Where possible, I like to visit a venue ahead of the wedding if I haven’t been there before. Later this year, I’ll have the pleasure of helping Natalie and Dan preserve the memories they’ll create with their friends and family and that’s exactly what today was all about.

They’ll be holding their reception at The Cross Keys Pub in Pulloxhill, Bedfordshire. The venue offers a beautiful setting, with extensive land to the rear and a large marquee overlooking an open field. It’s this outdoor space that drew them to the venue, giving them the perfect backdrop for a relaxed, fun-filled day with games and activities for their guests to enjoy.

Visiting ahead of time gives me the opportunity to assess the layout and plan camera placement for the key moments of the day in this case, the speeches, cake cutting, and first dance. Of course, I’ll also be capturing the outdoor activities and evening celebrations, but these three highlights will be filmed using multiple cameras and often require a quick turnaround. Because of that, I take every opportunity I can to prepare in advance.

Fortunately, the marquee offers plenty of space. Some venues, while beautiful, can feel quite tight between tables but that’s definitely not the case here. All in all, the venue looks fantastic. It was great to meet Natalie and Dan face-to-face before the big day, and it’s certainly a wedding I’m really looking forward to.

On another note, whilst we didn't go into the pub! the smell coming from the restaurant was mouth watering! so certainly one for a future taste test!