Linzi & Josh celebrated their spring wedding in the versatile indoor spaces of Avalen Farm whilst popping outside for some shots in a break from the inclement weather.
I am yet to photograph a wedding at Avalen Farm in any sort of weather other than the good old Cornish mizzle that we know (and love?!?!) in this steadfast county of ours. And I dream of the day that I might get shots of people lounging on the lawn in front of the old stone buildings and of others hiding from the blazing rays of sun in the shade of the old oak tree that guards Avalen’s picturesque frontage. However, what I have come to realise is that actually, this venue is so unbelievably beautiful and versatile that the weather really doesn’t matter here and if your wedding at Avalen turns out to be a rainy day then it is ok, as the venue, and me as your photographer, have got it covered! Find out a little more about Linzi’ and Josh’d day here but also how to make the most of the Cornish weather, especially when it comes to your confetti shots.
Linzi and Josh’s day was perfect, they opted for the middle package where I arrive an hour before the ceremony and get some of the details of the venue and your décor, along with the last touches of the bridal prep. On arrival, Linzi’s bridesmaids were absolutely on it; doing the last minute set up checks, drying the bouquets and helping Linzi into her dress. The guests were arriving and there was a wonderful buzz of excitement in the ceremony barn as people were starting to take their seats. Despite the grey and wet of the inclement weather and in contrast, the interior spaces were warmly lit and cosy, decorated with the most beautiful colourful floral arrangements.
It was soon time for the ceremony to begin and the bridesmaids led the way down the sheltered passage between the bridal suite and the ceremony barn. I remember seeing on Avalen’s social media some time ago that they had asked previous couples for their feedback on the venue spaces. One of the things that was mentioned was that it would be handy to have the walkway between the two spaces covered so that after all of the effort of hair and make up, it wasn’t a worry about this being undone on a wet and windy journey to the ceremony. It was a case of ‘you asked and we listened’ and I have to say that this is typical of the wonderful hospitality that you get at Avalen Farm. Nothing is ever too much and they are always more than happy to help.
Now, despite all four out of four of my Avalen weddings being in a similar weathered state, I always insist on getting everyone outside for the confetti shot if possible. If it is damp in the air, if it is lightly spitting or even if it is just cold and blowing a rain splattered wind; we are heading outside! However if there is any chance of actual raindrops then I would always rethink this and either do the confetti inside or even hand out umbrellas if need be!
Once pronounced husband and wife, and after Linzi and Josh’s exit from the ceremony room, I confirmed that no actual water was falling from the sky and ushered all of their guests out onto the front of the building. There are a few reasons for always trying to get these shots outside. The first reason not to have your confetti indoors is that space is limited and your guests who are on chairs furthest away from the aisle will not likely always be able to reach you with their confetti. If you take the guests outside into a larger more spacious location, you can have them lined up shoulder to shoulder and then the aisle that they make is much longer, meaning more shots of you being showered by gorgeous petals!
By taking this away from the ceremony exit, you also get celebrated twice! Once on exiting the ceremony and then again during the confetti aisle! You will likely also notice more of your guests as you walk through a second aisle and this is a lovely way of seeing all of those people that you love and care about at your day for the first time.
One more reason for taking the confetti outside is the backdrop of your confetti shots. The venue can feature as a backdrop and you may as well have as much of the venue featuring in your shots as possible as you chose it for a reason!
And finally, while we are talking confetti shots, another couple of great tips for this part of your celebration are as follows; One, choose large confetti pieces such a the papery confetti that is also available as a biodegradable option too. Or even large dried petals. These larger confetti pieces have such a great impact in the photos and look so dreamy. Two, walk slowly and look up or at each other! It is natural instinct to look down and to almost duck as people throw things at you but I promise you, it wont hurt! The last is to have a smooch half way through! This makes a lovely shot but also gets your guests cheering and super excited, again, great for your photos! The final tip is that I will encourage guests to throw ‘up and not at’ you both to ensure that you are being beautifully showered by your confetti choice the whole length of your confetti aisle.
Linzi and Josh were fortunate in that the weather held off just long enough for us to stay outside and use some more of the lovely outside spaces for their couple shots. Much of the usual spaces that I like to use at Avalen for these couple shots were under a sheet of water from the recent downpours that we had had. However, there are also so many secret spots around the site that I love to use to capture these quiet moments with just the two of you!
So, while I am in an ideal world, wishing for a dry day at Avalen later for future bookings, I think that the moral of this blog post is just to embrace the weather, use it to your advantage and worry only about the bits that you can control; like being prepared to get some awesome confetti shots!