Confetti hearts falling on a man and woman after their wedding ceremony at St Alban's Church of Westbury Park Bristol wedding. The guests are wearing coats.

Madeline & Pete’s Bristol Wedding

I do love a Bristol wedding so I was more than happy to pop down the M4 for the wedding of Madeline and Pete.

I was particularly impressed by Emma, the minister at the beautiful St Alban’s Church, not only does she refuse to do the “who gives this woman” part because, as she explained, women are not property, she also set off a firework, and had genuine joy on her face during the ceremony as you can see!

But what I loved the most about this wedding was how every family member contributed to the day, this bodes well for the future. Dad Kevin trawled the charity shops of Brighton during his lunch hours to buy glasses (everyone had a different glass), the bride’s brother played violin in church and I was booked because of Madeline’s mum!

I was featured in the f2 Freelance Photographer magazine a few years ago, she worked in a library and archived copies of that magazine. When her daughter got engaged she remembered me. I do like being found in an unexpected way!

After the entertaining ceremony we headed to The Elmgrove Centre which had been beautifully decorated by everyone involved.

Awaiting the guests was the Cracking Hog Roast company who absolutely lived up to their name, the food was delicious, and I always welcome an opportunity to photograph people carrying big plates.
Still waiting for a guest called Alan though.

I also had the opportunity to indulge in my geek side, Dr Madeline now has her PhD in bioengineering so I enjoyed some fascinating conversations with her peers.

As promised on the sign they put up to warn their guests… I did indeed capture the drunken shenanigans fuelled by their open bar! The Jig Mad Wolf Ceilidh Band were on hand to entertain and make sure everybody got up to dance.

I really enjoy photographing a ceilidh, there’s almost a danger element to it. You have to learn the dance, observe, get in there with everyone to take the action photos and then quickly retreat as to not to get run over by an enthusiastic dancer.

