I loved the details and pops of colour at Amy and Mark’s gorgeous Coltsfoot wedding
Amy and Mark got married last September at the lovely Coltsfoot Country Retreat, which is a pretty converted barn venue in Datchworth, Hertfordshire. I love shooting Coltsfoot Country Retreat weddings because the surroundings are completely stunning, the staff are so friendly and the food is absolutely delicious!
Getting ready
Amy got ready at her parents house and the atmosphere was full of excitement. There had been a little mishap before my arrival when Amy had managed to lock herself out of her house, but thankfully all was resolved by the time I arrived. Amy was remarkably calm, considering the drama! I spent some time capturing the preparations and all the gorgeous little details like the flowers (SO colourful, I love them), the dress (gorgeous!) and the shoes (my favourite Rachel Simpsons!). Mark’s present to Amy in the morning was an engraved necklace that matched the monogram that had been designed for them by friends, and featured throughout the wedding. Amy then jumped into a car to the ceremony with her parents.
Mark got ready at Coltsfoot with his groomsmen, and once again my good friend Mike of Michael O’Sullivan Photography was there to capture the action. The boys then spent the morning playing Mario Kart in one of the rooms at Colstfoot. Only once they’d completed all the final checks to make sure everything was set up of course!
Coltsfoot Country Retreat Wedding
The wedding itself was a legal ceremony in a beautiful room overlooking the fields opposite Coltsfoot. This is one of the reasons I love this venue – you can enjoy views of rolling Hertfordshire countryside from everywhere! During the ceremony some close family members performed readings chosen by the couple. It was so personal. Amy and Mark’s nephew was the cutest little page boy and looked brilliant in his little suit!
The reception
After the ceremony they served Italian ice cream with their reception drinks, in a nod to the Italian side of Mark’s family. We had to dash in and out of the covered marquee area of Coltsfoot, as sadly the weather was misbehaving! But we were lucky to get some gorgeous sunshine for the confetti throw and the majority of the group photographs.
Amy and Mark decorated the venue with handmade geometric paper shapes, and copper touches too, all in a gorgeous colour palette of pastel shades. I loved how ‘on brand’ the whole wedding was. As I mentioned, friends had designed them a wedding logo, and the theme and colours were carried throughout the whole day. The cake was a particular highlight for me – it was absolutely stunning and iced to match the overall wedding theme. And all hand made by Amy and Mark’s mums! I couldn’t believe how professional it looked, and I loved the dogs they had as cake toppers!
For dinner they had one of Coltsfoots many delicious meals, which was absolutely amazing. In another nod to Mark’s Italian heritage, during the meal the couple handed out sugared almonds around the tables. This Italian tradition was a lovely way of involving everyone and ensuring the couple had the opportunity to mingle with all their guests.
I grabbed Amy and Mark for a couple of portraits in between the reception and during breaks in the rain. I really love the gorgeous view over the fields at Coltsfoot, and the clouds broke just in time to give us a spectacular sky for photos!
The couple
Amy wore a beautiful dress and Mark wore a navy suit with a grey waistcoat and they looked amazing. Amy’s shoes were by Rachel Simpson – some of my absolute favourite wedding shoes to photograph. I love how they come in so many different colours. Amy had picked a gorgeous lilac shade for hers.
Amy and Mark met when they were younger and have been together for a long time. They got in touch with me after I met them at a wedding fair at Knebworth Barns. Their enquiry really intrigued me as I loved the sound of the styling they had in mind, with geometric shapes and lots of colour. We caught up to discuss all things wedding over a few gin and tonics too, so I knew they were a couple after my own heart!
Amy and Mark’s wedding was awesome and so much fun to photograph. Here’s their stunning Coltsfoot Country Retreat wedding!
If you’re planning a Coltsfoot Country Retreat wedding, I would love to chat to you about your plans, so please do get in touch!
Suppliers
Venue: Coltsfoot Country Retreat – https://www.coltsfoot.com/
Shoes: Rachel Simpson – https://www.rachelsimpsonshoes.co.uk/
Flowers: Maples Flowers – http://www.maplesflowers.co.uk/
Make Up: Catherine Ayling – https://cathrynayling.co.uk/