Polhawn Fort Wedding Photographer
I’m delighted to be able to share this Polhawn Fort wedding photography from Hannah & James’ recent wedding. Polhawn Fort is just down the road from where I live in Liskeard. Along one of my favourite stretches of Cornwall coast and set in an area of outstanding natural beauty. This venue has quickly become one of my favourite local wedding venues!
Polhawn Fort exclusive hire wedding venue
Polhawn Fort is a place where land meets sea. This cliff-top fort in Cornwall, is an exclusive hire venue complete with it’s own secluded beach. Polhawn Fort was built as the guardian of Whitsand Bay in Rame Head. Granite staircases spiral towards huge vaulted ceilings and rows of windows face out to sea. A real Napoleonic Fort, complete with cannon, drawbridge and walls eight feet thick!
Winter Weddings at Polhawn Fort
Polhawn Fort is stunning in every season. Inside the fort was cosy and warm with it’s twinkly lights and thick walls. I arrived in thick sea mist and rain, but the skies started to give way to a lovely clear afternoon. Hannah & James told me they had deliberately chosen a winter wedding. Hannah especially has a great appreciation for the weather as she works as a meteorologist and was drawn to this venue for the beautiful coastal skies.
This exclusive hire wedding venue meant that the bridal party could all stay together for a long weekend. This eliminated any travel stress and made for a more relaxed time preparing for the wedding.
Exclusive Hire Cornish Wedding Venue
I love starting with bridal prep as there are often so many special moments. I love capturing all the effort that goes into getting ready. All those special details like jewellery, flowers, shoes that you have thought so much about. Photographing these details means you have a lasting record. I particularly loved Hannah’s white DM wedding boots! Great choice for our hike down to the beach later 🙂 A first look with Dad or the bridesmaids is also particularly sweet and I love capturing these special moments knowing that these will become treasured memories for years to come.
Flexible ceremony options
Depending on the size of your wedding party there are a number of options for where to get married. The Grand Napleonic Hall can seat up to 100 guests while the Emperor’s room can seat up to 30 for a more intimate setting. Or in the warmer months you can even get married by their summerhouse looking out to sea!
Rame Head wedding photography
After the ceremony we headed up the spiral staircase (grabbing a few shots on the way) to the newly finished roof Terrace. Hannah & James enjoyed a quick game of tabel tennis and enjoyed a moment together admiring the coastal views before greeting their guests and enjoying some canapés.
Group Shots
I am always happy to take group shots, but I do suggest writing a list beforehand so that I can organise people and do it as quickly as possible. No-one wants to be standing around for hours, especially if it is a cold day! I normally choose the location of these shots based on the light on the day. In this case we chose the stairs rather than the garden as it was a wet day and we were shooting in a break in the rain. Also I like this spot as it works well for a large group using the stairs and frames smaller groups well too. These can be as fun or formal as you like – we can have some fun with these shots. I’m always happy to throw the groom in the air or do some more natural or silly poses too.
Bride and Groom coastal portraits
Polhawn Fort has it’s own private beach which is just a short walk from the venue. I personally love the beach and being outside in general, so I’m always keen to get some shots on the beach if possible (even in winter!) Fortunately Hannah & James were also keen so we headed down for some photos. This also gave them a chance to catch their breath and say hi to each other for the first time as newlyweds. Even couples that have previously told me they are camera shy often comment how much they enjoy this time out together on the wedding day.
Reception
While we were down at the beach the rest of the wedding guests enjoyed chilling out in the roof terrace until it was time to come back down for the wedding breakfast. Hannah & James booked part day coverage so I left them at this point to enjoy the rest of their day.
Thanks to Hannah & James for choosing me to be their Polhawn Fort Cornwall wedding photographer. I absolutely loved being part of your special day and wish you both every happiness for the future. Hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into their day at Polhawn Fort Cornwall.
Awesome Cornwall wedding suppliers:
Photographer: Hannah Timm Photography
Wedding Venue: Polhawn Fort
Wedding Cake: Country Cheeses
Florist: St Mellions Flowers
Wedding Dress: Bridal Emporium
Catering: Four Elements Catering
If you’re planning to get married at Polhawn Fort Cornwall, or looking for a Devon or Cornwall wedding photographer, hit the button for more info. You can also fill out the form below to get in touch and tell me about your plans, I’d love to hear from you!