The only thing that is perhaps more beautiful than the Welsh countryside would be playing a part of the union of two people. As a wedding photographer, I am lucky enough to enjoy the latter quite frequently, but you can imagine my excitement when I was able to enjoy both in one day for a stunning Pentre Mawr Wedding. The wedding of Elfed and Jeanne, a charming couple from Conwy, was a fantastic experience and an absolute pleasure shoot. They were such lovely people, and I cannot help but think that their love was something quite special.
Pentre Mawr
The wedding took place at Pentre Mawr Country House in Denbigh, North Wales. Tucked away in the foothills of the Clwydian range, this stunning 18th century Manor House sits in 200 acres of parkland, meadows and woodland. The spot was idyllic due to its positioning in an area of natural beauty and the unique historic nature of the house an grounds itself. The couple were married in the rustic barns, which were jam-packed with charm and personality. I loved shooting at this location, with the blushing bride and well-dressed wedding-guests juxtaposed with the shabby-chic setting. It was great to return here with camera in hand after being a groomsman for my cousin at Pentre Mawr a year before.
On The Day
The space held 90 day-guests and a total of 150 in the evening for the reception and dancing that went on late into the evening to the music of DJ MavMac. I must say, this former cowshed scrubbed up well. Elfed and Jeanne chose a vibrant red colour theme, which was fun, bold and refreshing. The colour also fed into the Oriental theme of the wedding, which paid homage to the Bride’s heritage. In Chinese culture, the colour red is the symbolic colour of happiness, prosperity and luck. Jeanne wore a traditional white wedding dress by Maggie Sotero which made her look every part the perfect bride, and it was lovely to see the transcendence of culture in the wedding aesthetic.
The weather held out for us, despite a gloomy looking sky. The month of April is renowned for its unpredictable weather- one-minute it’s cold and windy and the next we are basking in the sunshine. I am always one to make the best of a situation, so I embraced the dramatic, moody sky in my photographs. The wide shots I took of the Bride and Groom were spectacular against the vista of the Welsh countryside and sprawling lawns of the house. It was far from your average setting, and I hope that this uniqueness is in my photographs.
I think the thing that I enjoyed most about the wedding of this particular couple would be how personal it was. As an outsider, I could tell that this group of people had a sense of closeness and intimacy between them, which was brought together by the Bride and Groom. As a token to this, a best friend of the couple was the one to conduct the ceremony. I mean how adorable is that? The entire day felt incredibly unique, and I was honoured to even be part of it.
I wish Elfed and Jeanne all the best in the future.
Thank You
Thank you to the team at Pentre Mawr for looking after us and thanks to Sally Eaves for second shooting with me on the day. I hope I get to return to Pentre Mawr again in the future as it is such a beautiful venue with so many cool little spots for pictures I didn’t get to use this time around.
2018 AND 2019 BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN
Next Year is now 50% booked and I have started taking bookings for 2019. Thank you all for keeping me on this awesome path and if you haven’t booked yet feel free to get in touch!