A gorgeous Hotel du Vin wedding in the lovely Dorset city of Poole. Diana & Tim celebrated their marriage in an intimate ceremony with family and friends, with all of the day’s celebrations based around the hotel and its wonderful accommodation, catering and hospitality. And wine.

Newlyweds embrace on a curved street with classic British architecture in the background.

The Hotel du Vin in Poole is a superbly located wedding venue, bang in the middle of the old town with all its charms and tucked just around the corner from yachts and cruisers of unimaginable scale down at the harbour. Like all of the hotels in the Du Vin family it’s housed in a beautiful building, and just oozes character and sophistication. Perfect for Diana & Tim’s fab wedding: an intimate occasion with closest friends and family with a big focus on good food, great wines and very good times.


An all-in-one-place wedding, this of course meant I was able to capture it all through the course of the morning: bride, groom, guests arriving… It’s a really lovely, cosy hotel and lends itself extremely well to lounging in the bar or out on the terrace with a pre-ceremony drink. Especially if your speech needs just a touch more work

Beautiful red brick Georgian building with ivy-covered walls and classic windows.
Wedding venue decorations featuring white bunting and outdoor seating arrangements.
Emotional candid moment shared in an elegant interior with mint green walls.
Wedding preparation moments captured in soft natural light through mirrors.
Wedding details featuring elegant rings, delicate pearls, and a flowing white dress hanging by a window.
Wedding party arranging floral decorations on a wooden table.
Collection of candid black and white moments from wedding preparations.
Black and white photos showing wedding day preparation moments.
A joyful wedding preparation scene with a flowing veil in a bright brick-walled room.
Bridesmaids in pink dresses helping with wedding preparations.
Close-up of hands holding an open ring box from Fransses jewelers.
Wedding morning preparations in contrasting black and white scenes.
Black and white candid shots of wedding guests interacting.
Formal wedding party portraits and preparation moments.
Contrasting portraits in natural light against interior backgrounds.
Wedding party members in navy suits pose on grand staircase with crystal chandelier.
Young person in blue suit with pink tie sits at bar counter with boutonniere.
Close-up detail of adjusting a tie and two people enjoying drinks at an outdoor table.

The ceremony room at the Poole Hotel du Vin is a lovely space; I love it when venues have rooms with character and interesting features. This was all enhanced with the absolutely stunning floral displays which Diana had brought in for the occasion. Plans and flowers are a big deal for this couple (have a look at the lupins which feature as wedding favours, and the display on the staircase further down in the photos too) and these ones really were beautiful, adorning the mantlepiece above the fireplace and the sills of the large windows. Such a cosy space, and just right for the number of guests. Stopping en route for a couple of photos on that grand staircase (also perfect for sweeping down in a wedding dress with huge veil flowing behind!), guests made their way through the winding corridors and upstairs to take their seats ready for the arrival of the bride…

Wedding venue interior showing window display, ceremony space, and floral arrangements.
Collection of delicate floral arrangements featuring pink and white blooms.
Wedding guests seated in rows during indoor ceremony.
Wedding guests seated in rows during indoor ceremony with natural lighting.
Two people in blue suits adjusting boutonnieres and sharing a moment.
Black and white photo of ceremony proceedings in an elegant room with curtains.
Black and white photo of person in wedding dress descending elegant staircase with bouquet.
Wedding ceremony guests and wedding party members share joyful moments in an elegant indoor venue.
Wedding party members interact during formal photographs in a bright indoor setting.
Wedding celebration candid moments captured during an indoor reception.
Intimate wedding ceremony moments in an elegant room with classic decor.
Wedding guests seated in rows during an indoor ceremony with elegant crown molding.
Close-up shots of wedding ceremony moments in an indoor venue.
Emotional wedding ceremony moments captured in a bright indoor setting.
Wedding guests and party members gather for celebration photos in an elegant venue.
Panoramic views of a wedding ceremony in a bright, classic indoor venue.
People signing documents at a wooden table during a formal ceremony.
Wedding guests gather in an indoor venue during a celebration event.

