When Debs and Isaac asked me to photograph their wedding it was a real honour. Not only are they not local, they don’t even live in the same country (Wales isn’t in England last time I checked anyway!) Fortunately they were getting married this side of the border, making the journey for me that much easier. Horsham in Sussex to Bicester Oxfordshire…aprox 1h 45mins by Google’s reckoning!
Now when we were discussing the plans for the wedding photos, back in December, I, as always, asked about plans for where we could go for their wedding photographs if it was raining, not seriously thinking I’d be dealing with a wash out in June; we agreed the church would suffice in an emergency! I was regretting not having that discussion in more detail, and the possibility of finding a more suitable location was low as I drove up the motorway with my windscreen wipers on at full speed and the puddles were starting to join up in the middle of the roads as I drove down to the side roads get to Deb’s parents house for the bridal preparation photos. Needless to say I said a little prayer that the rain clouds would pass over and the sun would shine…not so much as to make everyone squint, but enough to make it a beautiful day for the bride and groom, their guests (and of course me and my camera!).
When I arrived at the house, I dodged the puddles and got through the front door, arriving soaking wet! Not a great start. But then over the course of an hour the weather miraculously changed, the clouds parted and the sun came out! Perfect in every way!
After that, it was on with the wedding, Debs was classically late…by 25mins! Not that Isaac minded one bit. The service, held in a beautiful CofE church, was fantastic and when we walked out of the church, you’d barely have known that there had been a torrential downpour just that morning. I love the feel in the air after the rain, and this was one of those days, making this wedding feel that little bit more special for it.
The couple photos went to plan, and we stopped by the side of the road and while the bride and groom went for a short walk through a field of wild flowers, which I dare say will be a sight which will live with me for a long while yet! Finishing off by having some fun with a selection of standing stones…not historical ones that I would know where they are, but they did make for an interesting background to the wedding photos.
The rest of the day was practically perfect, with the reception venue having been extended, with the addition of a marquee, on one end, the children were free to run around the grounds of the ‘Tally Ho Hotel’ in the sunshine during the speeches. We even managed to catch up on a few group photos which had been missed after the service (due to the late arrival of the bride).
All in all a perfect wedding, with the perfect weather, and beautiful wedding photos too!
Thanks Isaac and Debs for asking me to capture your beautiful day for you.