Wedding season – winter

Venue – Coombe Abbey

If you are looking for a wedding venue that is fit for a King, then Coombe Abbey in Coventry Warwickshire will not disappoint, set in tranquil countryside within 500 acres of parkland, Capability Brown gardens and a beautiful lake, this magnificent hotel that was once an Abbey dating back to the 12^th century is within easy reach of the M1 and M6 motorways and just a short distance from Birmingham, Warwick and Stratford Upon Avon.

Sam and Matt had chosen the Abbey for their wedding ceremony and breakfast and ourselves as their wedding photographers. The couple had found us online and we first met at the venue prior to the big day to discuss their plans in more detail, which was when we discovered that they wanted a traditional black tie wedding with all the trimmings in the middle of December, the light cast from the low sun in winter can sometimes be a challenge for a wedding photographer, however we were lucky that day and made the most of the soft light creating some beautiful portraits of the bride and groom in the gardens just before the wedding breakfast.

Sam had chosen to get ready for the day in the massive bridal suite at Coombe Abbey with all her bridesmaids, whilst Matt was with his groomsmen getting ready in nearby Rugby, we like to record the whole day with our documentary style of photography, so I stayed with the bride and my wife spent the morning with the groom and his groomsmen.

The wedding ceremony took place in the Abbeygate at Coombe Abbey, this wedding hall is impressive with its medieval armour and stone flagged floors lit up by candle-light, although it was the darkest room we have ever been in, it was incredibly romantic and beautiful.

Afterwards the guests and wedding party enjoyed a drinks reception in the gardens, where we took the opportunity to take a few group shots. The guests then made their way to the marquee for the wedding breakfast whilst we stayed with Sam, Matt and the bridesmaids for more photos which was so much fun! The luxurious marquee at the Abbey stands on the East Terrace and has its own bar and stage area, it really is a fabulous venue with its chandeliers and dance floor.

After the guests had enjoyed the wedding breakfast, it was time for the speeches which were very touching, funny and emotional, it is always such an honour to witness such heart-warming sentiments about two people who are very much in love. Then came the traditional first dance for Sam and Matt, followed shortly by all the guests who danced away the night.

The cold December evening at Coombe Abbey was foggy and very atmospheric, with its twinkling Christmas lights the front of the hotel looked absolutely amazing so we decided to use flash/night photography and took a few more photos of the bride and groom, what a magical end to a beautiful day!

As usual the complete gallery of wedding photography is available to view for friends and family via online password protected gallery.