As I sit in our office with hailstones clinking against the window I decided I had to immerse myself in a summery rustic wedding to banish those January blues.

This is a great unique wedding on board a barge! Think laid back & relaxed, a fab rustic wedding full of charm and lots of personal touches. Perfect to get you thinking of those summer weddings that are not too far away now. And the bride is a professional cake maker so you just know there’s going to be good ‘cakeage’ thrown in for good measure too!

As I just mentioned the bride, Emma, runs her own bespoke cake company in our home town, Lottie & Jakes.   Emma knew from the outset that she wanted to plan, design and create the entire wedding herself.  So when they approached us regarding photography we knew it was going to be a fab wedding to be a part of.

Emma started the day of the wedding at her family home getting ready with her Mum, her two young daughters and her best friend, the maid of honour.  It was calm and relaxing and I loved being able to capture those special moments of her daughters getting ready with their mum, (the bride).  Having their hair styled, their nails painted and even a teeny tiny bit of make up too, they could pretend to be princesses for the day!  Such gorgeous special moments that we hope they can cherish for years to come.

Emma & Ben married at the traditional All Saints C of E Church in the centre of Maldon.  Dan met the groom and groomsmen at the Oakhouse bar, ideally located right next door to All Saints Church!   Although some grooms are not as keen to have photography of the morning preparations we always encourage the groom to meet Dan beforehand, even if it’s just at a nearby pub, so we are able to tell their wedding story in full, including both the bride’s and groom’s perspective.

Following the ceremony we had a short time with the couple as they particularly wanted just a few ‘posed’ shots, preferring the entire photography style to be relaxed and candid to reflect the style of their wedding day.  A style we love too.

Guests were free to stroll down the High Street to Hythe Quay to board a Thames Barge moored on the River Blackwater for the reception. Emma and Ben joined them shortly after being driven down in a classic 1935 Rolls Royce Phantom. Meanwhile, we hot-footed it down the road to meet them just moments later.

Emma and Ben both started their life together living on a boat so there was no better way of celebrating their marriage than a reception on board a Thames Barge (or two).  Emma & Ben had the use of two Topsail Charters barges, Hydrogen & Thistle, and guests could freely hop between the two.

Drinks were served up on deck first whilst the amazing Jakob Deist sang (now a member of the band Three Mile Hill).  Later, food was served in the cabin below.  The food again reflected their relaxed rustic theme and was served as a buffet style affair, amazingly all the food was home made by the groom’s mum and it looked amazing!   There was also a huge desert table (again made by the groom’s mum) in the cabin below including not one but two wedding cakes (of course made by Emma of Lottie & Jakes), a plethora of various sweets,  scrummy cupcakes, heart-shaped personalised biscuits and delicate meringues & macarons too.  It looked (and tasted!) divine.  As you can imagine we did photograph the cakes from every angle possible!!

Guests were then able to watch the sun set across the River Blackwater for that perfect romantic feel.  The view was spectacular. Everyone then headed back down below deck to start the dancing.  As is always the case we love capturing the dancing towards the end of the night.  Such great fun images and when we’re there to witness and record a spontaneous round of ‘oops up side your head’ we know we have that  perfect ending to their wedding story.

Wedding day suppliers

Hairdresser – Kelly Ward Wedding Hair

Florist – Talking Flowers, Maldon.

The Thames barges – Topsail Charters 

SInger – Jakob Deist (also Three Mile Hill).

Wedding dress – designed and made by bride’s mum, Lynda Wallis Lingerie

Wedding cakes –  The bride, Emma of Lottie & Jakes, Maldon.

Caterer – The groom’s mum, Barbara Payne.

Transport – Aristocars, Billericay.

wedding rings photo

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