A Colourful Tipi Wedding at Rushy Meadows, George & Kerrie – A Sneak Peek

A beautiful late Spring morning saw Kiti & I heading off to the wedding of George & Kerrie in sunny Garsington & Eynsham.I dropped Kiti in Garsington where she was to capture some images of the groom getting ready with a difference – we’ll come back to that later. I headed off to the little village of Thrupp just north of Oxford where Kerrie, the bride, was getting ready. Kerrie’s family are from North Yorkshire so had hired a lovely coach house to stay in which was the perfect place for Kerrie to get ready in. I captured some lovely images of Kerrie & her family getting ready but before long & I had to hop back into the car to get to the church before the bride. Kerrie was travelling by vintage VW camper van so I knew we wouldn’t be travelling at the same speed but the driver made excellent time & Kerrie arrived at the church on time.Meanwhile in George & Kerrie’s lovely cottage in Garsington where there was a houseful & the party had already started! George is originally from Cyprus & there are some important traditions to be celebrated before the service. The Best Man shaves the Groom in the presence of his family & friends. He then dresses the Groom in his shirt, waistcoat, tie & suit while music plays. His friends & family then take turn to wrap a red scarf around the Grooms waist as a symbol of his fertility. The images Kiti captured really show the emotions & celebrations of this part of the day. By now an expectant groom was waiting at the altar for his bride. The Best Man & Ushers were waiting outside as we arrived & they accompanied the bridesmaids up the aisle followed into the church by the Bride & her father. Unusually, at the last minute we found out we would be unable to take any images in the church due to the rules of a visiting vicar. After the service everyone poured out of the church followed by the Bride & Groom who exited to a flurry of confetti! The Bride & Groom, their friends & family mingled in the churchyard with champagne before setting off the venue. The reception was held in a tipi at City Farm, Eynsham. City Farm is a beautiful location & is also know as Rushy Meadows. At Rushy Meadows there are 3 separate huts for glamping which you kind find on Canopy & Stars but they also hold weddings there. It’s a beautiful area with big mowed parts perfect for pitching a tipi in front of the lake & of course, the Bride & Groom can stay in one of the beautifully appointed huts right next door!George & Kerrie arranged a beautiful, relaxed, colourful festival wedding & the sun really shone for them! During the drinks reception Kiti & I took them away for some shots of the two of them with the fab campervan & lake offering perfect backdrops.
George & Kerrie were announced into the tipi with a round of applause & it was time for the speeches.

I love the emotions, the fun & the laughter in the images & just what was the Best Man telling Kerrie for the Groom to react like this!

It was a lovely relaxed wedding & the large tipi was fantastic with firepits where guests could toast marshmallows. The whole day was a lovely celebration but before too long it was time for the Bride & Groom to cut the cake & then hit the dancefloor for their first dance.

As always we left everyone dancing the night away under the stars……

We hope you enjoy your sneak peek George & Kerrie, there are lots more to come!

A Wedding at Notley Tythe Barn, Joanne & Geoff A Sneak Peek

You can plan every detail of your wedding but the one thing you have no control over is the weather. Just because you book a wedding in June doesn’t mean that you can guarantee back to back sunshine…..but when can we with the British weather?! Joanne & Geoff’s day was still full of sunny smiles & happiness despite the weather!We photographed their wedding at the lovely Notley Tythe Barn near Long Crendon. We captured images of the Groom, Best Man & guests mingling in the barn before they took their seats & awaited the arrival of the bride. We always take images of the rings before the service but Joanne & Geoff’s were beautifully made by our very talented friend Lisa Marie who is Designer Goldsmith. We love her work so much she made our engagement & wedding rings!Joanne looked beautiful when she arrived & there was barely a dry eye in the house as she walked down the aisle. The buttonholes, Brides & Bridesmaids bouquets & flowers were grown & arranged by the wonderful Rachel from Green & Gorgeous. They really were a wonderful mix of everything ‘June’ Love in the Mist, Poppies & Peonies. Mark has been doing some photography for Green & Gorgeous so we visited on the day before the wedding & captured some images of Rachel picking & arranging the beautiful flowers. After a lovely service in the barn we photographed the group shots during the drinks reception before Joanne, Geoff & their guests were seated in the main barn for the wedding breakfast. Due to the inclement weather meaning we couldn’t go outside for the shots of the Bride & Groom I returned the barn in the early evening. As I got back they were doing the speeches so I whipped the camera out & took a few of the laughs & emotions. I then took Joanne & Geoff outside for some shots of the two of them. We couldn’t go to far afield as the ground was so wet but I am really pleased with the images I took of them in the wonderful rural setting of the barn. I left the couple enjoying the rest of their wedding day. We hope you enjoy your sneak peek Joanne & Geoff. Wishing you every happiness!

