June at Chiddingstone Castle is all greenery and warmth. Everything is coming to life for the summer, the early summer light softens everything slightly and the days are getting that bit longer so it’s easy to relax into it. Chloe and Javi’s wedding fitted that setting perfectly.
Their ceremony took place at St Mary’s Church, just along from the Castle. His Spanish family meeting her English family gave the whole day a generous, welcoming feel. Javi works in medicine and carries that steady, grounded energy with him. Chloe has an eye for detail and a strong sense of style, but nothing about her is performative. Neither of them are drawn to attention for its own sake. What mattered most was bringing their families together. When Javi spoke about Chloe being his best friend, it was simple and completely sincere and brought a tear to many an eye.
After the ceremony everyone moved onto the lawns at Chiddingstone Castle for drinks. June light across that space does a lot on its own. It was lovely hearing conversations overlapping in two languages, and the atmosphere felt calm rather than hectic. Dinner was held in a marquee set up in front of the Castle before dancing later inside, once the evening had cooled.
They had been honest early on about feeling slightly anxious in front of the camera, so we arranged an engagement session beforehand – That time made all the difference. By the wedding day they were relaxed and comfortable, and they had deliberately built portrait time into the schedule. We slipped away for a few photos away during the part of the day when guests were moving from church to the castle – to ensure they didnt miss anything and then later in the day during another gap – using the warm evening light properly – Chiddingstone gets the most beautiful sunsets. It was nice to give them a little break from the busy-ness of the day to be alone.
I also created a film for Chloe and Javi, which you can see below. It felt important for them to hear the emotion in their vows again, especially with family having travelled so far. After this wedding, Chiddingstone Castle added me to their recommended supplier list, which felt like a natural extension of a day that worked beautifully from start to finish.
Weddings like this are why I value photographing weddings in Sussex and the surrounding countryside. The setting is strong, but it’s the people and the way they care for each other that make it special.
