Country Ways, Devon - Wedding Photographer

Emma & Jamie

Country Ways, Devon - Wedding Photographer and Videographer

As Wedding Photographers and Videographers, our role is to create photos and films that document an important event in the story of two people who find each other and fall in love.

And how special that is. Emma and Jamie, married at Country Ways with a backdrop of stunning Devon Countryside, asked a friend to write something that summed up just how magical love is.

‘Life is precious so make every moment count.

Take a deep breath, close your eyes, just be still and clear your mind.

Ask yourself: “what makes life worth living?"

The first time you saw that face that led to that funny, warm feeling inside

The first time you knew you wanted to be with that person for the rest of your life

The happy, the sad, the excitement, the fear, the awkwardness

But, most important, the underlying emotion driving all of these other feelings - love.

Love is an amazing emotion, it is what keeps us living and motivated

Finding a life partner, a soul mate, a twin flame is all we need to carry on

In this world and to the next

But it’s so rare to find them.

May we all be blessed to find that life partner

The one that supports us, makes us belly laugh

Makes us feel what it’s like to be loved and cherished

And feel protected from anything bad in this world

This is what life is really about and, if you’ve found it,

You’re the luckiest person in the whole wide world.’

These beautiful, heartfelt words are at the start of our Film (watch it below!) because they set the scene for the whole Wedding. Emma and Jamie’s day was full of belly laughs (spot the point where Emma’s Dad changed t-shirt and sported a fake beard partway through his speech!), moments that gave everyone (including us!) those funny warm feeling inside and of course - lots of love!

Country Ways is a family-run venue set on a working farm in Umberleigh, North Devon. Emma and Jamie chose to have their ceremony outside where the views of Devon Countryside just drop away behind them. As they were saying their vows they were joined by birds of prey gliding above them as extra witnesses. With accommodation onsite and the bonus of being able to hire the whole venue for the weekend rather than just one day, the atmosphere was relaxed and the couple were able to spend even longer celebrating surrounded by their family and friends.

It was a beautiful early summer wedding day, bathed in golden sunlight watching the children playing in the field and under the trees - idyllic!

A very special day for a very special couple. Made even better by a wonderful group of suppliers:

Venue: Country Ways

Wedding Dress Designer: Luna by Vagabond Bridal

Bridesmaid Dresses: Coast, John Lewis and Next

Hair Stylist: Bridal Hair by Maddy

Makeup Artist: Amelia Carta

Florist: Old Trickey’s Flower Farm

DJ/Band: The Soul Specials

Catering: Mandy Harding

Flower Crown: Willowandhive on Etsy

Intimate Wedding Photographer, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Intimate Wedding Photographer, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Sam & Malta

If you imagine a fairytale - what do you see? The Isle of Skye has it all. Mountains, Oceans, Castles and Deep Mystical Forests. There’s something in the air that makes magical moments happen. So it’s little wonder that Sam & Malta chose it as the backdrop for a pinnacle scene in their own love story.

‘From the top of the world
The top of the waves
We said forever, forever always’

- Chris Martin, Coldplay

In recent years, the Isle of Skye (and Scotland as a whole) has become a popular destination for couples across the world to elope. Gone are the days when elopement has to mean just two people secretly getting married on their own - there are now all manner of ways you can ‘elope’!

For Sam & Malta, their wedding was an opportunity to share this beautiful place with friends and family. People travelled from all across the UK as well as France and the rest of Europe to celebrate with them. Hearing the beautiful stately rooms of Dunvegan Castle filled with laughter and singing, English and French voices joining together, is a memory we will hold forever. They chose to include some Scottish wedding traditions in their ceremony which helped to honour the incredible history of their castle venue. Did you know that Dunvegan is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland? It’s been the home of Clan MacLeod for 800 years!

One thing that Scotland is not always known for is it’s sunshine - but here was a day to prove it can happen! Visiting Skye in the Spring you might expect some moody lighting, dramatic fog and a little rain to mix it all together. Sam & Malta celebrated without a cloud in the sky, the sun shining down ALL day on the newly married couple.

