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!
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
While the guests find their seats... we take Andrew and Sam out by the lake for some relaxed portraits...
This is how you do speeches, brief, hilarious and full of love...
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!
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!
Venue: Canada Lodge and Lake - www.canadalodgeandlake.com
Cake: Bryn Awel Creative Cakes - www.brynawelcreativecakes.co.uk
Photography: Us! - www.HuwandDale.co.uk