Author: bethdooner

In these grey days showing that winter is on its way, it’s so nice to look back to a summer wedding. With that in mind, I want to share the images from Stacey & Carl’s wedding that I shot back in June of this year. Whilst there were scattered showers and the occasional grey sky, I cannot help but describe this wedding as bright and colourful; from the hair, the decoration, to the smiles. Whenever anyone asks me about this wedding, I say with full honesty that it was joyous and colourful.

The day itself was full of such memorable moments; Stacey’s brother accidentally interrupting the first kiss moment by realising he hadn’t grabbed the confetti, Carl being announced and walking down the aisle like a wrestler, to their first dance being on a dance mat, and honestly way more which you’ll see in the photos. This has certainly been one of my more memorable weddings, for all the right reasons. There was also some excellent banter and laughter from the guests, everyone got the humour and vibes from this wedding and it was a true joy to be a part of.

The Missing Sock were wonderful hosts again, this wedding was a week after my previous one also hosted there, and it was great to see how versatile the venue can be in different weather. It played wonderfully with the charm and quirks of the day itself, which all painted a beautiful picture of how wonderful the bride and groom are. I hope you enjoy looking through these photos and smile along with me.

I was invited earlier this year to photograph the wedding of the non-binary power couple: Tristan and Eli. As a queer person, it was wonderful to be invited to a gathering where it was clear that so many people were able to exist as their authentic selves and be a part of that myself. Tristan and Eli looked especially wonderful, with Tristan looking gorgeous in their excellent waistcoat and flower-crown; and Eli looking equally stunning with flowers weaved into their hair. One of my own personal highlights of the day was when we walked between campuses, a young girl commented to her mum on how lovely their hair was.

The ceremony was held in the marquee at the Peterhouse Campus, Eli’s college, followed by photos around the Deer Park. From what I was told, this was part of a huge Cambridge reunion, and it was so clear to see how much camaraderie everyone had with each other. We then moved to the incredible Corpus Christi Campus – which was Tristan’s college – for drinks and a truly fantastic meal. The speeches were super heartwarming and incredibly funny in places, it was clear how much love everyone had for the two whom they’d come together to celebrate the love of.

In the evening we were greeted with the wonderfully decorated rainbow cupcakes from Tirely Beloved and soon we had the amazing tunes from Colonel Spanky’s Love Ensemble, who I honestly want to provide the music to every event I attend from now on. I smile whenever I look through these photos, it was such joyful day; and I invite you to look through these photos and enjoy them for yourself.

I was lucky enough photograph the truly wonderful wedding of Nay & Leo at the end of August. The feelings of love and friendship were unanimous across the guests, and it just fed into the vibe of the day throughout. You could tell that everyone cherished the wonderful couple; and that they cherished them all in return. By the end of the day, I felt like I’d known the pair of them for years. I actually met Nay at my first ever wedding – Reesha & Mike, who were also in attendance at this wedding – and they remembered me from it.

The wonderfully personal ceremony was held at St Mary’s Church in Cubbington, with heartfelt readings from friends and truly incredibly hymn singing. I found myself getting lost in the moment for so much of it. We took a few photos around the church after the ceremony before heading over to Draycote Hotel, where we were able to see the spectacular Draycote Water. What truly set this wedding apart for me were the speeches, there was such an outpouring of love from everyone who spoke that I had to go a wipe my eyes a fair few times. As mentioned before, you could really feel the amount of love and affections everyone had for each other. Their friends were also delightfully warm and friendly, I felt instant welcome amongst them in such an intimate atmosphere.

And I loved the classic but still deeply personal style dotted throughout the wedding; it may take you a moment to spot the nerdy touches, but they are mostly certainly there! Also, it’s going to be a while before that veil is being beaten, it’s just absolutely gorgeous.
I am still getting so many warm feelings of affection and joy from this wedding, and I hope you experience some of that when looking through the images.

On the anniversary of Jessica and Lizy’s marriage from 10 years ago, Jessica & Lizy & Julian celebrated their union with a gorgeous garden celebration in early August. Set in Lizy’s parents’ garden, with music provided by close friends, it was a truly personal and thoughtful day. Everyone pulled together to help that day happen; and it really showed through the personal touches sprinkled throughout the occasion.

Their ceremony had a wonderful retelling of the classic “We’re Going On A Bear Hunt” to “We’re Going On A Lifetime”, which playfully talked about how life throws the unexpected at you, but how they go through them together. Their personal vows were incredibly touching, talking about who they are to each other and their family. I honestly found myself smiling throughout it.

All three of them have had a profound impact on my life, especially when I have been struggling. Having the opportunity to be part of such an important day and provide these memories is incredibly important to me.