Highdown Vineyard West Sussex Summer Wedding with Darren & Kirsty

A few weeks after heading down to Lewes and Brighton for a wedding, I was back in Sussex for another big day with Kirsty and Darren! Fresh from their pre-wedding session earlier in the year, I knew it was going to be an amazing day at Highdown Vineyard - and it didn't disappoint! The early morning rain soon abated and we were left with just perfect conditions for the rest of the wedding day. The venue provided lots of room to roam for the guests (particularly the children) as well as lawn games and even a bouncy castle - which the couple were keen to have a bit of a play on, too! It was a lovely day in West Sussex for these two and their guests, with big smiles and lots of love on show all day. Just brilliant!

Kirsty & Darren had initially booked me to cover from their ceremony onwards, but after some thought they changed their mind and included some extra time to photograph some of the bridal prep in the morning as well - and I'm so glad they did! I always love the little bridal details such as the shoes, dress and accessories, and it's a great way to introduce myself to some key family members and bridesmaids early on. This also meant a lovely 'first look' moment with both Kirsty's dad and granddad before setting off to Highdown Vineyard for the rest of the day.

This was my first time at a vineyard for a wedding, and I was surprised by how self-contained the venue was. It was the perfect size for the day guests Kirsty & Darren had invited, with plenty of outdoor space for everyone to enjoy during the day (not to mention a bouncy castle and garden games!)​ It had been raining lightly through the morning but just as I arrived, it began to fizzle out and left the rest of the day mild and bright - perfect for photos outdoors.

Taking all they had learnt at their pre-wedding session, Kirsty & Darren had a great time with their couples photos in the grounds. You may already know that I don't really like really wooden and posed photos, and I just let them both have a good time together and a laugh and a smile. I think it's fair to say they smashed it.  

Back in for the first dance, and Darren's best man even cracked out the mic for some karaoke, which went down a treat with everyone. What a cracking wedding and a truly lovely couple. If you're planning your own vineyard or counryside wedding, head over to my wedding photography page and check out my current collections, or send me a message to enquire about my availability for your wedding date.