This weekend I photographed my first wedding of 2020 and what a start! Not one but two vintage Aston Martin’s as wedding cars. Combine that with having the ceremony at Agatha Christie’s house and you have the set-up for an amazing wedding ceremony!
Nestled on the River Dart is Greenway house. Now owned by the National Trust, the house is famous for being the residence of the amazing author Agatha Christie. Inside the building, time has stood still. You could get no greater sense of how Agatha Christie lived than to look around each room, with her furniture and ornaments being lovingly cared for.
The staff at Greenway are all a credit to National Trust. Very knowledgeable and when it comes to weddings, they really shine at helping everyone involved. If you’re lucky enough to have Carol as your coordinator, you’ll be in very safe hands!
A March wedding can be a gamble weather-wise, but the rain held off just long enough. This meant the car shots and the outside shots would not need umbrellas, nor the wet weather gear I had brought with me.
I had a number of challenges and restrictions as the wedding photographer. Many of the items in each room are irreplaceable and the slightest damage could run into thousands of pounds. As such no rucksacks on backs are allowed and they were rightly nervous about how much equipment I brought with me.
For the first time ever, I elected to leave most of my gear in the car. I brought to the house just my pelican case, containing a flash and my lenses. I left the case in a secure area so I only had my cameras and one on-camera flash (both with flashes would have increased the risk of knocking into furniture).
I’ve never shot a wedding without everything I may need to hand. It was a challenge but prior to their wedding I visited Greenway twice to discuss with the staff exactly what I could and couldn’t do. I also tested different positions and lighting. I was well prepared. The wedding ceremony itself was small, but it is such a lovely room to have the ceremony…
The grounds are the perfect setting for some vintage cars, especially if those cars are both vintage Aston Martins. Combine that with a fabulous Bride and Groom and you have some wonderful memories…
I would love to be your wedding photographer! There is no harm in checking to see if your date is available.