Our first wedding in 2014 was in late March when we shot Andy and Louise’s ceremony at the Walton Park Hotel, Clevedon, N.Somerset, UK. Its a modest wedding venue and a little bit restricted for photo opportunities on site. However, Andy and Louise had a few ideas for couple shots on the Victorian seafront at Clevedon. Louise and her party were getting ready at the hotel and Andy was due to arrive an hour or so before the ceremony start time. They lived in Clevedon so there were no great logistical problems.

In some ways I have little to write on this wedding as things just ran perfectly all day. Andy and Louise were a dream to work with, the weather was good and everyone was having the best time.

We moved outside for the group shots after the ceremony. I had to contend with harsh midday sun but I did have a backup plan as the hotel had a lovely, well lit, room we could use as well. Good planning on the couples part meant we had plenty of time so nothing felt rushed. The wedding breakfast was timed for early afternoon, leaving time for some early evening couple shots with daylight.

With everyone suitably refreshed we left the venue, with Andy and Louise, for some pics on the Victorian Seafront at Clevedon. They had some good ideas for shots and had requested a couple of specific things they wanted me to try and capture. Both were keen cyclists and owned a Tandem. Andy was keen to get a picture of them both, riding the bike, along the seafront in their wedding attire. To that end he’d taken the bike, to the hotel, the night before the wedding and then rode it down to the seafront to meet me.

I’d been able to prepare for this as they pre warned me and my idea was to get a sideview panning shot as they rode past me. We did try that but it wasn’t that great. What did work was the image below which just sort of happened. Its funny how these sort of things just come about. It wasn’t planned but just worked.

The couple also wanted a picture, on the seafront promenade, with the restored Clevedon Victorian Pier in the background. It’s become quite a landmark and has been used in quite a few TV drama series. It was also used by One Direction for a music video. You can buy a ticket to go on to the pier for wedding photos. Back then it was £25 for 30 minutes. Andy and Louise decided against that as the pier timings really didn’t work for us. There was never time to do everything and the tandem shot was more of a priority for them.

Again, having been briefed I was prepared for the promenade shots. I knew we would be losing evening light by the time we got onto the seafront so I planned to use my flashgun, shot through an umbrella, to get the picture they wanted. That way I could balance the couple, who would be in heavy shade in the foreground of the image, with the background, which would be bright as the sun was setting. It’s an essential technique for a wedding photographer although, I still use the flash gun, shot through a diffuser, for a lot of my photography.

Shots from the seafront in the can, we returned to the hotel for a few images of the couples first dance before we left for home. The wedding had been a late booking as I’m not sure Loise had originally planned to have a photographer. I’m so glad they booked us, I enjoyed all the weddings I photographed but this wedding was lovely and a particular favourite of mine, for all the right reasons.

All images: ©Stephen Hyde 2007-2025 – All rights reserved.