Ravenswood Wedding Photographer in Sussex | Summer Wedding at The Ravenswood

What a day!

Steve and Alana were married on a beautiful June day at The Ravenswood, one of West Sussex’s most sought-after wedding venues.

They chose the venue for its stunning landscape as a whole, but particularly for the boathouse and the ruins – two of the most atmospheric spots on the grounds, and both firm favourites of mine too.

The couple met through online dating, and their wedding day style reflected a lovely personal touch: a blue and silver colour scheme, a nod to Steve’s love of cars and the BMW M4 he used to own.

 

Bridal Preparations

Alana did her own bridal makeup for the day, and getting to document that quiet, focused prep time alongside the usual morning excitement was one of my favourite parts of the day.

Before the ceremony, she shared an emotional first look with her dad and brother – one of those quiet, unscripted moments that often ends up meaning more to a couple than anything else in the gallery.

 

The Ceremony at The Ravenswood’s Little Castle

Their ceremony was held outdoors in front of the Little Castle, one of my favourite spots at the venue for exactly this kind of romantic, storybook backdrop.

As Alana walked down the aisle and saw Steve for the first time, his reaction – and the huge smile that spread across both their faces – was exactly the kind of real, unscripted moment I love capturing as a documentary wedding photographer. The emotion continued through their vows, with genuine reactions rippling through family and guests watching on.

Steve’s gold and platinum wedding ring was one of the small details we made sure to capture properly – the kind of detail shot that means even more looking back years from now.

 

Couple Portraits at the Boathouse

For their couple portraits, we made the most of the grounds Steve and Alana had fallen in love with in the first place – taking in the boathouse, along with a quiet moment together in the Secret Garden.

A Quiet Moment in the Secret Garden

The pergola and string lights in the Secret Garden created a soft, romantic setting that felt completely private, despite being just a short walk from their guests – one of the quieter, more intimate spots at The Ravenswood for exactly this kind of portrait.

 

A Surprise Hot Air Balloon

We’d already finished their couple portraits earlier in the day, so what happened next was a complete surprise…

As the evening rolled on, I spotted a hot air balloon drifting over the venue – and rather brilliantly, it happened to be branded “Virgin.”

I grabbed Steve and Alana, told them to quickly walk towards me, and framed the balloon in the background just in time. It’s now one of my favourite images from their entire gallery – the kind of spontaneous, once-in-a-lifetime moment no amount of planning could recreate.

 

Speeches, First Dance & Evening Celebrations

Speeches came from Alana’s dad Nic, Steve, and best men Adam and Jack – with one particularly touching moment as Steve presented his mum with a pendant gift partway through his speech.

Steve and Alana danced their first dance to Firestone (the Fireworks Version), before the evening rolled on into a relaxed, joy-filled celebration with family and friends.

As Alana and Steve put it themselves: “The photos are absolutely beautiful and we couldn’t be happier. From the get-go Andy was really communicative, engaging and really looked after us the whole way through.”

Here’s a small selection of images from their day…

 

 

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If you’re planning your own wedding at The Ravenswood, find out more about my approach to photographing there.