Our Best Wedding Photographs 2023

Ah, yes! It’s that time of year when leaves crunch underfoot. The Christmas lights sparkle in the crisp night air. Time for Dorset wedding photographers to lean back with mugs of something warm and are ready to reflect on the whirlwind that was the past year. And what a year it’s been! Let’s take a look back at our best wedding photographs of 2023.

For us at one thousand words, it’s been a time of immense growth. There have been unexpected turns and moments of pure, unadulterated joy. We’ve climbed mountains – metaphorically, of course. (Unless you count those we have ridden our bikes up and down!) We’ve navigated uncharted territory, emerging stronger, more connected, and brimming with stories to tell.

So, grab your beverage of choice and settle in. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane, revisiting some of the highlights that made 2023…well, 2023!

Nature’s Tapestry: The Unbound Joy of Outdoor Weddings

We’re documentary wedding photographers based in Dorset. We’ve told countless love stories within this wild and wondrous county. This year has been the year for outdoor wedding ceremonies. Let me tell you, there’s a certain magic to vows exchanged under the open sky. Sunlit moments and windswept laughter whisper an undeniable truth. Outdoor weddings made up 75% of our 2023 weddings. They are where hearts truly take flight and feature heavily in our best wedding photographs of the year.

There’s something liberating about an outdoor wedding, a shedding of walls and formalities. It’s just you, your loved ones, and the boundless embrace of the elements. This also translates into wedding photographs. They are imbued with an airy freedom that mirrors the unbridled joy of the day. Think windswept hair clinging to laughter. Children weave through seated guests and flowers. Vows are exchanged beneath a blue canopy speckled with fluffy white clouds. These moments feel as vast and limitless as the sky itself.

And, of course, Dorset throws in its own brushstrokes. A sprinkle of rain transforms the ceremony into a sparkling gathering. A rogue gust sends laughter swirling through the air like confetti. Unpredictable threads are often woven into a wedding day in Dorset. They make an outdoor wedding here truly unique. It is a love story whispered on the wind or etched in sunbeams. It is forever bound to the beauty of this wild and wonderful place.

Spring’s Photographic Delights

2023 started with wedding confetti thrown on spring bluebells. Their delicate blooms carpeting the woodland floor in a fairytale haze. We then witnessed vows exchanged beside the coast. The summer sun painted the azure canvas of the sea with golden hues. We revelled in these coastal romances and captured the salty-kissed joy of seaside hotels. We also captured the sun-soaked elegance of country homes bursting with laughter and autumnal sunsets in the New Forest.

Best Wedding Photographs 2023 – Grandiose Halls, Hidden Gems

From the timeworn beauty of tiny Purbeck stone churches to the breathtaking grandeur of Christchurch Abbey, each wedding ceremony location held its own special magic. We marvelled at the sun-drenched halls of Dorset’s stately homes. They glowed orange with autumnal sunsets. Allowing us to capture the romance of history within their ancient walls.

But, looking at our best wedding photographs it’s not just the grand venues that stole our hearts. The hidden gems are tucked away in Dorset and Hampshire. The intimate village churches and secret gardens are teeming with stories old and new. These are the places where love truly takes root and we can capture our best wedding photographs.

Photographers Firsts That Flourished In Our Best Wedding Photographs Of 2023

Even with 20+ wedding seasons under our belts, 2023 brought its own share of delightful firsts. We long admired the Victorian pier in Swanage for its potential as a wedding venue. Finally, it unfolded its charm before our lenses. Laughter echoed across the weathered boards as our couple married in the sun. We will remember this unique ceremony forever.

And then there were the alpacas. Yes, alpacas! For the first time, our cameras captured their fuzzy antics. They left wedding guests, surprised and delighted. These furry scene-stealers added a touch of whimsical charm to the day. The resulting photographs are pure, unadulterated joy.

Not Just The Best Wedding Photographs But The Best Wedding Suppliers

This year, our lenses were blessed with witnessing love take a thousand shapes across the Dorset landscape. But no wedding is an island. Capturing the best wedding photographs often means a shared canvas painted with the talents of countless others. Becky from Thompson Wedding Films has an eye for the unscripted dance of light and emotion. She wove stories in moving pictures that mirrored the depth we sought in stills.

