Our last wedding of 2023 was spent in the beautifully secluded and exclusive setting of Canada Lodge and Lake with Andrew and Kyle. There they celebrated their wedding with a vintage Christmas twist, with close friends and family, looking out onto the beautiful lake and surrounding woodland. You would almost be forgiven, given the lake and evergreens in the winter mist, for thinking we had been transported to the brisk forests of Canada itself!

A rustic stone and timber building with dormer windows in a misty forest setting.
A foggy winter landscape with bare trees and a wooden fence along a serene lake.

The boys started their days getting ready with close family and friends, Andrew at home and Sam in one of the comfortable and warm lodges by the lake. Here we captured their details, the nervous smiles and the excited laughs of their wedding preparations... and just a few cheeky wedding day chicken nuggets!

Two people adjusting formal attire in a room with teal walls and modern decor.
Close-up shot of hands adjusting a golden bowtie on a white collar.
Close up of hands adjusting a pocket watch chain on a brown checkered vest.
Wedding accessories including brown leather shoes, watch, and boutonniere on wooden surface.
White dress shirts hanging on wooden hooks with yellow tie being adjusted.
Close up detail of a patterned floral dress shirt cuff.
Hands fastening jewelry or accessories in preparation for special event.
Fast food burgers and takeout bags on white surface from above.
Champagne flute filled with sparkling wine against blurred background.
Black and white photo of hands tying formal leather dress shoes.
Makeup being applied with a brush in natural lighting.
Wedding photo in front of rustic log cabin with formal attire.
Groom in gray checkered suit with mustard yellow tie and boutonniere adjusts his collar in autumn setting.
Elegant groom in plaid suit with yellow pocket square stands near water.
Groom wearing burgundy three-piece suit with gold tie poses in front of stone fireplace.

A vintage Christmas theme was the theme of choice.

A snow-lined isle, dotted with Christmas trees and pine cones, and the lodge amongst the trees; the perfect setting!

Winter wedding ceremony setup with white chairs and floral decorations leading to stone fireplace.
Frosted artificial Christmas tree with pinecones and moss on wooden floor.
Wooden welcome sign on easel announces Andrew and Sam's wedding date with holiday decorations.
Wedding venue with string lights and frosted trees creating winter wonderland atmosphere.
Pine cones and wedding rings photographed with snowy effect on textured surface.
White built-in display cabinet with glass shelves adorned with picture frames and decorative elements.
Close-up of winter floral arrangement with pinecones, dried flowers and frosted elements.
Christmas tree with twinkling string lights and bokeh effect in rustic venue.

A very personal ceremony


A close friend of the Grooms plays a gentle piano cover of Into The West, the theme from the third film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, a cinematic favourite of Andrew and Sam, among others as we will see later. Fairy lights gently twinkle above as Sam walks down the Isle to meet his Andrew. With kind words from the registrars, and two readings from friends picked by the boys. The ceremony is just perfect in the natural winter light from the large windows of the lodge.

Group riding in golf cart at event venue.
Close-up shot of hands playing piano keys.
Wedding venue hallway decorated with winter floral arrangements and string lights.
Person in elegant green dress holding red rose under twinkling string lights.
Wedding ceremony aisle lined with flocked Christmas trees and string lights.
Emotional wedding ceremony moment in venue with string lights.
Wedding celebration with festive winter venue decor and string lights.
Wedding ceremony guests seated in a rustic wood-ceiling venue with white walls and decorative greenery.
Close-up view of formal brown leather dress shoes on wooden flooring.
Two people standing at altar wearing burgundy and navy suits with yellow accents.
Wedding ceremony in front of stone fireplace with greenery decor.
Close-up shot of hands exchanging ring during wedding ceremony.
Exchange of rings during ceremony with guests watching in background.
Winter wedding ceremony with evergreen decor and stone fireplace backdrop.
Wedding celebration with guests applauding in bright modern venue.

Drinks, canapes and a special visitor


The newly married grooms were greeted by applause and cheers as they stepped out into the confetti throw. At the top of the steps waiting patiently was their special visitor, who sadly couldn't join them on the day, but had come for a couple of important photos. Then back inside for some reception drinks and canapes. A few key group photos in front of the warm fires with Huw while Dale wandered the room to capture interactions, laughs, smiles and emotional moments between families and friends.

