Kew Gardens Wedding Photography
Though a Yorkshire based wedding photographer, I frequently capture destinations weddings in the UK and all over the world, so I was pleased to do the Kew Gardens wedding photography for and Jessica and Alexander wedding at Cambridge Cottage. These world-famous botanical gardens in London have been designated a UNESCO world heritage site and made an amazing location for their summer wedding.
Jess grew up in nearby Twickenham and has lovely memories of visiting the botanical gardens with family and friends as a child. And as a couple, Jessica and Alexander love nature and outdoor living. They met in Malaysia and have wonderful memories of the country so the exotic gardens were the perfect place to add a Malaysian theme to their gorgeous wedding.
On the day, I caught up with Jessica and her bridal party nice and early so I could capture those all-important bridal prep images. They were all in great spirits and in the capable hands of hair stylist and make-up artist Gemma Souter.
Jessica looked amazing in a gorgeous dress that had a beautiful leaf and floral details that so perfectly suited the botanical gardens setting. It had a low back and gently fanned out at the bottom with a train giving Jess a stunning silhouette in all of my images. Her dress was complemented with jewellery that she bought in Penang on their last family visit there.
Beautiful and natural Kew Gardens wedding photography
The wedding ceremony was held in Cambridge Cottage. This gorgeous period building was the former residence of the Duke of Cambridge and is perfect for a smallish wedding, giving Jessica and Alexander all the grandeur of Kew in an intimate setting.
The ceremony took place in the majestic drawing room, a stunning period room with wood floors, white walls, a chandeliered ceiling and beautiful feature ceiling to floor windows that overlook the gardens. The windows flood the room with tons of natural light which I played with to create even more beautiful images. (Yet another reason why I love capturing Kew Gardens wedding photography) And it was standing beside these beautifully draped windows that Jessica and Alexander took their vows.
After a lovely ceremony guests headed outside to the private and picturesque Duke’s Garden and there was a lovely bubbles (not confetti) moment that we captured perfectly. With one guest taking the moment to competitive levels by using what can only be described as a bubble machine gun!
Storytelling wedding photography at Kew Gardens
Then everybody enjoyed a drinks reception, taking in the beauty of Duke’s Garden and lapping up the sunshine.
As guests happily drank and mingled, I quickly whisked Jessica and Alexander away for a few minutes for a mini photoshoot. The wedding team at Kew gardens have an access all areas approach to wedding photography, so we headed into Temperate House, the world’s largest Victorian greenhouse containing over 10,000 plants, and I got some awe-inspiring images. The ones on the ornate spiral staircase are just stunning. Here, take a look!
We then headed back to re-join Jessica and Alexander’s guests at Cambridge Cottage for the reception. Guests were already seated in The Gallery, a handsome room that overlooks the Duke’s Garden and boasts some of Kew’s finest botanical artworks on the walls. It has wood floors, white walls and beautiful French doors that open out onto the garden. Jessica and Alexander were welcomed to rapturous applause before taking their seats.
After a sumptuous wedding breakfast and some very well received speeches, I quickly whisked Jessica and Alexander outside for some romantic sunset images. It was well worth it as the images I got were perfect and amongst my favourites of the day.
Creative documentary style wedding photography
I also got the chance to take some candid images of their guests. I love this time of day at weddings, when guests are relaxed, the sun is low and everybody is just chatting, relaxing and exploring the venue. And there aren’t any finer venues on a sunny day in August than Kew Gardens!
Evening celebrations started with the cutting of a gorgeous wedding cake with different flavours for each tier, and with gorgeous floral design to match the theme of the wedding. This was followed by a romantic first dance and it wasn’t long before Jessica and Alexander were joined on the dancefloor by their guests.
I didn’t mention it earlier but Jessica and Alexander are teachers as are many of their friends. So, it’s fair to say that teachers at a wedding party in August can really let their hair down. And live Motown band ‘The Halo’s’ were on hand and certainly made sure that they did!
I’ll leave the last words to Jessica and Alexander. Here’s what they had to say about working with me.
“Mark was an absolute professional and a wonderful man to work with throughout. He understood our preferences and style and took outstanding photos. A number of guests complimented his work and also his manner on the day, with his sense of humour putting guests at ease and making for some wonderful natural shots. We also loved his enthusiasm to work at the venue, which was a new adventure for him and therefore we got to share the enjoyment of exploring and photographing it together.”– Alex and Jess
Planning a wedding at Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens has so many choices for wedding photography within its grounds. For intimate weddings there is Cambridge Cottage which has period charm and private gardens with the ability to have up to 80 guests seated or up to 120 guests standing.
For larger weddings Kew Gardens has other options such as the stunning 19th Centaury glasshouses such as the Nash Conservatory and the Temperate House. These offer a unique location to have a wedding with views out to the gardens and unrivalled appeal for a candle lit evening with festoon lighting to set a luxury ambience.
The Orangery is a stunning building with impressive floor to ceiling windows which open out onto a private terrace to enjoy a cocktail or glass of champagne as the sun goes down.
The Prince of Wales Conservatory is a stunning glasshouse that is an impressive backdrop illuminated after dark. With different climates as you walk around the building it is a truly unique setting for a wedding.
The Temperate House is one of the world’s largest Victorian glasshouses and can be used for a wedding on its own or in the case of Jess and Alex’s wedding we used it as the perfect backdrop for their photos.
The staff at Kew gardens are so accommodating, I would truly recommend it as one of London’s premier wedding venues. If you are thinking of getting married at Kew Gardens then contact me to discuss how my photography can fit into your day.
A beautiful and laid-back wedding at a stunning wedding venue. Congratulations to Jessica and Alexander for getting married and thank you for allowing me to tell the story of it. I loved it!