Laura at Wild Hearts Elopements planned the wedding beautifully. An expert in all things weddings, Scotland and the Isle of Skye - she effortlessly enabled Sam & Malta to enjoy a little of everything the island has to offer. If you’re dreaming of a Scottish Elopement or Intimate Wedding, she’s the one to contact! She plans all kinds of days for couples around the world and has an incredible team of suppliers (including us!) she can recommend and put you in touch with. From helping the couple narrow down and eventually select their dream ceremony location to making sure they were wined and dined in style by the truly wonderful hospitality of Skeabost Hotel - her attention to detail was flawless!

We often say that, as photographers and filmmakers, we are ‘people over place’. It’s our clients that are the most important thing to us - who you are, what your story is, the relationships you have with your family and friends. It’s why we end up photographing couples up and down the country and even further afield!

Sam & Malta were our people, we had the most fun all day. From Malta being a fearless bride and telling us we had to go to the highest point so she could see the view (even in her heels and wedding dress!), to Sam’s never-ending supply of relevant Coldplay quotes - we loved everything about them. We noticed their interactions with family and friends and saw how much everyone else loves them both. It was a real pleasure to get a glimpse into their lives and relationships; to capture a small part of it for them.

I am still trying to pick up my jaw from the floor due to the incredible pictures Bethany and James took. They captured the tone of the day perfectly and not only that, they were friendly, funny and completely down to earth people. Throughout the day , I completely forget they were there (that's how relaxed they made you feel!). When it came to taking our private shots, they found us the perfect location after informing us they undertook location scouting for the day and, as a result, we couldn't be happier with the pictures. At this time, we are waiting for the final product but I know its going to be special - just like Beth and James are. We will miss you!

We love photographing new places, capturing them through our photos and videos and learning why they’re important to our couples. We will go wherever your love story takes us! What location is important to you? Can you see yourself getting married in the wilds of Scotland? Or is it a venue closer to home? Or in a city? Or your family home? We’d love to find out.

For now, we’ll leave you with some moments from this truly beautiful day. Please watch the video to hear more about Sam & Malta’s story.

Thank you once again to our beautiful clients - and a special congratulations to these two since we’ve heard about the start of their next chapter with Baby Unsworth on the way.

Credits to:

Wedding Planning: Wild Hearts Elopements

Beauty: Bonny’s Wonderland

Cake: Cakes by Fiona MacKinnon

Photography and Filmmaking: Bethany & James

Catering: Skye Bakehouse & Skeabost Hotel

Ceremony Location: Dunvegan Castle

Reception Location: Skeabost Hotel

Florals: Lock Duich Plant Centre

Extra Decor/Hire: HCE Services

Transport: Ultimate Private Hire

Shropshire Intimate Micro Wedding || Madi & Chris

Madi & Chris - Shropshire intimate wedding photography and filmmaking.

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but in 2020 there was a global pandemic. I promise not to mention it again, but it’s quite useful to the context of both this post and this story, and context is always important to consider.

Madi and Chris planned this micro wedding way before it was their only option. They were always planning on getting married in 2020 with their grandparents locally, then following up with a big party in 2021 with all their family and friends. They live down south and their grandparents wouldn’t be able to travel all that way for their 2021 nuptials, so they decided on a super intimate church ceremony planned entirely by Madi’s lovely mum. I feel this is a necessary detail, because it pretty much sums up why we loved Madi and Chris from the moment we met them. They care so much about their family and friends that they were willing to have two weddings just to make everyone feel included. I can’t think of a better way of introducing them in this blog post than with those few details.

Another necessary introduction at the outset of this post is Gizmo the cockapoo. I know that Madi and Chris won’t mind me saying that she was just as much a main character of the day as they were. If we wanted to know where a guest had disappeared off to at any given point, a sure way to find them was to first track down gizmo, as, sure enough, any one of the guests could be found crouched in a corner sneaking gizmo a treat or giving her the attention she was constantly vying for. We always say that we LOVE dogs at weddings, and the truth is that they just bring so much personality to the day. If you are getting married and wondering whether to invite your four legged family member, we highly suggest that you do. Muddy paws are a small sacrifice for having your best friend at your feet on one of the most important days of your life.

