Beth and Danny – From Hereford to Bristol

From the beginning, Beth and Danny’s plans were refreshingly straightforward.

They were married back in November with a small ceremony at Hereford Town Hall, keeping everything simple and low key. When I met them afterwards at The Priory in Hereford, the brief couldn’t have been clearer. A few photos with family, then a handful of relaxed shots of the two of them before heading off to celebrate privately.

No fuss and no schedule. Just enough time to mark the moment.

A Party Rather Than a Wedding

A couple of months later, they picked things up again in Bristol with what they described as a two month anniversary party. It turned into exactly what they’d hoped for. A proper evening together without any of the usual wedding day pressures.

This time the brief was just as straightforward. No group shots, no structure, and no expectations other than to document the night as it unfolded.

Those are always the nicest instructions to receive.

The Mount Without, Bristol

The Mount Without is an incredible space to work in. Full of character, slightly unconventional, and particularly well suited to evening celebrations where the focus is on atmosphere rather than formality.

Guests arrived to a relaxed start to the night, with time to chat, catch up and enjoy a generous spread of Indian food. Drinks flowed, conversations built, and the room slowly filled as people settled in.

Nothing felt rushed. The evening was allowed to find its own rhythm.

A Building With a Story

What makes The Mount Without especially interesting is its history. The building was originally the Church of St Michael on the Mount Without, sitting just beyond Bristol’s old city walls. Parts of the site date back hundreds of years, and the building has lived several lives over time.

After suffering damage during the Second World War and later a major fire in 2016, the church was left without a roof and largely unused. A careful restoration has since transformed it into the creative venue it is today, retaining its historic structure while giving it a new purpose.

That mix of old and new gives the space a distinctive feel. It never feels like a blank event room, and that character comes through clearly in photographs.

When the Dancing Began

Once Call Me Ceilidh started playing, the energy in the room shifted almost immediately. The dancing did not begin until the band kicked off, but once it did the floor filled quickly.

Ceilidh dancing has a great way of bringing people together. It breaks the ice, gets everyone involved, and very quickly people stop worrying about how they look and simply enjoy themselves. Those moments are always a pleasure to photograph.

Down to The Crypt

At around 9.30pm, guests were invited downstairs into The Crypt. The change of space brought a different feel to the evening. Slightly darker, a little more intimate, and well suited to the next part of the night.

With one of the Call Me Ceilidh band members taking over DJ duties, the dancing continued alongside plenty more chatting and drinks as the celebration carried on late into the evening.

A Celebration That Felt Right

Splitting their wedding across two very different moments worked really well for Beth and Danny.

A quiet ceremony in Hereford followed by a lively celebration in Bristol gave each part of the experience its own identity, without trying to squeeze everything into one long day.

From my side, it was a good reminder of how well evening celebrations can work, particularly in a city like Bristol where venues such as The Mount Without really come into their own after dark.

If you’re planning a wedding or celebration in Bristol and want documentary led coverage that simply follows the flow of the evening, I’d love to hear about your plans.

Russell