Jackie and Andy - Herstmonceux Castle
After a holiday and a case of the flu, I have finally got round to sharing the wedding photographs of Jackie and Andy, who met whilst working for East Sussex Fire Brigade (Thank you for your service).
I first met them in April of this year, about seven weeks before they tied the knot. We had messaged before and we knew of each other, as Jackie’s fabulous daughter is the best friend of my daughter. They girls met outside of school when they were young teenagers, so us mum’s never had the chance to meet each other. When we finally did get to meet, over a cuppa in Lewes, you’d have thought we’d known each other for years, both chatting away about our magnificent children (who are grown women now). We did let Andy join in, telling me of his lovely children and his young grandson. The conversation also went on to their new puppy, and their chickens, as they had bought me a gift of six freshly laid eggs. It’s lovely when you meet your couples and you get on well, it makes everything so much nicer. Remember you have to spend all day with your photographer, so it really helps and makes everything more enjoyable if you like them and enjoy their company.
Herstmonceux Castle was the chosen venue. It is a brick-built moated castle, dating from the 15th century, near Herstmonceux, East Sussex. It is one of the oldest significant brick buildings still standing in England. I hadn’t photographed a wedding there before so I was very excited. I love going to a new venue and discovering all the new photo opportunities. I knew there were beautiful gardens and that the wedding party would be in the cloisters and enclosed private courtyard. The wisteria had some flowers still in bloom, and the garden was full of country garden flowers of lupins, foxgloves and lavender, to mention a few. There were beautiful colours of pinks and purples and the sound of buzzing bees.
The ceremony was taking place in The Elizabethan Room it is a very intimate and charming room, perfect for a smaller wedding. It is a stone floored room with a grand fireplace, beautiful woodwork, tapestries and an incredibly ornate ceiling.
Jackie and her bridesmaids were getting ready upstairs in another ornate wooden panelled room and Andy was greeting the guests at the entrance of the castle. It’s not everyday you get to greet your favourite people on your wedding day, standing on a drawbridge, over a moat in a medieval castle.
When it was time for the ceremony Jackie, her Bridesmaids, who were her daughter and her step-daughter, made the way to the Elizabethan Room, we all had to negotiate an old wooden staircase. The only problem was it was a bit creaky and any high heels echoed around the room. Thank goodness for the entrance music. I was also really glad I was wearing my vans as they enabled me to climb the stairs quietly to take some overhead shots from a balcony above, and to photograph the beautiful decorative ceiling.
The ceremony was lovely with personalised vows. They didn’t leave a dry eye in the house, even the registrar was in bits. After they became husband and wife it was confetti time, outside the castle on the drawbridge. We then took couple, family and friend photographs in the courtyard, we had limited time as there was a delicious cream tea and plenty of bubbles waiting for the wedding party. So we didn’t get to explore more of the 300 acre estate including woodland, and gardens. I also didn't get to see the peacock I had been hearing calling out all day. I look forward to doing so when I return.
It was a special day spent in beautiful historical surroundings with lovely people. It’s why my job is one of the best jobs and I consider myself very lucky.