The day started with us arriving at Madi’s parents house, a beautiful town house in the historic market town of ludlow. The high ceilings and deep green walls and original flooring welcomed us in as I saw Madi, an absolute vision in her Asos gown and tousled waves. One thing I love most about intimate weddings, is the way the morning preparation feels. Sometimes, this part of the day can feel quite busy and overwhelming, but there were so many sweet, slow moments between Madi and her Dad and it never felt like we were rushing.

As expected, Gizmo was Madi's shadow the entire morning, and she had apparently stayed with her 'grandparents’ in this home during lockdown (gizmo, that is). She was clearly very at home and perched herself on the particular step that Madi informed me had been the most beloved spot of her beloved retriever growing up.

The church ceremony was a quaint and lovely affair, Chris Donned his military blues and looked like a real life prince charming. Due to restrictions, a single vocalist sang, finishing the ceremony with Madi’s Grandma’s favourite song, amazing grace. After the ceremony, the guests were greeted by a great British downpour for the short walk back to the Garden. Meanwhile, the brief spate of rain disappeared just in time for me to capture some beautiful portraits of Madi & Chris in the fields overlooking the historic ludlow and its beautiful castle.

All in all, this day was truly beautiful and magical. Seeing these little glimpses of happiness in what was such a difficult year was truly what ket us going.

5 Reasons Why You Should Be Considering A Micro Wedding in 2021

In an ever changing climate, here are 5 Reasons Why You Should Be Considering A Micro Wedding in 2021 - regardless of whether you planned a big wedding or not.

The term ‘Micro Wedding’ has been flying around the wedding world since the pandemic hit and caused thousands of couples to reassess their plans and decide whether to push forward or postpone. Guests lists would need to be reduced, wedding suppliers would need to be reconsidered and the whole plan for the day would need to be completely overhauled and restructured.

Sounds like a headache

May as well just postpone. Right? Wrong.

The micro weddings we have shot in 2020 are among our favourite weddings of all time and not a single couple who opted for a micro wedding has regretted their choice. In fact, theyre not a new concept at all. We’ve shot micro weddings and small weddings for years, and they have always been special to us. We love them so much, we always say that if we were getting married now, we would only invite 20-30 people max!

But those people haven’t dreamed of a big wedding forever, right? Wrong again! 

Each couple that decided to make their wedding micro had originally invited 100+ guests - our initial meetings were all about the huge, international event they were planning and therefore had to scale back. A micro wedding wasn’t their dream wedding, as it turns out, it was a lot better!

Just a little disclaimer before we go ahead: we know that for many of you, the decision to reduce your wedding down has caused a lot of heartache. We know that the restrictions and the ever changing climate has made things so tough. The reason we have put this post together is not to make light of the difficulties of these situations, but to shed a little bit of positive light and to show you just how special and magical micro weddings can be, and to let you know that whatever you decide to do, you will absolute love your wedding day. We would not want any of this information to be misconstrued as us undermining the pain and difficulty that the pandemic has caused in relation to weddings.

So here are our 5 reasons you should be considering a micro wedding in 2021:

1.Less guests means your money goes further

Had to scale back on the florals to make room for champaign glass hire for 150 guests? Had to resign yourself to an average wedding photographer or scrap the dream of a wedding film in place of chairs? When you say that out loud, it doesn’t sound that appealing. 

Imagine being able to take your budget and put it into the things you WANT to do and also being able to spoil your guests rotten with the best of the best when it comes to food and drink? When you reduce your guest list down, it opens up a whole world of opportunities when it comes to the overall experience of the wedding day.

2. Less guests means more quality time with the ones you love

When you think about your wedding day, who are the people you imagine yourself hanging out with? Who are the people you envision yourself dancing with or taking a photo with in front of the venue? Who are the people who you just can’t WAIT to see react to the amazing table settings you’ve designed for the day? Who are you most excited to hug after you’ve said your vows?

I know for a fact that when you ask yourself those questions, you aren’t envisioning a hundred different faces.

 And you know what? The time on your wedding day is so precious and goes so fast, you deserve to spend that time with the people you love the most.

