A Beautiful Scottish-Korean Celebration: Mark & Minky's Wedding in The Cloisters
Blog written by Carl Simpson-Smith | 30th May 2026
Date: Saturday 14th March 2026
Ceremony: The Cloisters, Coombe Abbey
Wedding Reception: The Cloisters, Coombe Abbey
Photographers: SimplyGreatShots Photography
There is always something inherently romantic about a spring wedding in Warwickshire, but when you combine a crisp, dry March day with the historic majesty of a 12th-century Cistercian monastery, you have the recipe for something truly special. On March 14th, 2026, we had the absolute pleasure of capturing Mark and Minky's beautiful wedding in The Cloisters at Coombe Abbey, Warwickshire's premier wedding destination.
Looking at Mark and Minky together, the depth of love between them is impossible to miss. Theirs is a beautiful, global love story that brought two families from opposite sides of the world together. Mark, proudly Scottish, and Minky, representing her rich South Korean heritage, stood side by side in a day that was as emotionally charged as it was visually spectacular. It is the kind of story that makes you smile, and it gave the whole day an extra layer of meaning.
For us at SimplyGreatShots Photography, returning to Coombe Abbey always feels like a privilege. As award-winning wedding photographers based in Coventry, we know this historic venue intimately. Nestled within 500 acres of breathtaking Warwickshire countryside, the abbey — with its dramatic Tudor and Gothic architecture, soaring stone arches, and world-renowned formal gardens designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown — provides an idyllic and deeply atmospheric backdrop for a wedding. If you are looking for an elegant Warwickshire wedding venue with character, Mark and Minky's day in The Cloisters proves exactly why Coombe Abbey is such an extraordinary choice.
The Perfect Setting for Spring Wedding Photography
Despite the mid-March chill, the weather was kind to us. It was a cold but beautifully dry day, allowing for some stunning, crisp outdoor wedding portraits in the rear gardens of Coombe Abbey. As experienced Warwickshire wedding photographers, we know how to make the most of the spring light. The rear gardens, in particular, are one of our favourite secluded spots, offering a quieter, more intimate setting away from the main guest areas, with the dramatic rear elevation of the Abbey providing a magnificent architectural backdrop.
The day unfolded perfectly within the classic, Baroque-styled interiors of The Cloisters. Minky looked absolutely breathtaking as she prepared in the Grand Feature Bedchambers, stepping out in a pure white, classic off-the-shoulder gown — elegant in its simplicity and utterly timeless. Her best friend was by her side throughout the morning, sharing in the quiet anticipation.
One of our favourite details of the afternoon came during the portraits, when Minky's love of bubbles took centre stage. Bubbles were blown around the couple as they walked through the gardens, and the resulting images — with hundreds of iridescent spheres catching the low golden spring light — were among the most playful and magical of the entire day. It was a beautiful, personal touch that perfectly finished her bridal look and brought a sense of fun to the historic surroundings.
A Family Affair across Oceans
Family was at the very heart of this wedding. Minky's family had flown over from South Korea especially for the wedding — her father, mother, and brother, along with her best friend, had all made the remarkable journey from East Asia to be by her side. Watching them share those quiet, irreplaceable moments of preparation in the morning was deeply moving, and the knowledge of how far they had travelled gave every moment of the day an added layer of meaning and emotion.
Mark and his groomsmen cut a sharp and sophisticated figure in their navy suits, looking dapper and relaxed against the warm, honey-toned stone of the abbey. As Mark and Minky exchanged their vows in front of The Cloisters' magnificent stone fireplace, the room was filled with a warmth and energy that was truly infectious. There is something deeply moving about seeing two families from opposite sides of the globe come together with such joy, and it made for some of our favourite photographs of the entire day.
A Seamless Celebration in The Cloisters
Following the ceremony, guests made their way out onto the private west terrace for a champagne reception. This seamless transition is one of the things we love most about The Cloisters. While guests enjoyed drinks and mingling in the fresh air, looking out over the stunning formal gardens, the room was expertly turned around for the wedding reception meal.
The reception was filled with warmth, laughter, and evident joy. The room was dressed beautifully, with the elegant white table settings and sophisticated décor complementing the Baroque architecture perfectly. The speeches were a perfect blend of heartfelt emotion and side-splitting laughter. Minky's father delivered a wonderfully warm address, stepping up with great love and pride to welcome Mark into the family, drawing a standing ovation from the room. It was a gesture that perfectly captured the spirit of the day — honouring their heritage while celebrating their shared future.
After Dark: The Fountain Champagne Portraits
As darkness fell over the Coombe Abbey estate, we slipped outside with Mark and Minky for one of the most striking portrait sessions of the day. The fountain at the front entrance of Coombe Abbey is a truly spectacular location after dark, the illuminated water catching the light and creating a dramatic, atmospheric backdrop that is unlike anything available during daylight hours. With champagne glasses in hand, the couple posed in front of the fountain for a series of night portraits that have an almost cinematic quality – the kind of images that stop guests in their tracks when they appear in the final wedding album.
For couples planning a Coombe Abbey winter or spring wedding, we always recommend building time into the evening schedule for these after-dark fountain shots, as the results are consistently extraordinary.
The Bouquet Toss: A Spontaneous, Joyful Moment
Back inside The Cloisters, the evening continued with one of the most charming and increasingly rare traditions in modern weddings. Minky gathered her guests and, with a huge smile, launched her bouquet over her shoulder in a classic bouquet toss. In our experience as wedding photographers, the bouquet toss has become something of a rarity at contemporary weddings, which made Minky's decision to embrace it all the more special. The resulting photographs — the arc of the flowers mid-air, the outstretched hands of the guests, and the laughter on every face — are full of pure, uninhibited joy and are a wonderful addition to the story of the day.
A Thousand Years: The Parent Dances
Towards the end of the evening, the music slowed once more for two deeply personal parent dances that left barely a dry eye in the room. As the opening notes of Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years" filled The Cloisters, Minky stepped onto the dance floor with her father — a moment of extraordinary significance given the distance he had travelled from South Korea to be there and the knowledge that this was a once-in-a-lifetime moment between a father and his daughter on her wedding day. Simultaneously, Mark took to the floor with his mother for their own tender, heartfelt dance.
For those of us behind the camera, there are moments in this work that transcend photography entirely. Mark's dance with his mother was one of them. We did not know at the time everything that made that moment so precious, but we knew enough to understand its weight — and we made sure we were ready. Sometimes the most important thing a wedding photographer / videographer can do is simply be present, be still, and let a moment speak entirely for itself. Those images and footage will endure long after the music has faded.
These two parallel moments, unfolding together in the warm, candlelit glow of The Cloisters, captured everything that a wedding truly is: the love of family, the passing of time, and the beautiful beginning of a new chapter. We are deeply honoured to have been trusted to preserve them.
Congratulations again to Mark and Minky — and to the wonderful families that made this day so very special. We wish you all a lifetime of happiness together.
Are you planning your own wedding at Coombe Abbey? Visit our dedicated Coombe Abbey wedding photographer page to see more of our work at this stunning venue.
If you would like to find out more about what we offer, take a look at our wedding photography and film packages to find the right coverage for your day.
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