Portrait of bride and groom at a Country Tipis wedding in Essex

Jo & Dave’s Tipi Wedding at Kingswater Lake

A church ceremony followed by a relaxed tipi wedding reception in rural Essex

Jo and Dave’s wedding combined a traditional church ceremony with a relaxed, countryside tipi wedding reception at Kingswater Lake in Clavering, Essex. From emotional moments at St Mary’s Church in Birchanger to golden-hour portraits in wheat fields and a packed dance floor under canvas, their day was personal, joyful, and full of character.

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The Wedding Day

My coverage of Jo and Dave’s wedding day began at Jo’s parents’ house in Birchanger, just a few doors down from St Mary’s Church, where the ceremony was taking place. Jo was joined by her bridesmaids, flower girls, and pageboy, and there was a lovely, calm energy to the morning.

Jo looked stunning in her wedding dress, finished with sparkly blue wedding shoes and a completely unique bouquet handmade from white door knobs and pepper grinders. It was a brilliant personal touch that summed up Jo and Dave perfectly.

Meanwhile, my second photographer Phil was with Dave at his parents’ home in Stansted, capturing groom prep before everyone headed to the church.

The ceremony itself was full of emotion. Jo and Dave’s son led the bridesmaids into the church at full speed, running down the aisle to everyone’s amusement. When Jo walked in, she was overwhelmed with emotion and burst into tears as she saw Dave waiting for her at the altar. It was one of those moments where you can feel just how much the day means.

After the ceremony, guests made their way to Kingswater Lake in Clavering for the tipi wedding reception. The setting was absolutely beautiful, with the tipi pitched beside a pond and surrounded by golden wheat fields stretching into the distance.

Inside, the tipi was styled beautifully with long banquet tables, floral arrangements, vintage china, and handmade wedding favours. On arrival, we took a few relaxed group photos before settling into documentary coverage as guests enjoyed popcorn, drinks, garden games, and the open countryside. One highlight was photographing the children racing each other across the fields, making the most of the space and sunshine.

As the evening light softened, I took Jo and Dave into the wheat fields for some couple portraits. By pure coincidence, a bi-plane began performing aerial manoeuvres overhead, creating an unforgettable backdrop and one of my favourite moments of the day.

The evening celebrations were rounded off with a live band and a packed dance floor inside the tipi, finishing the day on a real high.