Dartmouth Navy Wedding, Devon- Hannah & Andrew

Dartmouth Navy Wedding with Bride and Groom on the beach

Dartmouth Navy Wedding, Devon- Hannah & Andrew

I absolutely love photographing Royal Navy weddings and I’m very lucky to have been a regular visitor to Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth over the last few years, so I was super excited when Hannah and Andrew got in touch with me last year. They were planning to marry at the College up on the hill in Dartmouth before heading down to Royal Castle Hotel for the reception, with a quick trip down to the beach en-route. Sounded perfect and what a wonderful wedding it was.

“Wow, what can we say Will other than the biggest thank you for the most beautiful photographs. We had our first viewing late last night when Andrew was home and no doubt we’ll be looking at them all weekend! We absolutely love them and can’t thank you enough, Hannah & Andrew x.”

Super Relaxed Couple

Hannah and Andrew are one of the loveliest couples you could ever wish to meet and it was a real pleasure getting to know them and share their day with them. They are super relaxed, so warm and friendly and they make a beautiful couple. I love Dartmouth so much and I actually took my family down the day after their wedding for some lunch and beach action. We bumped into Hannah and Andrew having a little walk around the harbour front and they ran over and gave my wife the biggest hug having never met her before and then talked with my little boy about all things submarines.

Father of the Bride

It’s always a very emotional part of the wedding day when Dad walks his daughter down the aisle to get married and this wedding was even more special due to the fact that Hannah’s Dad is also in the Navy. He wore his Royal Navy uniform and proudly walked his daughter down to marry Andrew, also dressed in his uniform. I really love that I am able to witness moments like this and it’s so important for me to tell the story of a wedding day in its entirety and capture precious moments like this for my couples.

I don’t think Reverends come much more relaxed and funny than Keith who I’ve met lots of times now at the BRNC Chapel. He puts everyone at ease and always has everyone laughing. He also completely trusts the photographer to move around discreetly to document the ceremony and I really appreciate that.

Guard of Honour

I always love a Guard of Honour when the Bride and Groom walk out through a sword arch to meet and be congratulated by their wedding guests. Even better when the Bride’s Dad is involved with a sword in hand too.

After drinks, celebrations and formals up at the College, it was time to head off to the reception.

I’m often asked whether I photograph the formal family and friend shots and I definitely do, it’s more just a case of not really showing them on my website, although I usually show the full group shot which I always try to do as well. I really think these formal photographs are very important still as I can never guarantee to capture a shot of the bride and groom with both sets of parents for example. I always take great care in getting some lovely photographs of these set-ups and will always try to get everyone smiling as well (I have my methods).

Natural Style

My style of photography is very documentary, capturing the day very naturally with no direction. I pretty much tell couples to ignore me for the best part of the day, in a nice way, meaning I can tell the story of their wedding day. I do also love to make some beautiful couple portraits taking in the lovely scenery that we are blessed with in Devon and to capture some epic portraits that couples can hang on their walls. We always make sure we have lots of fun whilst taking these shots and it’s all very relaxed with no awkward posing, I go as far as suggesting where to stand for the best light and then I let the couple be themselves.

Dartmouth Castle

I love the beach and the sea, no Dolphin jokes please and yes, it is my real surname 😉 I’ve shot weddings at St Petrox Church that hovers on the edge down at Dartmouth Castle and I’ve also done portraits before down on the rocks below so knew that you can get some beautiful photographs here. Unfortunately, the tide was a little high so we couldn’t quite reach the rocks and the sun was already leaving the beach in shadow, but this certainly didn’t stop us at all and we had great fun and I worked with the light to create some really dramatic shots of Hannah and Andrew.

Royal Castle Hotel

It was then reception time back at the lovely Royal Castle Hotel sitting beautifully on the edge of the harbour. I have photographed ceremonies here before and Hannah had her bridal preparations here earlier in the day. Drinks flowing, emotional and laugh out loud speeches followed before it was time for me to say my goodbyes with no official first dance planned and instead a Jazz band to play the night out.

Well, enough of my talk, such a lovely couple and a real pleasure and honour to photograph their wedding.

Here follows a little collection of some of my favourite photographs from their day, hope you enjoy…

Dartmouth Navy Wedding with Bride and Groom

black and white of mother helping put veil on bride

bridesmaids reaction to seeing bride in her dress

bride , bridesmaids, mum and dad in black and white walking to entrance of college

bride framed in doorway entering the Navy College

dad looking very proud walking down the aisle

dad in Navy uniform giving his daughters hand to groom in Navy uniform

Dartmouth Navy Wedding with Bride and Groom inside the College

bridesmaid and sister helping with the brides dress

signing the register and dad looking up to the ceiling

hands and uniform of groom and brides dad

Keith the Reverend of the Chapel handing over the marriage certificate

bride and groom from the back of the Chapel

bride and groom walking back up the aisle

bride and groom exiting the chapel taken from behind with dress

bride and groom under the swords in guard of honour

bride and groom laughing as they exit the sword arch

men in Navy uniform with swords out sitting on wall for formal shot

Navy men walking outside college with blue skies

group shot of the whole wedding party outside the College in Dartmouth

bride and groom with Dartmouth in background

close up of bride and groom with Dartmouth in background

bride and groom walking back towards BRNC in black and white

bride and groom portrait with sea in background

bride walking down steps with groom holding dress in balck and white

bride walking down steps with groom holding dress

wide view from above of bride and groom on the beach with sea behind them- epic portrait

wide shot of bride and groom portrait on beach

close up of brides dress in black and white

Arriving at Royal Castle Hotel for reception

bride and grooms dad crying in black and white

bride and groom laughing in black and white

grooms speech with bride and parents laughing

bride putting on shoes with groom help -close up in b&w

bride and groom portrait with groom in hat

close up of bride and groom hands with uniform in black and white

As always it’s really lovely to work with some other great suppliers who I would all happily recommend and do so-

Venue- Britannia Royal Naval College

Reception- Royal Castle Hotel

Flowers- Blue Geranium

Hair and Makeup- Changing Faces

If you’d like to see more of my wedding photography a good place to start is my highlights page from last years weddings, click on this link- 2017 highlights.

To see another Navy wedding I have photographed at Dartmouth, click on this link for Jessica & Joe.

For lots more full weddings from this year please visit my blog here.

I would love to hear from you if you are getting married so please contact me here for more information and to see if I’m still available for your date.