Ailbhe and Ben

No matter where you are in the world, there’s something truly special about seaside sunlight – it seems to be crisper and clearer than anywhere else. Although Ailbhe and Ben were wed in the beautiful town of Rye in East Sussex, just a few miles from the southern coast, the light that day was extra special.

This delightful couple first met at university where, after some time, their friendship blossomed into a relationship. Ailbhe is Irish while Ben has Scottish roots but the two have made a home for themselves in the seaside town of Hastings. Here, they can celebrate their love for the outdoors and the very (very!) long walks they can take in nature.

But outdoor excursions aren’t their only shared passion! The two also have a love for the arts, with both of them studying art history at university. Ailbhe is now putting that knowledge into practice, working as a production manager for renowned British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare CBE, RA. Having pivoted somewhat from the art world, Ben is inspiring young minds as a Primary School teacher. 

These two artistic souls used their wedding day attire to express their personal views and style. Ailbhe wore a beautifully simple dress created by Cult Gaia, a brand inspired by women and nature, so true to Ailbhe! As an avid nature lover, her bouquet consisted of a selection of beautiful flowers which she had picked herself.

Ben, who is a literary enthusiast, decided to use his wedding suit as a way to honour the great writers. Selecting a great option from Suit Supply, Ben added subtle pieces and accessories that referenced various writers he admires.

For their wedding day, Ailbhe and Ben gave me free rein with their couple portraits which is always exciting for a wedding photographer! Knowing that they are both experts in the art world – a real bonus for the day – we had a lot of fun shooting in the Town Hall, playing with the symmetry of this beautiful space. 

We then took a short walk to a traditional English pub where I had the opportunity to shoot around the Tudor-style buildings and cobbled streets, which really spoke to my architectural background. The couple were having their reception dinner at St Mary’s Hall in Udimore, which has a lovely outdoor space. The venue also had a small pond nearby and a beautiful church.

The couple was able to bring in their shared passion for nature walks cleverly, with all the tables at the reception area named after various mountains and hills from around the UK that they had conquered together – a wonderful metaphor for their united approach to life and marriage. 

As the sun set low, we took a stroll after dinner around the surrounding areas to make the best of the aforementioned sea light. This was the first time Alibhe and Ben had been alone as a married couple, so I gave them space to chat in the light against the flint-clad church, which provided a lovely textured background. This perfectly captured their special day.