Long Furlong Barn Wedding | Hannah & Kieran
Hello!
As I write, it's week 10 of lockdown and things are looking up in the photography world! Photographic studios will be allowed to open in three weeks' time (from 15 June as things currently stand) and whilst I don't have a studio, being solely focused on weddings, it seems an appropriate time to resume pre-wedding shoots with my couples. These take place outdoors with just the three of us (plus the occasional dog!), making social distancing a breeze, provided we stick to quieter midweek evenings. I literally can't wait!
It remains to be seen when weddings will resume and what guest numbers will initially be permitted, but I am hopeful that at the very least my two intimate weddings of less than 12 guests will go ahead as planned this Summer. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Autumn.
Many wedding venues are also opening up their venues again to in-person viewings. I know of several recently engaged couples who have narrowed down their choices via online viewings, but are waiting to make that final decision when they can visit in person. Long Furlong Barn in West Sussex is one such venue, and one of my absolute favourites. As one of their preferred suppliers, I am fortunate to work there frequently, and have really missed working alongside the team this year.
If you're a bride- or groom-to-be, it's always helpful to view real weddings shot at your shortlisted venues, in addition to seeing the venue set up for a wedding. Not only can it help with finding your photographer, but it will give you a great idea of the how the venue will look in your own wedding photos, both inside and out, and at different times of the day. If the photography is an important part of your wedding plans, then I definitely recommend heading over to Google and browsing through a few real wedding blogs. And if you find a photographer whose style you love, then you can always ask them if they have other weddings at that venue or similar ones at the time of year you'll be getting married.
I have blogged several Long Furlong Barn weddings over the years, and it's a venue that looks great at all times of year, and in all weathers, thanks to its picturesque location in the South Downs. Prior to Covid-19, I was set to do my first outdoor ceremony at Long Furlong Barn this Summer (with six weddings booked there, I was confident that the weather would oblige for at least one!) but it looks like I'll be waiting a while for the priviledge. Still, you can see the lovely wooden Ceremony Arch in this blog - used to frame one of my couple photos at sunset.
The images in this blog tell the story of Hannah and Kieran's fantastic Long Furlong Barn wedding last July. Gorgeous flower arrangements and bouquets in hues of blue, yellow and white were provided by excellent local florist The Crazy Daisy Company. Hair and make up for the bride and her bridesmaids was by the lovely Tea and Trim, and Hannah's stunning gown was from London boutique, David's Bridal.
The barn decor was provided by To Have and To Hire, and entertainment for their 120 or so guests included games consoles from Gaming4Weddings which worked a treat inside the Cart Shed, plus 90's Indie cover band, Joe90.
When I met the couple on the beach for their pre-wedding shoot, they told me how much they disliked having their photo taken and I reassured them they weren't alone! One of the key benefits of having the shoot is to help the camera-shy to feel more confident about having their photo taken, and this was certainly the case for Hannah and Kieran. On the day they were able to just relax and ignore the camera, and trust me to capture their day exactly as they wanted.
This was the lovely feedback the couple gave me when voting me into the finals of The 2020 Wedding Industry Awards:
"Having Jenny at our wedding was like having another friend there. She took natural, relaxed shots of the day which is exactly what we wanted. She arrived early to capture the pre-wedding preparations and stayed late into the evening which was above and beyond what we expected her to do.
Our guests all commented on how friendly and approachable she was and how she was unassuming while she worked. She made me and my husband feel relaxed about having our photo taken.
She was fantastic!"
Hannah & Kieran
Long Furlong Barn Wedding_1064a
I hope you've enjoyed viewing Hannah and Kieran's story through my images. Bonus points if you managed to spot my unintended selfie!
I have such happy memories writing this blog, and am extra excited to be photographing the wedding of one of Hannah's bridesmaids this Winter! If you're planning a wedding in Sussex, do head over to Long Furlong Barn's website and book yourselves in for a viewing. And if you love my images, wherever you're getting married, please keep me in mind too! I'm a bit short on dates for next year, but there's still plenty of availablity for 2022 :)
I'm sure it won't be long before a socially-distanced get together outdoors will be permissable, but in the meantime, I'm very happy to meet up on Skype and hear all about your wedding plans. Just click here to get in touch!
Jenny x
Hannah & Kieran's perfect wedding team:
Venue: Long Furlong Barn
Caterers: Circa Events
Barn Decor: To Have and To Hire
Florist: The Crazy Daisy Company
Hair & Make Up: Tea and Trim
Bride's Dress: David's Bridal
Game Consoles: Gaming4Weddings
Band: Joe90
& Me!
