Relaxed hometown glory wedding in Newport, South Wales!

22 May

I think it’s probably about time that I blog about a wedding that happened recently right?! I mean, 2024 & 2025 aren’t that long ago but since the website rebuild it does feel like a game of catch up that I will not be winning any time soon!

Anyway - 2026! As I type we are in May 2026 and the first third of the year has been a complete joy! Filled to the brim with weddings and shoots with clients that feel totally aligned with what I love to capture and are all about having a wonderful time. We started off the year with a wintery Cardiff castle wedding which i’ll tell you about soon but today I wanted to tell you all about Susie & Dai and their hometown Newport wedding!

We started the day on a very unseasonably warm February morning which was obviously a good omen for the day. So much sunshine and laughter as Susie got ready with her daughter and friends at home before a short drive to Newport registry office. I’ve known S&D from way back in my university days where we all used to frequent the local iconically sticky alt pub in Newport (IYKYK) so I knew who important it was for her to have her strong friendship group around her on her special and long awaited morning celebrations.

A happy bride and groom strolling candidly outside Newport registry office on a bright spring day.

As always our local registry office was super chill and friendly and once we got the formallities done it was on to the really important part of the day for the guys - intimate celebration with their nearest and dearest. And they didn’t have to go far, the pair chose Vittorios for an authentic Italian wedding brekkie, great food and wine with that gorgeous afternoon soon streaming in through the windows. Of course we managed to sneak a few couples photos and key groups but for S&D, the real focus was on those candid moments and staying in the moment - perfect in my opinion!

No wedding would be complete without a bit of the knees up at the end right? So the afternoon made it’s way into evening as more guests arrived at Tredegar Golf club where obviously there was loads more food and some great dance moves as some of their best friends played live music for the crowd! I don’t get to do a whole lot of Newport weddings but they all end up like this one, they are certainly worth the wait!! S&D thank you so much for including me and making me feel so welcome on your day! (And for the tiramisu!)

couple close their wedding ceremony with a kiss as their guests clap and cheer at newport mansion house

Read what the guys had to say about having me photograph their day!

“Where to start! Not only did Carmel make us feel comfortable from day one with our engagement shoot, she included our daughter in the whole process which she absolutely loved. We were very nervous about an engagement shoot and we shouldn’t have been because the pictures we have are amazing and so natural!
I always knew we’d picked the right photographer but I was still so blown away with all the wonderful photographs that came from our wedding day, the amount of comments I’ve had that everyone is just happy and smiling and that’s from Carmel capturing everyone enjoying themselves in such a natural way.
At every part of the day Carmel was at one with the guests and us……even on the dance floor which are some of our favourite photos. You created calm in the morning and energy throughout the day, you were perfect and so many guests commented on how great you were. I would recommend Carmel in a heartbeat and just wish we could do it all again! ❤️”