I have been witness to so many glances of longing across the room from a bride looking towards her friend’s table while trying to get round every single guest and being held ransom by an uncle who doesn’t know the groom from Adam asking him about his work experience.

Having a micro wedding means hand picking the people you love the most and assigning all of that precious time to those people and those people only. 

3. Less guests means your time goes further

Wedding timelines - of all the things our couples struggle with, this one has to be the highest on the list. One fact that will always remain is that the more guests you have, the more time is wasted. 

You might not WANT to assign 30 minutes to your guests getting sat down ready to eat, but if you have 150 of them, there really isn’t a whole lot of choice in the matter. 

The same goes for the meal itself. As amazing as wedding venues are at serving up food quickly, the more tables there are to get around, the longer it is going to take. 

In a day that can only last so long, how much nicer would it be to assign that time to long conversations over champagne than to people trying to find their seat or queuing for the toilets.

On a more specific note, big weddings tend to mean looooots of group shots. The bigger the wedding, the more time is eaten up by a ton of different family setups and if there is one thing our couples say more than anything else, its that they don’t want to spend ages doing posed group shots! 

4. Micro weddings allow you to do away with tradition

Because you’ve already decided against the tradition of a big wedding, that opens up a world of possibilities.

You could hire out an entire house for all of your guests to stay in and host the wedding there, maybe even spreading the celebrations over a whole weekend.

You don’t have to feel like traditions such as the cutting of the cake are a necessary thing to do anymore. Because you have more freedom when it comes to your time line, you could even incorporate a first look or reading of your own personal vows. Making your wedding a micro wedding is really the first step into planning a wedding that is completely and uniquely about who you are as a couple.

The possibilities are endless with this one, and if you need any suggestions we can absolutely help you out.

5. Micro Weddings Make everyone on the list feel special

Imagine how you would feel getting invited to a wedding where you knew that only twenty other guests had been selected? Imagine how grateful and honoured you would be to be there? 

If you are on our website, I already know that you are the kind of people who want to spoil your guests and make them feel loved and special. There is no better way to do this than to limit your guest list. 
It means you get to think about how you can make your day a truly special and magical occasion for every single guest. 

The truth is, the bigger the wedding, the less appreciative your guests. The further someone is from your table, the more likely they are to feel like a pity invite. 

Have you ever joined a wedding as an evening guest? There is no doubt you have enjoyed yourself, but was there even a small part of you that felt a little jealous of those that got to hear the speeches and enjoy the whole day?

If you want to make every one feel like a guest of honour, there is no better way of doing so than to reduce your guest list down!

So there you have it! Five reasons why you should consider a micro wedding in 2021. Of course,  you may read through this and feel even more certain you want to have a big bash! Whichever way you decide to go, all I can ask is that you do what feels most appealing to you. Don’t do anything you don’t want to do or because you feel like you have to. You will never regret making a decision based on the things that make your heart full of joy and excitement! 

If you need any more tips, don’t hesitate to drop us a line - we’d love to help! 

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

@bethanyandjames_

Gallery Block

This is an example. To display your Instagram posts, double-click here to add an account or select an existing connected account. Learn more

Ireland Wedding Photographer - Achill Island Adventure Session - Alison & Lance

Ireland wedding photographer Bethany & James captured an adventure session on Achill Island.

Ireland is our new home from home, after Jamie’s mum and dad decided to relocate out there over the summer. When we visited back in August, I had no idea how much I would LOVE this place. The truth is, bleak landscapes kind of speak to my soul. I love shades of green & brown, and the backdrop of a forest or an angry ocean. I love the bright, quintessential beauty of the Swiss alps as much as the next person, but there is something about the slightly melancholic feeling I get from looking out at the grey sky hanging over more grey tinged vistas that soothes me. I think thats a huge part of growing up in England, or maybe it is my artistic temperament reflecting itself onto my surroundings, but whatever the reason the Emerald Isle makes my heart sing. Knowing it connects me with some of my favourite people in the whole world definitely adds a little yearning in my heart to be back, but knowing that being with Jamie’s family also now means being in this beautiful place makes me SO happy.

