Ben and Callyane chose to celebrate their marriage over an epic two days at the fantastic Davenport House, near Worfield in Shropshire, in order to spend as much time as possible with their friends and family, many of whom had travelled from abroad to enjoy this lovely couple’s wedding.
On their first day of festivities Callyane and Ben were married out on the back lawn of the house, in front of a beautiful floral moongate framing the pond. Callyane wore a stunning lacy long-sleeved dress with a deep v-neck front and open back, whilst Ben opted for a dashingly elegant beige suit with a raised collar and cravat.
After getting ready in the beautifully airy bridal suite with her bridesmaids, Callyane descended the grand staircase to meet husband-to-be Ben, their close family members and wedding party, who were waiting with anticipation for their first glimpse of the stunning bride. Ben and Callyane walked down the aisle together and exchanged vows and rings in a lovely civil ceremony in the late Autumn sun, followed by confetti and the pouring of a prosecco tower to open the informal jubilations.
After the couple had greeted their guests and enjoyed drinks and canapes on the lawn, they were whisked off for some quick couple’s portraits around the beautiful venue, where Callyane and Ben’s amazing chemistry and deep affection for one another absolutely shone.
We squeezed in a few formal group pictures before sitting down to a fabulous wedding breakfast in Davenport’s Drawing Room. In addition to the bride and groom giving heartfelt speeches, many close friends and family members also spoke of their love and wishes for this awesome couple. In homage to Callyane’s French roots the couple opted for a gorgeous macaron tower crowned with a cake made by the groom’s mum to slice to fulfill the cake-cutting tradition. Ben and Callyane rounded the evening off with a brilliantly choreographed first dance that wowed their guests.
On the morning after their beautiful wedding Callyane wore her grandmother’s wedding dress with a lovely flower crown, while Ben opted for a striking green suit, and we took a walk around the venue’s grounds to grab some more portraits of this loved-up pair. The couple’s second day took a more relaxed pace, with board games and lawn games preceding a delicious afternoon tea during which the couple’s friends and family paid homage to them through a slideshow of photos and videoclips sharing favourite memories. Then followed a very well organised croquet tournament, with teams of guests competing ahead of a “grudge match” between the bride and groom.
After a classic British treat of strawberries and cream washed down with Pimms, I stole the couple away from their guests for a few quick golden hour photos, including a trip to the dovecote folly nestled in the Davenport grounds, before returning them to their guests for an evening event Ben and Callyane had awaited with much anticipation - a cabaret with performances by many guests on the back steps of the house, featuring dramatic pieces, readings, comedy and many beautiful musical numbers from the talented bunch of friends and family. A traditional handfasting with blessings from family members, whisky and marshmallow toasting and sparklers brought a close to a wonderful two days that I was delighted to have been a part of, and to capture for Callyane and Ben. Thanks so much for having me along both - you and your loved ones were an absolute joy to work with!
Supplier shoutout:
Flowers: Ginger Lily Flowers (@gingerlilyflorist)
Bride’s dress: Dolly Blue Bridal (@dollybluebridalshrewsbury)
Groom’s suits: Empire du Marié (@empiredumarie)
Bride’s hair: Emmy Victoria (@emmyvictoriahair)
Confetti: Shropshire Petals (@shropshirepetals)
Macaron tower: The Shropshire Macaron Co (@shropshiremacarons)
Music: Sweet and Lowdown Band; The String of Roses
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