Southend Barns wedding – Sarah & James

 

Southend Barns wedding photography

Southend Barns, just south of Chichester in West Sussex – the location for Sarah and James’s humanist wedding. Prep, ceremony, reception, all in one location. No battling traffic in between, which is always good, but especially so if you’ve ever driven on the A27 near Chichester!!!

The last day of September. A funny month – some very wet days and some very, very hot days. The forecast a few days before this Friday wedding suggested the former… It did rain. But a good time before the ceremony, it stopped and the sun made an appearance (The latest forecast suggested rain at 5 pm. Right on cue, at 5 pm, a few drops fell, but that was all). Lucky with the weather!

Award-winning hair and makeup

Preps were in full swing when I arrived. Sarah had her hair and makeup done by The Wedding Industry Award national winners – ID makeup, hair, beauty, who just happen to be based in Chichester. The ceremony was to be conducted by another local, the humanist celebrant, Jane Blackman. Just the other side of the wall, in the Cow Shed, the guests had taken their places on the benches, as James sang along to Nick Cave. A Southend Barns wedding in which the wedding rings were passed amongst all the guests to be ‘warmed’. Married…a punch in the air … and slick as ever, Southend Barns got the guests ready for the confetti run. Confetti in plastic cannons – instructions to aim high! Not sure why Sarah pushed her brother off the terrace – did he aim low?

Drinks in the sunshine at Southend Barns wedding

“Wet your whistle,” said the barrels. Drinks, sunshine, photos, music from the bluegrass band – tears. (Good ones) Then into the threshing barn for speeches (more laughter and tears) before the BBQ. Dancing followed, before a firework display outside, then everyone back inside, to party!

Here are a few images from this Southend Barns wedding…

Wedding planning by Holly Lansdale