Ellie and Ryan | Tui Hills
Some couples walk in front of your camera and the joy simply radiates from them. Ellie and Ryan are exactly that kind of couple — warm, playful, and so visibly, completely in love that capturing their wedding day felt less like work and more like a privilege. Tui Hills provided a breathtaking canvas, and what unfolded across the day was pure magic.
Bridal Preparations
The morning began at a nearby Airbnb, where the day took shape in the unhurried way that the best wedding mornings do. I started with Ryan and his family — a few portraits, some time with the finer details, and the quiet anticipation of a groom readying himself for the biggest day of his life.
Then Ellie arrived.
She looked absolutely stunning, and the moment her father saw her, the emotion of the day arrived all at once. He was visibly overwhelmed — the kind of reaction that needs no words and says everything. It was one of those fleeting, unguarded moments that I treasure most as a photographer, and one I know Ellie and Ryan will cherish for the rest of their lives.
From the Airbnb we made our way to Tui Hills — a venue that never fails to impress. With spectacular outdoor spaces and excellent wet weather options, it is a location that works beautifully in any conditions, and the team there creates an environment where everything simply flows. The sky had been threatening rain throughout the morning, but we made the call to press on outdoors, and once again the weather held. Not a drop.
It is also worth noting that videography is something we are able to offer alongside photography when needed — on this occasion my colleague Stephen was on hand to capture the ceremony on film, ensuring Ellie and Ryan have a complete record of their day across both mediums.
The Ceremony
The ceremony at Tui Hills was beautiful in every sense — heartfelt, intimate, and filled with the kind of warmth that only comes from two people who are genuinely meant for one another. And then Ryan, with perfect comic timing, incorporated a line from Rick Astley's classic into his wedding vows.
The room erupted.
It was the kind of moment that breaks the solemnity of a ceremony in the best possible way — a reminder that love does not have to be serious to be real, and that laughter shared between two people is its own kind of devotion. It set the tone for everything that followed, and the joy never really left the room for the rest of the day.
Couple Portraits
After the ceremony and group shots, Ellie and Ryan slipped away for a few quiet minutes together — a breath before the celebrations began in earnest. It is something I always encourage, and it almost always produces the most natural, unguarded images of the day. Two people, briefly alone, exhaling and simply being together.
When we moved into the couple shoot, these two brought everything. The good energy, the easy laughter, the way they look at each other — it is the kind of thing you cannot manufacture, and Tui Hills gave us the perfect setting to let it all unfold. The love in their smiles is not something I had to coax or direct. It was simply there, frame after frame.
The Reception
Inside, an exceptional meal set the scene for an evening of celebration. The speeches continued in the spirit of the ceremony — funny, warm, occasionally tearful, and thoroughly entertaining. The laughter that had started with Ryan's vows carried right through to the final course and beyond.
The evening rounded out on the dancefloor, full of energy and joy, before the fireside portraits began — and this is something I genuinely love offering at receptions. Beside the fire, in the warm glow of the room, I set up a relaxed portrait space and invited guests to sit for me. What started with a few willing volunteers quietly became a little queue, and one by one I worked through the most wonderful set of portraits — couples, families, friends, individuals — all feeling relaxed and at ease in that intimate fireside setting. It is one of my favourite things to offer, because it means Ellie and Ryan come away not just with beautiful images of themselves, but with a rich collection of portraits of the people they love most, captured properly and with care. Those images have a way of becoming some of the most treasured in the entire gallery.
Ellie and Ryan, what an absolute joy of a day. Thank you for sharing it with me.
Ellie said “Tony was amazing, would recommend for anyone needing a photographer. He made our wedding day so easy and comfortable. Our pictures came back quicker and even better than expected.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
