Rachel + Stephen’s elopement at Galgorm
Rachel and Stephen travelled up from Dublin to elope on the 24th of September at Galgorm Resort in Ballymena. These guys had the perfect mash up of an intimate wedding at a popular wedding venue combined with elopement style wedding photography.
We were very excited to be there for this beautiful moment right from the very start when Rachel and Stephen first reached out to us to enquire about our services for photographing their elopement. The anticipation of capturing this special day filled us with joy. So often couples put what they want for their wedding day aside so that they can conform to what is expected from their family and friends but Rachel and Stephen did their big day their way.
Galgorm Wedding Photography
Rachel and Stephen wanted to share their elopement with their closest family and friends and their beautiful little boy Atlas while still having the freedom that an elopement provides. They wanted all of the advantages of having their marriage ceremony at a well known wedding venue but without all of the traditional trappings of a wedding while still being able to visit the Causeway Coast later in the day. They also wanted to keep the day private to just them and their closest family, announcing that they had got married to the rest of their family and friends the day after they had eloped.
On the morning of their wedding we met up with them both at the amazing Signature Suite at Galgorm Resort. There was a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere all morning long as everyone prepared for the exciting day ahead, with the only lingering concern being about the unpredictable weather, which from the very early hours seemed like it might create some potential issues for the celebrations.
After sharing a first look Rachel and Stephen were brought to the Ghost House at Galgorm for their intimate ceremony. The guys actually arrived before all of their guests and had to wait patiently outside until everyone else arrived. Rachel and Stephen walked down the aisle together as Rachel’s dad played the guitar. The ceremony was performed by Pastor James Clarke who we know well from other weddings and he tailored the ceremony to be exactly as Rachel and Stephen wanted it including both a warming of the wedding bands and a handfasting ceremony. At the end of the ceremony Rachel sang beautifully accompanied by her dad on guitar. The original plan was for us to shoot some stuff with the guests and then Rachel and Stephen at Galgorm after the ceremony. We had just enough time to get some stuff shot with the guests before it started to rain heavily, so we decided to move on to our next location of the day.
Elopement Photography at Dunseverick Castle
It is always great when couples tell us that they 100% trust us and Rachel and Stephen let us choose the best locations for photography. So our first stop of the day was at Dunseverick Castle, one of the most popular locations for elopement photography in Northern Ireland. This place never disappoints regardless of weather conditions, the weather however played ball and the rain didn’t disrupt anything for the rest of the day.
These guys were such good fun all day and they were prepared for everything, we didn’t even need to tell Rachel about bringing suitable footwear for climbing over fences and walking down the side of a cliff, both her and Stephen came fully prepared. The causeway coast is blessed with lots of beautiful places for elopement photography, so once we got finished up at Dunseverick we made a quick stop at Whitepark Bay before heading for our next location.
Ballintoy Harbour Elopement Photography
We have mentioned many times before on our blog that Ballintoy Harbour is our favourite place so this is of course the place we chose to finish up our wonderful day with these two. We visit here as often as we can, not just when we are working.
This is a place of breath-taking natural beauty. Known for its dramatic cliffs, the secret beach, and panoramic views of the Ocean. Ballintoy Harbour’s charm lies in its unspoiled landscape, combining both tranquillity and raw natural elements, which create a truly picturesque backdrop for any love story. Imagine standing atop rugged cliffs with the wild sea crashing below as the wind sweeps through your hair. The natural beauty of Ballintoy Harbour offered endless photo opportunities for the time we had left with Rachel and Stephen. As the guys left us to return to Galgorm for dinner with their family, we hurriedly rushed home excited to see what we had documented throughout the day.
If you are reading this because you are looking for inspiration for your elopement and would like to see some more photographs, be sure to check out some other elopements we have photographed on the Causeway Coast as well. Northern Ireland elopements