While we were visiting my in laws, helping them to settle into there new home, we had the pleasure of meeting up with Alison & Lance to capture an adventure session with them along the Wild Atlantic Way on Achill Island. The session was definitely an adventure, we had to climb the side of a VERY steep hill through a huge swarm of gnats that decided we were their meal for the day. Thankfully, when we reached the cliff edge, the wind from the ocean had deterred the gnats and we just had tackle the terrain - Alison and I are both low key afraid of heights but these images were just so worth it. This session was one of those pinch me moments, the stars aligned for perfect golden light, the most beautiful ocean backdrop & the most amazing people to photograph.

Alison and Lance are truly some of the coolest, sweetest people we have had the pleasure of capturing. Completely unashamedly in love, creative, passionate, cat lovers, these guys are what fairytales are made of. This love spans oceans, sometimes spending weeks apart with Alison at their home in Paris & Lance spending time with family in the USA, they make the most of every moment they spend together. When we describe our dream clients, we always look for people who love as hard as we do, who don’t shy away from their feelings for each other - Alison & Lance were exactly that. Here is our film and some highlights from the shoot. A love letter from France to the USA.

6 Things I Wish We Knew When Planning Our Wedding

Photo from shoot at Scarlett Hall by The Artful Event Co - florals by Ivy Pip & Rose

A few weeks back, I shared some of the tips we have learned as wedding photographers, this week I want to share a few things I wish we knew when planning our wedding 5 years ago. There is a lot to be gained experience wise when working as a photographer, but when I got married I wasn’t yet in the industry and there is so much I learned from this experience. Obviously, when it comes to weddings there is no take two so hopefully you can learn a little from my experience.

1. YOU Don’t Need To invite All those people

This may be a little controversial because I know that every wedding is different and priorities are different for everyone but this is my advice: If you have any doubts in your mind as to why you are inviting someone, if you  should invite them, or if you even really know them, then probably don’t. If you are worried about causing offence, remember that the people who love you the most want what you want. We had just over 100 guests at our wedding but if I were to plan our wedding again I would probably max out at 30. Less guests means a number of things - you get to speak to everyone there, you get to invest in an incredible experience rather than stretching the budget and watering it down and you will have less confusion when looking back at your photos in a couple of years and asking ‘why were they there?’. Don’t get me wrong, I had an incredible day and I still have a lot of the people who were at our wedding very much in my life, but I don’t have 100 friends now and I don’t think I did then either. If you are planning a small wedding, be honest and don’t make excuses, it is your day and you owe it to the people you love to give them the best environment you can create. 

2. You Should Unplug The Ceremony

I’ve talked about unplugging here before and I certainly will again. I am a huge believer in hiring professionals to do their job and letting them do it. Stopping your guests from having their phone out during the ceremony isn’t mean or controlling, it allows them to enjoy being present in the moment. It also avoids any ugly photos of arms and phones hanging out in the middle of the aisle. If you take any tips on board from this post this should be the one.

3. You Should Definitely Hire a Videographer

I know, I know. We are filmmakers and we had no wedding film. Of all my post wedding regrets this is my biggest. We only have a very tiny selection of incredibly short clips of video from the days that instagram only allowed fifteen seconds. I wish so badly we had a film to watch so that I could see our guests interacting, listen to James preform the song he wrote for me (every time I remember I have no video of that it breaks my heart a little) and hear my dad’s speech. Having no wedding film makes us so much more focused when creating films for our couples now and we are always a little jealous that we don’t have one ourselves. Video is super, super important and you should definitely be budgeting for a professional.

4. A First Look is Better Than Seeing Each Other at The Ceremony

In my mind, I was going to walk down the isle, our eyes would meet, a tear would slowly fall down  James’ cheek and we would stand and tell each other how amazing we thought we both looked. The reality of the situation was that I can’t remember the exact moment I saw James, I remember he was smiling and I remember that he forgot to remove my veil from my face until prompted because we were in a rush to sit down and get straight into the ceremony. It was still absolutely lovely but I honestly wish that I had had a few moments with him before walking down the isle. I’d have been a LOT less nervous, I would have had time to tell him how perfect he looked and how much I loved him. We didn’t get to actually talk until after we were married and in all honesty that seems weird to me. First looks may be none traditional but I definitely wish we had one.

