Captains Wood Barn · Great Totham, Maldon, Essex
Captains Wood Barn wedding photographer: Lucy & Alex's woodland wedding
I was the Captains Wood Barn wedding photographer for Lucy and Alex in July, and it was my first time at this woodland venue in Great Totham, near Maldon. A relaxed morning at a cottage towards Peldon, a ceremony out in the trees, tractor rides and garden games, dinner in the barn and a warm, golden evening back outside.
At a glance
Venue: Captains Wood Barn, Great Totham, near Maldon
Time of year: July
Getting ready: a hired cottage towards Peldon
Ceremony: outdoors in the woodland, led by celebrant Siobhan
Reception: drinks, canapés and garden games, then dinner in the barn
Golden hour: around the gardens, the trees and the bridge over the water
Entertainment: tractor rides, garden games, music and a tug of war
Coverage: from getting ready to the evening party
The morning
Getting ready near Peldon
Lucy and her bridesmaids got ready at a cottage they'd hired out towards Peldon. Lucy was super chilled all morning, which made her really easy to photograph. Hair and make-up happened around a kitchen full of bridesmaids, glasses of fizz and a camcorder that kept doing the rounds.
I kept out of the way and let it all happen. Once the dress was on there were a few photos with family on the lawn, then everyone set off for the venue.
The venue
My first time at Captains Wood Barn
This was my first visit to Captains Wood Barn, and it's a stunning venue. There's a ceremony space in the woods with log benches and woven arches, a big timber barn for dinner, and gardens, trees and water to wander round.
I got chatting to the owner, who told me the history of the place, including the big bridge over the water that his dad had specially made. His dad has sadly since passed away, and I made sure we used his bridge at golden hour.
Arriving
A tractor ride into the woods
Alex and his groomsmen waited in the woods, while Lucy and her bridesmaids made their way in on a trailer pulled by an old blue tractor, sunflower bouquets in their laps. It's not often a bride arrives at her ceremony by tractor, and it set the tone for the day: relaxed, a bit different and nobody taking things too seriously.
The ceremony
A woodland ceremony at Captains Wood Barn
Lucy and Alex had their ceremony out in the woodland, and their celebrant was my old school friend Siobhan. It was lovely to work alongside someone I've known for so long. There was plenty of laughter at the front and a few tears on the benches.
Afterwards everyone lined the path through the trees for confetti.
Drinks in the gardens
Tractor rides, garden games and drinks
After the woods we moved round into the gardens for drinks and canapés. There were tractor rides, garden games and music, and a wheelbarrow full of cold drinks for anyone who needed one. There was even a horse in the gardens for guests to meet, and giant Jenga and the bottle game were set up on the lawn in front of the house.
We got through the family and group photos in between, by the water. With the games going and everyone out in the sun, nobody was left waiting around for long.
Portraits
A stroll round the grounds
I took Lucy and Alex off for a little stroll round the grounds for some portraits. Captains Wood Barn makes this easy: tall trees, long grass, a little bridge and a big willow to sit under.
Lucy was just as relaxed here as she'd been all morning, so these were easy.
Dinner
Dinner in the barn
Then we headed over to the barn for dinner. I love the way they had three long rows of tables, and the barn makes a fantastic backdrop, with its timber walls, open roof and fairy lights. Guests waved their napkins as Lucy and Alex walked in.
The speeches
Speeches after dinner
Once dinner was done it was time for the speeches. Some were given from the open barn doors with the woods and the evening light behind, and Alex gave a speech of his own. The room was full of laughter, a few raised fists and the odd tear, Lucy's included.
The evening
Golden hour at Captains Wood Barn
Once the speeches were finished we all made our way back out into the gardens. It was still beautiful and warm, so I took Lucy and Alex off for a golden hour shoot round the grounds. We finished on the big bridge the owner's dad had made, with the tree growing underneath it.
Garden games
Tug of war on the lawn
The garden games carried on into the evening, and the tug of war got properly competitive. Guests of every age took a turn on the rope, and not everyone stayed on their feet. Alex got stuck in too, which says a lot about how relaxed the whole day was.
The party
Cake, a first dance and a busy dance floor
In the barn, Lucy and Alex cut their cake and had their first dance, with everyone gathered in a circle round them under the fairy lights. Then the dance floor filled up, and later on a pizza stand outside kept everyone going into the night.
Planning a woodland wedding?
Your Captains Wood Barn wedding photographer
Captains Wood Barn is a venue where the day moves around: the woods for the ceremony, the gardens for drinks, the barn for dinner and back outside for the evening. My job is to move with it quietly so you can enjoy your guests. Lucy and Alex were only away from everyone for a little stroll and a golden hour walk. The rest of the time I was photographing what was already going on.
I've been photographing weddings for nearly 20 years, mostly across Essex and London. If you're looking for Captains Wood Barn wedding photography, have a look at more of my work in the wedding gallery, or see the other Essex wedding venues I've worked at.
In their words
“We were recommended Gary by one of our friends and we are so glad we chose him… My husband and I are not people to like having our photo taken and did not want a large proportion of the day to be taken up taking posed photos. Gary was very aware of this and was sure to get all the photos we wanted without taking us away from the party for extended periods of time. We had so many compliments from our guests about Gary on the day, saying it never felt like he was imposing to get the photo and he was always happy to get involved with the games and jokes throughout the night… The photos are stunning!”
Lucy & Alex, Google review
Questions couples ask
Photographing a wedding at Captains Wood Barn
Where are the best photo spots at Captains Wood Barn?
The woodland paths, the long grass, the big willow tree and the bridge over the water. The barn is a great backdrop too, especially with the doors open onto the woods.
Where does the ceremony take place?
Lucy and Alex had theirs outdoors in the woodland, with guests on log benches and a woven arch at the front. Dinner and the evening were in the barn.
When is the best light for portraits?
In July the light was lovely after the speeches, and it was still warm enough to spend the evening outside. A short golden hour walk after dinner means you're not away from your guests for long.
How long do family photos take?
About two minutes per group, so eight groups takes roughly 15 minutes. At Lucy and Alex's wedding we did them in the gardens during drinks, by the water.
Do you cover getting ready away from the venue?
Yes. Lucy got ready at a hired cottage towards Peldon, and I photographed the morning there before heading to Captains Wood Barn for the ceremony.
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