Outdoor Ceremony space set up with chairs and welcome sign amongst green fields and rolling hills


Outdoor Ceremony Venue in Weymouth, Dorset


I wasn’t sure what to think when the enquiry came through for R&K’s wedding and their venue was listed as Weymouth and Portland Rugby Club. I’d been to the club house for wedding receptions before, but I’d never heard of a ceremony taking place there (and I wasn’t sure that the club house was best suited). But boy was I surprised when I arrived! In a gap in the tree line sits a perfect little clearing, surrounded by green fields and rolling hills. The perfect size for rows of white chairs for their guests, a table for the registrars and a beautiful floral display by Fedora Flowers.


Rob and Kelly had a truly beautiful ceremony, in a stunning location and it’s definitely a venue in Weymouth that should not be overlooked!



Ceremony welcome sign for couple's outdoor ceremony
Black and white photo of ceremony chairs, with hanging reserved signs for the bridesmaids.
Groom sheds a tear at the front of the ceremony watching his bride walk down the aisle, and his best man gives him a pat on the shoulder
Bride and her father pass the rugby posts and cross the field on the way to the outdoor ceremony
Bride and her father walk down the aisle, surrounded by their guests, during an outdoor ceremony at Weymouth and Portland Rugby Club
Bride and Groom share their first kiss during their outdoor ceremony at Weymouth and Portland Rugby Club. Photo in black and white
Bride and Groom laugh together for a moment during their outdoor ceremony in the fields of Weymouth Rugby Club
Bride and Groom walk together through a tunnel of their family members at the end of their confetti throw
Bride and Groom walk together, eyes facing each other, through green fields in the summer
Black and white photo of a bride and groom stood together smiling surrounded by rolling hills and fields.

Portraits


With a team of groomsmen working on relocating all the ceremony chairs into the evening marquee, we then took over that little clearing for portraits and family photos.


Couple’s portraits was something that I’d spoken to Rob & Kelly about in their pre-wedding consultation, and we’d decided on a short 15 minute long shoot during cocktail hour. This is one of my favourite ways to shoot at weddings. A short portrait session means that you still get beautiful posed photos but without having to sacrifice lots of time with your guests! Rob and Kelly have just the right amount of posed photos, but also got to spend the majority of their wedding afternoon with a cold beer in hand, chatting to loved ones or playing garden games.

Bride and Groom hold hands and walk away from the camera
Black and white photo of a Wedding welcome sign placed on an easel
Rugby Inspired Table names and centrepieces. White table names, with rugby posts on the top, named after rugby grounds like Twickenham
Black and white photo of wedding favours left on a table. A place card, a personalised bottle opener and a shot of alcohol.
Delicate flower centrepieces. Flowers of pink and white, with lots of greenery in little bud vases.
A Bride's bouquet left on the table. A bouquet of beautiful flowers in shades of white, light pink and lots of green.

Details & Flowers


R&K had clearly put a lot of thought into all of their wedding details. They had stunning floral bud vases by Fedora Flowers at the centre of every table (as well as Kelly’s bouquet on the top table), but paired with each one was a rugby themed table name - a perfect blend of something aesthetic and beautiful, with something incredibly unique to the couple.

Two groomsmen carrying a floral display from the ceremony area into the evening marquee.
Portrait of a Bride smiling at her Groom whilst the Best Man gives a speech.
Two female wedding guest laughing and celebrating after beating their partners at a game of bean bag toss
A Bride smiling and laughing with her guests.
A wedding top table, with the Bride laughing and the Groom wiping away happy tears as his Best Men give a speech.
Two wedding guests raise a glass in toast to the Bride and Groom
Black and White portrait of a Groom with a microphone giving his wedding speech.
Portrait of a Bride's sister tearing up during the wedding speeches.
Black and White photo of a bride and groom cutting their cake.
A white and green wedding cake, placed on top of a wooden log cake stand. With a Rugby ball shaped cake topped with their initials.

Cakes & Dancing


After a delicious meal from the catering staff at Coastland College, we jumped straight into speeches, cake cutting and first dances.


R&K had a beautiful cake made by Ckaes by Kayley, that featured a cake topper with both their initials and a rugby ball - tying in all of those little unique details that make a wedding feel personal and special.


Their first dance was to Only You by Yazoo, but a slowed down, more emotional version and their guests sang along at the top of their lungs the entire time - I’ve never seen anything like it.

Bride and Groom laugh at their guests singing (offscreen) during their first dance.
A female wedding guest laughing at someone on the dancefloor
Bride laughs and the Groom whispers in her ear during the middle of their first dance.
A photo of a bride surrounded by her guests in the middle of the dancefloor.
The groom and his groomsmen starting a dancing conga-esque line through the middle of the dancefloor.
A bride and groom share a celebratory hug in the middle of the dancefloor surround by their loved ones, the grooms arm raised in the air.
Bride and Groom laugh together in the middle of their first dance.
A group of groomsmen, hands raised in the air, dancing and singing to a favourite song on the dancefloor.

A Whiskey & Cigars Boys Club



It’s not at every wedding that I get an invite to join a boys club whilst they smoke a cigar (for photos opportunities only!) and it was definitely an interesting experience. Rob gathered his groomsmen and the majority of other male guests back round in the ceremony area to join him in smoking a celebratory cigar, but also to dig up a bottle of Whiskey that himself and Kelly had buried a month or so prior.


The whiskey was retrieved and passed around the group until the bottle was empty. There were jokes, singing and plenty of rugby chants - I’ve not seen a louder, more jovial group of men at a wedding before and it was a lot of fun getting to watch from a safe distance!

Groom and his groomsmen gathered around to smoke a cigar in the grounds of the weymouth rugby club
Bride and Groom digging up a bottle of whiskey they'd buried in the grounds of their wedding venue.
A black and white photo of two wedding guests stood together, drinks in hand, looking off in different directions.
Groomsmen and male wedding guests stand in a circle smoking cigars and passing a bottle of whiskey around between them all.
A group of men stood together in a circle passing a bottle of whiskey around them all. Shot from behind two men, as they pass the bottle.
Black and White photo of a Bride and Groom kissing underneath the Rugby posts

Under the Rugby Posts


There was only one thing that Rob and Kelly asked of me during their wedding consultation, and that was for a short portrait under the rugby posts. I suggested we leave this until the very end of the day (it was the last thing I shot before heading home!). The pair met playing rugby at University, so being able to have a piece of rugby throughout their photos meant a lot to them. And it was a beautiful way to end the day!

Wedding Suppliers



Photographer: Rebecca Vallard Photography

(www.rebeccavallardphotography.co.uk)

Venue: Weymouth and Portland Rugby Club

(https://weymouthandportlandrfc.rfu.club)

Registrars: Dorset Ceremonies

(https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/births-deaths-marriages/weddings-marriages-and-civil-partnerships)

Dress: Wed2b

(https://www.wed2b.com)

Suits: Moss Bros

(https://www.moss.co.uk/suits)

Bridesmaid Dresses: Ever Pretty

(https://www.ever-pretty.co.uk/collections/dresses)

Flowers: Fedora Flowers

(https://www.instagram.com/wearefedoraflowers)

Cake: Cakes by Kayley

DJ: Chris Bonney

 

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