A Glorious Gay Wedding With Epic Entertainment
Rob & Matt
Rob and Matt just wanted to relax with their favourite people on their wedding day – they’d planned awesome entertainment, and focused all their efforts on making sure they had a great time, doing things their own way.
Something they were clear about from the start was that they wanted to stay with their guests for the whole day. Leaving the party for photos was not part of the plan! So, after getting ready together, we popped out for some fun and relaxed photos of them just a short drive from their venue, Foxfields Hotel. Within a maximum of 15 minutes, we had some lovely portraits of them wandering through the fields and skimming stones on the water – it was a nice little pre-ceremony treat.
If you aren’t too fussed about traditions, then I would highly recommend this approach – we can usually capture your portraits in the little gaps in the day, or when your guests are being herded in for your wedding breakfast – but Rob and Matt’s plan to get this done early meant they could just relax and go with the flow.
The ceremony room had been decorated with dried flowers, grasses, and a wooden arch by expert venue dresser, Urura Moments. The boys arrived together in matching champagne colour dinner jackets, and there were a good few tears before the ceremony even started! They hadn’t chosen a ring bearer in advance, instead opting for the element of surprise. When the time came for the rings to be delivered, guests had to forage under their seats to find the ring boxes – it was a really fun moment, amazing how excited grown-ups get for a little treasure hunt!
The next surprise came at the end of the ceremony, when the newlyweds were played out of the room by the awesome Mariachi Rey. The band arrived from the back of the room with their instruments and huge sombreros, and everyone marched with them to the front of the hotel to shower Rob and Matt in confetti. This really set the tone for the rest of the day - there was such a fun party vibe.
Rather than opting for prosecco or champagne, Rob and Matt wanted their guests to enjoy their signature sangria-style drink, Tinto de Verano. There were loads of hugs and plenty of laughs as everyone chatted outside. The venue team served up some brilliant canapes, and people got stuck in to enjoying them, going back for as many as they could carry!
After a few more tunes from the mariachi band, the party moved inside for speeches and dinner. The full range of emotions were on display, with some hilarious stories and some really heartfelt dedications.
As part of my documentary approach, I am always looking out for emotion, reactions, and those little interactions between people – these are the photos couples treasure the most. Sadly, a very special lady from these photos has since passed away, it is a huge honour to have been able to capture her having such a brilliant time celebrating Rob and Matt.
Another musical delight was in store for the guests, as the amazing Oomparty Band rocked up to get everyone on their feet with their brass band antics. Rob and Matt had their first dance on the patio, surrounded by their friends and family as the band played – it was one of those moments of a wedding where you think ‘Yeah, this is why we’re here!’. From then on, the party went crazy, with Oompah-style versions of modern songs making it very hard not to dance along! Guests of all ages were dancing together, from the tiniest kids to those who’d been going to weddings for decades – entertainment like this unites the generations in their love of a good time!
Later in the evening, The Bandeoke Experience set up in the main room, and Rob and Matt invited their guests to become the entertainment – they belted out a couple of classics together too.
Honestly, the whole vibe of this day was unbelievable. The boys set out to prioritise fun and spend time with their favourite people – mission well and truly accomplished fellas!
If you are planning your big day and want to add some unusual entertainment, step outside of tradition, or have been dreaming about a packed, crazy dancefloor – check out some of my other featured stories. I love working with couples who prioritise fun, and want all of those real moments captured, some recent highlights include a packed dancefloor at Stokes Farm Barn, this colourful DIY tipi wedding, and an awesome festival wedding.
