Bristol Zoo Wedding Photographer
As an animal lover it’s always a treat to be a Bristol Zoo wedding photographer. Not only do I get to photograph a wedding but we get to have a day out at the zoo too! Wedding photography at Bristol Zoo is so much fun, the animals love to get involved in the day. The beautiful blue skies for Ollie and George’s animal themed wedding at the Clifton Pavilion in Bristol Zoo Gardens made this day even more special – and I captured one of my favourite wedding photos of all time!
Wedding at Bristol Zoo
The Clifton Pavilion was built in the 1920s, with grand architecture and stunning views overlooking the west lawn and flamingos. I walked through the zoo in the morning, I’d arrived a little early so I had time to see some of the animals eagerly waiting for their breakfast whilst on my way to the Clifton Pavilion.
The birds were singing as Ollie and George got ready with their parents at the on-site accommodation. It goes without saying, they are huge animal lovers, so a Bristol Zoo wedding was clearly the perfect choice! They wore Simon Carter shirts covered in exotic plants and brightly coloured birds, I thought they looked so brilliant that I purchased one as soon as I got home that night (and several more since!)
The boys had displayed pictures of themselves and their loved ones for everyone to enjoy as they arrived; telling the story of their life together and some of the crazy, hilarious things they’d got up to with their friends. Everyone commented on the stunning floral arrangements of fragrant, exotic plants in the ceremony room where they took their seats for the service. Ollie and George took a few moments together before walking down the aisle together arm in arm to exchange their vows. This was an emotional one, there were tears and cheering from the guests (and me too… I always cry at weddings!).
As a Bristol Zoo wedding photographer I knew that confetti couldn’t be thrown in the zoo itself or in the grounds (we wouldn’t want the animals eating it!) so I managed to arrange everyone in a bright walkway around the boys for a pretty intense rainbow confetti moment in the indoor sunshine! The planning that went into this wedding was so impressive with wildlife, animal and zoo themes throughout. They’d thought of everything including pink flamingo and rainbow pride umbrellas. We captured some group portraits and the guests enjoyed drinks and canapes on the lawn enjoying the spectacular views.
Wedding photos at the zoo
I captured Ollie and George’s portraits in the grounds of the zoo, getting lost among the tree ferns and enjoying the animals photo-bombing them! In the butterfly house we even had a few butterflies landing on the boys in their exotic themed shirts. As we walked underground past the penguins and into the Californian sea lion enclosure, I noticed the sea lions dipping in and out of the water as Ollie and George held hands and enjoyed the view.
Members of the public were also enjoying the zoo and they were incredibly patient and kind, waiting for us to take pictures. I managed to capture one of my favourite wedding photographs ever as a sea lion cruised over Ollie and George as they snuggled in the tunnel under the sea lion enclosure.
The blue skies made for a spectacular background to some silhouetted portraits as we headed back to the Clifton Pavilion.
The seating plan for the wedding breakfast featured tables named after animals and equipped with masks and fluffy animal ears for the guests to enjoy (I couldn’t resist trying them on either!).
There were some hilarious speeches and emotional moments as George’s Dad spoke about how proud he is of his son, resulting in another of my favourite images from the day (I’m not crying, you’re crying!). You could really feel the love in the room as everyone chatted and hugged throughout the evening.
Let’s not forget the food! In the evening there was a rainbow tower of macaroons, the last time I’d had macaroons was when I photographed a wedding in Paris… well actually I had a sneaky taste of these in the morning as I arrived at the pavilion at the same time as the baker who’d brought spares that she insisted on feeding to me!
Everyone enjoyed the zoo theme, masks and props and Ollie and George had their first dance with George wearing a fluffy tiger tail! The evening was a crazy, fun party in the balmy summer evening. I love getting the chance to be a Bristol Zoo wedding photographer, and this one was extra special.
Do you want to chat to a Bristol Zoo Wedding Photographer? I’d love to join you and capture those incredible memories on your wedding day – fluffy tails optional!
You scrolled all the way to the end?! You clearly can’t get enough of Weddings at Bristol Zoo…. So here’s another!
Bristol Zoo Wedding Photographer – The Bug Edition!
I’m always hunting for photographs which reflect the location I’m in, and I wasn’t disappointed here at Bristol Zoo for Carla and Rob’s wedding! As it happened, it was national insect week (who knew!), and I asked one of the keepers if we could photograph their wedding rings in amongst the bugs. To my excitement they happily obliged and to the amusement of the crowd, a keeper appeared inside the enclosure and placed a couple of giant beetles on top of their wedding rings!
