Natalie & Alex – Pynes House Wedding

July 19, 2023

Natalie & Alex – Pynes House Wedding

As a Pynes House Wedding Photographer, one of the (many) brilliant things about this venue is that you can stay for the full weekend of your wedding.

So when Natalie and Alex asked me to join them for pre wedding party drinks on the Friday, who was I to say no.
Getting to know the couple, family and friends ahead of the day relaxes everyone and I’m not just ‘the dude with the camera’ on the day and essentially allows me to tell the story in the best way I can.

When I asked Natalie and Alex what they were most looking forward to, their response was;

‘Staying at the venue from Friday to Sunday, we have a whole host of small moments to look forward to; from the anticipation on the Friday evening and bringing our bridal and groom ‘squads’ together for the first time with our close family; to thrashing around on the dance floor with all the nerves of the day behind us.’

I wonder if the cricket score was hindered slightly by the many jugs of Aperol Cocktails, not to mention the craft ale which was consumed (and thoroughly enjoyed by all) in the Friday evening sunshine, but then, who was keeping score anyway?!

Pynes House Wedding Venue

Bridal preparations at Pynes House are the perfect location as this has so much beautiful light and space for everyone to get ready. Big thanks to Natalie’s glam squad of Kylie Hair and Sophie May Make Up Artist making everyone look beautiful and ready on time.

Happy tears were shed with Dad’s first look of Natalie and not a dry eye in the bridal suite from the girls. Thankfully the amazing make up did not budge at all!

Whilst all this was going on the gents were enjoying their morning with plenty of banter and the boys thoroughly enjoyed getting suited up. Despite the last minute YouTube video of how to tie a tie (pretty standard groomsmen wedding morning behaviour really!).

Natalie looked beautiful and I loved that she opted for a second dress for dancing later in the evening. This girl knew she wanted to be dancing all night with her ‘wedding squads’ whilst The Compilation Band got everyone on the dancefloor.

Alex was ever the gentleman exchanging Natalie’s pretty and expensive Jimmy Choos for trainers as we walked the lavender gravel driveways at Pynes House. This girl has thought of everything!

As a picture storyteller for your wedding, I really love to hear how you met and your ‘East meets West’ story is gold!

How it all began – their story in their words.

Natalie’s first foray onto a dating app were enviable for most; her first match, first message and first date led to where we are now. (Alex, it can safely be said, cannot relay a similar experience).

Our first date was impromptu; with our respective Saturday plans both being cancelled; we decided to meet up a day earlier than planned and sized one another up over a few drinks in Soho… before taking Natalie to her very first experience of an arcade (something Alex struggled to fathom) hidden under the Southbank.

Failing all attempts at playing it cool, and clearly smitten already, Alex proposed they keep their original Sunday plan, a walk around the Natural History Museum, in place and enjoy back to back first dates… Natalie agreed, and here we now are.

When and where did you get engaged?

Kyoto, Sunday 22nd September 2019.

Taking a weekend to ourselves within a group trip across the Japan; a perfect day of bamboo forests, Inari shrines, and a pug cafe was planned; finished off with an England Rugby Match (to throw her off the scent) and a traditional multi-course meal along Pontocho Alley, overlooking the Kamo-gawa River.

The plan to have the restaurant entirely to themselves was foiled at the last hurdle by a local couple; but this didn’t stop Alex surprising Natalie at the very end of the meal, getting down on one knee, sobbing through his rehearsed words in asking for her hand in marriage. Thankfully she said yes; and we were both treated to a rapturous round of applause from diners and staff in the adjacent pontoons.

Why did you choose Pynes House Wedding Venue?

Neither of us are particularly formal, and Pynes is such a beautiful venue; so we have simply picked a versatile accent colour in Duck Egg Blue, to match the scenery and unite our wedding party; and taken it from there.

From there we have just selected our favourite parts of the ‘traditional’ parts of a wedding day, and ordered them as we see fit; with a focus on socialising and dancing; with minimal seated courses.

Natalie & Alex’s Golden nuggets of advice.

1) Don’t get engaged before a pandemic OR try and get onto the property ladder in the same year as the wedding.

2) Don’t feel bound by tradition; it’s your day; and if you are not looking forward to any part of it, change it up.

3) It is your day and moment, so feel a bit selfish now and again; and try not to get lost in people pleasing.

If you’re considering getting married at Pynes House and in need of a photographer who knows this venue in all its glory, then I’d love to have a chat and you can book a consultation with me HERE