Annabel and Joe’s wedding was about as local as you can get. The ceremony was at St Sithney Church, then they stopped at the old chapel they’re currently renovating into their home, before heading back to the family house for a tipi reception on the front lawn.

I joined Annabel and the girls as they got ready. Plenty was going on from the start, which is exactly how I like to begin a wedding day. I can just get stuck in, photograph what’s happening and get a feel for everyone before we head off to the ceremony.

There’s something I really like about photographing the start of a wedding day. Everyone is still settling into it, there’s usually a bit of nervous energy in the room, and the little things are already happening without anyone really thinking about the camera. It’s a chance to photograph the people around the couple too, rather than just waiting for the big moments later on.

A wedding at St Sithney Church

The ceremony took place at St Sithney Church, just outside Helston.

This wasn’t just a case of turning up and having the usual church service either. Joe’s Grandpa, Mike, was involved in the ceremony alongside Father John, and their friend Kathryn read a poem by Pam Ayres. Having people close to them involved in the service made it feel much more like Annabel and Joe’s wedding, rather than simply following the usual order of things.

Then it was outside, confetti, a few hugs and congratulations before heading off. However, we had one stop to make first.

A quick stop at the old chapel

Annabel and Joe are in the middle of renovating an old chapel in Sithney into their home, so they’d asked if we could stop there for a couple of photographs after the ceremony. I loved this. We didn’t need to turn it into a big portrait session. A few photographs and then we were on our way.

But these are some of my favourite photographs from the day. Right now it’s a building project. In a few years it’ll simply be home. Having a photograph of the two of them standing outside it on their wedding day, while they’re still right in the middle of bringing it back to life, feels worth documenting.

Then it was back on the road and off to Woodlee.

A tipi wedding reception at Woodlee

Woodlee is the family home, and for the reception they’d put a tipi right on the front lawn.

From this point on, there wasn’t really much need for me to interfere. Everyone was together, drinks were flowing, and there was always something happening somewhere. I could move around, photograph the people and all the stuff going on around the edges of the day. And that’s pretty much where I’m happiest with a camera.

The speeches had a bit of everything. Some properly emotional bits mixed in with plenty of laughs, before the tables were cleared and the DJ took over.

And the dance floor absolutely went off.

I love photographing this part of a wedding. Once people stop caring about the camera, or pretty much anything else, it gets really good. Packed dance floors, questionable dance moves, people singing at each other and complete chaos. Give me that over an empty dance floor any day.

Looking back through Annabel and Joe’s wedding, what I really like is how much of their life is wrapped up in the photographs. The church is in their village. Their future home became one of the stops along the way. And the reception happened at the family home with everyone they wanted around them.

No big production needed, just a very good wedding in a little corner of Cornwall that means something to them.

For their Sithney Wedding, Annabel & Joe booked my Story Package. Their day was full of family, fun, colour and love, with plenty of moments worth remembering.

If you’re looking for a Cornwall wedding photographer, or planning your wedding elsewhere in the UK, then please get in contact.