Melissa and Andy's wedding was always going to be a cultured affair given their choice of venue. The Swan which is part of the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre is a reconstruction of the famous Elizabethan Globe playhouse and is situated in London's Southwark. It's just a few metres away from the site of the original, which burnt down in 1613. The weather was fabulous and the couple's wedding style even better. Melissa, who has moved from her native Australia to live in London, looked extraordinarily stylish in a vintage-inspired ivory empire-line gown with a delicate rose pattern detail and fluffy bolero. Her look was completed with a chunky belt and earrings that simply worked. As she made her way up the aisle, to join the very dapper Andy, she was accompanied by two beautiful bridesmaids in similarly floor-sweeping empire-lines. Her arrival into the room was a very emotional moment.
Following the ceremony, the couple took to the streets of Southwark for some extra photos and a chance to savour the first few minutes of their new life together.
Back at the venue, the care taken in preparing both the ceremony and reception rooms was obvious. The décor wasn't fussy, but instead it was very simple and striking. It owed a lot to the couple's excellent choice of wedding colours, which were pale yellows and greys. This colour scheme was the height of de rigeur in 2013 and with good reason. Grey and yellow, in my experience, never fail to evoke an urbane and sophisticated atmosphere. For the reception room the yellow detail was replaced with a midnight blue which perfectly complimented the Bridegroom's suit.
With the speeches drawing both laughs and tears from the assorted guests, the daylight came to a close in a flash of gorgeous hues. These were reminiscent of Titian's sunsets and both painted London's southbank, and Melissa and Andy's big day, in the best possible light.
Mark Tierney is a Yorkshire based Contemporary Wedding Photographer covering the UK and beyond.