Trilby and Kel’s unique and homemade wedding, with a ceremony on Torcross Beach, was the perfect celebration of love, life and the things that mean the most to them in the world.
I first met Trilby and Kel on Torcross Beach itself, while they were down from London visiting and finalizing their wedding plans. They were accompanied by Gary and Cook, their two gorgeous greyhounds who followed them at their heels loyally as they walked me through the plan of their day.
It was hard to imagine that the pebbled beach that stretches for miles along the coast with its dramatic clifftop boundary at the far end, would become the set up for their very bespoke and unique beach ceremony. However, Tril and Kel talked me through it in such immense detail that I knew they could ‘see’ what the day was going to look like and I knew their enthusiasm for a place that held so much meaning to them meant that the vision would be pulled through to fruition.
Kel had proposed to Trilby in a house at the top of the cliff, overlooking Torcross Beach a couple of years earlier. The proposal in itself, was completely unique, almost as if it were unplanned. There was no ring, it was an ‘in the moment’ thing but there would be no ither way for this couple to have decided to make their commitment to each other. And I later learnt that from the very start of their relationship, Kel was undoubtedly sure that Trilby was the girl he was going to marry (see the pics of the post-it-note pinboard from their guests!)
The couple planned to have a private legal ceremony in a registry office before zipping down the road to Torcross where they would have a beach ceremony conducted by Trilby’s Godfather, Nick Papadopoulos (what a name!) before heading up to the house on the cliff (or the one next to it) for a drinks reception. The evening shindig has been planned at the local pub with marquee in the garden, again, relaxed and Unique and perfectly Tril and Kel.
The day arrived and despite the forecast of this predominantly outdoor wedding looking a little iffy, the sun was shining and the sea and sky were the most perfect backdrop of every shade of blue for this beach ceremony. I arrived at the beach to find some of the groomsmen warding local beach goers off the part of the beach that the ceremony was due to take place on. George, one of the many groomsman and a very talented musician, was sat on the beach wall playing the guitar. The bridesmaids hurried themselves with erecting and decorating a floral arch under which the ceremony was due to take place while the groomsmen opted for a dip in the sea to cool down and calm the nerves. All of this with just 10 minutes to go until the ceremony! Relaxed was an understatement but actually the perfect vibe for the day.
At last, word reached the wedding party that Trilby and Kel had arrived back from the legal part of their wedding and so I scaled the mama-mia-esque cobbled and winding steps up to The White House to meet the bride and her mum and dad. This was such a special part of the day as mother, father and daughter had a moment to reflect on what the day had held for them so far and to think of what was still to come. And of course, a chance for me to get a few snaps of them together.
The ceremony was quite simply, stunning. Nick delivered a superb ceremony to the couple’s immediate family, all stood in a circle around them while more guests arrived and watched from the top of the beach wall; along with a few nosey but equally thrilled members of the public who had stumbled across the beach wedding.
Trilby and Kel had been fantastic with sharing their vison of what they wanted from their photos and being the nerd that I am, literally squealed with joy on receiving an invitation to be added to their Pinterest board of couple photos and bridal party photo inspo! I love it when couples share with me what they have in mind. This isn’t to say that I will I any way replicate these images to the 10th degree but I am so inspired by the work of other photographers and to see images that Tril and Kel had picked that were also similar to the ones I had been imagining since I first met them, meant that I was most excited about this part of their day!
Although a lot of people to organize, the group shots with the bridesmaids and the groomsmen was great fun. That is what I see when I look at the pictures! Fun! And as for the couple shots of Trilby and Kel themselves, well… just wow! I was delighted that they wanted to actually get in the sea (see my ‘2023 Goals’ blog post!) and they had even practiced ‘the dip’ which seems to be a very popular pose of the year but at the same time is actually quite hard to master! I do suggest a few practices in the kitchen before your bog day for this one, and also for the ‘bum lift’ pose, which equally isn’t as easy as it is made to look!
The couple were then keen for some photos with the old family Saab which had been decorated by Tril’s mum and sister-in-law and again, their vision paid off and the photos are stunning!
The reception in The White House was busy! I think there was around 80 people in a 6 bed house but with a view overlooking the sea and a garden to die for. Here, Trilby’s brother, Lachie, delivered a heartfelt and emotional speech to the couple, all while balancing precariously on the garden wall with a huge drop down to the beach on the other side of it. Again, I was spoilt for the photo opportunities with this one.
The party then headed to the Church House Inn where Trilby and Kel had prepared the garden and a huge marquee for the final part of their day. The picnic benches, handmade tablecloths and flowers (yes, Tril MADE the flowers herself!) just made the most unique, personal and special setting for the evening reception. This combined with a wedding cake featuring Cook and Gary which was made by Trilby and her father and mother, combined with timelapse video of them making it, added even more individuality to the setting.
The speeches, all 9 of them, were short but sweet, each sticking to the brief of being short but to the point and all filled with ammunition for belly full of laughter. This then led to the cutting of the cake with a huge sword which was a family heirloom (no greyhounds – fondant or otherwise - were harmed in the cutting of the cake) and then the final spectacle before I headed home; Ives Vs Bennett Tug of War! And wasn’t it competitive! I have never laughed so much at a wedding, and I am assured by the bride, who did NOT take off her gorgeous yellow heels to take part, that the Ives team did in fact win the title!
I learnt a lot from Trilby and Kel and their wedding. Sometimes, such a wonderfully unique day comes along such as this one and it is so refreshing. My advice to you planning your wedding; take a leaf out of their book! Do things your own way, don’t conform to what you think a wedding ‘should’ be like. Make up your own timetable, find your own venue. Decorate things yourself, spend as much or as little on it as you like. And most importantly, include everything and everyone you love or that has a special meaning to you both in some way, it really will make your wedding the best day that no one will forget!