Picturesque Wedding at Henblas, North Wales

A tale as old as time - Warren and Rachel have their dream wedding.

Henblas Country Park

North Wales is renowned for its mountains, lush fields and biodiversity. This means it’s no surprise that couples want to tie the knot in such a picturesque country. This wedding that I captured was situated on the isle of Anglesey at Henblas Country Park. Being a Henblas Country Park wedding videographer meant I knew what was important to capture in this location and with the couple stating that one of their first dates was in Snowdonia, I ensured that these outstanding views were captured.

Henblas is situated in Bodorgan, Gwynedd, North Wales boasting glorious views of the Snowdonia mountains. With 77 acres on this exclusive use venue it was a dream to film for Rachel and Warren who had planned their wedding to perfection.

Morning Prep

The morning started for myself by arriving early to capture the details of the venue to showcase in the couples film. Being a wedding videographer it’s important to give myself enough time before the wedding to get establishing shots of the location. The Weather can change pretty quickly so having that time can really help. This could be a drone shot of the venue/area, details within the venue or the decor outside. I also like to get shots of suppliers setting up as this tells the story of the day and the hard work that goes into curating a flawless wedding.

Rachel was getting ready in the bridal suite with her 3 bridesmaids. Hair was professionally done by Hair By KJ and the Make Up Artist was Greta Mikka Makeup. Bridal prep was very calm and relaxed with party tunes being played to get everyone excited for what was to be a beautifully sunny wedding. I find pride in searching for the best light to shoot important items such as the shoes and dress. I took the shoes to the dining area as there was a beautiful pocket of light coming through an open door. Using the best light really accentuates the beauty of whatever you’re shooting. I was so happy they chose myself, a north wales wedding videographer to capture all of these little moments.

Warren, the groom, was getting ready at the same location which meant I could easily capture both bridal prep and groom prep. It was in a new room called the ‘man cave’. Decorated with groom prep in mind it was the perfect place to showcase Warren and his groomsmen getting ready. I’m not someone who poses or dictates how someone should be on their wedding day, but I will try to influence where the subject will be shot. I moved Warren's shoes near a chair next to the door which had the best light. This meant that when Warren was finalising his outfit he would naturally head towards the door where the most flattering light would be.

It was time for one of my favourite moments and this was capturing the buttoning up of the dress and the first look with the father of the bride. It’s extremely heartwarming to see fathers allow themselves to cry when seeing their little girl on her wedding day. This was exactly what happened when he walked in. Capturing this moment was a real pleasure for this North Wales wedding videographer as it meant this moment could be relived for years to come.

Ceremony

The ceremony room at Henblas is breathtaking, the backdrop to your ‘I do’s’ is Snowdonia. Today was also an extremely clear day so every mountain could be seen in all its beauty. In all my years of being a North Wales wedding videographer I’ve never seen Snowdonia so clear and so beautiful. The room was styled by DDoccasions with a floral arch covered in white leaves. Warren was well composed but nervous at the same time, giving a quick wipe of sweat from his brow. You could tell he was filled with excitement to see his beautiful bride walk down the aisle. 

The music started, an acoustic rendition of ‘You are the reason’ by Calum Scott. Two bridesmaids entered the ceremony room, then another linked with Rachel's mother. The chorus erupted with Rachel entering side by side with her Father. Warren's face beamed with a smile seeing his bright, love filled future heading towards him.

The ceremony was short but highlighted everything that was truly important to the couple. Having the ceremony captured is something I truly value being a Wedding Videographer. I deliver the whole ceremony in a separate video to the film so the couple can watch every moment unfold as it did on the day. 

After the vows and ring exchanges it was time for the first kiss as the new happy couple. Walking back down the aisle together, holding hands as they will for the rest of their lives in unity. Llongyfarchiadau! Congratulations in welsh.

Drinks Reception and portrait shots

With the sun beaming down upon Anglesey it was the perfect time for the confetti shot. We had the guests stand either side of the wild flower garden and had Rachel and Warren walk down with confetti in the air. It’s important at this moment that I like to leave the couple to say hello to their guests and have time to converse. It’s vital that I know my role is not to script the day but to allow the couple to enjoy their wedding day with their guests.

Henblas were great in the hot weather by ensuring they were always walking around with glasses of water to make sure all the guests were hydrated. It’s a small touch but just shows the level of care the team has here to ensure the day goes perfectly. 

The couples shots were great, we didn’t spend too much time on them because we knew the golden hour on the driveway would give us the best light for the day and the couple were more excited for that than the shots during the hottest part of the day. They were relaxed behind the camera and we (me and the Antonia Grace, photographer) let them be themselves which is the best way to get the most authentic, natural shots of the couple's personality.

toasts

Toasts are very important to me as a wedding videographer as these are the words I'll be using to curate the film and really tell the story of Rachel and Warren. First up were Rachel's parents who shared the role. The father explained how he cried when he saw his daughter in her wedding dress and the mother told funny stories of the mischief Rachel got up to as a child. 

The best man surprised everyone with his toast. He was a very charismatic character, he made jokes all day and really got everyone in a great mood during the day. I feel most people expected a comedy routine for his toast, however the words he spoke were the most heartfelt, loving words I’ve heard from a best man. Stating how Warren spoke about Rachel very highly on the stag do and that he can’t wait to see their journey grow overtime.

Warren also gave a fantastic toast, not just thanking people throughout, but ensuring he spoke highly about his new wife and how he cannot wait to spend the rest of his life with her. Having these toasts captured is another video I deliver in full for my couples. It’s another video to watch in full to enjoy as an heirloom.

Golden Hour and Evening

The time had come to take the happy couple up the driveway to capture some of the best golden hour shots I’ve taken to date. The crickets were singing as well as the birds chirping. It was so peaceful and really helped Rachel and Warren relax into their poses and really feel the love that they have for each other. I like to get close shots with my lens during this time (I use a camera lens which allows me to get close shots but stand far away) but I swapped my lens to get more of the location within the frame. It was so nice to work with a photographer that was relaxed and worked similar to myself.

The evening's entertainment was supplied by Entertainment Nation and the band was Called Mountford. Rachel and Warren shared their first dance followed by Rachel rocking out with her father to Sweet child o’ mine. The night was in full swing, shapes being thrown around the dance floor with nothing but smiles in the room. The final task for me was to capture the sparkler shot, something that holds its dangers (being burnt) but translates beautifully on film. I escaped unharmed and it was time for me to say my goodbyes.

Henblas is a beautiful venue and it was a joy to capture Rachel and Warren's wedding. I wish them all the best and cannot wait to film at Henblas again in 2024.

I’m so happy they decided to hire a North Wales wedding videographer to capture their special day.