Hotel Miramar Bournemouth Wedding

Helen and Jacob, you absolute legends. If you have ever wondered what happens when you put a couple who love a party, a magician MC who is just as mad as me, and a whole lot of dry ice in one clifftop hotel in Bournemouth, wonder no more. I have now been through the full gallery and added even more of my favourites, so this blog is officially bursting at the seams. Grab a drink, you will want one.

Bridal Prep with a Sea View

Hotel Miramar sits right on Bournemouth’s East Cliff, so bridal prep came with big windows, sea views and a room full of Helen’s favourite people. Relaxed, giggly and zero stress, just how I like it.

Bride smiling into a hand mirror during bridal prep at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Then the dress went on and Helen could not stop giggling. And THEN her dad saw her for the first time. Those are the moments I’m there for.

Bride laughing as her dress is fastened during bridal prep at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth, black and white

Father of the bride seeing his daughter in her wedding dress for the first time at Hotel Miramar, black and white

An Outdoor Ceremony by the Sea

The ceremony was outside on the lawn, red carpet aisle, white chairs, and the little gazebo with the sea stretched out behind it. Jacob waiting with his groomsmen, Helen walking down the aisle with her dad, and a garden full of guests who were clearly already having the time of their lives.

Groom and groomsmen waiting at the outdoor ceremony on the lawn at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Bride walking down the red aisle with her dad at her outdoor Hotel Miramar wedding

Outdoor wedding ceremony by the gazebo overlooking the sea at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Groom placing the ring on the bride's finger at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

First kiss at the outdoor wedding ceremony at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Bride and groom smiling at their guests during the outdoor ceremony at Hotel Miramar

Bride and groom signing the register with their witnesses at Hotel Miramar

Married! Just look at those faces walking back up the aisle.

Bride and groom beaming as they walk back up the aisle after their outdoor ceremony at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Confetti, Newspapers and One Very Big Group Photo

Straight out into a confetti blizzard in front of the hotel. Special mention to the wedding newspaper order of the day, which is honestly the best idea I have seen in ages. Then everyone squeezed together under the giant LOVE letters for a big group photo from above.

Bride and groom walking through confetti in front of Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Colourful confetti throw outside Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Guest holding a wedding newspaper order of the day at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Big group photo from above with all the wedding guests and giant LOVE letters at Hotel Miramar

Flash-Lit Family Formals

Family formals do not have to be boring! I lit these with off camera flash so everyone pops against the gorgeous red brick of the hotel, even on a grey September day. Quick, painless, and back to the fizz in no time.

Flash lit family formal photo outside Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Bride with her bridesmaids and flower girls in front of Hotel Miramar

Groom with his groomsmen outside Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Bride laughing with her flower girls at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

A Sneaky Clifftop Moment

I stole Helen and Jacob away to the clifftop gardens for five minutes, and the sea breeze decided to join in. The veil went everywhere, they could not stop laughing, and that is exactly the shot.

Bride and groom kissing on the clifftop gardens overlooking the sea at Hotel Miramar

Bride and groom laughing under her veil in the sea breeze at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

That veil really did have a mind of its own, and every time it blew across their faces they were off again. And the flower girls? In absolute fits.

Bride laughing as the groom kisses her under the veil on the clifftop at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Close up of the bride laughing under her veil in the sea breeze at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Bride and groom on the steps with the long veil spread out at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Bride laughing with her flower girls in the gardens at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

The Wedding Breakfast (aka Absolute Chaos)

Now, I am used to being the loudest person in the room. Not this time! Magician Stephen Simmons was their MC, and he was every bit as bonkers as me, which I am totally not used to. There was singing, there was dancing on chairs, there were arms in the air across the whole room, and a conga line that nobody saw coming. Massive shout out to Brian, the wedding coordinator on the day, who kept everything running smoothly while the rest of us lost our minds. What a legend.

Guests laughing together with drinks on the lawn at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Bride and groom sharing a moment by their wedding cake at Hotel Miramar reception

Bride and groom laughing with guests at their Hotel Miramar wedding breakfast

Guests cheering during the wedding breakfast at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Whole room of wedding guests cheering with arms in the air at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Guests doing a conga line during the reception at Hotel Miramar

Flower girls and pageboys pulling funny faces by the sweet wall at Hotel Miramar

And the grand entrance? Napkins. EVERYWHERE. The whole room on their feet swinging them round their heads, and Helen and Jacob absolutely loving it.

Bride laughing as guests wave napkins for the grand entrance to the wedding breakfast at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Bride and groom laughing as guests wave napkins at their entrance, black and white, Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Guest in a red jacket swinging a napkin above his head at the wedding breakfast at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Older guest laughing and waving a napkin at the wedding breakfast at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Guest swinging a napkin above his head at the wedding breakfast at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Then the speeches had the whole top table in bits. Exactly how I like them!

Top table in fits of laughter during the wedding speeches at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Bride laughing at the top table during the speeches, black and white, Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Wedding guests sharing a laugh at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth, black and white

A First Dance on a Cloud

Dry ice for the first dance. Say no more. Then the dance floor went off, glow sticks and all.

First dance on a cloud of dry ice at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth, black and white

Bride and groom first dance surrounded by guests at Hotel Miramar

Groom and guests dancing with glow sticks at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Guests dancing and singing on the dance floor at Hotel Miramar wedding

First dance on a cloud of dry ice at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Groom spinning the bride on a dancefloor full of guests at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Just look at this lot! Age is just a number on a dancefloor like this one!

Older guest dancing with glow sticks on the dancefloor at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Bride singing with glow sticks on the dancefloor at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Guests singing along with glow sticks on the dancefloor at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Guest throwing her head back singing on the dancefloor at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Two guests screaming with laughter on the dancefloor at Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Champagne and Cigars After Dark

And to finish, the flash came out. A champagne spray right outside the glowing Hotel Miramar sign, and the lads on the front steps with their cigars looking like the coolest gang in Bournemouth. This is my happy place.

Bride and groom spraying champagne outside Hotel Miramar Bournemouth at night, lit with off camera flash

Groomsmen smoking cigars on the steps of Hotel Miramar at night, flash lit portrait

And one last big flash-lit group photo outside the hotel with the whole gang. What a way to finish!

Bride and groom under the Hotel Miramar sign at night, lit with off camera flash

Flash lit night time group photo of all the wedding guests outside Hotel Miramar Bournemouth

Getting Married at Hotel Miramar?

If you are planning your own seaside celebration, have a look at my Hotel Miramar wedding photographer page, my prices and packages, see more of my work as a Hampshire wedding photographer, or see why I love off camera flash in my flash vs no flash post.

I am ranked in the top ten in the world for flash wedding photography, and I will travel for a party like this any day of the week. Get in touch here, I would love to hear all about your plans.