A Joyful Autumn Hestercombe Wedding – Will & Merrydith
Updated: Sep 4
A Love Story That Started With Coffee
Will and Merrydith’s story started in a cosy coffee shop.
At the time, Will was living in North Devon while Merrydith was deep into her PhD in Plymouth. Despite the distance between them, Will would make the journey every weekend, usually arriving with a coffee for Merrydith at work.
After a few months of coffees, weekend visits and plenty of laughter, they moved in together, and the rest is history:)
A Snowy Proposal in Wales
Will proposed on New Year’s Day during one of Merrydith’s favourite walks back home in Wales.
And he definitely picked a memorable day for it!
In the middle of a snowstorm, at the top of a snowy mountain, Will asked Merrydith to marry him. She said yes, and eventually their plans brought them to Hestercombe in Somerset for their wedding.
Will & Merrydith’s September 2025 Hestercombe Wedding
Will and Merrydith got married at Hestercombe in September 2025, with their ceremony taking place in the beautiful Orangery.
It was actually my first time photographing a wedding at Hestercombe, and from the moment I walked through the gardens towards the Orangery, I could already see so many potential places for photographs.
Their ceremony was celebrant led by on
e of their family members, making it feel really personal to them.
Before the wedding I'd asked what they were each most looking forward to. For Will, it was the ceremony and particularly saying the vows, while Merrydith was looking forward to cutting the cake.
Knowing those little things beforehand is always lovely because it gives me an idea of which parts of the day mean that little bit extra to each person.
Warm Autumn Colours With a Modern-Retro Twist
Will and Merrydith had chosen a gorgeous autumn colour palette filled with burnt oranges, yellows, reds and browns.
Their styling carried right through the day, from their flowers to the dried flowers displayed in brown bottles on the tables.
There were little jars of marmalade and honey as wedding favours, autumnal details throughout the wedding breakfast room and, of course, disco balls!
Before their wedding they'd told me that while the styling itself was quite classical and autumnal, they wanted their photographs to feel more high-energy, modern-retro, vibrant and playful.
That suited the way I photograph weddings perfectly.
Their day wasn't about spending hours creating perfectly posed photographs. It was about capturing the colour, personality, laughter and everything happening around them.
Relaxed Couple Portraits Around Hestercombe
Will and Merrydith were so easy and relaxed to photograph.
We had planned their couple portraits for before the ceremony, but preparations ran slightly later than expected, meaning we had a little less time than originally planned.
We still managed to create loads of variety around the Orangery, using the steps, brickwork, surrounding gardens and architecture.
One of my favourite photographs from their day was taken on the steps, with Will a couple of steps above Merrydith as they held opposite hands and he looked down towards her.
Another favourite was taken towards the top of the steps, where I managed to catch a little bit of sun flare coming through behind the brickwork.
We even made use of the grand staircase inside for some slightly sillier portraits!
And then there were the lemon trees outside the Orangery, which we all found quite funny considering we were, well... outside an Orangery!
Those little moments of laughter are exactly why I keep couple portraits relaxed. You don't need to know how to pose or spend ages looking perfectly at the camera. I'll give you a little guidance when you need it and let the rest happen naturally.
The Little Unplanned Moments
One of the things I love about photographing weddings in a documentary way is that I'm always watching for the things that aren't necessarily written on the timeline.
Will and Merrydith weren't planning traditional speeches. Will stood up to say a few thank yous, and then their best man unexpectedly decided to say a few words too.
He was nervous and it hadn't been planned beforehand, so I wasn't expecting a speech at that point either!
But I was watching what was happening and managed to quickly capture those photographs anyway.
Wedding days don't always follow the questionnaire perfectly, and some of my favourite moments are often the ones nobody planned at all.
Games, Sparklers and a Gavin & Stacey First Dance
The evening was definitely full of personality.
Will and Merrydith played the Mr & Mrs shoe game and also included a tradition involving a shot of water and a shot of vodka. Whoever picked the vodka would apparently be the new boss of the marriage!
Later we headed outside for sparklers, with the Hestercombe team helping to get everyone organised and the sparklers lit quickly.
And then came their first dance.
Will and Merrydith went for a Gavin & Stacey inspired first dance to “Islands in the Stream”, with family joining in too.
Once the first dance was finished, the evening turned into a full-on party, giving me plenty more candid moments to capture before my coverage came to an end.
A Colourful and Relaxed Hestercombe Wedding
Will and Merrydith’s wedding was such a lovely example of why your photographs don't have to feel overly posed or serious.
There were beautiful autumn details and gorgeous surroundings, but there were also silly portraits, unexpected speeches, games, sparklers, disco balls and a Gavin & Stacey first dance.
Those are the things that made the day theirs.
It was an absolute pleasure capturing it all and being part of their September 2025 Hestercombe wedding.
Planning Your Own Wedding at Hestercombe?
If you're getting married here too, I've put together a Hestercombe wedding photography and venue guide sharing more about my experience photographing at Hestercombe, the locations I used for photographs and some useful advice for planning your own wedding photography there.
And if you're still looking for your photographer, I photograph weddings naturally and unobtrusively across Somerset, Devon and the wider South West, with bright, colourful images and plenty of the little moments you didn't even realise were happening.
You can find out more about my Somerset wedding photography or get in touch to check whether I'm available for your date.
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