Exterior photo of Sopley Mill in Christchurch, Dorset

Picture the scene: A Friday afternoon in early July, temperatures as high as 26 / 27 degrees and the beautiful backdrop of Sopley Mill in Christchurch, Dorset. This is what the wedding day of Amanda and Chris looked like. A rather sweaty day full of sunshine, joy and a whole lot of fun.


Make Up artist doing the make up of a bridesmaid surrounded by makeup brushes.
Black and White photos of three bridesmaids helping to get the wedding dress over the brides head
Bridesmaids and Flower girl sneaking a look out of the window as the other guests start to arrive
Black and White photo of the groom's and groomsmen buttonholes
Bride and her father walk down the aisle at Sopley Mill, under the shade of a tree

Outdoor Ceremony


Amanda & Chris had lucked out with the perfect weather for their outdoor ceremony, and it was placed in the perfect place in the grounds of Sopley Mill with views over the water and a beautiful tree creating the perfect shade for the guests, their Saxophone player (Claire Manners Sax) and for Amanda and her dad as they made their way down the aisle.


The choice of lanterns and flower pots from Inca Bella Events Hire placed down the sides of the aisle and around the table at the front gave off the perfect summer garden wedding vibes.

Bride and her father making their way across the field to the outdoor ceremony area at Sopley Mill
Groom, Best Man and Groom's Father wait at the end of the aisle for the Bride
Black and White photo of a female saxophone player, playing the brides aisle walk song
Bride laughing looking over at the groom in the middle of their ceremony
Female registrar from Hampshire Ceremonies leading a wedding ceremony outdoors at Sopley Mill
Bride looks at the groom as they share their wedding vows
Black and white photo of a bride and groom sharing their first kiss in their outdoor ceremony
Bride and Groom walk back down the aisle together, their guests cheering behind them

 

The hot weather meant that the afternoon was spent seeking shade for their family photos, watching guests enjoy an ice cold beer or cocktail, and eating as much ice cream as possible! Speeches were had on the terrace, food from Red Cherry Catering was devoured and then we all retreated inside for an evening of dancing.

 

Black and White photo of a Bride smiling
Wedding guests crowd round an Ice Cream stand during this outdoor wedding during a heatwave
Bride poses for a group photo with her three bridesmaids
Wedding guests raise their drinks in a toast as the groom gives a speech
Black and white photo of a female wedding guest, her face half obscured by a wide brimmed sun hat
Bride wrapped in a hug with her maid of honour in the grounds of sopley mill
Groom poses for a photo with his best man in the grounds of Sopley Mill
Groom poses for a group photo with his best friends.
Evening food laid out on the table. Salads and sides waiting to be placed on guests plates.
Outdoor ceremony space at Sopley Mill in Dorset. Glowing sunset light, rows of benches and flower pots place under the shade of a tree.
Close up details of a wedding cake. Pink and green tiers, fondant roses and leaves, and placed on top of a slice of a log.
Bride and Groom having their first dance
Wedding guests laughing with their arms outstretched as they make their way onto the dance floor
Bride and Groom share a kiss on the dancefloor in the middle off their first dance
Black an White photo of a bride and groom sharing their first dance
Bride and Groom stand in each others arms, lit by the evening sun and sopley mill standing in the background.
An elderly man gives the camera two thumb up as he makes his way onto the dance floor
Bride and Groom share a kiss during sunset. Silhouetted, with the late evening sun shining between them
Bride and Groom sharing an embrace, smiling away at each other
Black and white photo of bride and groom walking back towards Sopley Mill, with their arms wrapped round each other.

During our initial consultations, Amanda expressed an interest in having all of their portraits taking during golden hour. So as my time with them came to an end, we snuck out of the evening celebrations to go and chase the sunset. They didn't want a lot of posed photos (much preferring my typical documentary style), but we had a great time wandering round into the fields beyond the mill, stopping for a few photos on the iconic bridge and enjoying the cooler temperatures as the sun went down. The sunset was beautiful and created such lovely glowing light. It really was the perfect way to end a wedding day.

Bride and Groom stand in an embrace facing the camera during sunset, with marsh lands and a river running behind them.
Black and White photo of a bride and groom sharing a kiss on a bridge, with Sopley Mill standing in the background

Wedding Supplier List



Photographer: Rebecca Vallard Photography

(www.rebeccavallardphotography.co.uk)

Venue: Sopley Mill

(www.sopleymill.co.uk)

Registrars: Hampshire Ceremonies

(www.hants.gov.uk/birthsdeathsandceremonies/hampshireceremonies)

Videographers: Diamond Films

(www.diamondfilms.co.uk)

Hair: JMS Hair Design

MUA: Kate Carroll MUA

(www.instagram.com/katecarrollmua)

Catering: Red Cherry Catering

(www.redcherrycatering.com)

Florist: Clarity Flowers

(www.facebook.com/CalrityFlowersRingwood)

Entertainment: Claire Manners Sax

(www.livesax.co.uk)

Decor: Inca Bella Events Hire

(www.incabella.co.uk)



 

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