Immediately after the ceremony, through the grand front entrance for confetti and group photographs on the steps, before heading to the bar and terrace for drinks and canapes. The food, as you would expect, is a particular highlight here, and the drinks speak for themselves obviously. It was a beautifully sunny day – perfect for an hour or two of soaking it all up with glasses of fizz before making our way back upstairs for the wedding breakfast, back in the ceremony room which had now been turned around ready for private dining.

Wedding celebration outside a white columned building with guests throwing confetti.
Guests mingling at an outdoor wedding reception.
Wedding party gathered outside on a sunny day.
Wedding party poses in front of white columns and greenery.
Black and white interior shots of a room with natural window lighting.
Black and white panoramic views of an elegant room with large windows and classic furniture.
Wedding party members gathered around a table during reception celebrations.
Wedding party posing in formal attire against elegant interior backdrop.
Elegant bar setup with cocktail glasses and decorative elements.
Elegant wedding venue interior with floral arrangements and decorative details along a wall.
Wedding reception setup with elegant table settings and natural light streaming through windows.
Black and white candid shots of wedding guests enjoying a meal at reception tables.
Dramatic black and white photos of a wedding dress with lace details on grand staircase.
Candid moments of wedding guests enjoying conversation during outdoor reception.
Natural light photography of wedding guests interacting during daytime reception.
Elegant wedding reception table settings with wine glasses and gourmet plated meals.
Documentary style black and white photos capturing candid moments during wedding reception.

A couple of short speeches, then after the meal and before evening guests arrived I was able to take Diana & Tim out in the evening light for couple portraits in the neighbourhood around the hotel. I spend a lot of time taking photographs with soft natural backgrounds – most of the wedding venues I work at tend to have an abundance of greenery and surrounding countryside – but I do also really enjoy making use of more urban backdrops. The area around the Hotel du Vin in Poole is really charming; when I say urban I’m not exactly talking gritty industrial here. This is all about the close, winding streets, stonework… the old town. There are also trees and grass to be had with a churchyard right on the doorstep and if you feel like something a little different it’s just a few steps down to the waterfront. Loads to work with here photographically – I’d love to come back and do more.


As we moved through into the evening further guests started to arrive, and it was back to the bar for cake cutting and the start of the party.

Wedding couple and bridal party photos taken outside historic brick building.
A couple in wedding attire poses on a charming cobblestone street in front of historic brick buildings.
Wedding couple shares intimate moments along a quaint village street with traditional architecture.
Romantic wedding photography session captured on a quiet town street with classic architecture.
Black and white architectural shots of historic buildings and streets create a timeless wedding backdrop.
Elegant staircase with wrought iron railings creates dramatic shadows in an interior wedding venue.
Garden-inspired floral arrangements featuring pink roses displayed on rustic wooden barrels.
Wedding detail shots of floral arrangements and decorative elements in a rustic venue setting.
Close-up shots of wedding stationery and succulent decorations with pastel color accents.
Wedding reception guests dancing and celebrating on a lively dance floor with colorful lighting.
Candid moments of wedding celebration captured during an indoor reception party.
Two people play chess on a brown leather couch in a cozy room with exposed brick walls.
Wedding guests mingle and dance during an evening reception with purple lighting.
Large group photo of wedding guests gathered together at an indoor venue.
Wedding cake cutting ceremony with a white tiered cake decorated with flowers.

I really loved photographing this wedding. Diana and Tim were such a great couple, and all their friends and family were so fab – there was just such a nice buzz to the whole day. And what a cracking avenue Poole’s Hotel du Vin is – I’d definitely like to come back here for more. Congratulations to the very happy couple, and wishing you many wonderful years together as husband and wife.


–     –     –


The photos above are just a small selection from the day. Friends and family can view the full set in the online gallery but you’ll need to ask Diana & Tim for the password first. I hope you enjoyed this little blog post. Be sure to come back soon for more photos from other fantastic real weddings.


Making it happen…


Venue & catering: HOTEL du VIN, POOLE


Hair: THE INDUSTRY, ASHLEY CROSS


Florist: EDWARDS FLOWERS


Suits: ISOBEL'S BRIDE AND GROOM


Cake: PATISSERIE MARK BENNET



If you are currently planning your Poole wedding and would like to know more about my wedding photography services, packages and prices, please do get in touch to check availability and ask me any questions you might have. I’m only too happy to help however I can.

Contact Me