Wedding ceremony guests line both sides of a pathway forming a receiving line at an outdoor venue.
Wedding guests toss confetti as couple walks down aisle on outdoor pathway.
Group of people in formal attire interacting with a spotted dog at an outdoor event.
Close-up portrait of a brown and white spaniel dog with soulful eyes.
Two people in formal attire kneeling with their spaniel dog near a lake.
Person in white shirt and turquoise tie smiling warmly at a wedding reception.
Two people in formal attire sharing a happy moment at a wedding celebration.
Two people sharing an emotional embrace at an indoor wedding reception.
Group photo of wedding party members in formal attire standing in front of brick wall.
Wedding party posing together at an indoor venue with brick wall and warm lighting.
Formal wedding party portrait with people in emerald green and burgundy dresses.
Candid wedding party moment on hardwood floor with green dresses and red flowers.
Group of wedding attendants sharing laughs in formal attire.
Two guests in formal suits having an animated conversation at a reception.
Two wedding guests chatting while holding drinks at a celebration.
Group of wedding guests in formal attire posing with drinks at reception.
Hands holding phone capturing group photo at wedding reception with string lights.
Holiday celebration with Christmas tree and guests taking photos.
Three guests enjoying drinks and conversation at formal event with stone wall backdrop.

Fantasy and Noel


Downstairs, we popped our heads into the wedding breakfast room to capture a few shots of the cake and the table decorations. The Christmas theme continued with delicate use of holly surrounding classic church candles on the table centres, while the fantasy theme continued with nods to cinema and books in the table names and cake.

Elegant wedding table setting with white linens, wine glasses, and oyster shell decorations.
Rustic winter wedding centerpiece with white candle and red berries on wood slice with Christmas tree background.
Three-tiered white wedding cake with rustic brown accents on white tablecloth.
Wooden heart decoration with initials SA and dried flowers for rustic wedding decor.
Long wedding reception table with elegant place settings, wine glasses, and rustic centerpieces.
Wedding table setting with name card and soft pink floral arrangement.
Elegant place setting with white plates, silver cutlery, and oyster shell accent on white tablecloth.
Elegant white wedding reception venue with crystal chandeliers and chiavari chairs.
Wedding cake tier featuring Jurassic Park logo and gold decorative elements.
While the guests find their seats... we take Andrew and Sam out by the lake for some relaxed portraits...
Two people in formal suits embrace tenderly by a serene lake surrounded by evergreen trees in an autumn setting.
Two people in coordinated suits share a playful moment on a pathway by a misty lake.
A couple in burgundy and gray suits walks hand-in-hand through a scenic countryside setting.
Two people in complementary suits hold hands while standing among autumn leaves and bare trees.
A black and white photo captures two people in suits sharing a playful moment on a path.
Two people in formal attire share a joyful moment on an autumn path overlooking water.
Two people in suits and yellow ties share an intimate moment against a misty background.
A black and white portrait of two people in suits standing close together on a stone path.
Person in burgundy suit enjoys a wooden swing while another stands in the background.
A romantic autumn scene with coordinating burgundy and black attire against a backdrop of evergreen trees.
A black and white image shows two people walking hand in hand along a countryside path.

This is how you do speeches, brief, hilarious and full of love...

A wedding celebration scene with guests seated at tables while someone in burgundy attire gives a speech.
A wedding reception moment with speakers in burgundy and formal attire addressing the guests.
Two people in coordinating vests cutting a decorative three-tiered wedding cake with festive designs.
An energetic moment during a wedding reception with someone giving an animated speech at the head table.

A starlit first dance...


The fairy lights that line the roof of Canada Lodge make a stunning backdrop for the first dance and pair perfectly with the starlit dancefloor provided by Canada Lodge's own Dj. While these two enjoyed a few minutes together beautifully in each others arms, the dance floor was soon flooded with friends and family. So naturally we dived into the middle and made use of some good old-fashioned shutter drag to capture the madness of the party!

An intimate black and white dance moment under twinkling lights at a celebration.
A lively dance floor scene with celebrants in formal attire under warm lighting.
Wedding guests dancing energetically at a reception with dramatic lighting effects.
Dynamic reception dance floor moment captured with motion blur and festive lighting.
A black and white candid shot of wedding guests dancing and celebrating on a wooden floor.

The perfect end, to the perfect day…


Sam and Andrew finished off their night with a sparkler exit, framing them in light as they set off into the next chapter of their story. The weather might not have been perfect, but the venue, the guests and are Grooms absolutely were. What a way to end 2023!

Two people in dark suits with yellow ties hold sparklers at night with bokeh light effects in the background.

Venue: Canada Lodge and Lake - www.canadalodgeandlake.com

Cake: Bryn Awel Creative Cakes - www.brynawelcreativecakes.co.uk

Photography: Us! - www.HuwandDale.co.uk