From our little secret to a summer celebration.
Our first wedding had been a secret: Rob and me, our children and three groups of close friends in Brighton. Our summer wedding was the more traditional celebration, so to speak. This was our chance to have our families and friends celebrate with us.
We started at Holy Trinity Church in Cuckfield, West Sussex. It was stunning. The stone arches, stained glass and beautiful church interior gave the morning such a special setting.
Holy Trinity has a long history: the parish is recorded in a document from 1092, and the church took much of its present shape in the fifteenth century. You can read more in the church’s own history. For us, it was a beautiful place to gather with our people.
Father Daniel made the morning.
Our service was led by Father Daniel. He was kind, considerate and, at times, hilarious. He brought so much warmth to the morning.
When Rob turned the wrong way, Father Daniel told him off in front of everyone. The groomsmen received their own warnings to behave themselves, too! Those are the little moments I love remembering alongside the beauty of the service.
A church can be breathtaking, but the person welcoming you into it matters so much. Father Daniel made the morning feel personal, and gave us plenty to smile about.
Tottington Manor, and a team who looked after everything.
After the church, we moved on to Tottington Manor. Set on Edburton Road near Henfield, in the South Downs National Park in West Sussex, it is a hotel, restaurant and wedding venue with the countryside all around it. The setting is a big part of why we love it.
But we love the team just as much. We stayed the night before the wedding and on our wedding night, and the staff could not do enough for us. We felt like royalty.
Being so well looked after made such a difference. We could enjoy being there, enjoy our guests and enjoy the day. Tottington Manor gave us both a place we loved and people we trusted to help us celebrate.
A wedding meal that suited us.
We did not want a formal sit-down meal. The team created a bespoke wedding package for us with a buffet instead, and the food was incredible.
That flexibility meant we could have the celebration we actually wanted. Our summer wedding had its traditional parts, but we still wanted it to feel like us.
This was the arrangement made for our own wedding. If you are considering something similar, talk to the Tottington Manor team about your plans and what they can offer for your date.
Speeches, Ukrainian traditions and a song to remember.
There were speeches from the best man and brother, and my father shared his words of wisdom. Having our families and friends with us was what this celebration was all about.
We included Ukrainian wedding traditions, although Rob escaped having to buy the bride’s shoe back! It was lovely to have those traditions as part of our day, alongside everything else that made it ours.
Then Kira led a rousing rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem. That is one of the moments I carry with me from the celebration: our people, our traditions and so much feeling in one day.
The people and the place.
Looking back, the day was perfect for us because of the people and the places around it. The beauty of Cuckfield church, Father Daniel’s kindness and humour, the Sussex setting at Tottington Manor and the care of its team all helped make it what it was.
Our secret Brighton wedding and our summer Sussex celebration were different days, but both felt like us. One was a little secret with the children and close friends. The other brought our families and friends together to celebrate.
As a wedding photographer, I care about the setting, the photographs and the plans. As a bride, I remember how people made us feel. That is something I bring with me when I photograph somebody else’s wedding: the day belongs to you and the people you have brought together.
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