Elmley Nature Reserve Wedding: a gorgeous lesbian wedding at a unique venue in Kent
Elmley Nature Reserve Wedding
This Elmley Nature Reserve wedding is, hands down, one of my favourites to date. Claire and Rach invited 160 guests to party with them and it was nothing short of a spectacular day. We were blessed with the most beautiful sunset, and took golden hour photos of the two brides and their wedding party in the long grass with tipis in the distance. Wedding photography at the reseve is a dream; the venue lends itself to a relaxed pace, with a variety of locations that are perfect for group and couple photos. The couple made everyone feel so welcome and part of a truly special, personal celebration. Their focus was on enjoying the day with their family and friends, and the wedding photography felt, I hope, like a natural part of the celebrations. The two brides laughed all day, from the morning preparations through to the party. Elmley offers weekend bookings of two nights and exclusive use of their beautiful spaces, creating a relaxed atmosphere for couples and their guests.
Ceremonies at Elmley Nature Reserve
The reserve is based on an island just over an hour away from London, a unique venue in Kent set on a private 3,300 acre estate with views of the landscape of the Isle of Sheppey. This venue is perfect if you’re looking for a private, exclusive-use venue near London. Elmley feels like a destination wedding location, with marshlands and even a private beach. There are lots of different areas for guests to explore, a comfortable house for getting ready in and lots of options for accommodation onsite, including a Wedding Bell Tent Village, making it the perfect option for celebrations taking place over a full weekend. This offers couples the time and freedom to enjoy Elmley Nature the day before and the day after their wedding celebrations. The reserve has offerings such as pre-wedding swims, tractor-trailer tours and wellness treatments making it a full destination experience for you and your wedding guests. The two brides spent most of the morning together and then moved into separate rooms for the final preparations with their best people. This offered the couple the best of both worlds; time together to calm any pre-ceremony nerves and then the joyful surprise of a first look as they met at the top of the aisle.
Ceremonies at Elmley Nature Reserve can take place outside on the grass, surrounded by wildflowers, as the venue is licensed for civil ceremonies both indoors and outdoors. The two brides were married by a close friend under a bright blue sky, laughing their way through the ceremony that told the story of their lives together. I think it’s always so beautiful when couples choose to be married by a close friend or family member, it adds character and depth and always feels both informal and deeply meaningful. The couple ran back down the aisle hand in hand to be embraced by their wedding party, who all wore unique outfits in shades of orange. The couple held their cocktail reception in The Farmhouse Garden, which looks out across the Swale Estuary. There was a bar area set up with drinks, seating areas in the shade and an amazing live saxophonist performing for the guests. The afternoon had a perfect garden party feel. We took a few informal group photos during the cocktail hour, allowing time for the couple to relax and make the most of the sunny afternoon with their guests.
Elsewhere on the site there are smaller spaces where guests can gather and mingle, following the sun as it moves across the sky above the island. Clare and Rach made use of one of the smaller barns as a playroom for the children that were invited to the wedding, setting up the cutest little seating area with cushions and a toy dinosaur for every tiny guest. They'd also booked babysitters to help entertain the children with bubbles, toys and music. This was such a thoughtful touch and gave the parents they'd invited the time and space to properly celebrate along with the couple and the other guests. Outside the Kinghill Barn The Courtyard offers an enclosed grass space where garden games can be played and guests can flow between this and the main barn space. Here the two brides had set up a game where guests could vote on what their new combined surname would be.
The Kentish Barn is where the dining and dancing take place. It has wooden vaulted ceilings draped with festoon lights, and guests are seated at long wooden tables during the meal. On one side of this large barn, a huge window offers incredible views across the landscape. Here we heard speeches from both brides and their best people, who all gave incredible toasts to the couple, the room erupting in laughter. Later on in the evening the barn was transformed into a party space where guests participated in a 'Bandeoke', singing along with a live band and dancing under the stars.
Photography at Elmley Nature Reserve
This venue is one of my favourites for its relaxed, wilderness escape feel. My approach to shooting weddings is unscripted and focused on your enjoyment of the day as it unfolds.
If you’re looking for a wedding photographer for your Elmley Nature Reserve wedding, I’d love to hear from you. You can contact me here for pricing and availability.
Second photographer: Tash Busta
Music by @basax_music
Outfits from @danielchustudio