
Get yourself a cuppa and enjoy looking through their photos!
Venue and catering: Cott Farm Barn
Dress: Hannah Elizabeth
Flowers: Little Thatch Florist
Band: GraceNote
