A Blackpool Anniversary Shoot: 20 Years On, from the Tower to Under the Pier
Low sun broke through the ironwork of Central Pier and threw long shadows across the sand. Sara and Tony walked hand in hand towards the light, twenty years after their wedding. They married in Las Vegas, and for their anniversary they wanted something to complement it back home. What better place than Blackpool?
Blackpool: a seaside resort to match a Vegas wedding
Blackpool Tower opened in 1894, designed after the Eiffel Tower, and stands 518 feet tall. The tower and its famous ballroom are both Grade I listed. Central Pier opened in 1868 and became known as the People’s Pier, and its big wheel, added in 1990, stands 108 feet high. On the South Promenade, the Mirror Ball, around six metres across and reputedly the world’s largest, was installed in 2002 as part of The Great Promenade Show.
For photographs, Blackpool on a moody day is a gift. There are huge skies, wet sand that mirrors everything, and iron piers that throw long shadows whenever the sun breaks through.
The Tower and the sea wall
Outside the red-brick Tower Buildings, Sara and Tony kissed beneath the famous name, with the wet promenade shining in front of them. Sara wore a fitted lace gown with long sheer sleeves, a sparkling headband and a row of tiny buttons down her back. Tony wore a burgundy three-piece suit with a blue floral shirt, a matching bow tie and a little silver dog pin on his lapel.
Along the sea wall the clouds rolled in and out. We found a tall, weathered golden wall that glowed in the low light. They leaned into it for a kiss, with the promenade curving away towards Central Pier and its big wheel. In another frame, Tony bursts out laughing as Sara turns to him.
Under the pier and into the evening
When the sun broke through, the light did something wonderful. Beneath Central Pier the ironwork threw criss-cross shadows across the sand, and the two of them walked through them towards the sun. Sara’s train fanned out behind her, the flare caught them forehead to forehead, and the wet beach reflected the pier and the big wheel above them.
Out on the sand they shared an umbrella against a sky streaked with orange, and a pool on the beach turned their reflection upside down. As the evening drew in, we finished with a kiss at the Mirror Ball under a pink sky, and a close embrace in front of ornate iron gates strung with lights.
Sara and Tony are good friends of ours, and also happen to be amazing wedding videographers at Marry Me Films. When they asked us to photograph their 20th anniversary, we were humbled and excited. With all the backdrops Blackpool had to offer, it was the love they share that really stood out. It’s so easy to get carried away with weddings that people sometimes miss what it’s all about: love. For us it has always been about the couples, not the venue, the flowers or the cake. We feel privileged to watch couples in love every weekend, and shoots like this remind us that we’re in the right jobs.
Why we love an anniversary shoot in Blackpool
If you’re thinking about an anniversary or engagement shoot by the sea, here’s our honest advice:
- Don’t wait for sunshine. A cold, moody November day gave us dramatic skies, and when the sun did break through it was all the better for it.
- Go under the pier. The ironwork beneath Central Pier makes extraordinary patterns of light and shadow when the sun is low.
- Check the tide times. The shots under the pier and the reflections on the wet sand only work when the tide is out.
- Dress up. A wedding dress and a burgundy suit on a cold November promenade make a brilliant contrast, and turn a walk into a celebration.
Planning your own anniversary or engagement shoot?
Whether it’s your engagement, your wedding or your twentieth anniversary, we’d love to hear about it. See more of our weddings and shoots further afield, or get in touch to talk through your plans.
