ELOPEMENT FILM - ADELAIDE & KATHRYN

WEDDING & ELOPEMENT VIDEOGRAPHY

ADELAIDE & KATHRYN

One of the best things about being a wedding videographer, is you get to experience weddings of all shapes and sizes. The glamorous Manor House Wedding is not for everyone. Sometimes, people prefer to get away to somewhere new, to spend their special day with just their absolute nearest and dearest.

When Adelaide and Kathryn first contacted me, I was immediately struck by how passionate they were about their wedding, and how excited they were about the prospect of having it documented in cinematic film. My wedding filmmaking has taken me all over the South West and well beyond, but when they told me they were planning a highly intimate elopement in Cornwall, I got very excited. As a proud Cornishman, I do love the opportunity to return to the Duchy, or should I say, ‘God’s Own Country’, whenever I can. Of course I am biased, however I truly believe that Cornwall has some of the most outstanding natural beauty this planet has to offer. Thanks to popular shows such as Poldark, more and more people are experiencing Cornwall’s unique beauty and recognising it as one of the most stunning places in the UK. Having now lived in Devon for most of my life, the Devonian countryside truly takes some beating. But for me, there is something extra special about the Cornish coast. It’s wild and rugged, and takes on various different personalities depending on weather conditions. On a sunny day, you would be forgiven for believing you were somewhere in the Caribbean. On a stormy day, it’s as if the sea, rocks and cliffs have a life of their own. As a young boy, there was nothing I enjoyed more than dressing up in coats and wellies to take a blustery walk on the beach on a stormy day. It must be something to do with my Cornish blood, but every time I return, I get a feeling inside that I cannot describe, and have not experienced anywhere else in the world.

Adelaide and Kathryn chose the quaint Freathy Farmhouse for their wedding. Located close to Torpoint, near Plymouth, this beautiful little venue had a lot to offer a small wedding party. ‘The Cow Shed’ provided the location for the ceremony, with hay bales for seats and fairy lights for lighting. Then there’s a separate rustic outbuilding with log burning stove for the meal.

The wedding preparations took place in the farmhouse itself, with Adelaide and Kathryn getting ready in separate rooms. The couple had written letters to each other to read prior to the wedding ceremony, which was a beautiful touch. Buckets of love and emotion had gone into the letters and they were absolutely perfect for videography purposes. I knew at the time that these would make for a lovely way to narrate the storytelling aspect of their film.

After Adelaide and Kathryn had kindly read out their letters on camera, we did a ‘first look’. First looks are more traditional in the USA than here in the UK, however I do believe they are a very special moment and often overlooked by UK couples. Seeing each other for the first time on your wedding day is a moment that you will never forget. In the UK, it’s more traditional for the couple to see each other for the first time in the aisle, but a ‘First Look’ provides the opportunity to have that intimate, one to one moment without dozens of guests watching on. This is a moment that is genuinely beautiful to witness, and another lovely moment to include in their wedding film.

The ceremony was lovely, with a fantastic reading from Adelaide’s mother. She used a Dr Seuss poem, which I thought was very unique.

After the ceremony, we all hopped in the car and travelled 2 minutes down the road, past a Napoleonic Fort, to the beach. The beach had its own little harbour, and we were blessed to basically have it all to ourselves. At this point, I was in my element. On a Cornish beach, with a lovely couple who were on cloud 9 having just tied the knot, and a camera in my hand. Just amazing. When it comes to coastal shoots, I love to get properly involved. Climbing rocks and almost falling in the sea on various occasions, just to get the shots that I wanted and those unique perspectives. The light was truly incredible. A stormy sky provided spectacular Crepuscular Rays which added so much drama to the footage.

After an hour or so on the beach, we headed back to the farmhouse. Adelaide & Kathryn did an impromptu first dance, and the family said a few words sat around the table in front of the log burner. Then it was time for food, and my job was done. Having had a truly enjoyable day, I left them to enjoy the rest of their evening.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the day. Adelaide and Kathryn were just amazing from the get go. So kind and welcoming, genuinely lovely people. On arrival, I felt like I had known them for years. I especially liked how personal and intimate the day was. From a filmmaking perspective, elopements often take away some of the many formalities you get with larger weddings, which basically allows you to focus on the couple and telling their story.

For their Highlights Film, I very much drew on the personality, mood, atmosphere and intimacy of the day. I am very pleased with the finished product and I’m delighted to hear that Adelaide & Kathryn are over the moon with it. There truly is no better feeling than being able to contribute towards those lifelong memories. Apparently Kathryn believes it to be “the best wedding film'“ she’s ever seen. I’m not sure how many she has seen, however that’s quite the compliment and certainly lovely to hear!!

I would like to say a final huge thank you to Adelaide, Kathryn and their family, for being so wonderful. It was a pleasure to meet you all, and a true honour to be part of your special day. This is a wedding booking I will not forget and I wish them all the happiness in the world for their future together.

Here’s their completed film. I hope you enjoy!