Sussex Wedding Photographer | The House on the Brooks, Pulborough | Matt & Jen
Earlier last Spring, Matt contacted me to say that he and Jen were planning a wedding. As a West Sussex Wedding Photographer, based near Chichester covering Horsham, Pulborough, Brighton, Portsmouth, the surrounding areas and beyond, we were having the usual conversation about how we would approach the wedding photography. When discussing the planning and the test shoot Matt casually mentioned that they weren’t even officially engaged yet! As you can imagine, I jumped at the chance to photograph the live proposal! Check out the blog from that day here.
Fast forward a few months, Matt and Jen decided to get married at a lovely venue called The House on the Brooks in Pulborough, West Sussex. Their theme was a festival vibe with acres of outdoor space and meadows to house the ceremony and marquees. Thankfully, September in Sussex is usually a warm affair!
The main house at The House on the Brooks in Pulborough is gloriously and eclectically finished, with every room themed with different antique finds and quirky decor. From half a boat high up a wall (the other half in the bathroom), a bed framed with French nautical figureheads and a bathroom tiled with reclaimed tiles from an old cathedral which were made using a technique that is now unknown and obsolete. It is well worth a look just for the decor.
Despite getting ready in the same building, Jen managed to remain hidden from Matt! They had asked all their guests to arrive early, and to bring a flower each, which was to be gathered with the others and arranged to create the bridal bouquet. A lovely and creative idea, which I’m sure you will agree made for a beautiful bouquet. Jen looked beautiful in a graceful, Grecian style dress that delicately displayed a small bump housing the mid stages of pregnancy.
As Matt and all the guests filtered up the meadow to get ready for the ceremony Jen stole a few moments with her Father, reading a note from Matt and watching the guests’ journey up the meadow from the view in her room. The walk to the ceremony was a few minutes long, which gave plenty of time to admire the striking landscapes of the South Downs across the fields.
The ceremony was very relaxed, with a close friend of Matt’s officiating. Guests were seated on hay bales and thankfully the weather stayed dry! Children played in the meadow as the formalities begun, while Matt and Jen’s son Stanley tried every tactical technique to avoid photographic capture (well, really he was happily enjoying the freedom of all the open space!)
This venue in Pulborough is a Sussex Wedding Photographer’s dream. The meadow was a great spot to capture some family portraits. Matt and Jen wanted their images to be as relaxed and informal as their day was, so we worked with the hay bales and the surrounding backdrops of rolling hills. Matt also wanted to recreate a picture from his childhood with his dad and siblings. Without the original to refer to relying on the memory of siblings was amusing, but success was made! While portraits were happening, guests relaxed in the marquees with cocktails, giant games, sweet stands and acoustic music. It really did have a warm, relaxed vibe to the day.
The guests dined in an adjacent barn, where they cut the cake and made time for speeches. The newlyweds had requested a picture with Matt’s best guy mates and Jen’s best girl friends. The girls behaved in a most decadent manner, while the boys, as you would expect, got a little silly!
The party carried on with a live band, a fish and chip supper being delivered and more cocktails from the cocktail bar. The marquees, lights and much of the surrounding decor was set up by Mat’s best man Simon Horn who happens to run a company called After Dark Productions (I would highly recommend their work). It really just cried out for an ‘After Dark’ kind of shot (see what I did there?!!) Matt had also set up a photo booth area for the guests to amuse themselves with after a few cocktails. After finishing for the night, Matt insisted Lee and I grab a cocktail and strike a pose for the team…. after stalking them with our cameras for the whole day, we could hardly refuse, could we!
Matt and Jen finished off their collection with a contemporary wedding album. The Young Book by Graphistudio ticked all their boxes. Handmade in Italy, the box was finished in a soft, faux black leather while the book was covered in a sage grey maple that offset Matt’s tie and suit to a tee. A fabulous way to collect and treasure their wedding day memories, and just in time for Christmas some Parent Copies were added to their order too.
Quite lucky they planned ahead with the presents as Baby Flora was born a few weeks early on the 16th December. A superb early Christmas present.
As well as being a Sussex Wedding Photographer, I also capture Newborn & Bump to Baby sessions so I had the pleasure of meeting her for a shoot at 14 days old. I will share those images in a later blog, but for now, here’s the happy family.
Many congratulations Mr & Mrs Terris! Thank you for having us along on your journey.
Fiona xx
FionaMillsArt | Sussex Wedding Photographer