Kirsty and Ryan had previously told me that they wanted a rustic and relaxed feel for their wedding day, which is why they chose this gorgeous venue at Old Luxters Barn. Located in Oxfordshire, in the heart of the English countryside, this venue is part of the Chiltern Valley Winery and Brewery. I had been on a visit back in January when I was charmed by this stunning location covered in a light dusting of snow and the aroma of hops fermenting. So I couldn’t wait to be back for Kirsty and Ryan’s big day.
It seems that Kirsty and Ryan are the masters of clever wedding planning! I arrived early to find the marquee set up with some lovely touches for the day ahead. This Included an Instagram Frame Photo Booth, a scrumptious naked cake, personalised ‘message in a bottle’, sweeties galore, to name but a few. The clever wedding planning extended beyond the marquee. The barn looked lovely. Everyone was busy putting table settings and room decorations together.
Taking advantage of the lovely surroundings at Old Luxters Barn I took Ryan and his Best Man, Jamie, for a few photos in the woods before the bridal party arrived. Kirsty looked amazing in her lace gown. The colourful bridal party wore flowers in their hair and carried handmade bouquets. When asked about her dress and the flowers Kirsty let me in on her secret. Just goes to show girls what you can put together to make your day special without spending a fortune.
The ceremony was short and sweet. Kirsty and Ryan beamed from ear to ear throughout. Following the “I do’s”, I whisked the new Mr and Mrs Kent away from their guests for some photos in the vineyard and then in the woods. This is always my favourite part of the day. A chance to get those perfect shots with the newlyweds. Working with these two was a dream… not only did they look terrific they knew exactly what they wanted from their photos.
Finally, there was just enough time for a few family pics, some documentary style shots of the drinks reception in the marquee and a group photo before leaving this couple to their guests and an evening of celebration.
As I was only staying a few hours I knew the time would fly. I wanted to make sure I had plenty or photographs that captured the flavour of Kirsty and Ryan’s wedding day at Old Luxters Barn.
Here are a few of my favourites ….
If you are planning a wedding at Old Luxters Barn wedding, please get in touch as we would love to photograph your day.
Two wedding photographers or one? This is always a dilemma for couples booking an all day wedding photography package.
In all my years as a wedding photographer I have seen the wedding industry and imaging technology change beyond belief. However, I still find it impossible to be in two places at one time!
I spend considerable time planning each wedding with my bride and groom and yet it is often still tricky to capture every moment of their special day. On occasions where everything is in one venue it is possible to document most of the details of the day. However, as soon as there is more than one venue in the mix logistics become difficult.
One of the major problems is traffic. Only last week I was photographing Zoe and Simon’s wedding at the recently refurbished Frensham Pond Hotel. Thank goodness for my second photographer! Myself and the bridal party were stuck in holiday gridlock somewhere in Hampshire. We arrived at the venue forty five minutes late for the ceremony. Luckily my second photographer was able to keep shooting and reassure the registrars that we were on our way.
Another advantage of two wedding photographers rather than one at the start of the day is being able to capture the bride and the groom’s morning preparations. This is a great time for some fun photos with all the Groomsmen and a chance to see both sides of the wedding day story. After all the Groom is just as important as the Bride.
What I especially love about weddings with two photographers is the range of shots captured. It allows for all the detail shots, candid guest shots, a selection of shots from quirky angles and a different perspective of the day. Earlier this month I especially enjoyed working as a second shooter at Sophie and Chris’s wedding at Hilles House. A different perspective on the day for me. Allowing me to capture the Groom and his party meeting up in the pub for a pint. As well as photos from the back of the church, guests chatting amongst themselves and some quirky group photos.
At the end of the day the decision for one or two wedding photographers lies firmly with the client and what their budget will allow.
