A Chocolate Orange wedding at Kingston Country Courtyard, Dorset

This week we have been working on our images from Sam and Mike’s Chocolate Orange wedding at St Edward’s Church in Corfe Castle and Kingston Country Courtyard Dorset wedding.

On her chocolate orange wedding morning Sam’s bridal party were busy making breakfast in one of the holiday cottages at Kingston Country Courtyard. Just up the road from our Dorset offices. As the champagne flowed the hair and makeup were styled around the two halves of the England/ France rugby match by Jess from Model Makeovers.

Mike, Sam and most of the chocolate orange wedding party had drive down from Essex a couple of nights before and were in an incredibly jovial mood (despite the rugby results). I’m not sure I have ever laughed so much whilst working with the bride in the morning.

In keeping with the chocolate orange wedding theme Sam’s orange bouquets arrived from Flowers at 166. The seven (yes seven!) gorgeous bridesmaids got into their dresses with surprising speed.

Now the weather forecast wasn’t looking great, but as Sam was having her dress tied the sun broke free from behind the clouds to provide us with some fantastic lighting.

Rose found Mike and the groom’s men hidden away in one of the Kingston Country Courtyard rooms. All eyes fixed on to the rugby match. The chaps were then in charge of ensuring the wedding tables, wedding favours, wedding cake and wedding flowers were all arranged to plan before they got suited and booted.

Outside a red London bus arrived from superwed cars to pick up the groom and guests and take them down the hill into Corfe Castle, where Mike and the best men sampled the hospitalities of the Greyhound Inn before heading over the road to St Edward’s church. Now we have a bit of a thing for old churches, their location, architecture and their detail, St Edward’s has it all. Sam and Mike had originally chosen St Edwards for these reasons but had now fallen head over heels with the place.

Between the ruined castle and the church a lovely classic 1930’s white Rolls Royce (also from superwed cars) arrived with Sam and her sons. The chocolate orange wedding ceremony was simply lovely, with readings from friends and the Reverend Jackson.

The group shots outside the church will probably stick in my memory forever. Not only because Corfe castle village and the ruins make a fantastic backdrop but it has been the only time we have had to work around a group of Vikings outside the pub (left over from the night before!). Also a crusades knight equipped with sword stood next to the church (think Indiana Jones and the last crusade- we didn’t ask!).

A red wedding bus ride back to Kingston and drinks and nibbles were served on the lawn. When they looked weary of greeting the line up of 150+ guests we stole Sam and Mike away for some couple shots at a local barn. Sam and Mike had spent many a glorious summer at Acton fields camp site down the road. Much to the amusement of the two caravans full of people parked at the view point we took some wonderful windblown pictures of them with Swanage and the Isle of Wight in the background.

Back at Kingston Country Courtyard we took some group shots with the view across Corfe valley (think ruined castles and steam trains) and the party had moved inside towards the bar.

Kingston Country Courtyard is a fantastic venue with a great mix of lighting and atmosphere. The speeches and cutting of the cake took place in the marquee. This also housed the huge table of sweets and the Purbeck Ice cream trike. In beautiful contrast the gorgeous old barn was used to dance the night away to the awesome wedding band that are Hipster.

Sam, Mike and all of their chocolate orange wedding family and guests were so very, kind, jovial and friendly. We kept hearing the phrase “you can take the girl out of Essex, but you can’t take Essex out of the girl”. Now if that’s true then we are looking forward to our next Essex wedding in Dorset.