A BoHo Cornwall Elopement
This March I photographed my first wedding of 2023 - a gorgeous elopement in Penzance. The couple travelled down from Swindon with their three children to marry at the unique and historic Pengersick Castle.
Their day started in a holiday cottage where the family were getting ready together. Abby and Darren weren’t concerned about being traditional and not seeing each other in the morning, but Darren hadn’t seen Abby’s dress. So when Abby was fully ready we set up a ‘first look’ photo which was a lovely moment to capture. With everyone ready, we made the short journey to the castle.
Flowers by Stacey’s Boutique Bouquets
The castle dates back to the 16th Century and is full of character and charm. When in the ceremony room, I noticed that there were lots of butterflies in the windowsill just enjoying the window sunshine. It was incredibly tranquil and romantic there - fresh tulips and daffodils were displayed, candlelight was dancing on the exposed brickwork and music played softly in the background. Every little detail was taken care of by Maya and Tom who run BoHo Cornwall. The Groom and the boys forgot to put their buttonholes on back at the holiday home but Tom was on hand to help with this when we arrived at the Castle. He even had a batch of stronger pins because the ones that came with the buttonholes were bending easily.
The room in which the couple married was a little dark but Abby and Darren were positioned facing a large window which illuminated them perfectly. It was a fantastic room to photograph and I loved capturing some bokeh from the candlelight in the background.
After the ceremony, Maya and Tom presented the family with a glass of Shloer and then left us so we could take some photos. We started photos inside the ceremony room before heading up to the top of the castle for some photos with the stunning view.
There were many photo opportunities inside the castle but we were also keen to make sure we allowed enough time to explore the grounds of the castle too. I left the family to have a little snack by the car while I quickly scoped out the area to find the best photo opportunities around the castle grounds. I would love to revisit in the spring, summer and autumn as I’m sure the place will look very different in every season. Unfortunately there wasn’t a lot of life in the gardens (which is to be expected in winter) but we did have some vibrant daffodils which were a joy to use in some photos. Despite the branches being bare it was still stunningly beautiful and I found lots of lovely photo locations - I could have stayed there for hours I think.
Even though it was a very small wedding party, we still did a few group photos, here’s a little selection of those…
We finished the photo coverage at Praa Sands Beach, which is conveniently only a two minute drive from the castle. Abby knew she wanted to get in the water before we’d even arrived, so when the family got splashed by a wave it didn’t phase her at all - it was such a funny moment though, and I’m so glad I captured it on camera for them. After a few photos, Abby’s custom shoes came off and she bravely walked out into the sea. She quickly adjusted to the cold (after pulling a few funny faces) and it looked so beautiful as the water surrounded her feet and the waves rolled in behind her. Darren then decided to run into the water and join her for some photos - again pulling a funny face when the water first reached him (which I enjoyed capturing). And after the initial shock of the cold water we were able to get some romantic photos. The sea was quite wild so every photo I took is a little different from the last - even if the couple are in the same pose, the water around them made each shot look so unique. I did get a little wet myself, as I crouched down the water rushed into my boots and waves caught the bottom of my dress and coat - but it was totally worth it!
In the 11 years I have been photographing weddings, Abby is the third Bride who has gone into the sea in her dress for photos and Darren is the second Groom who has braved the sea for me. What a couple of legends!!
