Tunnels Beaches - a beautiful wedding in Devon — London Wedding Photographer | documentary + editorial wedding photography

Callie and Josh chose the gorgeous North Devon venue to get married at - the Tunnels Beaches. They chose the sea, the beach, the salty wind and a destination wedding they didn’t have to fly to. And I’m so happy they have also chosen me to be their wedding photographer, I loved their joyful day on the beach!

Tunnels Beaches is a unique venue, located in Ilfracombe, North Devon. You can get to it through a tunnel, leading directly to a private beach. It’s absolutely insane, I couldn’t believe it’s in UK! :-) The beaches you can get to through the tunnels in the rocks (hence - Tunnels Beaches) are gorgeous, surrounded by cliffs and black rocks and when the tide is right, you can swim in the tidal pool. The sunset is to die for too!

Of course, since it actually IS in UK, the weather is quite a concern (we were lucky, the weather was perfect for Callie and Josh, but it’s good to have a plan B), but worry not - Tunnels Beaches got you covered - there is a beautiful building at the top, that can sit up to 120 guests. They also serve delicious, fresh food. They also have a late licence, so you can party till 2am! (with a paella served at midnight to replenish the energy) I’ll tell you a bit about Tunnels Beaches history (so interesting!) but first - let’s look at some wedding photos at this gorgeous venue.

The morning of the wedding day.

First - the getting ready. I love the wedding mornings - these calm hours of preparations. It’s the most beautiful when it’s prosaic preparations (make up, steaming the dress etc) mixed with mental ones - chats with besties and maybe a mom, a quiet moment, reflecting on the journey that took you there, being happy and maybe a little bit nervous on the morning of the day of your wedding. It’s a huge day and I love it when my brides plan a few minutes for themselves.

Outdoor ceremony

There’s a beautiful space dedicated to an outdoor ceremony at Tunnels Beaches. It overlooks the sea and it has a cute little gazebo to hide from the sun. You can have a registrar or a humanist celebrant, all under the summer sky and with guests enjoying not only your ceremony, but the delightful views as well. It’s a dream wedding venue, it really is! Have a look at Callie and Josh’s ceremony

After the unforgettable wedding ceremony under the warm, afternoon sun, the cocktail reception started. And oh boy, was it fun!! I took the couple for a portrait session, we took some family group photos on the beach too, but all quite quickly, so everyone could enjoyed the afternoon fun. I tent to split a couple’s session into two short shoots - one after the group shots, maybe just 10 minutes and then I take them for another photographic walk before the sunset, at the famous golden hour. This way - we’ve got all the gorgeous portraits but the couple is not missing the party!

And the Tunnels Beaches cocktail reception was not one to be missed! There was ice cream truck (of course!), yummy cocktails and the absolute star and a soul of the party - Daniel on his sax. No one was not dancing!

After the cocktail hour (or, actually, three) there was a delicious meal and the speeches and before Callie and Josh started their first dance, we went for another little session at the beach. This is my favourite moment of the wedding (well, I have a few favourite moments!) - it’s when we can escape from the party, have a little breather and I can fully focus on capturing the happiness and beauty of the newlyweds. I tend to let the couple be, just giving little hints, instead of a full posing session. This way it’s relaxed, fun, no one has to be anxious (at this point, no one is anyway!) and I can be fully present and creative, looking at the light, the angles, the gorgeous in-between-moments that I love the most. For Callie and Josh the priority was to enjoy their day, and I totally understand (and support!!) that. 15 minutes is more than enough to capture gorgeous images for that album, that will be watched for generations to come.

bride and groom walking down the beach after their luxury destination wedding. Bride is wearing a fashion forward white dress and the groom is wearing a tax and black tie

Tunnels Beaches wedding reception

What comes next is nothing short of a dream - gourmet meal, live band (actually - live bands at this wedding!), the most beautiful sunset and the crisp night air warmed by the open fire and of course - dancing.

The bride stuns in a couture gown from Ravaavis, romantic but modern, with a statement bow at the back. Her bouquet is a masterpiece of rare blooms and cascading greenery, carefully handpicked to match the coastal surroundings.

The groom complements her perfectly in a tailored tuxedo crafted from the finest materials. His boutonniere echoes the bride's bouquet, creating a visual connection between the couple.

The guests too arrive dressed to impress, showcasing their individual styles while adhering to the event's fashion-forward theme. Soft pastels, muted metallics, and elegant monochromes dominate the color palette, creating a cohesive yet diverse aesthetic, all distinctive and stunning with a background of black rocks and blue water. This wedding was a painting