Meet Cornish Wedding Photographer Alexa Poppe
Wedding photographer in Cornwall, Alexa Poppe, joins us to discuss her favourite things about wedding photography and shooting at The Alverton.
Alexa, also known as Alexa Poppe Wedding Photography, grew up in Germany and moved to Cornwall in 2003.
Over the years she has travelled extensively and worked on numerous travel stories for national and international magazines. In 2014 Alexa became a full time wedding photographer in Cornwall and hasn’t looked back since.
Her passion for photojournalism has continued to flow into her wedding photography. Alexa loves to capture those special moments, emotions and personalities, both of you and your guests to tell the story of your wedding day.
When not photographing weddings, you will find Alexa surfing, riding her mountain bike or on endless coastal walks with her camera and two sighthounds.
What's your favourite part of being a photographer?
Meeting lots of people from all sorts of different backgrounds and sharing one of their most special days with them. Weddings are always so full of joy and happiness and I love to document those special moments and emotions which tell the story of their day. A treasure to keep for a lifetime. The positive feedback I get from couples about my photos after the wedding is so rewarding. And it feels good when I can make someone happy with my skills and service I provide. I quite often become friends with my couples and keep in contact through social media years after their wedding. Many couples book me for a family portrait photoshoot years later when they have started their own family. It is such a positive genre to work in and I feel blessed every day!
What’s the best thing about photographing a wedding at The Alverton?
The grandeur of the architecture and the stylish interior offers plenty of photo opportunities come rain or shine. There are plenty of beautiful backdrops to play with and the gardens look different in every season, which gives the photos a great variety. Plus, the staff are so welcoming and helpful. Always a bonus to achieving good photography!
What’s your best piece of advice for a couple planning their big day?
Relax and go with the flow even when things don’t quite happen as planned. The ceremony might run late, or the flowers aren’t quite what you ordered. Those are just minor things but in the big picture the most important part of the day is the celebration of your love and the get together with all your family and friends. So, relax and enjoy the day.
What’s your favourite photo you’ve ever taken?
That’s a difficult question! I would say there is never just one and it’s always changing. But if I would have to narrow it down it is not a pretty portrait but rather an image showing a moment and telling a story for years to come. If it’s tears of happiness, a moment of deep passion and love for each other, fun, laughter or pure joy – like the image above. It was taken at Corinne and Paul’s wedding ceremony last year and the love and bond they had for each other was so beautiful to witness. A wedding filled with so much love and passion.
What inspires you about shooting in Cornwall?
Cornwall’s stunning coastlines and natural areas of beauty add colour and vibrancy to any shot. Cornwall changes so much with the weather, from mystical and moody on a rainy day to vibrant blue seas with a Mediterranean vibe on a sunny summer’s day. It never seizes to inspire me. I feel blessed to live and work in a place with such a beautiful coastline. There is also a strong creative community down here, especially in the wedding industry. We support each other and to see so much talent around me keeps my creative juices flowing.
Why should couples choose The Alverton?
The staff at The Alverton are professional and full of passion running a wedding day. They really do make every wedding feel special. The Alverton’s architecture is like nothing else in Cornwall and the gardens offer many beautiful spots for portraits. I had one of my brides mention that she always wanted to get married in a castle and when she saw The Alverton, she knew straight away she wanted to get married there, as it came very close to her dream!
Why should they choose you?
I have over seven years of experience and I pride myself on having won several awards with my work. However, I think the most important part of choosing your wedding photographer is that you feel at ease with them. After all it is someone who will be spending most parts of your special day with you.
I pride myself in being a friendly and outgoing personality and I get a lot of my work from recommendations. To make sure we are ‘a good match’ I always recommend a pre-wedding meeting or Zoom call. The more comfortable you and the guests are with me, the better the memories I capture. It helps me to capture those personal touches and document a better personal story that I might otherwise not be able to achieve.
My approach is documentary, which means most of the day will be captured in candid photography. For the couple portraits I might give you some tips and guide you through it but even then, the more natural the better. I don’t want to pose you on your wedding day. You shouldn’t feel like you are on a photoshoot all day. I prefer to capture real moments and real emotions, ‘you being you’. If that is what you expect from your wedding photographer, perfect!
Find out more about Cornish wedding photographer Alexa Poppe by visiting her website
www.alexapoppeweddingphotography.com
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