Carole and Lee’s Cornish Elopement
It was a beautiful, frosty morning when I set off before dawn to Cornwall for Carole and Lee’s elopement back at the beginning of February. As I trundled through Devon the sun began to rise and it was evident it was going to be a glorious day.
When I arrived with Carole, Lee and their children Lara and William at The Headland Hotel at the end of Fistral beach, there was a fizz of excitement in the air as they were all getting ready for the big day ahead. They’d hired one of the adorable little self-catering cottages at the hotel, which overlooked the sea and had a definite nautical theme. From the windows you could already see surfers out getting soaked in wonderfully clean waves and I don’t think any of us could wait to don our wellies and head on down to the bay.
Lara was particularly excited about being a bridesmaid, it was her first time doing so and she just couldn’t wait to show me her gorgeous pink dress! It was little William’s first time in a suit too, and he looked adorably cute and was superb in front of the camera, definitely a model in the making!
Once everyone was ready we headed over to the Headland Hotel for a brief but wonderfully meaningful ceremony. The love between Carole, Lee and their gorgeous kids was palpable and even I was getting a little overwhelmed from behind my lens.
After a quick pit-stop for a glass of champagne, everyone got their wellies on and we headed down to the glorious sun-drenched Fistral beach for an explore and some confetti throwing. The excitement all got a bit much for little William, who you’ll see taking a nap in his buggy!
Why You Should Consider an Elopement Wedding
If you’ve ever wondered whether a big traditional wedding really is for you, you might want to consider an elopement. Elopements are awesome because they really are all about you. Whilst traditional weddings are becoming less and less formal and structured these days, there is always constraints and expectations to live-up to. An elopement gives you the opportunity to do / be / have whatever you like, without sacrifice, and therefore gives you the opportunity to be authentically you.
One of the things I love about being a Cornwall elopement photographer is how intimate the day feels. Without on-lookers, there are so many more intentional, intimate moments with plenty of opportunity to really reflect and appreciate the magnitude of the day.
There’s no set structure at an elopement, which means you can choose which experiences you want to include or exclude. For Carole and Lee, they wanted to spend time getting ready as a family, enjoying one another’s company because time as a family is so incredibly precious. Once the ceremony had finished, they all headed to the beach for a run around – an activity which at most weddings, there just simply wouldn’t be time for.
One of the things I hear most often when I turn up at a wedding in the morning is “I’m not nervous about getting married, I’m nervous about being the centre of attention”, one of the wonderful things about eloping is the elimination of this stress entirely, and for that reason you can truly be you.
My absolute favourite thing about being a Cornwall elopement photographer is the sense of adventure. Whether it’s having a run along the beach, climbing a mountain or heading off into the wilderness, there’s nothing more adventurous than the feeling of running away to marry the one you love. It’s an awesome opportunity for some EPIC photographs too – if you’re considering having an elopement, let your imagination run wild with the possibilities of the day. If you’re up for saying your vows on top of a windy mountain range, I’ll be there!
Becky provides Cornwall Elopement photography– a natural, informal, documentary style with a love of beautiful, creative portraits.
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