Kent Wedding Photographer: Autumn Campfire Elopement at Longton Wood

Oh it’s that time of year again! When the woods come alive with the sound of falling leaves. Autumn is definitely one of my favourite times of year, mainly for it’s beautiful colours. This week, I’m sharing one of my favourite seasonal shoots.. and at one of my favourite venues – Longton Wood in Kent! You can see my other Longton Wood styled shoot here.

This styled shoot is a quintessentially English woodland dream. I wanted to celebrate nature’s bounty at this time of year – autumn/winter can be utterly beautiful!

Inspired by earthy colours and the hues of the winter months in the UK, this outdoor shoot was an intimate take on a post-elopement campfire evening. Honestly, this shoot makes my heart pound at how beautiful the english countryside is at this time of year, and what possibilities this creates for weddings or elopements.

Shot in the beautiful Longton Wood, the shoot has two main looks – the first, a more autumnal feel, and the second a move into the festive months with shocks of red and cosy vibes. The woodland of Longton Wood was an incredible venue at this time of year – the yellow on the trees and the thick carpet of golden leaves made for a perfect setting to celebrate all that winter give us. The florals, by Fabulous Flowers by Jo Taylor,  included foraged items from the english countryside, such as ivy, conkers, and fallen leaves. I wanted everything to feel like it was one with the outdoors, and Anthology Vintage Hire’s beautiful furniture and props really gave this feel – the colours all blended beautifully.

Stationery came from Hawthorne and Ivory, who perfectly captured the sense of adventure this shoot should evoke, with a campervan styled invite. 

Our bride, Katie, stunned in a Aneberry bridal dress with an impressive train and dainty lace sleeves – perfect for a winter wedding. We teamed it with a handpainted leather jacket by Bee Davies, a vintage inspired ring from London Victorian Ring Co, and a handmade headpiece by PS With Love. The headpiece perfectly picked out colours from the jacket, which would make the perfect accompaniment for an evening round the campfire. Finishing the look were stunning ivory knee high bridal shoes from House of Elliot. Make up was by the wonderful Willow and Rose Make up. For the autumnal set up, we opted for a more natural palette, which we then deepened and jazzed up with a deep red lip for the festive part of the shoot.

Our evening set up was an adorable campfire picnic, complete with blankets and cushions from Brolly Bucket, and a hamper full of vegan sweet goodies from Hugo’s Pantry. We also had a stunning two tier cake from Lucky & Co, decorated with fresh rosemary to continue the foraged feel.

We ended at the legendary swing of Longton Wood, which Jo had gorgeously wrapped with flowers. I seriously am getting all the Christmas vibes from these last images!

Creative Direction, Planning & Photography: Caroline Opacic Photography // Venue: Longton Wood // Hire: Anthology Vintage Hire // Umbrellas & Blankets: Brolly Bucket // Floral Designer: Fabulous Flowers By Jo Taylor // Model: Katie Lee // Dress Designer: Aneberry Bridal // Jacket: Bee Davies Illustration // Headpiece: PS With Love // Makeup Artist: Willow And Rose Makeup // Shoes: House Of Elliott // Ring: London Victorian Ring // Stationery Designer: Hawthorne And Ivory // Cake Designer: Lucky And Co // Marshmallows: Mallow Magic // Brownies & Cookies: Hugos Pantry

Longton Wood is honestly one of my favourite wedding venues! If you’re getting married here, get in touch! It has got so much going for it – the forest ceremony space, the perfect campfire vibes, and Jenny the owner is lovely!