A Fun Spa Hotel Wedding

Hotel Weddings, Kent Weddings, Tunbridge Wells Wedding

A Fun Spa Hotel Wedding

I loved the sense of fun and joy that oozed from Anna and Nigel from the first moment I met them. They had such wonderful plans for their day from a floral extravaganza to Disney music and a champagne sobrage performed by the bride!

The Preps

It was a music filled bridal suite as Anna and her girls got ready in the morning. Nigel and his grooms party arrived around 12.30 and I was able to capture some shots of him with his best man during a brief spell of dry weather.

Anna was soon in her beautiful bead covered dress and wearing a special headdress that was commissioned and adapted from Annas Grandmother’s 100 year old bridal crown. Sections of which were also used to make the bridesmaids combs. She looked stunning.

A Wet Ceremony

Anna had set her heart on the Spa Hotel Temple in the beautiful grounds for their ceremony and the floral display which surrounded it was incredible and not to be missed. There was light drizzle by the time the ceremony was due to start so they opted for the outside option. The bride entered under a brolly to a live rendition of ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ sang by Ben Hills.

It was a shame that the weather got worse as the ceremony progressed so after the couple had exchanged their vows the registrar suggested that everyone decamp to the Chandelier Suite for the final readings and the signing of their marriage certificate. By then the rain was fairly heavy and everyone was hunkered down under brollies so it was a welcome interlude to the ceremony.

From a photography perspective, rain is not the greatest during an outside ceremony, but you have to admit the wet weather really makes the colours pop!

A Jungle Exit to the Reception

The singer Ben Hills sang for the guests as the couple signed their certificate and then completed the ceremony music by singing ‘The Bare Necessities’ as the couple exited for the drinks reception.

The afternoon was filled with laughter. Neither Anna and Nigel or their guests let the weather dampen their spirits. We weren’t able to get out into the wider gardens for any couple photos but we did pop to the temple under a brolly for a few then headed back inside for a few more before the couple headed into dinner.

The Royal Suite

The Royal Suite was covered in blooms of pinks, blues, greens and peacock feathers, it was beautiful and the most flowers I had ever seen in that room. The table names were all from places that the couple had been together and enjoyed.

Funny and poignant speeches were given by Anna’s mum, Anna herself, Nigel and the best man.

Champagne Sobrage and Prince Ali

Before the evening party kicked off, Anna took a sabre and dramatically performed a sobrage on a bottle of champagne much to everyones delight. This was followed by a wonderful first dance which kicked off with the slow song Unintended by Muse and quickly morphed into Disney’s Prince Ali from Aladdin.

Anna and Nigel were a bundle of fun from beginning to end and I loved every minute of their day!

Here’s a lovely message of thanks I received from them.

“The final element (the photo box) arrived yesterday, and we are again absolutely delighted with it.

Thank you so much for everything you have done to record our magical day. Right from when we first spoke with you last year we have been impressed with your professionalism, talent, design-eye, and good humour. Thank you.

The photographs (digitally, in the albums, and in the photo box) are all superb and very much capture the mood on the day. You ensured that as many as people as possible were included and that we hardly needed any formal photographs. You caught the fun, the drama, the emotion, and the tone of the day. Again, thank you.

The quality of the albums and box was spot on and ensured that we received very good value for money for the whole wedding photo experience package. Our respective mothers were each delighted with their mini-wedding album too.

We now have many ways to remember our special day and we will always remember, and be grateful for, the part you played in it.

Thank you. Nigel & Anna”