I was really excited to capture my first wedding at Wilde Lodge, a stunning rural venue on the English-Welsh border with incredible views across the surrounding countryside. It was the perfect setting for a weekend full of love, fun, music and celebration.

And this wedding was definitely a little different from the norm.

A Double Wedding at Wilde Lodge

No matter how long you’ve been photographing weddings, there’s always a first. This time, I had the unique opportunity to photograph two couples tying the knot on the same day at the same venue.

Jenny and Chris, along with Jess and Rob, share mutual friends and a serious love of partying at festivals and electronic music. That made this wonderfully unconventional idea work perfectly.

Rather than having two completely separate weddings, the couples brought their friends and families together for one huge weekend celebration. It was relaxed, personal and completely unlike a traditional wedding, which made it an absolute dream to photograph.

Festival-Style Wedding Photography

The whole day was packed with things happening. There were two personal ceremonies, both led by close friends, followed by heartfelt speeches and a seemingly endless stream of entertainment. An energetic samba band got everyone moving, while fire breathers added another level of spectacle before techno and house DJs took over and kept the party going late into the night.

As a Wilde Lodge wedding photography story, there was certainly no shortage of material!

These couples had completely thrown tradition out of the window and were determined to do things their own way. There wasn’t a white dress in sight, and the guests fully embraced the festival atmosphere, arriving in a vibrant array of outfits that wouldn’t have looked out of place at Glastonbury or Shambala.

And honestly, it worked brilliantly and looked amazing in photos!

Relaxed Wedding Photography at Wilde Lodge

With so much going on throughout the day, I barely had time to catch my breath, but that’s exactly how I like it.

I love immersing myself in the energy of a wedding rather than standing on the sidelines. At Wilde Lodge, there was always something going on, whether it was a reaction during one of the ceremonies, friends catching up, people dancing or something completely unexpected happening in the background.

There was no shortage of genuine moments to capture, and the rural setting provided an incredible backdrop whenever we managed to escape the chaos for a few minutes.

By the end of the day, I’d even managed to get completely covered in glitter, which felt like a pretty appropriate way to finish a festival wedding like this!

Jenny, Chris, Jess and Rob’s celebration was a brilliant reminder that wedding photography doesn’t have to follow a rulebook. Your wedding can look however you want it to look, whether that’s a traditional celebration, a festival-inspired party or, in this case, two weddings rolled into one.

If you’re planning a wedding at Wilde Lodge and are looking for relaxed, documentary-style Wilde Lodge wedding photography, I’d love to hear about your plans.