Georgia and Glenn’s wedding at Artelium Vineyard, May 2025
Georgia and Glen are exactly the kind of family who remind you what weddings are really for. Super relaxed, completely unpretentious, two young sons in tow - and a very clear sense that their day was going to be curated around what they actually wanted, not what weddings are supposed to look like. That philosophy produced one of my favourite moments of 2025: a drinks reception taken over entirely by a mariachi band, with formal group shots quietly abandoned in favour of everyone dancing, laughing and piling in together. No posed lines, no corralling of relatives - just pure, unscripted joy. As a documentary photographer, I was in heaven.
The ceremony itself at St Peter and St John the Baptist in Wivelsfield was a beautiful, intimate start to the day — a characterful village church with all the warmth that only a parish setting can offer. Then out into the Sussex sunshine for the reception at Artelium.
Artelium is a contemporary English wine estate rooted in craftsmanship and collaboration, nestled in the heart of Sussex wine country - specifically in the tiny hamlet of Streat, tucked between Plumpton and Ditchling, with the South Downs as a constant, sweeping backdrop. The 45-acre estate is home to 20 acres of vines - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier and Pinot Gris - alongside an airy tasting room, a relaxed terrace, and regular art exhibitions.
The name Artelium reflects the founders' twin passions for art and wine, and the estate's ethos - welcoming, unstuffy, genuinely creative - runs through everything they do. In May, with the vines coming into leaf, the light long and golden across the Downs, and the terrace at its most inviting, it's an extraordinarily beautiful place to spend a wedding day. For a documentary photographer it's a gift — endless natural texture, open sky, vineyard rows stretching into the distance, and a setting that encourages people to relax and just be themselves.
What follows is a full selection of images, from the ceremony at Wivelsfield through to the evening at Artelium. If you're considering Artelium as your venue and want to see what a full day of documentary wedding photography genuinely looks like, I hope this gives you a real feel for both the place and my approach.
