A cathedral and historic dockyard Wedding picture Story

Kristina & Jeremy’s wedding, set near the seafront around some of Portsmouth’s most historic buildings, was that rarest of delight’s, a wedding I walked to from home! I joined Kristina, her bridesmaids, and her wonderful Lithuanian mum getting ready at The Royal Maritime Club, a strategically short walk away from Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard where their reception would be held in the enormous, atmospheric Boathouse 4, such a clever development of an historic building into a top reception venue. The wedding was held at Portsmouth’s Anglican Cathedral in Old Portsmouth. For such a grand space it was a lovely personal service due to it being conducted by an old friend of Jeremy’s family, who also happened to be an Anglican Bishop. Living only up the road, I’d had the additional fun of joining close family and friends the previous evening for the cathedral rehearsal. A lovely opportunity to pre-meet everyone, to get a feel for the next day’s events, and to make pictures adding another dimension to the wedding storytelling. I’ve only ever been able to do this a few times and love witnessing a couple’s realisation that their wedding is actually going to happen for real the next day. Do also see Kay and Clayton’s wedding picture story where again I was able to be at a rehearsal.

Kristina & Jeremy emerged from the cool of the cathedral into the sunlight and before long I was riding with them on a tour of the seafront in a vintage old Roller. We stopped for some portraits at Southsea Castle, another great wedding venue I’ve often been to (see Ellen and Paul’s Wedding) , and from where in 1545 Henry VIII watched his flagship, the Mary Rose, sink to the bottom of the Solent. In my previous life as a photojournalist I made boat trips out to the wreck to document maritime archeologists at work on the site. We then arrived at the their reception in the Historic Dockyard, where everything, including Boathouse 4, is on a very large scale. This included the lovely drinks and delicious nibbles enjoyed on a first floor museum gallery of historic wooden boats of every vintage, many hanging above us in the vast hanger space. Guests could take tours of the hanger’s maritime restoration projects, champagne and delicious eats in hand. And then across and in to a second glass walled gallery space with picture windows looking out over the harbour and the Solent. And if you can imagine two fantastic voiced, dinner suited comic cabaret singers singing to and dancing with the couple and guests, you’ve come close to the joyful entertainment provided by The Frank and Dean Show. Kristina & Jeremy are clearly a lovely couple who enjoyed every moment of their day. Some of my favourite images are below.

 
 

If you like what you see, and fancy finding out more about the photography I could produce for you on your day, I’d love to hear from you.