This summer I had the privilege of photographing something a little different: an intimate handfasting ceremony in Glengarriff Woods, West Cork.
A young couple had chosen this beautiful woodland setting to celebrate their marriage with a small group of their closest family and friends. The official legal part of their marriage had taken place a few days earlier at their local council, but this was the celebration that felt truly personal to them.
And I was lucky enough to be there to photograph it.
An intimate handfasting ceremony in the woods
It was an incredibly sunny day at the end of August, with the woods still beautifully green and a little stream flowing alongside the ceremony location.
It couldn't have been a more beautiful setting for an intimate Irish wedding.
The bride's dress fitted the surroundings perfectly, with delicate natural elements embroidered into the fabric. I fell in love with it instantly. It felt romantic without being overly traditional, and somehow completely at home amongst the trees.
The couple had chosen their mothers to perform the handfasting ritual, which made the ceremony even more personal.
The most special moment, of course, was the handfasting itself, when the couple's hands were tied together with a beautiful green cord that fitted perfectly with the woodland setting.
Being able to photograph such a small and meaningful ceremony was incredibly special. There was something lovely about being surrounded by just the people who mattered most to them, in a place they had chosen because it felt right.
It reminded me why I love photographing intimate weddings and elopements in West Cork.
For couples travelling to Ireland to get married, an elopement can be a wonderfully personal way to celebrate your relationship without needing a large traditional wedding. And with landscapes like those we have here in West Cork, the surroundings can become part of the story too.
A couple photoshoot in Glengarriff Woods
After the ceremony, the guests headed on to the party location, while the newlyweds stayed with me for a relaxed couple photoshoot in Glengarriff Woods.
And a happy couple really does make photographing them easy.
Their smiles, laughter and excitement were visible in every photograph. They were also completely up for having a bit of fun, which gave us the chance to create photographs that felt much more natural than a series of traditional wedding poses.
There was some climbing involved, including the bride making her way onto a rock to show off her beautiful dress.
There was a little changing-of-outfits-in-the-woods moment next to the stream.
And the groom even got down on one knee again.
These playful interactions are often the moments I love most. They aren't necessarily the photographs you could plan, but they capture how a couple actually feels when they're together.
And that's what I want their photographs to remember.
Not just what they looked like on their wedding day, but how it felt to be there.
Whether you're planning a handfasting ceremony, an intimate wedding or an elopement in Ireland, your couple photographs don't need to feel like a collection of stiff, posed wedding portraits.
You can walk, explore, laugh, hold each other, admire the scenery and simply enjoy being together. I'll guide you when needed, but leave plenty of space for the natural moments to happen.
Planning an elopement in Ireland?
West Cork is a beautiful place for an intimate Irish wedding or elopement.
From rugged Atlantic coastlines and ancient landscapes to quiet woodland and mountain scenery, there are so many places where your photographs can become part of the experience rather than simply something that happens after the ceremony.
If you're travelling to Ireland for your elopement or planning an intimate wedding in West Cork, I'd love to hear about what you're planning.
Let's create something beautiful and personal together.