A Wedding at The Tythe Barn, Tegwen & Tim A Sneak Peek

So pleased as a wedding photographer when the summer finally arrives & the sun comes out. Kiti & I wound our way to the The Tythe Barn with sunglasses as well as smiles on our faces.We were there to photograph the wedding of Tegwen & Tim. Kiti started at the barn capturing the flowers, the outside space where the ceremony was to be held & the guests arriving. I made my way to The Nook where Tegwen, her family & bridesmaids were getting ready. The Nook is a wonderful secluded spot where the bridal party can get ready together in comfort & close proximity to the barn. The Nook is divided in to two main rooms – one side caters solely for the bride whilst the other room has been created to offer a large space for the bridesmaids, mother of the bride, flower girl, page boy and so on. Both rooms have been carefully thought out and the needs of the bride and her attendants have been considered at every stage.

Emotions on a wedding day run high & I love the moment when the Father of the Bride sees his daughter for the first time. It’s a really touching moment & I love the images I captured of Tegwen & her Dad. By now the guests had gathered in front of the large oak doors in the sunshine & the expectant groom stood with his best man awaiting the arrival of his bride.Preceded by her bridesmaids Tegwen & Her Dad made their way through the wisteria arbour to meet her groom.
An outside ceremony is lovely, when the weather allows & added to the celebratory, relaxed feel of Tegwen & Tim’s wedding. After the lovely service the Bride & Groom made their way back through the arbour to a flurry of lavender & then joined their guests for a drinks reception in the garden. We did the group shots there with the barn as a backdrop before taking Tim & Tegwen away to do some shots of the two of them. There are some great places around the barn for shots, the folly, shepherds hut & tree lined driveway to name but a few. They even have this new vintage landcover that can be used as a drink station but is also a fab backdrop for your photos!We then made our way back to the barn to join their guests for the wedding breakfast in the wonderful vaulted space. After the speeches & cake cutting the guests spilled out onto the lawns with tea & coffee before they made their way inside to the dance floor. After Tegwen & Tim had their dance everyone joined them on the dance floor & they boogied the night away…… Wishing you all the best Tegwen & Tim, we hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

Wedding at West Wycombe House, Karen & Ian, A Sneak Peek

Recently Kiti & were lucky enough to photograph a wedding at a beautiful country home called West Wycombe House. I have photographed the house & estate several times but this was my first wedding there & one I have been really looking forward to.Kiti & I both started at the house but Kiti made her way into West Wycombe village to the primary school to meet Ian the Groom. He went to school there for some shots as a memento before going back to the house for shots by the beautiful columns & in the stable yard! I made my way into the house to find Karen the bride & took some shots of her getting ready. It was so convenient for her, she only needed to make the short journey down the stairs to meet her groom. West Wycombe House and its 5000 acre estate is the home of the Dashwood family and has been since 1698. The current Premier Baronet of Great Britain is Sir Edward Dashwood, 12th. Bt, and he currently resides at West Wycombe Park with his wife and family. The house today is often featured in screen adaptations of literary classics such as Cranford, Downton Abbey & was most recently seen in Doctor Thorne.The Hall where the ceremony was held is a beautiful room with marble & frescoes.The staircase that Karen descended on is a work of art on its own made of mahogany with inlaid satinwood & ebony. Their friends, family & an expectant groom waited as Karen made her way down the stairs to meet him with her best friend Mark. After the lovely service Karen, Ian & their guests moved onto the colonnade for champagne & canapés before we took the group shots. We then took Ian & Karen away for a few quiet minutes to get some stylish shots of the two of them. Very often my Brides & Grooms say how much they enjoy this part of the day. A part of the day that they can take a deep breath & take it all in…And a have minute just the two of them…..well, apart from me!

I never keep them away too long & it was soon time for them to join their guests in the Music Room for the wedding breakfast. After a delicious meal & some very funny speeches it was time for cutting the cake & then for a boogie on the dancefloor. After a little while everyone was asked to gather their coats & move outside. The guest were all amazed with the wonderful firework display & I was really pleased with the images I captured. We then moved back inside for a bit more dancefloor action before it was our Cinderella moment as we made our way homeward.

A Wedding at Henley & Hedsor House – Camilla & Rob’s Sneak Peek!

Camilla & Rob were recently married at St Mary’s Church, Henley-on-Thames & Hedsor House. It was a beautiful, sunny Spring morning as Kiti, Becky & I set off to Hedsor House.I was to photograph Camilla getting ready in the beautiful surroundings of the Bridal Suite so I was dropped off & Becky & Kiti made the journey to Henley for the first time of the day.

