As a photographer, I've seen my fair share of unique weddings, but when Amelia and Ben reached out to me with their Lego-themed wedding concept, I knew we were in for something truly special. We're talking about a wedding where "building a life together" took on a whole new meaning!
Anyone who knows me will absolutely vouch for my love of Lego. It's a source of frustration for Rachel. Whilst shes busy, making sure the house is decorated with care and perfection, I'm steadily taking away the scented candles and ornaments, and replacing them with a whole manor of different lego sets I've proudly completed. Suffice to say, I was more than on board with the theme Amelia and Ben had gone for!
As many couples are at the moment, Amelia and Ben had opted for videography on top of their photography, so the insanely talented Dan joined us for their day, where everything was most definitely awesome.
Right off the bat, let me be the first to tell you Amelia and Ben are two of the most incredible people you could ever wish to meet, and it was clear to see where it all came from, as their friends and family were just as friendly and welcoming throughout the whole time we spent with them.
From the moment we arrived at the venue, there was absolutely no mistaking the Lego theme. Tables were adorned with brick-built centrepieces, there were Bride and Groom minifigures everywhere and there was even the addition of a Lego guestbook, where each guest could build their very own Lego person to immortalise their attendance. Such a cool idea, and myself and Dan even got asked to complete our own to add to the guestbook!
After we'd finished capturing the little details around the venue, it was up to the bridal suite to get a few obligatory shots of Amelia and her mum getting ready for the day. From the get-go, we just had a complete laugh with them both. Whenever I'm at a wedding with Dan it always seems to decent into us having a bit of a competition of who can tell the worst Dad joke. I can safely say Dan won this round, with the classic: "Whats blue and smells like red paint - Blue paint".
Once Amelia and her Mum, Katie had finished shaking their heads in embarrassment, we headed down to meet Ben and his groomsmen who were busy tying their ties and getting ready for the main event. Ben was a little nervous, but he needn't have worried, as he looked very dapper and was as cool as a cucumber on the surface.
At the start of the blog I mentioned that I've captured my fair share of unique weddings. They all come with their own charm and originality, but I'd be doing Amelia and Ben an injustice if I didn't give a special mention to Amelia's Dad, Simon who was not only the proud father of the bride but, was also their celebrant for the day.
Simon was nothing short of fantastic, and when it came down to the ceremony, he completely knocked it out of the park. He was confident, engaging, and gave a reading that really did make Amelia and Ben proud. Being the bride's father is a huge responsibility, but when you add in the pressure of being a celebrant too, I wouldn't have blamed Simon for being a nervous wreck.
But he absolutely wasn't! And I was even more shocked to learn that he'd never done anything of the likes before! I'm sure he'll be sat reading this, so I'll reiterate what I said on the big day, and encourage him to start offering his services to more couples!
It's no secret that the weather has been less than nice recently, but the sun really did shine for Amelia and Ben. I couldn't have been happier with their confetti shot, and it was a welcome change to be outside in the sunshine taking photos. Rain isn't the end of the world, but a touch of sunshine lifts the mood and raises everyone's spirits. Spring had definitely sprung for the happy couple.
I always like to nip the happy couple away from the action for a few minutes whenever I photograph a wedding and that was no different for Amelia and Ben. It's a great opportunity to get some more intimate shots away from the rest of the guests, and it gives Dan the chance to get some more footage to add to their video too! Again, it all boils down to us all having a laugh together whilst we snap away. In an odd twist of fate, we were even joined by a group of chickens that seemed to be residents at the venue too. They were however a little late for the hen party though! 🙄
It was time for the guests to sit down for their food, so myself and dan tucked ourselves away from the action for some food, backed up our cards, and set about sorting out a couple of sneak peeks for the newlyweds, all in time for us to pop back up again for speeches later on in the day.
Speeches are always a favourite of mine, as there's so much to capture all at once. On one hand, you get some really emotional moments, and not 30 seconds later, you can have a room full of people all in fits of giggles. As is traditional, we started out with the father of the bride's speech, which as we've all come to expect from Simon was just as perfect as you're imagining, packed full of emotion and sprinkled with just the right amount of humour. Then it was on to Ben, who again did an exceptional job. He managed to nail all the obligatory points and handled the nerves like an absolute champ.
And then it was time for the groomsmen to take the stage. Let me tell you, they absolutely crushed it! Armed with tales from the past that were equal parts hilarious and, let's just say, slightly embarrassing for Ben, they had the entire room in stitches.
Picture this: a lineup of Ben's best mates, each taking their turn to regale the audience with stories that had been locked away in the vault of friendship for years. It was a dream to capture for both myself and Dan, and I couldn't help but think how lucky Ben was to have such an incredible group of mates by his side. They weren't just groomsmen; they were storytellers, comedians, and, most importantly, lifelong friends.
Once the speeches were completed, there was a bit of a lull before the evening reception was set to start. Amelia had scheduled a dress change for the evening, so myself and Dan set about getting lighting set up ready for the cake cutting and first dance. We'd also got a second opportunity for some shots of the newlyweds on their own in the evening for some more slightly moody shots that they'd both requested ahead of time.
With those all-important shots completed, and the evening guests all in attendance, it was time for us to get into position and for those last few crucial photos of the couple surrounded by their fantastic friends and family who made myself and Dan feel like members of their extended family all day.
I've said before about how I get the very BEST couples to work with, and none of that could be truer than with Amelia and Ben. Not only are they some of the most hospitable and lovely people, but their friends and family are just as amazing too! I can hand on heart say I couldn't have enjoyed capturing their big day more if I tried! It was an absolute honour to be involved with their day, and I'm very much looking forward to editing their photos so I can relive their day all over again!
Check out Dan's awesome sneak peak from their day too!!
Peace. Love and Photos.
Jono x