An Alternative Gwrych Castle Wedding – Eccentrically laid back!
Gosh i nearly wet myself with excitement (sorry for the TMI), as a modern wedding photographer, when the stunning Hayley and Russell got in touch booking me for this super alternative gwrych castle wedding. You see i’ve been in love with this castle ever since i can remember.
I was lucky enough to do a very sentimental family shoot there right at the start of my professional photography career and i hadn’t been back since. Ok i know there’s now loads of hype around it thanks to i’m a celebrity get me out of here (cheers Ant and Dec) but, for me this wasn’t the reason. You see as a young girl every time i went past this castle on the expressway i used to imagine myself there!
What did this Gwrych Castle Wedding look like?
Now let me introduce you more to the gorgeous couple, Hayley and Russell…
The other thing i get crazy excited about is when i know i get to work with some of my favourite celebrants. In this instance the wonderful Sophie Colligan (humanist celebrant) who i class as a dear friend now. Honestly i can not tell you how magical and dreamy it makes it when you have a celebrant who conducts a ceremony amazingly, all whilst keeping in mind the composition and aesthetic of images. One who leaves you no restrictions so you can move about freely, then get to hang at the reception for a bit afterwards. Yup she’s an absolute dream boat!
With a ceremony and and speeches making reference to their love of literature, set in an elegant and rustic chapel in part of Gwrych Castle, this boasted such an eccentric yet opulently romantic essence, and honestly, i can not tell you how magical that light was beaming through against the cool rustic walls.
I always ask my couples to give me a little info about their planning process and any top tips to offer future couples. So let me hand over to Hayley and Russell…
What they said…
The venue is special to us as a family, the bride’s great-grandparents and grandparents both had caravans at Pensarn beach back in the day and her dad spent all his summers growing up in Abergele and at the castle in its heyday.
We have spent many years exploring the castle before it came into the current ownership and started to be restored, camping just down the road and walking and cycling in North Wales.
What they said about the wedding planning journey…
We had multiple cancellations and double-bookings of suppliers even pre 2020, then we had to cancel in 2020, and the venue cancelled on us for 2021… non-standard venues are not for the faint-hearted and if you want an easy life I would recommend a venue that has all it’s walls and ceilings in tact, potable water, and a plumbed in toilet (as a minimum!) – we’ve arranged every detail from power, to a self-stocked bar (glassware), toilets, lights, caterers and music all from separate companies and we (including the wedding party) have managed all the decor and details. Russell even made the centre pieces and a few other bits of decor as well as the invites. It is however worth it if you know what you want and it isn’t standard or necessarily simple.
So much of the work has gone into elements that nobody will notice or know about but which have made the whole thing possible and hopefully we will all enjoy the day as result.
My only tip would be not to get sucked in to spending on things you don’t actually care about! Those things will not bring you joy! It will be different for everyone but just remember it’s your day and do what you want to do!
The Suppliers
Venue: Gwrych Castle
Humanist Celebrant: Sophie Colligan
Photography: Me – Jade Maguire
Associate Videographer: Nick Malone
Do you want to look this epic too? if you want to know how to secure me take a look here at my pricing, or alternatively click here to go straight through to my contact form to send me all your juicy wedding deets. Remember i book up FAST, so don’t leave it too late!
The Gallery Highlights
Are you planning an alternative Gwrych castle wedding too? Or just a quirky, alternative or modern wedding anywhere in the UK or abroad, you need to hit me up by clicking here!
