A step-by-step recipe for the perfect spring wedding

Let’s play a game, shall we?! Let’s try and plan the perfect spring wedding. To begin with, we’ll need a beautiful country house wedding venue. How about Pylewell Park in Hampshire? That’s pretty much as beautiful as they come. OK, great, that’s the venue sorted. Now let’s have a romantic outdoor ceremony overlooking the sea, followed by intimate couple’s portraits among snow-white blossom trees. Oh, and we should probably have a dog too, right? Everyone loves a dog.

Then to finish the day…hmmm…ooh! How about a golden hour portrait session at the beach with loads of wild ponies?! That would be amazing. Did we miss anything out? Nope, that’s everything, the perfect wedding day. But weirdly, this all feels very familiar. Oh yeah, that’s right. This was an actual wedding!!! 

So yeah, Amy and Paul’s Pylewell Park wedding was basically the perfect day! Do you want to see what the perfect Spring wedding looks like?! Come take a look!

Spring wedding styling inspiration

When you’re getting ready for your wedding day, you deserve a little luxury, right? Somewhere a little bit bougie?! And somewhere like Pylewell Park house, with its panelled walls, four-poster beds and shiny copper baths. Well that’s a level of luxury we could all get on board with! Exactly the level of luxury, in fact, in which Amy and her bridesmaids began their day.

Amy’s bridal look was a perfect blend of timelessly stylish, beautifully sentimental and just downright cool! I loved the flowing dress, the intricate detailing on the tulle lace bodice, and the gorgeous hairpin holding up an elegant twisted bun. So far, so classy. But what I loved even more than all that was her shoes! I mean, you gotta love a bride whose ‘something new’ is a pair of pink glitter Converse, right?! 

Her ‘something blue’ was a garter on her thigh. And her ‘something old’ was a passport photo of her late father tucked into her sock. And if all that weren’t enough, her vibrant bouquet of seasonal blooms was out of this world! Of all the bridal outfits I’ve seen as a wedding photographer, this is the first that has made me gasp, smile and cry all at once. And then Amy’s brother came in for the ‘first look’ and the tears came thick and fast! Family means so much to me, and being part of moments like this is such a special part of my job.

Outdoor ceremony at Pylewell Park

The wedding party walked arm-in-arm across the sweeping lawns of Pylewell Park to where Paul and the rest of the guests were waiting. I adored the gentle blue of bridesmaid dresses, the navy blue groomsmen suits and the powder blue delphiniums in their buttonholes. So pretty, so cohesive. And all just perfect for a timelessly stylish outdoor spring wedding. 

The space for the outdoor ceremony was idyllic. Guests sat in the shade, a gentle breeze caressing the soft white canopy of the sail structure. With the gorgeous stately home on one side, and views down the Solent and across to the Isle of White on the other, it’s a wedding photographer’s dream. They had incredible flower urns bursting with colour on either side of the altar. And in a touch of genius, had put their family dog in a “Best Dog” neckerchief (didn’t get him to carry the rings though, which I thought was a massive missed opportunity).

The ceremony itself was just so lovely, so intimate and achingly romantic. And filled with heartfelt sentiment and more than a few tears (including my own!) 

Couples portraits in a grove of blossom trees

After the ceremony I took Amy and Paul away from the crowds for some couple shots together as a newly married couple. I’d spied to blossom trees earlier and as a wedding photographer, I was itching to take full advantage of them! 

Pylewell Park’s acres of beautiful grounds are a joy to explore at any time of year. But those few moments in the secluded grove of trees, the pure white blossom waving gently in the breeze. Ahhh! Didn’t I tell you? Perfect!

Radiant spring sunshine burst through the branches of the white blossom trees, birds sang from the branches. And Amy and Paul got to spend some time alone together, celebrating the fact they were finally husband and wife. 

Reception in the Pylewell Park wedding pavilion

We went from the staggeringly beautiful ceremony to an off-the-wall fun reception in just a short walk across the grounds! If the ceremony was Amy’s dress, the reception was her pink glitter Converse! 

They had Lindt chocolate easter bunnies and scratch cards on every place setting (I didn’t win, by the way). Their guestbook was a wooden board for all the guests to write on, which I thought was ace. There was a cheese cake (not a cheesecake, but a cheese cake!) with all sorts of different cheeses for each tier. And a cake topper that said what so many Covid couples have been thinking: “fucking finally”!

I don’t usually play favourites with guests, but I couldn’t help but love one guy who was just the life and soul of the party! He could play piano, and do close up magic as well! So cool!

Golden hour couples shots at the beach (with special mention to the horses)

After a delightful meal and some crazy funny speeches, the sun began to set. And all the telltale signs of golden hour began streaming in through the sides of the wedding pavilion. So I took Amy and Paul, we left the guests playing frisbee and chucking Nerf rockets around and went off to explore the grounds. And as amazing as the day had been up to this point, this was my favourite part of the wedding. A genuine wedding photographer’s dream. 

It was perfection wandering around Pylewell Park’s endless beautiful grounds together in the setting sun. The golden light setting fire to the grass and giving everything that astonishing amber glow of sunset.

After a while, we made our way down to the beach, where we were greeted with a lovely close encounter with some of the famous New Forest wild horses! People always say, ‘never work with animals’, but the horses hit their marks perfectly! It was as though the wedding stars had aligned and even the horses wanted everything to be just right for us. 

Looking for someone to photograph your Pylewell Park wedding?

As a wedding photographer, this Pylewell Park wedding was one of those weddings where you have to keep pinching yourself to make sure it’s real! From the incredible venue, to the gorgeous styling, on paper everything was perfect. 

But for me, the best thing about it was the people. Amy and Paul were so hopelessly in love, and so obviously made for each other. Their friends and family were all just so happy for them. And the whole day from start to finish had the love of family at its heart. And for me, that’s the best thing about weddings. Not the styling, or the venue. But the people by your side celebrating with you. 

If you’re looking for a Hampshire wedding photographer to capture your day, I’d love to be there with you. Bringing only the best vibes, cheering you on, and capturing every amazing moment for you to cherish for the rest of your lives. If you love my work and think we’d be friends, let’s have a chat and get to know each other.