A boat on the River Crouch at night, outside the Brandy Hole in Hullbridge. You can see the stars in the sky and the glow of orange lights from South Woodham Ferrers across the river.

Sian & Tom’s Wedding at Brandy Hole

It’s not often that I get to photograph a wedding close to home, and this time was one of those rare times. So close in fact that in the last picture from this wedding I can see my town, South Woodham Ferrers, as just lights across the River Crouch. Brandy Hole must be the only wedding venue from which this is possible for me.

You can go down quite the rabbit hole when reading up on the inspiration for the wedding venue’s name. The River Crouch was a notorious entry point for smugglers, especially in the 18th century. One of the contraband goodies was brandy; any witnesses to such smuggling antics somehow forgot what they saw when they found a pitcher of brandy on their doorstep in the morning.

There was no smuggling (that I am aware of) on the wedding day of Tom and Sian though, however there was some rather overdressed crabbing! When the room was being turned around for the evening festivities all the guests went off to catch some crabs. All of them were returned to the river when we returned back to the venue for the dancing

The wedding started at the All Saints with St Peter Church on Maldon High Street, with a few pints at The OAKhouse next door first!

One particularly lovely moment was seeing Zoe of The Scrummy Yummy Cake Company.
I’m used to seeing Zoe’s wonderful creations at weddings, but not Zoe herself. Her daughter was a flower girl and the cake (and the entire dessert table spread) was something I’ve never seen before and very unlikely to see again!

Do scroll down to have a look.

This was a wedding that completely suited Tom and Sian and was so much fun to photograph.

The bride and her mum getting ready in the family home the morning of the wedding. Women in a kitchen on the morning of a wedding. The bride hugs another woman. Candid photographs at home getting ready for a wedding. Man leaving his house with his friends to walk to his wedding in Maldon. Man takes a drink from a hip flask as he walks along the street to a wedding in Maldon. Two guests are behind him. Man on his wedding day sat down with a beer outside the OAKhouse Bar Cafe next to the All Saints with St Peter church. He walks along Maldon High Street with his friends. Groomsmen on swings in a park in Maldon. People arriving at the OAKhouse Bar Cafe before a wedding at the church next door. Women help the men with their buttonholes. Man before his wedding at the OAKhouse Bar Cafe hugs his friend close. People on Maldon High Street arriving for a wedding in the church. Bestman looking along the High Street with his hand on the table. The groom is behind him. One man is drinking tea. They are outside OAKhouse Bar Cafe in Maldon. Groom laughing with the vicar at All Saints with St Peter Church Maldon The bride and bridesmaids arriving at Maldon church for wedding in a Land Rover. The choir line up outside All Saints with St Peter Church in Maldon. Waiting for the bride and bridesmaids to walk down the path. There is a Wimpy restaurant and opticians in the background. Bride and groom singing during their wedding Maldon. Woman in beige hat in a pew at a wedding smiles at her son. The people are singing. The bridesmaids are at the front. The newly married couple kiss during wedding ceremony at All Saints with St Peter Church of England Maldon Bride and groom stood at the altar in St Peter's in Maldon. Flower girls standing by the window in the church in Maldon. People laughing outside a church in Maldon in the sunshine, waiting to throw confetti. Black and white photograph of people outside St Peter's Church in Maldon. Trees can be seen at the top and left. Bride and groom with their wedding guests are stood on the path outside St Peter's church in Maldon. There is a Greggs and a Wimpy behind them on the High Street.People gathering outside St Peter's Church in Maldon after a wedding. Bride and groom get into their Land Rover after wedding ceremony in Maldon. Man kisses woman in wedding dress next to their Land Rover in Maldon. Some relaxed wedding portraits by the River Crouch. Bride and groom walk along the jetty next on the River Crouch. Bride and groom walk along the jetty next to a boat on the River Crouch. Bride and a bridesmaid outside by the River Crouch with clouds in the sky. the pictures are in black and white. A woman holding her phone and a bottle of bud. She is above the photographer. Bridesmaid wearing a man's jacket over her dress to keep warm. A geode style wedding cake in blues by Zoe of The Scrummy Yummy Cake Company based in South Woodham Ferrers in Essex. Some wedding details on tables at the Brandy Hole. People inside the Brandy Hole sat down for the wedding breakfast. A plate of seafood and a barrel of Crouch Vale Yakima Gold at a wedding reception at the Brandy Hole on the River Crouch. A man with his Nikon camera smiles at the photographer. The River Crouch is behind you. Zoe of The Scrummy Yummy Cake Company in essex is putting the finishing touches to the cake table she created at a Brandy Hole wedding. People chatting and smiling at a wedding. A newborn baby has fallen asleep after being fed. His bottle is next to a glass of beer, they are sat at a table for a wedding reception. Mother of the bride gives a speech and holds up the book How it Works: The Wife (Ladybirds for Grown-Ups). A bridesmaid sat at a table with other guests People are sat at round tables and they are listening to the best man give a speech. Bride and groom going crabbing off the jetty at the Brandy Hole wedding venue by the River Crouch. People in wedding attire out on the jetty at Brandy Hole in Hullbridge. They are crabbing, smiling and drinking wine. Crabs that the bride and groom have caught at Brandy Hole wedding. Wedding guests out on the jetty at the Brandy Hole venue. There are boats in the water. View across the River Crouch from the Brandy Hole.Bride with hands on hips stands on top of her Land Rover. Groom and groomsmen lean against it. Bride and bridesmaids standing on top of her Land Rover. The groom and his groomsmen are leaning on the front. Groom outside the Brandy Hole is laughing at me. A evening photograph taken from the Brandy Hole overlooking the River Crouch. South Woodham Ferrers is across the river. A gap of light in the clouds is reflected in the river. A black and white Essex landscape photograph. A first dance at Brandy Hole, there is multi-patterned bunting that is mostly white an blue, hanging from the ceiling. A smoke machine and lights illuminate a newly married couple. A selection of candid wedding photographs from a packed dance floor. Couples are dancing, a girl is shaking her hair. Woman on her wedding day hugging her mum at the evening reception. A wedding reception at Brandy hole. Bride dancing with her friend. There is bunting on the ceiling. A man is sitting on his friend's lap. Reportage style wedding photography at a wedding reception by the River Crouch in Essex. They are black and white photographs of dancing and kissing. A bridesmaid drinks from a hip flask on the dance floor. A green light lasers out from behind her. Family and friends dancing at a Brandy Hole wedding. People do a conga line at a wedding reception in Hullbridge. A woman is looking surprised at the camera. A boat on the River Crouch at night, outside the Brandy Hole in Hullbridge. You can see the stars in the sky and the glow of orange lights from South Woodham Ferrers across the river.