5. You Shouldn’t Wear Your hair Up If you don’t want to

Everyone said I should wear my hair up because it looked better with the dress. I wanted to wear my hair down and Jamie wanted me to wear my hair down. Why did I think it was so important? Or that all the people saying they thought it would look better up would even care? If I’d have worn my hair down I would have felt more comfortable and I know now that nobody would have said they didn’t like it. Feeling like yourself on your wedding day is really important, if you have any doubts about the look you have decided on it is never to late to change your mind (unless, like me, you realise after the fact).

6. You Should Do A speech If you want to and you shouldn’t if you don’t 

James did a speech he didn’t really want to do, and secretly I desperately wanted to do a speech but didn’t think people would approve. Why I thought that I don’t really know, but I do know that I wish I had given a speech. I would have loved the opportunity to thank all of the people that I loved rather than passing that responsibility onto the best man (James said maybe three sentences before dinner because speeches really were not his number one priority). Of course, I did thank them personally, but I would definitely give a speech if I was getting married now. I also would tell Jamie he didn’t have to do one. 

All in all, our wedding was a truly happy and joyful experience. We loved every second and I am disinclined to say I would change anything about it, at the time it was perfect. There is a just a lot of learning that goes on and you only really learn it after the fact, so I feel it important to share that experience so that maybe you can learn a little while planning your day. 

Shrewsbury Wedding Photographers & Filmmakers - Kate & Thom - Albright Hussey

Shrewsbury Wedding Photographers & Filmmakers at a beautiful Albright Hussey Wedding.

The golden Sunlight filled the scenic surroundings of the beautiful Albright Hussey Hotel as we walked with Kate and Thom for their evening portrait session. The hotel was behind us, teaming with laughter and excitement, the guests spilling out onto the front lawn of the beautiful Tudor manor. We started our session as we always do, by playing some music to set the mood, beginning with River by Leon Bridges. The love shared between Thom and Katie was not only present but palpable, their chemistry was so easy to evoke. Thom looked at Kate as though she were the sun, as though the warm light of the evening radiated from her. She looked back at Thom and saw her love reflected back. Their is no question that their love, a love that has taken years of friendship to come to fruition, was not only magical but also completely and utterly true. This pairing was perfection.

We often speak about the privilege of capturing a wedding day. We talk about the fact that we view our jobs as Photographers & Filmmakers to be an honour and something that we treasure. In moments like this, we recognise our job to be a gift. We are entrusted with so much, and we are allowed to get a glimpse of the intimate and beautiful aspects of a relationship that we realise not everyone has the permission to see. We are able to be witness to the outpouring of emotion, the glances across the room, the subtle touching of hands. We are so invested in every moment of every wedding day we are a part of, and this is what makes us the story tellers we are.

Kate and Thom were married back in May, where Kate got ready at her sweet family home in rural Shropshire, while Thom was over at The Albright Hussey with his Ushers. The bridesmaids donned their beautiful Sorella Vita gowns, with April and Sally Howe working their magic with Hair and Makeup. Kate looked like a true princess in her gorgeous tulle gown purchased from Jdezire Bridal and stunning Rachel Simpson shoes. Thom and his ushers suited up in Peter Posh tails along with his groomsmen & Cavalli shoes. The florals had been created by the brides mother and family friends the day before which added a gorgeous personal touch to the overall look of the day.

The Albright Hussey is a stunning wedding venue near Shrewsbury which is the perfect place for brides who want everything in one place, with tons of options for customisation when it comes to catering and decor. What we really love about this venue is the gardens! The front lawn of this beautiful old manor house is divided by a Tudor moat complete with resident black swans and a huge weeping willow. Kate and Tom opted for beautiful floral centrepieces and made a feature of the beautiful cake, handcrafted by Kate’s mother.

The day played out beautifully, with Thom’s sweet words of his love for kate making the whole room weep, while tears of laughter spread throughout the guests during his brother’s best man speech. This was a day that was truly focused on the important things, family, friends, and love. Katie and Thom are truly a couple who love each other endlessly and we feel incredibly privileged to have been a part of it.

Here is our film and a few highlights from the day: