Painshill Park Wedding – Paul & Claire

Paul and Claire’s Painshill Park wedding was absolutely a laugh a minute.

Now quite often those words are used lightly, but most definitely NOT in this case! I mean, just looking through their images gave me a permanent face-aching grin. SO MANY SMILES! As I look back, I remember it as though it was yesterday, it was one of the best weddings I’ve ever been to and I honestly could have stayed long into the night if a) I hadn’t been driving and b) my shoes weren’t soaked through having worn suede pumps in the pouring rain (think Sophie, think!). What a blast they had!!

When I first spoke to Paul on the phone, I could tell he was a really upbeat guy, and that he and Claire were planning on having a jolly fine time. They most certainly got that nailed. It was however, utterly pouring with rain from the word go. We kept glancing out the marquee overlooking Painshill Park’s beautiful walled garden saying ‘It’ll stop in a minute’ and after nearly forty-five minutes, we just said, ‘sod it, let’s just go for it’. THIS is why I love my couples. Claire’s absolutely stunning silk and lace dress was not one I particularly wanted to trash…but she handled the situation incredibly. We made the most of Painshill’s grounds via a soaking wet and I might add fairly freezing cold golf buggy ride, with only a napkin to protect the bottom of Claire’s dress from the mud. I must say those portraits were some of the most fun I’ve ever shot. They just embraced it and seeing the glorious surroundings all glistening with the wet, and the stormy clouds in the sky, it was well worth the effort. See, rain can be your friend! :) Their beautiful little dog, Jack, made an excellent page boy and even joined them at the end of their first dance (cue much awww-ing from me).

But aside from the lovely couple themselves, the thing that really got me, was the laughter. I honestly don’t think I shot one frame without somebody guffawing with emotion within it! It was such a joy to look back on this fabulous rainy day in October, where typically, the moment we returned to the marquee, the sun shone and we were blessed with a few rays before heading in for dinner. I just want to say a BIG thank you to the staff here for looking after me so well, and to the fab Create caterers, your food is INCREDIBLE.  If you’re planning a Painshill Park wedding, let me know! I would LOVE to go back again. I shall stop waffling on now and leave you with a few of my faves. Enjoy! xxx