  • A cat on a bed.
  • The bride helping her friend the bridesmaid with makeup.
  • Bride drinking tea at her dressing table with a friend.
  • Wedding dress hanging from a cupboard next to a bookshelf.
  • In the foreground a bridesmaid puts on her shoes, the bride is doing the same in the background.
  • Bride standing in the window with a hand on her hip.
  • Bride and brother laughing outside.
  • Woman in long wedding dress and short dark hair walking in a living room towards the door.
  • The bride applies lipstick in the mirror.
  • Groom smiling at the camera outside a church in Bristol.
  • A family of five arrive at a church in Bristol for a wedding.
  • Guests at the church door.
  • Groom's mum helping him with his buttonhole.
  • A man in a dark suit in a church.
  • A woman in a furry hat sitting in a chair in the church for a wedding.
  • Friends arriving at St Alban's church.
  • A man in a suit with a red tie holding wedding orders of service.
  • The bride arriving at church in a Nissan Serena.
  • Woman with dark hair and blue stripey satin dress in a church door.
  • Bride with arms folded wearing a lace dress and short dark hair, stood next to her father outside a church.
  • Family sat on the front row waiting for a wedding to start at St Alban's church Westbury Park Bristol.
  • Bride walking down the aisle at St Alban's church Westbury Park.
  • Father of the bride, bride, groom and best man standing at the altar at St Alban's church Westbury Park wedding.
  • Man's hand on back of a woman as the stand at a wedding singing a hymn. Candid wedding photography.
  • A woman giving a speech in a Bristol church.
  • A woman in a striped dress and high heel giving a reading during a wedding.
  • A woman in her lace wedding dress sat next to her husband-t-be and his family. They are the front row in the St Alban's Church of Westbury Park.
  • The bride, groom and family in the front row of church singing.
  • A woman in a choir at a St Alban's Church of Westbury Park Bristol wedding
  • The Rev. Emma Langley claps as the bride and groom kiss. Then the bride wipes lipstick off her husband's face. They are in the St Alban's Church. The Church of Westbury Park in Bristol.
  • Bride's brother playing the violin to the church.
  • Picture of the bride in the church entrance from above. The St Alban's Church in Bristol.
  • Confetti hearts falling on a man and woman after their wedding ceremony at St Alban's Church of Westbury Park Bristol wedding
  • Confetti hearts falling on a man and woman after their wedding ceremony at St Alban's Church of Westbury Park Bristol wedding
  • A woman laughing outside a church after confetti.
  • Confetti hearts falling on a man and woman after their wedding ceremony at St Alban's Church of Westbury Park Bristol wedding
  • A man outside the church in Bristol. Wedding guests behind him. He's holding some confetti.
  • A group photograph outside St Alban's Church, Redland.
  • Newly married couple standing outside St Alban's Church of Westbury Park Bristol after their wedding.
  • Couple posing and walking down Bayswater Avenue.
  • Bridesmaid and her partner.
  • Couple posing down Bayswater Avenue in Bristol after their wedding at St Alban's Church of Westbury Park Bristol wedding.
  • Couple walking down Bayswater Avenue in Bristol after their wedding at St Alban's Church of Westbury Park Bristol wedding.
  • Bride checking her short hair in the window of a Nissan Serena outside the church.
  • A woman in a wheelchair and wearing a fluffy winter hat.
  • Young woman in beige coat and red lipstick.
  • Woman in wedding dress who just got married seen through the windows of a Nissan Serena.
  • Couple in a white Nissan Serena after their wedding.
  • People drinking wine at The Elmgrove Centre.
  • The Elmgrove Centre decorated with bunting for a wedding.
  • Bride viewed smiling between wedding guests. Candid wedding phothography.
  • A Krispy Kreme Doughnut wedding cake and a tea urn.
  • Two young girls in The Elmgrove Centre in Bristol. In the sunlight through the window.
  • In side the Elmgrove Centre during a wedding. Two women in the picture talk to each other.
  • Documentary wedding photograph of people chatting at wedding.
  • Food from the Cracking Hog Roast company of Bristol.
  • A woman standing in front of a stain glass window.
  • The Elmgrove Centre in Bristol decorated for a wedding with bunting.
  • Man stood in the light through a window, holding a glass of prosecco.
  • The Elmgrove Centre decorated for a wedding, people sat at tables.
  • A woman is sat alone at a round table while the other people get their food. She's looking at the camera and drinking a glass of wine. A reportage style unposed wedding photograph. At the Elmgrove Centre.
  • A bridesmaid holds her plate while queuing for food and smiles at her partner.
  • The view from behind the top table of everyone at a wedding sitting at round tables for the wedding breakfast. The Elmgrove Centre in Bristol is decorated with bunting and lights, there is a arched church window with light pouring in.
  • A wine glass on a table at a wedding breakfast.
  • The groom at the Elmgrove Centre looking at the camera. Bunting and fairy lights behind him.
  • Groom's mum sitting with the bride and talking to a guest.
  • Bride is giving a speech at the wedding reception.
  • A wine glass on a table at a wedding breakfast.
  • A blonde woman and a man in a suit sat at a table laughing.
  • Woman in a lace wedding dress with her hand on the back of a chair. In the Elmgrove Centre at her wedding reception.
  • Bride is giving a speech at the wedding reception.
  • A woman with her baby sat at a table.
  • A woman with curly red hair and a butterfly top is holding a glass of wine and looking at the camera.
  • A woman holding her baby in the Elmgrove Centre during a wedding reception.
  • A young woman holding a girl, sitting on the floor.
  • Bride and groom have their first dance in the hall of the Elmgrove Centre. There is bunting hanging from the ceiling.
  • Bride and groom have their first dance in the hall of the Elmgrove Centre. There is bunting hanging from the ceiling and other couples dancing behind them.
  • Ceilidh dancing through a tunnel at a reception.
  • Ceilidh dancing through a tunnel at a reception.
  • Ceilidh dancing at the Elmgrove centre.
  • Bride talking to a friend and her baby.
  • A woman sitting on a man's lap.
  • Woman on her phone looks up when she spots the camera.
  • A ceilidh dancing tunnel, the bride and groom are crouching and walking through.
  • An older couple laugh at the photographer for taking a sneaky picture of them!
  • A group of people tangled up dancing at a wedding reception.
  • The Elmgrove Centre in Bristol at night.
  • A man is dancing and gesturing at a wedding.
  • An older man with glasses looks at the camera next to a table full of drinks at a wedding.
  • Ceilidh dancing at a wedding.
  • Three people sitting on chairs next to a light.
  • Ceilidh dancing at a wedding reception.
  • Two men dancing at wedding reception.
  • Ceilidh dancing at a wedding reception. They are clapping.
  • A couple hugging as they dance.
  • Candid pictures of the evening at a wedding reception.
  • Two women, the bride and a guest, are swung round on the dancefloor.