The Bridal Suite at Hedsor is such a wonderful place to prepare for your wedding day. It is one of the largest Bridal Suites in Europe & provides the ultimate space to enjoy your most special day together with your bridesmaids & close family.

It was just lovely on this sunny morning with the large windows filling the space with warmth and natural light. It has been decorated in soft ivory tones & plush furnishings so is a photographers dream! Meanwhile Kiti had arrived in Henley to meet with the Groom, Rob, his Best Man & Usher. They had met for a drink at The Bull & Kiti got some lovely shots of Rob & the lads there before making their way via the River Thames to the church.

Back at Hedsor House, Camilla was making her final preparations in the bridal suite before gliding down the stunning staircase & into the awaiting Rolls Royce Silver Cloud.

By now Becky had popped back to Hedsor House to collect me so we whizzed off to Henley. The traffic into Henley over the bridge was chock-a-block. Once we got within striking distance I jumped out the car, made a run for it over the bridge & got there just in time!

The service was just lovely, Camilla is a teacher at a Henley school & some girls from the school sang beautifully at the wedding. It was wonderful to see what an exciting day it was for them.We gathered everyone either side of the church path & Camilla & Rob made their way through a confetti tunnel & the congratulations of their friends & family.Meanwhile, Becky was waiting just around the corner to pick us up & run us back to Hedsor so we were in place to capture the Bride & Grooms arrival.

They were soon joined by their guests who arrived back in two fabulous double decker London busses. The vehicles all looked fantastic lined up outside the impressive frontage of the house.The guests made their way into the galleried centre hall of the house & we took a moment to do the group shots outside the house. It’s such a wonderful backdrop & really adds to the splendor of the day. We then took Camilla & Rob to do some stylish shots of the two of the in the grounds. Hedsor House is perched high above the River Thames and set in over 100 acres of historic parkland. We got some lovely shots of them in the parkland & outside the house.

Before long, it was time for them to join their friends & family for a balloon release! This was really good fun & an unusual way of doing a photo of everyone!After this, the guests made their way into the Grand Ballroom for the wedding breakfast & speeches. When you book Hedsor House it is as a dry hire so your wedding planner or caterers run the day. Camilla & Rob used a fantastic company called Caper & Berry who I have worked with before. They were amazing on the day & the food was delicious! After a wonderful meal & much laughter it was time for Camilla & Rob to cut their cake & then have their first dance. We positioned Kiti up on the gallery & I love the shots she captured of them alone on the dancefloor before being joined by their wedding guests! As always Kiti & I left everyone dancing the night away. Hedsor House has 10 gorgeous guest bedrooms for the Bride, Groom & closest guests so when the day was over all they had to do was wind their way up the sweeping staircase.

We hope you enjoy your sneak peek Camilla & Rob, wishing you every happiness

A Wedding at Notley Tythe Barn, Nikki & Bren a sneak peek

Recently Kiti & I photographed the wedding of Nikki & Bren at Notley Tythe Barn near Long Crendon in Buckinghamshire. As there was some driving between locations Becky joined us to help with the logistics. First thing first we dropped Kiti off at Notley to meet up with the groom Bren & his Best Man & Ushers.

We then hotfooted it to Chesham where Nikki was getting ready at their home with her Mum & Bridesmaids. I spent the morning capturing some lovely shots of Nikki’s bridal preparations with everyone having hair & make up. I love the shot of Nikki’s mum helping her with her dress.

They all looked wonderful as they left home to make the journey to the barn for the wedding. I jumped in the car & we made a quick get away to make sure we got back to the barn ready for the Bride’s arrival.

The service was held in the main part of the barn in front of the window & was officiated by a family friend, which really added to the personal feeling to the service. After the ceremony Bren & Nikki made their way outside for a champagne reception & to be congratulated by their guests. After some mingling we did the group shots outside before taking the Bride & Groom off for some stylish Bride & Groom shots. The barn is set in a lovely rural location & has a variety of places that I take my couples to. Nikki was wearing a beautiful veil & I love the possibilities & textures that a veil can add to the images. On a windy day they can be problematic but no worries at this wedding & I love the shots of Nikki & Bren both under the veil.It was quite a chilly day so we didn’t spend too long outside before we went back to the barn so Nikki & Bren could join their guests for the wedding breakfast. After some great speeches…what was the Best Man saying to make Bren cover Nikki’s ears?!…It was time for cutting the cake, first dance & for everyone to hit the dancefloor. This was a great wedding for dance floor action, loads of people got up & there was some very enthusiastic dancing! As always, we left them dancing the night away…..

Many congratulations Bren & Nikki! We hope you love your sneak peek, there are lots more to come….

