When couples get in touch with me to enquire about my wedding photography or book me as their wedding photographer, I always ask them for three words to describe their wedding. This helps me to get to know them and get a feel for the kind of occasion they’re planning.
When Tom and John’s reply came back, their three words were:
CIRCUS
WILD
PERFORMANCE
Obviously, this caught my attention! They also said that they wanted to give their guests “a wild night full of mischief and memories” so as their wedding photographer I was very excited to see what their wedding day would look like. When the big day came, I have to say they really delivered on the fun, fantasy and fabulousness.
Setting the Stage…
Tom and John chose the Gisburne Park Estate as their wedding venue because they wanted a huge outside space to allow them to create this massive event. They’re a creative couple and they told me that they didn’t want their imaginations to be limited by an indoor “beige space”. The Gisburne Park Estate is set in a thousand acres of stunning Ribble Valley countryside so it gave the couple lots of space to fill with their marquee, entertainment and guests.
Within the Gisburne Park Estate is the Riverside House which is a Grade II listed building, sitting on the banks of Stock Beck looking down towards the River Ribble. It’s a romantic setting and the location Tom and John chose to get ready in with their set of bridesmaids, accompanied by fizz and even a few shots of vodka. They did say it was going to be wild!
Showtime
Once dressed in their three-piece suits complete with patterned jackets and feather bow ties, the couple walked together across the picturesque bridge between the Riverside House and their huge red and white circus marquee. There, they had their Humanist ceremony conducted by one of their closest friends. This meant that there were lots of stories to tell about the couple. They then celebrated their first kiss as husband and husband with jazz hands.
The wedding breakfast was also informal and fun, provided by a Mexican Food Truck dishing out huge taco bowls. While the family and friends digested the tasty food, they enjoyed a show from an aerialist who danced in an enormous hoop before getting on stilts and entertained the guests as she strolled the grounds. The choice of entertainment and the outdoor location really sent out great circus and festival vibes.
The First Dance
This was no ordinary first dance and was certainly one to remember! Tom and John treated their guests to a full on drag show with themselves as the stars. They lip synced to a mashup of hits and included three quick change outfits, stripping off each layer with dramatic reveals. The wigs and costuming were very much in a 1920s flapper girl style with fringe and beads and feathers which looked great during the couple’s routine.
After the show was over the newly weds kept on their wigs and heels for an informal portrait session to add to their already colourful and unique wedding photographs.
Party Time
When Tom and John said that their wedding was going to be “WILD” they weren’t joking. In the evening the guests went crazy, dancing away in the big circus tent
If you’re planning a circus or festival themed wedding and would like your day to be captured in a fun natural way with no fuss, I’d love to hear from you. Get in touch to discuss your wedding plans!
