Joelle and Chris' wedding was my last of 2021 and OMG, it was amazing. It took place in the Emlyn Hotel, which if you haven't been, is situated in the beautiful little riverside town Newcastle Emlyn, in Carmarthenshire.
When I met with Joelle and chris on their pre wedding shoot, we had planned to go to the gorgeous ruins of the nearby castle for the bride and groom portraits. On the wedding day it was a long drive from Swansea to Newcastle Emlyn, and when I arrived in the town and drove down the high street with cute little shops and cafes, I saw the Christmas lights - pretty strings of coloured lights lining the streets and I thought... it has to happen. So I asked Joelle pretty much as soon as I arrived if she would be up for stopping the traffic on the main road to get the amazing shots I was picturing in my mind. Of course she said yes and couldn't wait to do it!
They had a large bridal party, the girls in gorgeous deep red sequinned dresses and the boys in tweed suits and flat caps from Dyfed Menswear - they were giving all the Peaky Blinders vibes. So in addition to the shots of the boys walking in the street, I suggested we do a more moody shot, where the boys tried to emulate the Peaky Blinders. They did not disappoint, as you can see below.
Since it was a December wedding, I knew it would be dark early and so I suggested to Joelle that we do some sparkler photos with the guests. Joelle loved the idea and so after the reception we headed outside with a group of their friends. As Chris lifted Joelle up and spun her around, the guests started to sing Bruno Mars' 'Marry You'. It was a perfect moment.
The cherry on the cake of this beautiful Winter wedding was the couple's first dance. Backed by the word 'CARIAD' (light up letters provided by Ultrabooth), which means 'love' in Welsh, they danced to Lady Gaga's 'I'll always remember us this way'. As you'll see from the photos below, their dance was passionate and moving. When the song ended, their guests surrounded them and magic happened.
It was a beautiful way to end a year filled with gorgeous weddings, that I'll always be grateful and humbled to be a part of. Scroll down to see the highlights from Joelle and Chris' day.
Suppliers:
Venue: The Emlyn Hotel
Makeup - Makeup by Jade Matthews
Suits - Dyfed Menswear
Wedding Dress - Samantha K's Bridal, Pontardulais
Photo booth and Light up Letters - Ultrabooth
Cake - Andrea Elias and Heulwen Yelland
Flowers - by the Mother of the Bride
Decor - Pink Pigeon Designs