Traditional Signwriter Shoot

A few years back before I worked with Mark Lord Photography, I worked as a Picture Framer – it’s actually where I met Mark! Whilst there I worked with a really lovely chap called Paul & we have stayed in touch on Facebook.

Mark is working with a renowned picture library photographing projects that appeal to him featuring real, organic & authentic projects. Mark will be concentrating on small artisan businesses & anything that reflects his love of the British countryside & rural crafts.

So, back to the lovely Paul. He was always super-talented & in the years since we worked together he has really developed his skills & is now a traditional signwriter. In demand across the country he works from his studio in the Wiltshire countryside when he’s not on location.We contacted him to see if he was interested in being photographed by Mark & being the lovely guy he is he was up for the idea. So we travelled back down the A34 to my old stomping ground & spent a lovely day of painting, printing & drinking tea in Paul’s fab workshop.

We also went with him to Hungerford where he put the finishing touches to his most recent project.

Mark is looking to photograph lots more projects this year so if you are, or know of someone who is, running a small, artisan business or food producer please contact us & we can discuss the possibilities.

We have some exciting project in the pipeline but special thanks to those who have already helped us Shona, Tris, Paul, Andy, Eidlih, Noel & Pauline Lord

Becky

Paul Hetherton, Traditional Signwriter – www.traditionalsignwriters.com

A Sneak Peek – Wedding at Sulgrave Manor – Gill & Dave

Just before Valentines Day Mark travelled to photograph the wedding of Dave & Gill at Sulgrave Manor near Banbury.

Sulgrave Manor is the ancestral home of George Washington the first president of the United States. It is a wonderful historical building & is open to the public. It is also available for weddings & looked beautiful bathed in candlelight.Gill & Dave’s wedding party included the bride & groom, the registrar & witnesses & we gathered in the great hall for the ceremony. It was so intimate Mark was asked to be a witness!

Mark was really pleased to be asked to be a part of such a special day & loves the photographs he captured around this beautiful building. Congratulations Dave & Gill, wishing you every happiness. We hope you enjoy your sneaky peek!

2015 Our 40 Favourite Wedding Images

Well, what a year 2015 was! We had weddings in marquees, weddings in barns, weddings in stately homes, big weddings & small, intimate ones; every single one of them was different. One thing that was the same was the sense of love, fun & celebration at every one! Here at Mark Lord Photography we also celebrated Mark’s 40th birthday right at the end of the year. To celebrate we have chosen 40 of our favourite wedding images! They are in no particular order but remind us what a great year we had & what a special job photographing people’s wedding days is. Lots more 40’s to come including 40 favourite floral images & some special 40th birthday offers so keep an eye out on our Facebook page for lots more from Mark Lord Photography!

Wedding Photography The Tythe Barn, Launton

Wedding Photography Notley Tythe Barn, Long Crendon

Wedding at Eynsham Hall, Stacey & Lewis – A Sneak Peek

Kiti & I recently photographed the wedding of Stacey & Lewis at All Saints, Cuddesdon & Eynsham Hall.I went straight to start photographing Stacey & her 6 bridesmaids getting ready at Eynsham Hall whilst Becky dropped Kiti off in Wheatley to shoot the boys getting styled up.As you can imagine, with six bridesmaids, mother of the bride & a bride to get ready it was a hive of activity. I got some great shots of them all having their hair & make up done. My favourite moment was a real tear-jerker & I love the images that I took of Stacey’s Mum giving her a ring that she had commissioned ‘My first diamond for my first girl’ It really is an honour to be able to photograph these really special moments & I hope that my images add to the memories. By now Kiti had done some shots of the boys in stylish ‘Reservoir Dogs’ mode before making their way to the church where she did some lovely shots of the groom & his Dad. By now it was time for the bridesmaids to board the route master bus along with the other guests to make the journey to the church. STJ-ML--LORD4975-74 Now this photographer had to make sure he didn’t miss the bus! I really love the moment when the Father-of-the-Bride sees his daughter in her finery so I didn’t want to miss this either. It was a really touching moment & Stacey’s dad was quite emotional as she glided down the stairs.

As Stacey arrived her bridesmaids were waiting at the Lych-gate for her & they made their way into the church for Stacey to meet her groom. After a lovely service Stacey & Lewis made their way out of the church to a flurry of confetti – considering storm Desmond had hit Britain we got some great shots before the confetti was blown away!Everyone popped back onto the bus to make the journey back to Eynsham with the Bride & Groom along with a glass of prosecco. On returning to Eynsham Hall we used the wonderful architecture for the group shots before taking Stacey & Lewis off for some shots with the two of them. It was now time for Stacey & Lewis to return to their guests for the wedding breakfast & speeches. After the wedding breakfast it was time for Lewis to take his bride onto the dance floor for their first dance as husband & wife.