Countless wedding caterers kept us fueled with their creative and delicious food. Crab Apple Catering had us energized with plenty of puddings. Their playful twists on traditional tastes made a lasting impression.

And then there were the artists of the brush and comb. They were alchemists who transformed brides and grooms into their most radiant selves. Amazing Face and Charlie Hulbert MUA in particular are always such fun to work with. Their handiwork was woven into the fabric of all the best wedding photographs.

A shout-out to Perfect Wedding Day Services. Their vintage arcade games were a feast for the eyes. They were also an invitation to join the joyous chaos. Laughter bounced off tilt screens. We found ourselves joining the revelry, cameras momentarily down. After all, the best photographs often capture the moments when the photographer melts into the scene. They become another thread in the tapestry of a perfect day.

The Best Of Wedding Venues

Finally, our hats go off to the tireless wedding teams across Dorset who orchestrated this year’s magical moments. At Studland Bay House, creativity and camaraderie flowed like champagne. At Mapperton House and Gardens, Holly is a titan of the industry. Seemingly multiplying to ensure every detail shines brighter than a teardrop in the sun.

Without these rockstar teams, our best wedding photographs wouldn’t have danced into existence. They deserve an entire album dedicated to their behind-the-scenes heroism! So, a heartfelt thank you to all the wedding suppliers we worked with in 2023. You are too numerous to mention, but you know who you are – you’re the wind beneath our lens-covered wings.

Love’s Tapestry Unfurled: Proposal and Engagement Photographs in Dorset’s Embrace

2023 wasn’t just a year of our best wedding photographs in Dorset etched in gold and blue. It was a year when love’s first chapters unfolded. Whispered promises echoed on windswept cliffs and were painted in sun-kissed laughter on sandy shores, where we were storytellers with cameras in hand.

We were privileged to document these grand overtures. Capturing the thrill of wedding proposals and the quiet joy of engagement shoots. Each was a unique piece in the jigsaw of 2023. These moments sparked our recent articles, where we explored the magic of proposal and engagement photography: “What is a proposal shoot? Why do you need proposal photographs?” and “Why Do you Need Engagement Photos”.

2023 Marriage Proposal Photos – Against the Elements, Love Stands Firm

The rugged shores of Durdledoor witnessed contrasting wedding proposals. The first one had a love defiant against the wind and rain. The second in the bright hot summer sun. Later in the wee hours of a summer morning, as the sun rose over the Dorset sea, we captured a couple declaring their love. They did so against the white chalk backdrop of Old Harry Rocks.

2023’s Engagement Photo Shoots In The Great Outdoors

Our year’s engagement adventures then swept us to coastal viewpoints. Sunsets were painted with laughter there, and kisses were exchanged on sun-warmed sand. We took couples down to secret isolated Purbeck beaches. Dog walkiun couples reveled in the manicured gardens of stately homes. Love unfolded amidst the whisper of ruined churches and ancient henges. Even island lighthouses had friendly seal companions. They became stages for loving words, embraces, and dances.

Beyond the Click, 2023’s Best Wedding Photographs

But our job isn’t just about clicking shutters and capturing fleeting moments. It’s about telling stories, whispering tales of love in the rustle of leaves and the glint of a teardrop. As you can tell from our best wedding photographs of 2023, it’s about becoming confidantes, and sharing laughter and tears. Leaving with hearts (and cameras) full of the joy of witnessing true love unfold.

So, as we raise a toast to 2023 and our best wedding photographs, we do so with the echo of laughter and the glint of love still shimmering in our minds. Each proposal, each engagement shoot, and each wedding was a brushstroke on the canvas of this year. It reminded us that love’s grand overture transcends weather, location, or season.

Thank you to all of the wonderful couples who embarked on this journey with us. We appreciate your trust in us to beautifully tell your love stories. Here’s to 2024. May it hold even more adventures and unexpected firsts. May it also hold the boundless joy of love stories created against the magic of Dorset and Hampshire.

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