BOSCOLLA MILL, KENWYN
Alvaro and Alice’s wedding took place on Saturday 20th June 2026, and what started out as a slightly iffy-looking day actually turned into a really lovely one, with some beautiful sunshine later on.
There were a few different locations involved throughout the day, but the main one was Boscolla Mill in Kenwyn, on the outskirts of Truro. It’s where Alice grew up and where her family still live, so having the reception there made the whole day feel particularly personal. It’s set in some beautiful countryside, and the gardens were looking amazing.
We started the morning at Boscolla Mill, where Alice and her bridesmaids were all getting ready in the house. The huge marquee by Absolute Canvas was already up in the garden, ready for the reception, food and evening party later in the day.
Kirsty and I got to work photographing the details and creating some content for a wedding reel, including Alice’s two wedding dresses. We hung them up in the gardens alongside her beautiful shoes and the flowers, while the other dress was hung up by the woodshed, which made a really lovely backdrop for it. After just over an hour with the girls, it was time to jump in the car and head over to Perranporth, where Alvaro and his groomsmen were getting ready in a house near the beach.
We photographed the guys sorting out their ties and cufflinks, helping each other get ready and generally enjoying the morning. One thing I particularly liked was that none of the groomsmen were wearing matching suits. They were all slightly different, with Alvaro standing out in a fantastic double-breasted jacket from Sam’s Tailor Hong Kong. Once they were ready, we headed down onto Perranporth beach for some group photos and a bit of film before everyone headed off to the church for the main event.
We then whizzed back to Truro and Boscolla Mill to photograph Alice in her dress, along with the bridesmaids putting their final touches together before heading to the church. Alice was also finishing off her Bride’s speech, which she’d been working on that morning. We had a little time to photograph the marquee and all the beautiful flowers too. The flower arrangements had been grown on the site and put together by friends and family, which was such a lovely personal touch.
It was then time for the ceremony, so we all headed off through the narrow back roads around Truro and into the tiny village of Allet, not far from Boscolla Mill. Getting everyone parked was an operation in itself. The groomsmen were helping people squeeze their vehicles into the car park like a giant game of Tetris, and with what I believe was more than 100 people attending the ceremony, they had their work cut out!
Before the ceremony started, we photographed the first look of Alice in her dress with all of the bridesmaids outside the church. They hadn’t seen her completely ready, so it was a lovely and understandably emotional moment. The bridesmaids were also following the non-matching theme, with everyone wearing different shades and variations of green.
The ceremony itself was brilliant. The female vicar at Allet Church was fantastic, an absolute laugh a minute and great at getting everyone involved. She was also happy for me to photograph the ceremony as I wanted, which is always really appreciated. There was plenty of laughter, a few tears and lots of singing, making it a really lovely ceremony to photograph. Jodie Mark was playing the piano throughout the day and started the musical side of things in the church. One of Alvaro’s groomsmen also played the piano as Alice walked down the aisle, which was a great touch.
Alvaro’s family had travelled from South America to be at the wedding, and one of the younger members of the family was the ring bearer. He walked down the aisle with the biggest smile on his face, making for some brilliant photographs.
After the ceremony came the confetti tunnel. With more than 100 people to organise, this was another bit of an undertaking, but it was well worth it. Alice had made some beautiful little confetti box keepsakes for everyone, designed like miniature books with calligraphy on them. And there was certainly no shortage of confetti! The photographs really show just how much was thrown at Alvaro and Alice. By the end of it, they were absolutely covered.
We followed this with a huge group photograph outside the church, somehow managing to squeeze everyone into the frame. It made for a brilliant, colourful photograph with the church behind them. After a few more group shots underneath the trees, everyone jumped back into their vehicles and headed back to Boscolla Mill for the reception.
By the time we got back, the sun was shining, and the new guests who hadn’t been able to fit into the church earlier were arriving. Everyone gathered on the lawn for drinks, and we did another confetti tunnel, this time with the additional guests joining in. One thing that really stood out to me throughout the day was Alice’s attention to detail. She had clearly thought about everything. Outside the Mill was a collection of signs designed almost like a festival map, showing where everything was, along with the order of the day and the table plans. There was also a beautiful mirror using the same font that appeared throughout the wedding, tying all the little details together.
