Biddy and Ellie’s winter Whitstable wedding was such a lovely day; a beautifully bright, warm celebration in the midst of a very cold and bitter winter. It was laidback, tender, and loads of fun: all of the best things!
I initially met Biddy and Ellie at Most Curious Wedding Fair pre-pandemic, where we hit it off immediately. After a few postponed dates, it was so exciting when the day finally arrived (though I don’t mind admitting it was quite nerve-wracking, too, as they both work in the commercial photography industry, so I knew I’d be going into a roomful of commercial photographers. Of course, though, I had nothing to worry about: it was super flattering to be asked, and all of their guests were so friendly and wonderful. The day was so full of love, it practically burst at the seams: I can’t even tell you how many hugs there are in the final gallery!
East Quay wedding venue
I’ve mentioned my love for Whitstable on the blog before, and in particular my love of the East Quay wedding venue, where Biddy and Ellie chose to get married.
East Quay wedding venue’s prime position in Whitstable Harbour means it has a stunning coastal charm, but with a contemporary industrial feel (as the building used to be the old oyster grading company.) Outside, you get gorgeous, uninhibited seaside views; inside, you get a stunning rustic but modern space to celebrate in. What could be better?
The ceremony took place upstairs on the mezzanine floor, with draped fabric creating a wonderfully intimate space, while the reception took place downstairs.
Romantic photos on the pier
Biddy and Ellie chose to make the most of their venue throughout the day. Inspired by the building’s history, they served oysters during their cocktail hour – the reactions to which are always hilarious to photograph!
They also braved the winter weather for some photos outside, which I’m so glad they were up for. We took some group shots and the confetti shot on the pebbled beach before heading to the pier just the two of them. With the cool blue sky almost blending into the sea behind them, the wind whipped through their hair as they embraced, resulting in some breathtaking portraits.
Warm, rustic features and flowers
The decor for the day was romantic and rustic, a wonderful way to accentuate East Quay wedding venue’s self-proclaimed shabby chic style. Joanne Truby picked the perfect palette for their flowers, using lots of muted purples, pinks, and toffee colours, with an eye-catching orange as the feature. In their bouquets, the orange was a vibrant pop against Ellie’s tiered lace Story Of My Dress design and Biddy’s ruffled white off-the-shoulder jumpsuit; and for the wild and wondrous floral arrangement that adorned the staircase connecting the two areas, bright yellow leaves added to the abundance of greenery and flowers to really bring the outside in.
The reception room was set out with long trestle tables under many twinkling fairy lights, set with alternating white and orange taper candles. I really love orange as a feature wedding colour: it’s unusual but so, so stunning!
Tender loving care
The orange in the colour palette wasn’t the only thing about Biddy and Ellie’s wedding day that was warm; I mentioned before about the amount of love that was in the room, and that feeling was present all throughout the day.
In particular the speeches were a real privilege to witness, as they were so tender and emotional – there wasn’t a dry eye in the house, and as soon as Biddy’s Dad sat down after his, Ellie’s Dad ran over to give him a huge hug. Ellie and Biddy also did a speech together, which I mainly photographed from the back, so that they could remember the exact feeling of staring out at all of their loved ones; and, most importantly, all those loved ones staring back at them adoringly.
Tequila time
After the meal and the speeches, there were just two things left to do: cut the cake, and dance the night away! Their cake was a tall tower of Victoria sponge sandwiched with silky buttercream and loads of fresh cream, topped with two mini Ellie and Biddy figurines.
And once the dancefloor officially opened…that was it. Everyone was having the best time throwing their shapes on the dancefloor, and mostly only left the perimeter to buy another round of tequila shots. At one point Ellie was even walking around with a tray of shots, salt and lime wedges, offering them to all the guests! As you can imagine, I had so much fun being on the dancefloor with them, capturing all the energy and excitement.
If you’re planning an East Quay wedding and are looking for a relaxed, natural wedding photographer to capture it all for you, I’d love to chat. Or perhaps you’re getting married somewhere in London or further afield, and you want a photographer who comes with a seal of approval from other photographers! You can get in touch here to tell me all about your plans – I can’t wait to hear all about them.
East Quay winter wedding suppliers:
Venue - https://www.eqvenue.com
Flowers - https://joannetruby.co.uk
Make up - https://www.jessicahawkinsmakeup.com
Ellies Dress - https://www.storyofmydress.com
Hand painted signs - https://www.instagram.com/whilstjudesleeps/?hl=en
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