Los Mirandos – Miranda & Fernando Ellis-Marchant

An English-Chilean wedding in a steam engine museum

When Miranda got in touch about wedding photos, I was so excited. I particularly love the opportunity to photograph unique weddings – and the Mirandos’ wedding certainly was that!

First – the venue: Miranda decided to have her wedding at the Forncett Industrial Steam Museum, a small collection of stationary steam engines (no trains here!) set in beautiful South Norfolk countryside. She’s a trustee there, and described it to me as her home away from home, her second family, and a place that was very dear to her dad.

As soon as I arrived, I knew exactly what she meant; the vibe in Forncett is unmistakably special. Trustees and volunteers of the museum had all turned out to help – including the museum’s founder and his family – which all contributed to a very strong family feel.

It was grounded, homemade and very DIY, with everyone pitching in to help where they could. Miranda and Fernando had done a lot of the organising themselves, from hand-crocheted wedding favours to furniture lovingly crafted from pallets. All of this preparation made their day very them.

The Mirandos met at a Latin social dance in Norwich, and during the ceremony, the celebrant recounted the story of their meeting. Fernando’s home country is Chile, and the wedding party was international, with Spanish-speaking friends from the Latin dance scene, as well as friends who had travelled all the way from Chile to be there.

After drinks, group shots and a midday meal of fish and chips, we snuck off for some couple portraits. This is one of my favourite parts of any wedding – a tiny bit of time for the couple to take a breather from the socialising, to just focus on each other. We were particularly blessed with the beautiful golden sunlight and the stunning grounds of the museum.

Then it was time for the first dance. They kicked things off with the Cueca, the traditional first dance of a Chilean wedding, and very soon the dance floor was full (and the guests were excellent dancers).

It was a beautiful day, full of love, smiles, and joy.

Thank you so much to Miranda and Fernando for letting me be part of their wonderful wedding. <3

If you’d like to book me for your wedding, get in touch.

TESTIMONIAL

“She has a wonderful way with people, knowing exactly how to bring out the best in everyone — making them feel comfortable, special, and confident, and capturing genuine smiles. Her technical skill is just as impressive, with a real talent for framing the perfect composition and making the most of the natural light.

From start to finish, Taryn created the perfect record of our celebrations. Whether she was organising formal group shots or quietly capturing precious, candid moments — the detailed preparations beforehand, a passing hug from a guest — she was attentive to every little detail. She instinctively knew when to take charge and when to blend into the background.

We are incredibly grateful to Taryn for her care, professionalism, and dedication in capturing such an important day in our lives.”

Miranda Ellis-Marchant