Rad Catering were doing the rounds with some seriously good canapés, absolutely incredible food, before everyone was eventually called into the marquee for the three-course wedding breakfast. Alice’s Maid of Honour did a brilliant job announcing the different parts of the day, including the couple’s entrance into the marquee. Alvaro and Alice made a particularly theatrical entrance, dancing around all of the tables before taking their seats, and were rewarded with a very well-deserved standing ovation. Jodie Mark continued playing the piano throughout the meal, which created a really beautiful atmosphere.
The speeches were anything but traditional. Alice went first, reading from a book that she’d been scribbling in throughout the morning. It was brilliant, funny and very much her. Alvaro followed and had everyone laughing and listening intently. Despite the size of the wedding, the couple seemed to know pretty much everyone in the room, which made everything feel very personal.
After a short break for more drinks, Alice’s parents gave their speech. As Boscolla Mill was where they had brought their daughter up, they had plenty of material to work with and gave her a bit of a roasting! There were definitely a few stories and facts that Alice and Alvaro probably weren’t expecting to hear, but they certainly kept everyone entertained.
Alvaro’s mum then gave her speech. English wasn’t her first language, but it was incredibly heartfelt and touching; she did so very well. Then came the cake cutting… with a sword! I realised I needed a completely different angle to get the photograph I wanted, and with Alice and Alvaro not hanging around, I found myself quickly crawling underneath the tables just in time to capture them cutting the cake. Sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do!
As the afternoon moved into evening, the light started to turn beautifully golden, which was perfect for some couple photographs. We headed into the gardens at Boscolla Mill and photographed Alice and Alvaro sitting on a bench amongst the flowers, using my tilt-shift lens to create a slightly different look. We then went into the greenhouse and photographed them with the light coming through behind them, creating some lovely shadows.
Back outside the marquee, everyone gathered in the sunshine for another round of speeches from Alice’s sister, the Best Man and one of the groomsmen. Breaking the speeches up throughout the day worked really well and kept things moving. Once the final speech was over, we carried on with the couple photographs and some more reel content, including getting Alice and Alvaro onto a swing in the garden. Some of the moving shots I photographed on film, while Kirsty captured some on her iPhone, and they came out brilliantly. They really captured the fun and relaxed feel of the day.
The couple were then whisked back into the marquee for their first dance, with Jodie Mark accompanying them once again. Later on, Jodie joined the band Electric Bandits on lead guitar, and they really got the party going with their rocky numbers. Once the band had finished, Alice took over the music herself and turned her hand to a bit of DJing, getting everyone back onto the dance floor. She really is an incredible character!
Cornwall Hire was also there with their photo booth, which is always a great way of getting some hilarious photos and giving guests something fun to do. During Alice’s DJ set, all of the groomsmen suddenly disappeared into the kitchen. A little while later, they came bursting back into the marquee, having taken their jackets off and covered themselves in sunglasses, big ears and glow sticks. They immediately hit the dance floor.
It was moments like this, completely spontaneous things that happened throughout the day, that made Alvaro and Alice’s wedding so memorable. And there was one final thing that deserves a mention… the pasties! Portreath Bakery supplied some delicious pasties for later in the evening, specially made using a traditional South American recipe. They were absolutely divine and the perfect way to finish off a brilliant day.
Alvaro and Alice, it was an absolute pleasure photographing your wedding at Boscolla Mill. Thank you for having us along and for making us feel so welcome. I wish you both every happiness for the future. And if you want to see a little more of what went on behind the scenes, check out the wedding reel Kirsty captured and edited, using the fonts, effects and music chosen by the couple. It’s a great little glimpse into the day.
Here’s to everyone involved!
- Wedding planner: Sarah Brandwood
- Pianist: Jodie Mark
- Suits: Sam’s Tailor Hong Kong
- Catering: Rad Catering
- Band: Electric Bandits
- Marquee and bar: Absolute Canvas
- Rings: Mirri Damer
- Photobooth: Cornwall Hire
- Pasties: Portreath Bakery
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