Festival Vibes at Dorset Marquee Wedding

Mid July took me to Ella's family farm in Shipton Gorge, Dorset for her wedding to Allistair. They'd set the whole thing up festival style, with guests camping in bell tents and a marquee reception looking out over the Dorset countryside.
‍

Woke up to clear skies, which felt like a win with British summer weather being what it is. The farm was already buzzing when I arrived. Ella was in one of the farmhouses with her bridesmaids and family, everyone helping with final preparations. Her daughter was there too, first wedding with her parents getting married, which made the morning feel quite special.
‍

Allistair was getting ready in another building with his groomsmen and dad. He's originally from New Zealand but lives here now. Ella looked fantastic once she got into her lace dress, the long veil adding to the whole look.
‍

They'd chosen St Martin's church for the ceremony, a nice building with views across the countryside. Ella arrived in a vintage open top car, which worked brilliantly with her dress and veil. Inside, Allistair was waiting at the altar with his daughter beside him.
‍

Back at the farm, the reception location had those sweeping valley views across Dorset creating a lovely backdrop for all of Allistair & Ella's friends and family to enjoy, particularly this young lad's absolutely loving life as he pretended to drive the vintage car. Then came my very questionable decision to climb a stack of hay barrels for the elevated group shot. The first two levels were fine, but the third one started wobbling and I genuinely wondered if I'd made a mistake. Got the shot though, even if climbing down was a bit nerve wracking.
‍

Inside the marquee, staff were still sorting tables when the bridal party made their entrance. Bridesmaids, groomsmen, and parents all danced down between the tables with proper energy. Then Allistair and Ella came through, really going for it with their dance moves. The whole tent erupted, people cheering and clapping along. What a moment!
‍

Speeches mixed the usual laughter and tears. Someone did the Lion King thing with the baby, holding them up for everyone to see. Allistair's best man wrapped things up with stories and jokes that landed well.
‍

As the sun dropped, everything turned this lovely golden colour. Perfect light for portraits, so I took Allistair and Ella aside. They were natural together, which made shooting easy. Got this frame of them walking under festoon lights with the sky turning magenta behind them, one of those moments you know immediately worked.
‍

The band Simply White Disco started up inside, all dressed in white and absolutely owning the stage. The dance floor stayed packed all night. Highlight was watching Allistair and Ella join the band for a song, with everyone below cheering them on. Great way to finish a brilliant wedding in the Dorset countryside.

‍

I hope this one makes you smile!  If you like this one then definitely go check out Natasha & Roslan’s Wiltshire marquee wedding or maybe Jojo & Marley’s fun wedding at Oakley Court in Windsor.

‍

If you're intrigued by my unposed wedding photography style, head over to my approach page to learn more about how I capture the authentic, unfiltered moments of your wedding day. Want to know a bit about me and my passion for photography? My about page has you covered. Planning an exotic destination wedding experience? I'm ready to pack my bags and document your adventure, wherever it may lead. When you're ready to discuss package options and pricing, simply click the link to explore.

‍