Hello my lovely readers! On the occasion of Ffion and Rich’s first wedding anniversary last week, I thought it was time to share more details about this spectacular day and their heartwarming story. Ffion and Rich are an amazing, kind and loving couple whose love for the great outdoors and family connection made their wedding day truly unforgettable. So, let’s dive right in and relive their special day together!

Choosing the perfect venue

When I first met Ffion and Rich, I knew their wedding was going to be something extraordinary. They had decided on the St. Stephan’s church in Bodfari, North Wales for their ceremony. After an amazing service we headed to a real gem — a marquee reception on Ffion’s grandparents’ land, called “Hafod Y Parc”. The venue holds a special place in Ffion’s heart, and she had dreamt of getting married here since she was a little girl. Being able to celebrate their love on this cherished family property was incredibly meaningful to them, and I couldn’t wait to capture the magic of the day.

Love for the outdoors

Ffion and Rich’s shared passion for the great outdoors was evident in every aspect of their lives. Their days off are filled with adventurous van trips in their beloved van called “plod”. Whether it’s a serene day on a quiet beach with their adorable dog, Magi, or a thrilling winter journey complete with layers of socks to stay warm, those two seem to embrace every moment. I really love getting to know my couples on a personal level so Chrissie and I went over to Hafod Y Parc prior to their big day to discuss their final wedding plans. We also went for a little walk in the surrounding hills overlooking their land – taking a few shots along the way which would become part their wedding film to tell their story authentically.

The serendipitous encounter

Their love story began with a chance encounter at the North Wales Police Headquarters when Rich – the gentleman that he is – held the gate open for Ffion’s police intake to walk through. They smiled at each other and a few months later they were inseparable.

A proposal in scruffs

As we got to know each other better, Ffion and Rich shared the story of their engagement with me. Picture this: a quaint log cabin in Hereford, both dressed in comfy scruffs, sipping tea on the balcony. Rich seized the perfect moment to pop the question, and in that peaceful setting, he asked Ffion to be his partner for life. It was a beautiful pre-lockdown moment, and the fact that he might’ve even had COVID when he proposed may add a tiny touch of humour to their story.

Creating their dream wedding in North Wales

Ffion and Rich wanted a wedding that felt relaxed, personal, and centred around family. Throughout the planning process, their family played a crucial role, each contributing with love and dedication. From Ffion’s grandmother cleaning up old keys for favours to Paul’s hard work in transforming old school tables, their day was filled with heartwarming touches. The décor featured a charming mix of dried flowers, vintage furniture, and quirky items lovingly hunted down on Facebook Marketplace by Ffion. It was beautiful and the amount of love that went into the planning their dream day so authentically is truly impressive and inspiring. The day was truly perfect and everything happened organically without any stress which can happen easily when organising a DIY wedding. The speeches were fun and quite emotional across the board and I had me in tears. The night was filled with a lot of dancing animated by the amazing Wee Bag Ceilidh Band. The fact that the majority of the guests hadn’t done a Ceilidh before definitely made for some entertaining footage. 🙂

Supplier love

I was honoured and so happy that Ffion and Rich chose me as their wedding videographer, and I wanted to make sure their film perfectly captured the essence of their special day. It was wonderful to see how much they loved my style, and I put my heart and soul into making sure every precious moment was beautifully preserved including some old footage from Ffion’s mum’s and even grandma’s wedding. Hearing their feedback after the wedding warmed my heart and made me feel like part of their extended family.

I also enjoyed working alongside a team of talented fellow suppliers:

Hair: Kirin Jones Hair, MakeUp: Anna Baxter Make Up, Photography: Fox & Bear Photography, Catering: Big 5 Catering, Suit: Moss Brothers, Dress: Maggie Sottero , Rings: Smooch, Flowers: Waterhouse Flowers, Entertainment: Wee Bag Band

A grateful couple

All I ever want for my couples is to have the best day, feel comfortable and feel excited to keep watching their wedding film for the years to come. After the wedding, Ffion and Rich received their wedding film, and their review genuinely left me with tears of joy. They were truly blown away by how the film captured the most emotional and personal aspects of their wedding day. Reading their words made me realise the immense privilege I have in being a part of such significant moments in people’s lives. Here’s a snippet from their review:

“Hi Kim! Sorry it’s taken a few days to get back to you since receiving our wedding videos, we’ve both been on odd shifts and slightly under the weather so wanted to wait until we were both together to get a response to you. We can’t put it in any other way other than to say how blown away we have been by the film. We are amazed at how you have captured what was the most amazing, emotional, personal and best day of our lives. It’s truly something we will treasure forever and can’t tell you how happy that we not only decided to have the day documented on film but also by you.

You have a lovely way about you and made us feel so comfortable when we met you at Hafod Y Parc for the first time and more so on the wedding day, considering all that went on, you were there, subtle and calm and you captured everything so a particular thank you for this. 

You seem to have captured parts of the day that were so important to us without us even discussing so it was such a pleasure to see the film and these small but emotional moments. 

We have watched the film on our own and with ffis family so far and it has evoked a lot of emotion and tears from everyone who has watched it. It has been so carefully and thoughtfully put together and each time we watch it we notice small things that wouldn’t be obvious to everyone.  We can’t wait to show more people. 

Asking you to film the day is by far the best decision we made when organising the wedding, you will always be a huge part of our day and we are so grateful.“

In conclusion

Ffion and Rich’s wedding was a beautiful celebration of love, family, and the beauty of nature. Their story serves as a reminder that love finds us when we least expect it, and that sometimes, the simplest moments become the most cherished memories.

Thank you for being amazing Ffion and Rich!

And thank you all for joining me on this journey through their special day and story. As a wedding videographer based in North Wales, I’m so honoured to capture love stories like theirs and preserve them for eternity. Until next time, stay adventurous and keep spreading the love!

To watch their feature film and more inspiration, check out my films page.