There is something really special about a wedding day that focuses on what matters most. No big guest list, no packed schedule and no pressure to fit everything in – just two people getting married, surrounded by their closest family, with their much-loved dog there to be part of it all.
A & Y chose to celebrate their wedding with an intimate ceremony at Insole Court in Cardiff, keeping things small and personal with their immediate family. They booked my two-hour wedding photography package, giving us time to capture their arrival, their ceremony and some relaxed family photographs in the beautiful gardens afterwards.
It was a lovely reminder that you don’t need a full-day wedding to have photographs you’ll treasure for years to come.
Getting married at Insole Court
Insole Court is such a beautiful setting for a Cardiff wedding. With its historic character, elegant architecture and lovely gardens, it offers a wonderful backdrop for couples looking for something a little different from a traditional large wedding.
For smaller celebrations, it has a particularly lovely feel. You can keep the focus on the ceremony and the people closest to you, while still having a beautiful venue for those all-important photographs.
As a Cardiff wedding photographer, I love the opportunity to photograph weddings like this. Every couple has their own idea of what their wedding day should look like, and a smaller celebration can be just as meaningful, emotional and full of joy as a much bigger event.
A small wedding with their favourite people (and paws!)
A & Y opted for a simple, intimate celebration with their immediate family there to share the occasion. And, of course, their dog T was part of the day too!
Including your dog in your wedding is such a lovely way to make the day feel truly yours. They’re part of the family, after all, and having them included in your wedding photographs makes those memories even more personal.
After the ceremony, we headed into the gardens for formal photographs with the family. These are the photographs that bring everyone together in one place – the people who have been there throughout your lives, celebrating a moment you’ll always remember.
With a smaller guest list, there’s also more opportunity to keep things relaxed and enjoy the time you have together, rather than feeling as though you’re constantly rushing on to the next part of the day.
Is two hours of wedding photography enough?
One of the questions couples often have when planning a smaller wedding is how much photography they actually need.
If you’re having a short ceremony with a small number of guests, you may not need a photographer for eight, ten or twelve hours. A shorter booking can be a brilliant way to capture the most important parts of your wedding without paying for coverage you simply don’t need.
My two-hour wedding photography package is ideal for couples who want professional photographs of the key moments, without full-day coverage.
Depending on your plans and timings, this can include:
- Your arrival at the venue – capturing those first moments as you arrive for your wedding.
- Your ceremony – documenting the important moments as you say your vows and make it official.
- Family photographs – relaxed, organised group photographs with your closest family.
- Couple portraits – time for photographs of the two of you, making the most of your venue and its surroundings.
- The little details and candid moments – the smiles, the happy tears and the moments in between that help tell the story of your day.
For A & Y, this approach meant we could document their arrival, ceremony and family photographs in the gardens at Insole Court, all within a simple two-hour booking.
The important thing is choosing coverage that suits your plans. If you’re having a small ceremony followed by a meal with family, a short photography package may be exactly what you need.
Planning an intimate wedding in Cardiff?
If you’re planning a small wedding at Insole Court, or another beautiful venue in Cardiff or South Wales, I’d love to hear about it.
Whether you’re inviting just your immediate family, planning a registry-office ceremony followed by photographs, or choosing a small venue for a relaxed celebration, your wedding deserves to be documented with care.
You don’t have to plan a huge wedding to have beautiful photographs. You just need a photographer who understands what matters to you and can capture it in a way that feels natural, timeless and true to your day.
My two-hour wedding photography package is designed for couples who want to keep things simple while still having professional photographs of the moments that matter most.
Getting married at Insole Court? I’d love to hear your plans.
Get in touch to check availability and tell me about your wedding day
Looking for an Insole Court wedding photographer? I photograph weddings in Cardiff, Swansea and across South Wales, with shorter wedding photography packages available for intimate ceremonies and smaller celebrations.
