Woman in her homemade wedding dress holds a cup of tea and a microphone, she is giving a speech at her wedding. Her husband is stood just behind her. They are in a sunny garden full of yellow and red flowers.

Lizzie & Sean: A Humanist Wedding

A Suffolk Garden Wedding

There was a heatwave, Exploding Kittens, Mario Kart, a handmade dress, sunflowers, and pigs.

Before anyone worries, no cats got so hot they popped; it’s a card game. I might have nearly melted a bit, though. It wasn’t quite the hottest wedding that summer, but it was close.
I ended up here because many years ago, I photographed the band Sean was in, Tubelord (their debut album was reissued last year), at a festival called Offset. When it came to planning their wedding with the wonderful Lizzie, they thought of me. Lizzie made her own dress and sipped a cup of tea while delivering her speech. Sean’s a lucky person

After the personal and sunny humanist ceremony in the garden of Lizzie’s parents, the cake was cut, and speeches were made before heading down to a neighboring barn for the reception. Family and friends contributed so much to this day; I hope these pictures bring back memories of the people who care for them and what they did for their wedding.

After the meal, it was time to play. A game of Mario Kart on the Switch was on offer, along with various card games and beer pong. Alternatively, you could just dance to the best and cheesiest playlist I’ve heard in a long time. I was very impressed; I haven’t danced to B*Witched in years.

