M&J’s Coastal Micro Wedding in Pembrokeshire

An intimate wedding at Nolton Coast Weddings, followed by private Wild Vows at a secret waterfall.

A little bit of both

When M&J first got in touch, we talked about planning a proper just-the-two-of-them elopement in Wales. Somewhere outdoors, away from everyone, where they could make their promises to each other in private. But as their plans developed, they realised they wanted their family to be part of the day too. So rather than choosing between an elopement and a more traditional wedding, they found a way to have a little bit of both.

They chose Nolton Coast Weddings in Pembrokeshire for a small celebration with their family, followed by a private adventure to a waterfall where they could exchange their own Wild Vows.

And I loved that they made space for both.

A small coastal wedding at Nolton Coast

Nolton Coast Weddings sits along the Pembrokeshire coastline, with beautiful views across the surrounding countryside and out towards the sea.

It was a lovely setting for Molly & Jacob to gather their closest people and celebrate together. After their indoor ceremony due to rain, we headed down to the beach once the rain had stopped for some time with the family. Nothing particularly complicated, just everyone enjoying being together on the coast.

And then came the part of the day we’d kept just for Molly & Jacob.

Private Wild Vows at a secret waterfall

Although their plans had changed from a completely private elopement to a small wedding with family, M&J still wanted to keep something just for the two of them. And I already had somewhere in mind. I’d come across a beautiful little waterfall on a previous trip to Pembrokeshire while out exploring with my dogs, and when we started talking about how to include some private vows in their wedding day, I thought it could be just the place.

So after their ceremony and some time on the beach with their family, we left the coast behind and headed to the waterfall. Just M&J, making their own promises to each other, away from everyone else. It was a lovely way to bring a little of their original elopement plans into a day that had grown to include their family. They still got to celebrate with the people they love, but they also had this little part of the day that belonged entirely to them.

And I think that’s something worth remembering if you’re torn between eloping and having a small wedding. You don’t necessarily have to choose one or the other.

You can have a small wedding and still have your own adventure

I often speak to couples who love the idea of eloping but aren’t quite ready to leave their families out of the day. And I get it. Wanting something private doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t want to celebrate with the people you love. M&J’s wedding is a lovely example of how the two can work together. You can get married with your closest people around you, spend time celebrating with them, and still disappear for a little while to do something that’s completely your own. It doesn’t have to be a waterfall, either. It could be a quiet walk along the coast, a favourite spot in the mountains, or somewhere that holds a particular meaning for you both.

The important thing is making space for the kind of wedding day you actually want.

And for Molly & Jacob, that meant a little bit of family, a little bit of adventure, and some private promises beside a waterfall in Pembrokeshire.

Thinking about a small wedding or elopement in Wales?

If you love the idea of a quieter, more personal wedding day but would still like your family or a handful of close friends there, there are plenty of ways to make that work. And it doesn’t necessarily have to feature a venue, either ;)

I photograph elopements, Wild Vows and smaller weddings across Wales, and I love helping couples work out how they actually want to spend their day, whether that’s a celebration by the coast, a walk into the mountains, or a little of both.

If you’re planning something similar, get in touch and tell me what you’re planning.

I’d love to hear about it.

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