Plas Dolguog Wedding Photography
Plas Dolguog is a 16th Century mansion that’s been recently renovated and converted into a wedding venue and guest house.
The Orangery is light, bright and airy, the Drawing Room Bar is rich, dark and opulent and the Music Room is a classically decorated and features an 18th Century Bechstein Grand Piano.
Plas Dolguog is surrounded by beautiful gardens, Welsh mountains and stunning views over the Dyfi valley – making it just as beautiful outside as it is inside!
I first met Dylan way back in 2016 when his band were playing at a wedding I was photographing and we hit it off instantly. Our paths have crossed many times since then and I always get excited when I see Dylan Penri’s Party Band on the supplier list! Not only is Dylan a great guy but I know it’s going to be an awesome party too.
I had an absolute blast hanging out with Rach and her bridesmaids in the morning. And the three of us had a proper laugh when we snuck off for some couple photos – it’s clear to see that Dylan and Rach are meant to be together.
So let’s find out how they planned their Plas Dolguog wedding…
Planning A Plas Dolguog Wedding
- How long have you been together?
We have been together for six years in September. We met at Rachel’s neighbours wedding, where Dylan was singing in his wedding band, “The Dylan Penri Band”. Rachel her mum and brother were dancing all night and requesting the song “ sex on fire- Kings of Leon” for Rachel’s mum Sue. There was some banter back-and-forth until Dylan finally caved and played the song.At the end of the set, Dylan came over to the Struthers family and asked for Rachel’s number. - What about the proposal?
Dylan proposed to Rachel on top of a local hill they like to walk up in mid Wales which holds a lot of special memories and sentimental value. Dylan proposed nearly 5 years to the day from our first date.
- How long were you engaged / how long did you spend planning your wedding?
We were engage for 5 months before we thought to just get on with tying the knot. We found the wedding venue by accident and by chance they had availability for a wedding this summer when all our family and friends were available. When we went to visit the venue we fell in love with the Orangery, with plenty of glass and natural light, oak beams and fairy lights. - What were you most looking forward to about your wedding?
We looked forward to seeing each other in the ceremony and celebrating with a big party and band with all our friends and family. - If you were to describe your wedding in two or three words, what would they be?
Fun, emotional & relaxed - Where did you find inspiration when planning your wedding? How did you come up with your ideas?
Bridesmaids, Dylan’s wedding band experience, and the venue helped to inspire us by showing pictures of other people’s weddings. - Did you do anything to make your wedding unique to you or your story as a couple?
We didn’t opt for a table plan and had a buffet for our wedding breakfast, this gave people freedom to sit where they wanted, to come and go as they please, and also took the stress off of us! The bridesmaids and Rachel did the flowers themselves, some were grown and hand picked too. The arch was made by one of the bridesmaids, everything was done ourselves to cut costs, but it made the decorations unique and special. - Did you enjoy the planning process?
No 😂 but it was all worth it in the end!! - Is there anything you would have done differently?
Rachel- maybe I would’ve brushed my hair more, but I was too busy head banging and jumping up and down.
- How did you choose your wedding venue?
We loved the Orangery with its natural light, oak beams, and fairy lights. We originally wanted a small get-together in a hotel, Rachel searched hotels on Google Maps and Plas Dolguog came up. When Rachel got in touch, the owners said they could also hire out the whole venue for a wedding for a very reasonable price. They had dates that worked for us and our families. The location was great too with it being a 30 minute distance away from us. The views were gorgeous and we loved the infinity lawn. The owners were lovely and very friendly, and happy to answer any questions. There were good transport links to Mach with the trains, and it was wheelchair accessible. - What advice would you give to couples looking for a wedding venue?
If you want somewhere unique, search on Google Maps for hotels, then search reviews with the words ‘wedding’. You might find somewhere unique, new and somewhere no one has attended a wedding at before. - What was your biggest worry or concern when choosing a photographer?
When it came to choosing a photographer, Dylan proclaimed to Rachel that it had to be Chris Morse!! Dylan had met Chris at numerous weddings and was very impressed with his photos, the way he was with people, and how he took the bride and grooms requests with ease. Having Chris at a wedding is like having an old friend there, he chats to people, discreetly takes photos and then disappears again. - What was the best thing you spent money on for your wedding?
The best thing we spent money on was the photographer, Chris really captured how we felt and our emotions in the moment. Everyone commented on how good he was and how friendly he was with everybody. The band was also a brilliant choice they really brought the party to life. - Would you like to give a shout out to anyone in particular?
Rachel would like to give a shout out to the bridesmaids, who gave the most precious thing of all- their time! Making the decorations, wedding favours, bouquets and buttonholes was such a huge lift. The bridesmaid Sioned did such a beautiful job with the arch too. Sam, Dad, Iestyn and Trystan also did a brilliant job with the speeches. Riley’s reading was fantastically delivered too.
- Where did you get ready?
We got ready at Plas Dolguog, Rachel was quite relaxed until about 10 minutes before the ceremony, when some small nerves started to kick in with a thought of all eyes being on me! - How did you feel when you saw each other for the first time?
Rachel- I felt very proud of Dylan and how handsome he looked, and I was also relieved to see his reassuring face after the slightly daunting walk up the aisle.
Dylan- when Rachel walked up the aisle I was overwhelmed with emotion and did shed a few tears. She looked beautiful. - Was there any part of the day you were particularly nervous about?
Dylan- I was a bit nervous about doing a speech, the wedding day was a rollercoaster of emotion. I lost my mam in January 2023, she would have been the life and soul of the wedding, and enjoyed every second.
Rachel- I was surprisingly quite relaxed the morning of the wedding, I thought I would be more nervous. However, the walk down the aisle was just as nerve-racking as I thought it would be 😅 - What was your favourite part of your day?
Rachel- probably when Dylan got up with the band and sang Wonderwall and put on his best Liam Gallagher persona. He absolutely nailed it and the crowd went wild!! And when the bridesmaids grabbed me to sing (shout) ‘ I wanna dance with somebody’ That was a really special moment.
- And finally… Any words of wedding planning wisdom?
Do what you can to plan in advance to take the stress off, but don’t make detailed schedule for the day, you’re going to have to go with the flow a bit.
Congratulations & Thank Yous
I’d like to say a massive congratulations to Dylan & Rach! Also, a huge thank you for choosing me to be your wedding photographer and for sharing your story with us all. I’d also like to give a shout out to all the other supplier who helped make their day so perfect…
Venue: Plas Dolguog | Flowers: Cottage Garden Flowers | Hair: Hair By Nia Elen | Dress: Wedding Belles At Lauras | Caterers: Hughes Caterers | Band: Silver Tongue
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