A Riverside Wedding at The Master Builder’s, Buckler’s Hard | Jennifer & Gareth
A sunny sailing wedding on the Beaulieu River, with boats, Welsh accents and a whole lot of love!
Jennifer and Gareth, what a joy! These two found each other a little later than most, and you’d never know it to look at them, because they are as giddy and smitten as any couple half their age. They found me through my advert in The Wedding Index, got in touch, and I’m SO glad they did, because their day down on the Beaulieu River was a joy from start to finish!
“We couldn’t imagine a better photographer than Emma.”
Jennifer, The Master Builder’s House, Buckler’s Hard
How they met (get the tissues)
Here is the bit that will make you go “aww.” Gareth was volunteering at the Mary Rose, yes, that Mary Rose, the Tudor warship down at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, and Jennifer happens to manage it. He took one look and, in his own words, fell completely head over heels. Who says romance is dead? The man signed up to help look after a 500 year old shipwreck and came away with a wife. Top volunteering, Gareth!
Now, Gareth is Welsh, which as a fellow Welsh girl absolutely made my day. It meant I got to natter away to guests who had travelled all the way from Swansea and Mumbles, to his lovely mum who still lives back in Wales, and to his sister, who was an absolute sweetheart. There’s nothing quite like hearing a few familiar accents at a Hampshire wedding!
A wedding made for sailors
They chose The Master Builder’s House Hotel at Buckler’s Hard, and there was a very good reason for it. Gareth is a keen sailor with his own yacht, and Jennifer has taken to sailing like an absolute natural. Buckler’s Hard sits right on the Beaulieu River, so it could not have suited the two of them more.
In fact, a few of their guests had sailed in the evening before and moored up on the pontoon right outside. I have seen a lot of ways to arrive at a wedding, vintage cars, horse and carriage, the odd tractor, but a line of yachts bobbing outside the venue? That was a first!
They took over the entire building for the day, and the flowers, well. The flowers were to DIE for. I could quite happily have photographed those alone all afternoon.
A first look before the aisle
They had booked my essentials package, so I arrived just as Jennifer was having the finishing touches put to her makeup. Jen and Gareth had planned something really lovely: a first look before the ceremony, because they wanted to walk down the aisle arm in arm, together, rather than doing the traditional big reveal. So I got to capture that quiet, just-the-two-of-them moment before all the noise and the confetti, and it was every bit as emotional as you would imagine.
The ceremony, and a flash first for me
The couple were standing in gorgeous shade under the tree, while every single one of their guests was in full, blazing sunlight. Left as it was, that means a beautifully lit crowd and a couple lost in the shadows.
So I did something I had genuinely never done before at an outdoor ceremony. I flashed the whole thing. A bit of off camera flash to lift Jennifer and Gareth up to match their guests, so nobody got lost in shadow and the whole scene balanced out beautifully. My first ever flashed outdoor ceremony, and I’m chuffed to bits with how it turned out! This, right here, is exactly why I bang on about flash so much.
Formals, flowers and a mingle
After the “I dos” we gathered everyone under that same oak tree for some flash lit family formals, then I set them loose to mingle while I snuck off to photograph the reception space. It looked INCREDIBLE. Those flowers again. Swoon!
Portraits down by the water
Once they had a drink in hand and had said their hellos, I stole Jennifer and Gareth away for some couple portraits, first down by a gorgeous weeping willow, then onto the camber right by the water. The whole thing was so relaxed and informal, just two people who clearly adore each other, pottering about by the river.
I documented the speeches, which were full of heart, and then, essentials package done, it was time for me to quietly pack up and leave them to their party. What a lovely, lovely day!
Jennifer and Gareth, thank you for finding me, for the boats, for the Welsh natter, and for being so wonderfully, easily in love. It was a joy!
What Jennifer Said
“Emma was fantastic, she stepped in at quite short notice after the photographer we’d originally booked cancelled on us. We feel this ended up being a blessing though, as we couldn’t imagine a better photographer than Emma. She was super friendly, sensitive to what we wanted to do and her relaxed manner made us and our guests feel at ease. Our wedding was her first time at our venue, and the day was very hot and sunny, potentially tricky conditions but Emma showed her skills to capture exceptional photos that we’ll always treasure and that really reflect who we are and our special day.”
Jennifer & Gareth, The Master Builder’s House, Buckler’s Hard
Planning your own Master Builder’s or Beaulieu River wedding?
Whether you are sailing in or simply love the idea of a relaxed, sunny celebration by the water, at The Master Builder’s, along the Beaulieu River, or anywhere across the New Forest and Hampshire, I would love to hear all about it. I photograph real, fun, emotional weddings of every size, and I am currently booking for 2027. Head over to my contact page and let’s have a chat.
The dream team
Venue: The Master Builder’s House, Buckler’s Hard, Beaulieu (@masterbuildershouse). Flowers: Jessie Anderson Studio (@jessieandersonstudio). Ceremony and reception music: The Bossard String Quartet (@thebossardquartet). Photography: Emma Staley Photography.
Planning a Hampshire wedding? Have a nosy at my guide to the best wedding venues in Hampshire, all ones I’ve actually photographed!
