A Colourful Festival-Vibes Wedding at Newtown House Hotel | Ellie & Warren

Rainbow ribbons, mismatched bridesmaids, a scene-stealing toddler and a dancefloor that never once sat down.

Well. Where do I even start with Ellie and Warren? Two of the loveliest, kindest, most fun people I have had the pleasure of pointing my camera at, who got married at the brilliant Newtown House Hotel on Hayling Island and turned the whole thing into a glorious explosion of colour. Festival vibes, pretty coloured ribbons everywhere, and every single bridesmaid in a different coloured dress. It was all about the colour, which felt exactly right for such a gorgeous, colourful couple. They also gifted me a bottle of rosé tequila, which tells you everything you need to know about how thoughtful this pair are.

A tiny scene-stealer

The day started with Ellie getting ready, calm and happy, and then a very important guest arrived: their little girl. And reader, she absolutely stole the show. There is nothing that lifts a bridal prep quite like a small person toddling about being adorable, and she had us all wrapped around her finger in about four seconds flat.

The lads and the buttonholes

I nipped over to grab the groom side of the morning too, catching Warren arriving and sorting out buttonholes with his groomsmen. There is always a lovely, slightly nervous energy to those pre-ceremony boy moments, and this lot had it in spades.

A flash-lit ceremony

For the ceremony I reached for my flash to keep the light clean and even across the whole scene, so nobody was left in shadow and everyone looked their best. It is one of my favourite tricks and it worked a treat here. They sealed the deal, walked back out through a shower of confetti, and were officially married.

A view from above, then formals in the sun

One of my favourite shots of the day was a big group photo taken from one of the first-floor hotel rooms, looking down while all the guests gathered on the front lawn. If you have never had your wedding group shot from above, trust me, it is a good one.

Then it was straight on to family formals. Sadly our tiny star was pretty worn out by this point and got whisked off for a well-earned nap, which is the correct life choice at any age. The sun was high and harsh with barely a scrap of shade to be found, so I hunted down what little cover there was and, yep, flashed them again to keep everyone evenly lit and looking flattering. Their gorgeous dog also made a special guest appearance around this point, popping along for a little while to join in on a few photos, because let’s be honest, no family portrait is truly complete without the dog. We also had a proper giggle getting the bridal party to do their best catwalk strut, which they threw themselves into wholeheartedly.

Crocs. Blinged. Up.

During the mingling, Ellie slipped away and came back in a blinged-up pair of Crocs, and honestly? Iconic. I am a huge fan of a comfy shoe at a wedding. The only casualty was poor Warren, who was most disappointed she had forgotten to bring his pair down too. Not to worry, he soon trotted off and fetched his own.

Food, speeches and all the feels

I do not photograph the wedding breakfast, because let us be honest, nobody wants to see photos of people eating. Instead I got to enjoy a gorgeous three course meal myself, and I will say it again for the people at the back: Newtown House Hotel does seriously good food.

Then came the speeches, which had the whole lot of us laughing, a good few happy tears, and a tender, heartfelt moment for the loved ones who could not be there. Those quiet pauses in amongst all the joy are some of the most special parts of any wedding day.

A car park, a fake sunset, and a rustic wall

Time for couple portraits, and here is where a photographer earns their keep. The front lawn, where I would normally take them, had been taken over by a big group of hotel guests. Rather than march Ellie and Warren out to pose in front of a crowd of strangers, we quietly made friends with the greenery around the car park instead. A few of my off camera flashes later and I had built them a dreamy, romantic fake sunset right there. Nobody would ever guess. Then we grabbed some fun frames against a gorgeous textured, rustic wall just off the beer garden, before sending them back to enjoy their party.

Cake for a man who hates cake

The cake cut was a highlight, mostly because Warren does not actually like cake. Did that stop Ellie feeding him a big bite anyway? It did not. And to his enormous credit, he ate it like an absolute trooper.

The dancefloor that never emptied

Then the first dance, which was gate-crashed halfway through in the best possible way by their daughter and a load of guests piling on. And after that? I genuinely do not think the dancefloor sat empty for a single second. There was singing into the microphone, there was standing on chairs, there was pure, joyful chaos. It was wild, and it was wonderful.

Ellie and Warren, thank you for the colour, the laughs, the tequila, and for being so completely and utterly lovely. What a day.

Planning your own Newtown House Hotel wedding?

Newtown House Hotel is a relaxed, friendly venue on Hayling Island, just a short hop from Portsmouth, and it is made for couples who want a proper party rather than a stiff, formal affair (the food is a very nice bonus). If you are getting married at Newtown House Hotel, or anywhere across Hayling Island, Portsmouth and Hampshire, and you want someone to capture the real, funny, colourful story of your day, I would love to hear from you. I am currently booking for 2027, so head over to my contact page and let’s have a chat.

The dream team

Venue: Newtown House Hotel, Hayling Island. Photography: Emma Staley Photography.