POLURRIAN HOTEL, HELSTON

Kirsten and Sam’s wedding was on Saturday, the 21st of December 2024, at the Polurrian Hotel on the Lizard, and although the weather that day couldn’t have been worse, since a storm rolled in with 40mph winds and heavy rain, everyone in the wedding party was tucked away in the lovely surroundings of the hotel.

Set in a huge conservatory that looks out over the sea to the west, it was the perfect spot for some stormy sea watching, and added to the cosy atmosphere inside during the ceremony. Being just days before Christmas, the decor was exactly what you’d hope for: an enormous Christmas tree standing proudly beneath the skylight in the main function room, giving a warm touch to the whole ambience of the day.

Kirsten and her bridesmaids got ready in a special room within the hotel and were very laid-back. Everyone was laughing and cheerful during makeup and hair. I took some shots of Kirsten’s dress from wed2B hanging in her room, and my partner Kirsty captured some beautiful close-up detailed shots of her shoes and jewellery. These were styled alongside the incredible wedding invitations she had. The girls’ makeup was done by Joy Louise Hair and Makeup, and Verity Rogers styled their hair.

The Groomsmen all got dressed and ready in a different part of the hotel, which was so much fun. Judging by the mood in the room, I’d say they’d enjoyed a few drinks the night before! To help the situation, someone had the great idea of getting in a round of Bloody Marys for everyone, but unfortunately they were so peppery that most of the guys couldn’t even get them down.

Thankfully, Sam was one of the few who managed to finish his, and it seemed to sort him out before the ceremony. I photographed Sam’s shoes, rings, various details, and the guys getting into their suits. I also captured a few shots of his engraved hip flask – not that he was drinking much from it that day!

Now fully dressed and looking stunning in all their finery, I captured all the girls on the grand staircase of the hotel before they entered the ceremony. The two little flower girls were absolutely adorable, and they did their job perfectly, making their way down the steps and the aisle, scattering white rose petals ahead of the bridesmaids. Finally, Kirsten entered, led down the aisle by her brother.

Kirsten and Sam absolutely adore their dog, and he had his own special role to play too as ring bearer, carrying the rings in a little pouch attached to his collar for the moment they were needed during the ceremony. The pianist for the ceremony was Roger Miners (Pianist4wedding), and serenaded the party.

After the ceremony, we captured a group shot of everyone inside, which took some work since it was such a big party inside a tight space. However, I got it by standing at the top of the steps while the groomsmen helped move all the chairs out of the way, and we arranged a large group photo with the conservatory windows in the background. Despite the howling gale outside, we still had a great ocean view.

We also managed to do a confetti tunnel indoors, or should I say blizzard, which was brilliant. There was just enough space for Kirsten and Sam to walk down the stairs and get absolutely covered. Following that, we did a few group shots in front of the Christmas tree, and then it was time for everyone to enjoy welcome drinks and canapés.

At this point, I had an excellent opportunity to capture some lovely relaxed moments of guests enjoying themselves, surrounded by the incredible and whacky decor of the Polurrian Hotel’s reception room. It really did feel like a Christmas party. By this time, the tables had been fully set for the wedding breakfast, and once everyone took their seats, the couple were announced into the room once again. Daytime food was provided by the hotel and was absolutely lovely, while the evening food was catered by Smores Cornwall. Unusually, Kirsten made her own wedding cake which looked absolutely stunning. Very impressive!

The speeches went really well. Sam delivered a heartfelt and sincere speech, the Father of the bride had everyone laughing with his witty remarks, and then came the three best men… let’s just say I’m not sure Sam came out entirely unscathed from those! We also got a beautiful shot of Kirsten in her dress, standing at the base of the grand staircase. We managed to step outside for a few portraits too, well, I say outside… literally just outside the entrance, because the wind was so intense and we didn’t want the happy couple to end up in the sea.

Later, Kirsten wanted to do a champagne spray shot photoshoot with Sam, the groomsmen, and the bridesmaids outside the hotel. The idea was to spray champagne towards the camera, however, they mostly ended up spraying it over themselves, which made for some very funny photos. The shock on their faces is hilarious and the bridesmaids were covered!

After that, we organised a sparkler tunnel with all the guests lining up and holding sparklers, while Kirsten and Sam made their way through, then it was straight back inside for the first dance, right in front of the DJ couple – Stuart and Vanessa Bowden. Adding another nice touch was Steve Panter, who performed as the wedding singer in the evening. After that, it was simply a matter of everyone dancing the night away whilst the storm still raged outside.

Thank you so much for having me shoot your special day Kirsten and Sam it was a pleasure! Here’s to everyone involved!

• Venue: Polurrian Hotel
• Hair: Verity Rogers
• Makeup: Joy Louise Hair and Makeup
• Flowers: West Cornwall Flowers
• Dress: wed2B
• DJ: Stuart and Vanessa Bowden
• Music: Pianist4wedding and Steve Panter
• Evening treats: Smores Cornwall