AS A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER IN SOUTH WALES I HAVE A LOT OF SOMERSET WEDDINGS TOO/

Sometimes it’s a traditional wedding with all the usual trimmings and traditions and sometimes it’s a complete handbrake turn in the other direction and breaks with all tradition.

Everyone is completely different in their approach to planning a wedding, although I have noticed in the last year that a lot of couples are doing their own thing or at least booking venues that give them more control on choosing their own decor, bringing in their own choice of caterer and just doing things in a less copy and paste style.

I photographed a wedding recently in Bath, Somerset that broke with almost all traditions and it was actually so much fun! They opted for a hand-binding ceremony carried out by a celebrant. The ceremony itself was on a hill at the top of the campsite overlooking the green countryside of Somerset with nothing more than hay bails to sit on for the guests, either side of a home made isle down the middle.

Wedding guests partake in a sack race on a camp site field during a wedding reception — Sports day style games made for a lot of fun

The entertainment was also pretty out of the ordinary. We’ve all seen lawn games but have you had a wedding reception where they used the whole campsite field to hold a traditional sack race and limbo contest? It was SO much fun!

A groom dressed in a kilt and smart shirt attempts the limbo on a camping field in Somerset — In limbo: the groom is on his knees trying to beat the limbo stick

There were some traditional elements of course, the bride arrived, walked down the isle to reveal herself to her groom for the first time, confetti was thrown after the ceremony, there was a first dance, and of course a wedding breakfast. But even with these traditional wedding elements thrown in, the simplistic nature of the celebrations took away a lot of the stress involved in planning and made for a very enjoyable party by all involved.

The guests were able to help themselves to their own drinks and snacks, the marquee provided seating with tables and a dance floor for the evening’s festivities and a short guest list of only immediate family and close friends made for an intimate and enjoyable affair. Sometimes, less really can be more!

Confetting being thrown on a bride and groom as they walk down the isle on a field — Confetti fight!

First dance in a marquee at a camping wedding in Somerset

black and white image, close up, of a bride and groom having their first dance and looking at eachother — Loving stare

A newly wed couple have a portrait in the woodlands of a camping site in Bath Somerset, staring lovingly at each other next to an oak tree — a loving glance after the ceremony