North Devon wedding photography - Castle Hill and the beautiful village of Chulmleigh

After a London-centric 2015, June saw me leave the big smoke to photograph a wedding in leafy North Devon. Tucked between Exeter and Barnstaple is the beautiful village of Chulmleigh, where I was lucky enough to photograph Lucy and James's beautiful country wedding. 

We started off in the bride's parents house, a gorgeous cottage on the edge of the village that would host the second part of the day. Preparations were abound as family, friends and neighbours buzzed about doing final preparations to the marquee, clothing, hair, outfits, flowers... I left with the brides brother to head to the wedding venue half an hour a way at Castle Hill to meet the groom. 

The grand Mansion House on Castle Hill in it's sculpted gardens hosted the ceremony. Beautiful stripped walls welcomed the guests as the bride was given away by her parents in a ceremony that ended with a big singalong of 'It Must Be Love'. After photographs in the stunning grounds, upon an ancient bridge and a 19th century folly, we jumped onto buses to head back to Chulmleigh. 

Like her twin older brother's weddings before her, the brides parents hosted the rest of the day, and they had made probably the single most beautiful residential garden I'd ever set foot in. What felt like four gardens in one hosted around 120 guests, and a marquee on a beautiful summer's afternoon. After speeches, roast pork, much wine and cake, everyone partied long into the night on the dance floor or the gardens many secret nooks and crannies. Hopefully I'll see this part of the world again soon!