A fun-filled Sussex wedding day.

Sophie + Ben at Brightling Park

15-07-2023

From the very beginning, Sophie + Ben’s day was filled with joy and laughter and I knew even before the day that it was going to be a fun packed day! A brief over view - Sophie is an artist and Ben runs a non-profit art organisation in Bexhill (Flatlands) - their creative outlook on life shone through throughout their whole day.

Sophie got ready with all her bridesmaids and close family at a family home, I only covered a short amount of time here as they wanted more coverage later on in the day instead of heaps of getting ready pictures which I fully understood. It does feel like a lucky dip when walking into a wedding day prep space. You never know which kind of mood people will be in - there are usually 3 states, which can also be intertwined and can rapidly change at any moment! 1 - Calm and collected, quiet music, if any, playing. 2. Excited, high energy with a hint of nervousness, loud dance/pop music. 3. Excited but very nervous which then moulds into high stress!! This was a house of just pure excitement!

I caught snippets of Sophie putting her dress on, her sister putting her veil in and the regular postie delivering a parcel! She had many a flower girl wanting to help with the process, too. We then headed over to St Bartholomews Church in Burwash for their ceremony, which was so beautiful and heartfelt. The vicar was very open for all the giggles and a relaxed service which was exactly what Sophie + Ben wanted and needed for their day.

It was another 2023 high wind confetti walk, I would encourage you to embrace the chaos if this is a running trend for 2024! It was so fun and whilst I have only put a couple in this post, there were many many confetti photos in the full gallery!! After the confetti we had a little walk through the picturesque village of Burwash for couple portraits which made a nice change from what I would usually do.

Sophie + Ben had planned their day around a bit of a festival vibe reception at Brightling Park. Unfortunately due to mega high winds, the teepee had to be relocated over to another part of the land, instead of on the top of a very open hill looking out over the views. It would have been absolutely bonkers and for health and safety reasons it was an absolute no go. The teepee ended up being nestled between the trees and one of the gorgeous houses at Brightling Park and it worked perfectly for the meal and evening celebrations. The space felt busy but intimate and there was hardly a wind gust through the hair at all. It did mean we couldn’t do any portraits with the beautiful views but we still managed to get some nestled in the trees and later on, some direct flash portraits by the hay bales!

When I tell you this day was fun packed we are talking a mobile bar, double inflatables, a rodeo bull, Eastbourne Drummers (with an epic boys Vs girls dance/shout off!), a live band, fireworks, a conga line and some wild dance moves! Not only all of that, Sophie + Ben had thought about every little detail including knitted birds for everyone made by their Nan and individual personalised letters for every single guest. It was thought out and considerate and every guest felt important. It really was a true honour to capture all that went on.

I hope you enjoy flicking through these photos and it gives you some inspiration if you are planning your day!

If you would like to chat more about wedding photography then head over to my contact page and I will get back to you as soon as I can!

Charlotte x