Wilderness Wood Wedding Venue

I completely understand why Dicky and Magic chose Wilderness Wood, a beautiful and interesting Sussex wedding venue, for their amazing summer wedding. Their passion for nature coupled with their love of festivals and partying came together perfectly in this glorious woodland.

The Happy Couple

The first time I talked to Dicky and Magic was on a Skype video call. From the moment we said hello to when we finally ended the call, I was laughing the whole time. The same thing was true when we visited Wilderness Wood about a month before their wedding. We were laughing and joking most of the time, with some time out to do serious wedding planning in between of course!
On their wedding day I can’t remember a moment when either Dicky or Magic weren’t smiling, a couple that were truly meant to be together.

Wedding Preparations

I started the day with Dicky and her bridesmaids, before heading over to where Magic was with his groomsmen and family. Walking up to the woods with Magic was a great chance to get some shots of him before the ceremony, with the woods around him and the light coming through the trees. I had lovely light to play with and because the foliage in the trees was so high up, the light bouncing off the wooden trunks gave a lovely warm light. Days like this make being a Sussex wedding photographer such a pleasure.
I then hung back waiting for Dicky to finish getting ready and come through the trees to the ceremony. Dicky was grinning from ear to ear the whole way there making it incredibly easy for me to get some great shots of her walking through the wood.

Woodland Wedding Ceremony

Dicky and Magic’s ceremony was wonderful. In the middle of the forest it was intimate and emotional. Dicky and Magic were in their own little world in the centre of the circle while family and friends surrounded them.
Having the ceremony in a circle was a huge bonus for me as I was able to walk around the whole of the group taking photographs from different angles with different lenses getting a lot of variation. At most weddings, in ceremonies in particular, I often find myself confined to one spot, with very little chance to move or photograph different angles. As a result I really enjoyed photographing the ceremony, catching lots of people’s reactions and getting coverage very few weddings allow.

Wedding Reception

After the ceremony, while guests headed off to the reception, Dicky and Magic, as well as their mother’s as witnesses, walked to where they were to have their legal ceremony. It’s there that I captured the featured image above as they gazed in to each other’s eyes during this second ceremony.
Having completed the legal ceremony, I took them off for some photos of just the two of them. I like to make it nice and relaxed, almost like it’s just time for them to be together for a few minutes on their wedding day while I move around them taking photographs. There was one part of it that wasn’t particularly relaxed which was a quick ride on a zip wire! Not many wedding couples would have agreed to have a go in their wedding clothes, but having discussed it when we visited before their wedding, they took it completely in their stride and had great fun making it happen!
After some time at the reception, we all headed back to Dicky’s aunt’s house nearby for the wedding breakfast, speeches and the all important dancing!

A Wedding Sea Shanty

I couldn’t write about Dicky and Magic’s wedding without mentioning the sea shanty! Shortly before the dancing started, everyone was invited to sing a sea shanty together. It had been mentioned to me, but not confirmed and I didn’t really know how it was going to work out. Had I known what it was going to be like I would have looked forward to it all day, it was absolutely fantastic! I can’t honestly say that I have ever actually seen a sea shanty sung before at a wedding, but it really is something everyone should experience at some point. The energy and gusto with which everyone sang was wonderful to photograph. I enjoyed it hugely. It was a great way to start the dancing as everyone was ready to go after singing!

What Dicky and Magic Said About my Wedding Photos

Oh my goodness. they are utterly amazing!
Thank you so much, and thank you so much for being so great in the run up, during and after the wedding!!!
We loved it, and everyone we know sings your praises!!!
Thank you!!!!
Dicky and Magic

Thank you Dicky and Magic for choosing me as your wedding photographer, I had a ball photographing your wedding!

If you enjoyed this post then you might also like to see these blogs. Sarah and Simon’s wedding at Grittenham Barn, Michelle and Adam’s wedding at Greyfriars House and Claire and Ben’s marquee wedding.
.