Real Wedding Recap 2011: Something In The Air, A Real (Double)Pagan Wedding – Pam & Stuart and Vicky & Tony

Posted on: 29/12/2011

.

This Real Wedding which featured on the wedding blog back in June is so unlike any other that I have featured in terms of religious beliefs, location, dress and the fact that it’s a double celebration, that it had to take it’s place in my recap of favourites from 2011.  Broomsticks at the ready!  

.

.

.

.

Brides Up North Featured Supplier Andy of Peacock Pix sent Brides Up North this amazing Real Wedding.  When this landed in the Brides Up North inbox I really sat up and took notice.  This (double) wedding is quirky and different, yes, but very very very special too. 

.

Peacock Pix tells us more: On 30 April 2011, on the eve of the Pagan festival of Beltane we were privileged to shoot a double handfasting within the circle of Stonehenge. The couples Pam & Stuart and Vicky & Tony were already legally wed but as practising Pagans they felt that the ancient ritual of handfasting where knots are tied and broomsticks jumped and more importantly vows made that are not formulaic and seek to bind the relationship with the forces of nature, earth & the universe just had to be done.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
The logistics had been quite protracted for the Lancashire quartet & obviously the arrangements made via phone & internet, including finding their celebrants Cat Treadwell & her partner James Begley, both priests of the Druid faith and myself as photographer and my wife Sally as second camera.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
Despite the necessity of these arrangements we met up on Saturday afternoon and immediately felt the warmth & sincerity of purpose embodied by all involved. At Stonehenge itself the wedding party attracted a lot of attention & curiosity from the last tourists of the day; the couples, their witnesses, family & friends remained focused in anticipation as the site was cleared.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
Finally we were escorted to the monument by Stonehenge security staff, the wedding parties congregated outside the circle to remove their shoes & make final preparations while the celebrants prepared their altar and artifacts within. As venues go it was quite literally an awe inspiring location: the sun was shining and the wind blew quite fiercely as the ceremonial circle was made & the spirits of the ancestors invoked to witness. Our plan as ever was to not intrude but to record the ceremony from all perspectives and to create a wedding portfolio that captured the atmosphere of the day. As the sun began to set the ceremony began & even the wind seemed to abate a little. My wife & I moved around the outer circle to exploit light & shadow and capture all aspects of the ceremony.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
All wedding days are very special days for those getting married and we aspire to rise to the challenge of capturing the atmosphere  and occasion for all involved sometimes the venue has a little extra wow factor but in the end we hope our photographs capture the essence of what the day meant to the happy couple.

.

.

.

.

Just wow.  It’s rare that this wedding blogger is left speechless.  But there you go.

.

Brides and Photographers – fancy seeing your Real Wedding photographs featured on the Brides Up North wedding blog?  Contact me 

.

.

Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog – Images © Peacock Pix

Peacock Pix is a Brides Up North Featured Supplier

Contact Brides Up North to submit your business as a Featured Supplier

.

.