Erin & Carl | A Beautifully Intimate Wedding at The Five Bells, stanbridge
There are some wedding days that just feel really special, and Erin and Carl’s intimate wedding at The Five Bells in Stanbridge, Bedfordshire was definitely one of them.
From their thirteen-year love story to the beautiful little details that made the day so personal, this was a wedding filled with meaning, family and lots of lovely moments to capture.
And the date? Well, that made it even more special.
Erin and Carl got married on 29th September 2025... exactly 13 years to the day since they started dating. I absolutely love that they chose to keep such an important date in their story for their wedding day too.
Where it all began
Erin and Carl first met at a mutual friend’s wedding in Cornwall. It seems only fitting that a wedding was where their story began, considering they would eventually have one of their own!
They officially started dating on 29th September 2012, and thirteen years later they were standing together as husband and wife.
And you could really feel that history between them. This wasn't just the beginning of their story... it was a celebration of everything they had already built together.
A proposal at Sycamore Gap
Carl’s proposal story is one of those that sounds like it belongs in a film.
The couple were on holiday in Northumberland and had gone for a walk along Hadrian’s Wall. When they reached Sycamore Gap, Carl decided that this was the spot.
While Erin was taking photographs, she suddenly heard her name.
When she turned around, Carl was down on one knee.
Just the two of them, surrounded by the beautiful Northumberland countryside.
No big audience, no fuss... just a quiet, incredibly personal moment between the two of them. And honestly, I think that suits their story perfectly.
Their wedding day at The Five Bells
Their wedding at The Five Bells in Stanbridge, Leighton Buzzard was wonderfully intimate and relaxed, with the people closest to them there to celebrate alongside them.
And they couldn't have asked for a better September day. The sun was shining, bringing that gorgeous late-summer warmth to the day and making it an absolute joy to be outside photographing them.
There was something really lovely about the atmosphere. Nothing felt overdone or complicated. It was simply about Erin and Carl, their family, their son and the people they love most.
And those are often my favourite weddings to photograph — the ones where you can slow down, enjoy what's happening and really take in all those little moments.
The details that told their story
One of my favourite things about weddings is the little details that might seem insignificant to anyone else, but mean the absolute world to the couple.
Erin did her own hair for the wedding, adding another lovely personal touch to the day.
And then there were Carl’s cufflinks.
Engraved with 29.09.2012, the date they started dating, they were such a beautiful little reminder of where everything began.
Thirteen years earlier, they had become a couple.
Now, on that exact same date, they were becoming husband and wife.
I don't think you could find a more perfect reason to have a date engraved on your cufflinks.
Erin and Carl, thank you for letting me be part of such a special day and for trusting me to capture all those little moments for you.
Congratulations to you both!
Here’s to the next chapter... and hopefully many, many more anniversaries to come.
SUPPLIERS:
Venue - The Five Bells, Stanbridge
Wedding Dress - Etsy - Stylish Bride Atelier
Groom Suite - Fogarty Formal Hire & Tailoring
Flowers - Adriennes Flowers
I had an absolutely wonderful time documenting this autumn wedding in Bedfordshire. If you’d like to book your special day with me click here to get in contact today!