  • A barn decorated with lights on the ceiling. The tables are long and rectangular and set with plates, cutlery, plants and glasses ready for wedding.
  • An ironing board with iron next to clothes on backs of chairs.
  • Woman applying eyeliner in a bedroom.
  • Groomsmen pretended to act natural.
  • Yellow and orange flowers for a wedding.
  • A house and garden in the sunshine preparing for a humanist wedding.
  • Woman sat on the floor helping her friend with her makeup. They both sit with crossed legs. There are books and toys on a shelf next to a bed. A wedding reportage style picture that is unposed.
  • Three men in waistcoats and bow ties in a garden full of flowers.
  • Two women applying makeup in a window.
  • A bridesmaid in a doorway, in a blue lace dress.
  • Bride putting on her homemade wedding dress.
  • Mum helping her daughter into her wedding dress.
  • Mum helping her daughter into her wedding dress.
  • Bride in her dress walking down the stairs on her wedding day.
  • Bride and groom together by a gate.
  • Bride is sat in front of a building that has pale blue doors.
  • Woman in her homemade wedding dress looks at the camera and smiles. Her 6 bridesmaids all dressed in different navy dresses stand behind her.
  • Wedding guests chatting in a garden in front of a house.
  • Parents of the bride walk her down the aisle in a marquee in the garden. She is laughing.
  • Parents of the bride walk her down the aisle in a marquee in the garden. She is laughing.
  • Bride holding sunflowers with her mum before the wedding ceremony.
  • A humanist wedding ceremony in a garden of yellow flowers and sunshine. The couple are holding hands and standing in front of their friends and family. Bride is wearing a dress she made herself.
  • Mother of the groom sat on a hay bale watching the wedding.
  • A humanist wedding ceremony in a garden of yellow flowers and sunshine. The couple are holding hands and standing in front of their friends and family.
  • Wedding guests sat on hay bales watching a humanist ceremony.
  • A humanist wedding ceremony in a garden of yellow flowers and sunshine. The couple are holding hands and standing in front of their friends and family.
  • A bridesmaid wipes a tear.
  • Candid moments from a humanist wedding ceremony in a sunny family garden.
  • Man and woman take their vows in the garden.
  • Husband and wife kiss during humanist wedding ceremony in a Suffolk garden.
  • Just after a humanist wedding ceremony the groomsmen hug the groom in a garden.
  • A woman in a pink dress holds on to her hat at a garden wedding.
  • A young baby yawns with his parents at a humanist wedding in a garden.
  • A Humanist Ceremony programme and sunglasses on a haybale.
  • Mario and Princess Peach are the cake toppers on a wedding cake. In a garden.
  • A man in a gingham shirt and hat getting a drink at a wedding.
  • A woman in a floral dress and hat helps with a tie, they are stood in a garden.
  • Groom and friend pouring drinks for speeches.
  • A woman has an orange fan, she talks to parents and their new baby.
  • Woman in her homemade wedding dress holds a cup of tea and a microphone, she is giving a speech at her wedding. Her husband is stood just behind her. They are in a sunny garden full of yellow and red flowers.
  • Man in a yellow shirt and sunglasses, hand on hip. Wedding guests behind him in the sunshine.
  • Groom hugs his mum in the sunshine in a garden while he gives a wedding speech.
  • Newly married couple laughing in a garden in the sunshine. They have glasses of prosecco.
  • Father of the bride giving a speech in a garden.
  • A woman holding a glass of prosecco in a garden. Wearing sunglasses and a floral dress.
  • Best man giving a wedding speech outside
  • People watching speeches in the garden.
  • The best man's hand on the groom's shoulder as the bride watches.
  • Bride and groom are sat on a garden sofa in a greenhouse.
  • Newly married couple posing in a greenhouse surrounded by plants.
  • Wedding guests in the field and camping car park.
  • The wedding breakfast in a pretty barn. People are talking to each other at tables.
  • The wedding breakfast in a pretty barn. People are talking to each other at tables.
  • Photo of the wedding barn. Guests in the shadows.
  • Groom with his mum. They are standing outside in a lane in a field.
  • Relaxed family group photos at a wedding.
  • Relaxed family group photos at humanist wedding.
  • Candid portrait of the bride's sister in a field.
  • An unposed photograph of a bride in a field.
  • Relaxed family group photos at a wedding.
  • Friends of the newly married couple decide they want a group photo.
  • Bride and groom in warm light of a sunset.
  • A pig in the light of a sunset.
  • Wedding guests looking at pigs.
  • A man is lying down in the grass and a woman is sitting up watching the sunset. The light is pink. There is a glass of wine next to her.
  • The light is pink from the setting sun as guests drink and be together outside the barn at a wedding.
  • Small dog sitting on a woman's lap. She is sat on a chair outside and night.
  • Bride and groom dancing together at wedding. You can only see the bride's face and she's ecstatically happy. Guests are dancing with each other around them and there are lots of fairy lights on the ceiling and walls.
  • Bride and groom dancing together at wedding. Guests are dancing with each other around them and there are lots of fairy lights on the ceiling and walls. The bride has changed into shorts for the wedding reception.
  • A couple we a wedding reception. Woman is wearing red and blue dress.
  • Busy wedding dance floor, a woman in the centre.
  • A woman in a green dress with short hair looks shocked at a wedding reception.
  • Groom, mum and friend on the dance floor. Fairy lights on the ceiling.
  • Woman shaking her hair as she dances in a barn at a wedding in Suffolk.
  • Candid moments from a wedding reception in Suffolk. Lots of dancing.
  • Couple dancing at wedding. Man has a tie around his head.
  • A couple looking at a phone.
  • Natural photograph from a wedding dance floor in a Suffolk barn.
  • A family posing for a photo.
  • People playing the card game Exploding Kittens at a wedding reception.
  • Wedding guests playing card games at night. A woman looks at the camera.
  • Man carrying another man about on his shoulders at a wedding reception.
  • Three men who are working the bar at a wedding. The man in the middle has his finger up his nose.
  • Three people dancing at the evening reception of a wedding in a barn.
  • Bride and friends throwing hands in the air as they dance.
  • Bride is dancing very animatedly with her friends at her wedding. She is wearing white shorts and top, their are fairy lights on the ceiling of the barn.
  • Man playing beer pong.
  • People are playing beer pong, bride and friends are eating and laughing at the game.