Wedding photography at Carmarthen's National Botanic Gardens of Wales & Video highlights.
Wales Botanic Gardens micro wedding videography
and photos in Carmarthenshire.
A ceremony in a big tropical glass house. How to get married in South Wales during a pandemic!
Confetti time at the Fig Tree for this Carmarthen wedding photographer.
Nervous groom in a bowtie, check.
Dusky blue bouquet, check.
Beautiful bride in a lace gown, check.
“I do”, check.
Even the cake was still in tiers. (Classic bad wedding joke reference, for those not in the know).
So, aside from the ban on dance invoking music and dancing itself, my first Covid wedding had all the usual elements in place.
After having to cancel their original date due to the dreaded C word, Megan & Shane decided they didn’t want to wait anymore. They were lucky, The National Botanic Gardens of Wales remained available for their ceremony but their plans to host the reception in a marquee at the Botanics were quashed.
Guests were invited, uninvited, re-invited and rode the wave of all the changes along with the bride and groom. But none of these inconveniences got in the way of anyone’s positivity or having a good time on the big day. The appreciation of being able to come together as an extended family after so long, to celebrate such a beautiful event, was clear to see.
South Wales has loads of picturesque countryside and plenty of beautiful venues but none of the others have the glass houses. The Great Glass House of the National Botanic Gardens is a nature lover’s dream wedding location.
And the fact it is also inside as much as is it outside, is a massive plus point considering the ever changing Welsh weather! Set within a nature reserve, it’s a green space so unique and majestic it could almost have been specifically created as a wedding venue. It’s home to fluttering butterflies, birds chirping (you might even be as lucky as Megan & Shane who had one inside too) and a clear view of Paxton’s Tower.
We used the view of Paxton’s Tower and the surrounding Tywi Valley during the couple’s pre wedding photoshoot. Although the reason for the building of the Tower has an altogether mysterious history, the same couldn’t be said for Megan & Shane’s choice of reception venue, The Fig Tree. Which coincidentally, happens to also have a view of the Tower from the opposite side.
Covered in climbing vines of Autumnal shades, the first impression of the Fig Tree wedding venue is an impressive one. It made the perfect backdrop for a few more wedding photos and of course a few celebratory drinks in the courtyard whilst the sun continued to shine.
Keep scrolling for the Wedding Photography from bridal preparations at Megan’s family home, ceremony at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales and their laid back reception with speeches at The Fig Tree, all in Carmarthenshire.
First up, here’s the wedding video highlights below.
Carmarthen wedding photographer. Creative, informal, fun.
Hear what Megan & Shane thought of it all from their questionnaire below:
Why did you pick Flashbulb to film/photograph your wedding day? : We discovered Flashbulb at a Wedding fayre - Ffos Las in Carmarthenshire. What was really appealing to us was the dynamic of the package offering a seamless dynamic of photography and videography! We were impressed with the handout having modern and relaxed vibes - not like the typical gushy, sexy vibes a lot of people go for nowadays... What was also impressive to us though, was how approachable Amy was during our first chat at the fayre, and more so during the pre-shoot. Amy could see/sense that we were struggling with having the focus on us, so she had her techniques in calming us, and suggesting methods/alternatives which distracted and relaxed us.
Where did you get married? And what made you choose that location(s): We got married in the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthen. We wanted to have somewhere which not many others could say they got married there, or even knew of anyone who had their wedding there. I knew I wanted the Gardens due to it being so local to where I grew up, symbolic of our nationality. The Great Glass House speaks for itself!
We aimed to have our reception in this same venue, as we had arranged to use the marquee on the grounds. However, as our date in May got cancelled, our re-arranged date in September could not accommodate our intended use of the marquee, as it could not adhere to the Gardens' safety procedures in response to Covid-19. The Gardens liaised with the contracted caterers, and fortunately had devised the option of using the venue at Dryslwyn Fawr, a previous restaurant and reception venue, set a stone's throw from the Gardens. This turned out to be a great opportunity for the photographs in its courtyard.
What wedding vibe or theme did you go for?: Again seeking something a bit different / individualistic, there were three words were very strong in the planning, TEAL, PAISLEY and AGATE.
My favourite colour is teal, so the bridesmaid dresses were teal, alongside the groom's party's blue variations on their navy suits and slate waistcoats, both parties with blue flowers.
I've always had paisley print in my clothes or home decor, so the ties were paisley with their nod to teal within the colourings.
And agate combined these two in a more subtle way in the reception area by having the blue shades predominantly themed in the table decor and of course, balloons!
We tried to have a classy affair, but not a stuffy one. Hopefully our guests would agree.
How did you meet?: We met within a friend group, and became best friends. We sparked a great bond over our shared love for film and tv - it was very tempting to name the tables our favourites!
In Shane's speech, he reflects upon his proposal being a let down - in Bluestone, just before Britain's Got Talent begins, without a ring... but it couldn't have been better as it was very "us", on the sofa in front of the TV.
Could you provide a list of your other wedding suppliers? :
Venue - National Botanic Garden of Wales
Caterers - Strawberry Shortcake
Florist - Olive and Co
Dress and Seamstress - Samantha Ks with Delyth at Stitch in Time
Suits - Dyfed Menswear
Hair - Donna Sharlene Hair
Make-up - Leah James Make-up Artistry at Hidden Beauty
Wedding Cake - Cake Deevine
Daimler bridal car hire - Glyn Hicks
With thanks to all for supporting us in re-arranging amongst the pandemic's precautions. Thank you Amy for your continued support in helping us achieve our wedding.