Helen & Will – A Sneak Peek

Last Saturday we woke to sunshine for Helen & Will’s wedding in Ewelme & Roke near Wallingford.

Kiti was taken to catch up with Will & the guys at The White Hart in Nettlebed whilst I photographed Helen & her bridesmaids getting ready at her family home in Ewelme.

The wedding was held in the historic church of St Mary the Virgin in Ewelme so I was able to make the short walk to the church from Helen’s family home in readiness to photograph the brides arrival. She had the most beautiful car, I see a lot of wedding cars but this really was something different. A vintage Rolls Royce in silver apparently it was never painted, this was the original finish. The way it reflected the light was beautiful. It was now time for Will to see his bride & for a beautiful service in the church.

They walked out to a flurry of confetti & the smiles of their friends & families.

Just next to the church was a lovely cloisters with beautiful gardens. It was a fantastic place for some lovely shots of the two of them together. We also stopped off a couple of times in the lovely village of Ewelme for some more shots.

Helen & Will’s reception was held in a marquee at a fantastic pub called The Home Sweet Home in the nearby village of Roke. Everyone mingled outside in the sunshine before it was time for everyone to join Helen & Will for the wedding breakfast.

After a lovely meal & some great speeches we took Helen & Will off for a few more shots down a country lane.

Then it was time for their first dance & for every to hit the dancefloor!

Congratulations Helen & Will. Hope you enjoy your sneak peek! Wishing you eery happiness.

Beth & Chase – A Sneak Peek!

It’s not everyday you get to photograph a cowboy wedding It was with much excitement that Kiti & I travelled to Montana…..sorry Beckley in Oxfordshire to photograph the wedding of Beth & Chase.

I dropped Kiti off with Chase & family at a lovely cottage they had rented for the duration of their stay from Oxford Country Cottages in the nearby village of Noke. She got some great shots of Chase & his groomsmen in their all-American outfits of cowboy boots, wrangler jeans & tweed waistcoats all topped off with big shiny belt buckles & stetsons. I love the timeless, Butch Cassidy feel of the black & white & de-saturated shots that Kiti took.

Meanwhile I was at Beth’s childhood home which was a buzz of activity with 2 x bridesmaids, 7 flower girls & family. I love this moment of the day where I photograph the bride preparing to meet her groom.

I also take the opportunity to photograph the flowers in detail whilst they are fresh. Beth’s flowers had been arranged by the wonderful Green & Gorgeous near Wallingford. They grow a stunning range of flowers for weddings which they arrange in a wildly wonderful garden and hedgerow style. I thought the flowers they did for Beth were beautiful, a wonderful arrangement with some lovely, unusual flowers. They fitted with her day perfectly.

Beth & Chase’s was slightly different to the standard wedding day & everything was expertly organised by the fantastic Jeni from Vanilla Rose Weddings. They were already legally wed in Montana so they would be having a blessing in Beckley church. So before the blessing, with no bad luck to worry about, they met in Beth’s parents garden next to the church & I was there to capture their ‘First Look’. We also took the formal, group shots in the garden & then together we all made the short walk to the church.

As it was a blessing Chase walked Beth up the aisle to take part in the service together. After the service Beth & Chase walked down the church path to a flurry of confetti & along with their guests walked to the marquee for afternoon tea.

The marquee was positioned in a field looking over beautiful countryside & was decorated in a quintessentially British way with bunting & mismatched china.

The afternoon tea was supplied by the wonderful Chipping Norton Tea Set. They specialise in vintage weddings & not only do they supply beautiful vintage china & table linens but they also do the catering too! They had a beautiful ‘naked’ wedding cake adorned with fresh fruit & flowers by Cake by Rachel.

After the afternoon tea it was time for Kiti & I to take Beth & Chase off for their bride & groom shots. Beckley is a picturesque Oxfordshire village with lovely honey coloured Cotswold stone cottages & provided lots of lovely backgrounds. The sun was even shining in that lovely soft late afternoon way…..& a horse even came along to join in with the shoot!

It was now time for Beth & Chase to rejoin their guests for their first dance.

Rather than the usual disco or band Beth & Chase had a live band performing country dancing with a caller shouting out the moves. It was great fun & everyone joined in.

Hope you enjoy your sneak peek Beth & Chase back in Montana. Lots of memories of a very British summers day….& lots more to come!

Wishing you every happiness for your future together. Should we ever find ourselves in Montana perhaps you could teach this Cornish photographer how to be a cowboy?

Sophie & Paul – A Sneak Peek!

Sophie & Paul’s wedding was held on a beautiful sunny afternoon in July. It was a real family affair & they celebrated it with their children including baby Alice.

Their wedding was held in the parish church of St John the Baptist in the riverside village of Moulsford followed by a reception at The Pavillion in the village. It was a lovely day of celebrations, they also celebrated Alice’s christening & Paul’s 40^th birthday all on the same day.

Kiti & I both started the day at the church. We took some images of the guests arriving before Sophie, Paul & the children arrived.

The church wwas very strict regarding images of the service but we able to take some lovely ones of Alice being christened.

After the service the guest made the short trip to The Pavillion whilst I did some lovely shots of the happy couple in the countryside.

Their reception was a lovely afternoon tea party which was enjoyed by all ages before the children all ran towards the playground.

Sophie, Paul & family – we hope you enjoy your sneak peek. Wishing you every happiness for your future together!

Lora & James – A Sneak Peek

Kiti & I photographed the wedding of Lora & James at Milton Hill House, Steventon near Oxford. Now, as a wedding photographer it is always lovely when the sun shines & it is even better when the wedding ceremony can be outside.

We arrived at the venue & I popped straight upstairs to find the bride. Lora was preparing for the day with her parents & five bridesmaids. The bridesmaids all looked lovely in navy dresses with small yellow posies of ranunculus & billy balls tied with stripey yellow ribbons. The bride looked lovely in a simple dress with beautiful tapework, delicate sequins & beading. She carried a larger version of her bridesmaids posies this time tied with navy stripey ribbon & adorned with an initial A for her new surname.

Whilst I was with the bridal party Kiti was with the groom to take some portraits with him & his Best Man, Ushers & family….and the all important ring shot!

As the guests gathered on the lawns in front of a lovely brick built pergola Lora accompanied by her bridal party made her way to meet her groom.

It was such a lovely ceremony in the sunshine & the Bride & Groom made their way back down the aisle with beaming sunny, smiles!

Then it was time for group shots in the grounds in the shade of some lovely trees before I took the Bride & Groom off for some couple shots.

Milton Hill House Hotel is a new venue for me but Lora & James were up for an adventure & we found some really varied areas from Italian sunken gardens to some fantastic barns which gave a textured, vintage feel to the images.

After our adventure it was time for Lora & James to join their guests for the traditional wedding breakfast. Lora, James & their friends & families had decorated the room with touches of yellow & navy from pom-poms to some seriously perfect bunting made by the mums on the back of each chair.

There were great speeches from James & his best man ……but I love the look on their faces during Lora’s Dad, Derek’s speech – priceless & very funny!

After the wedding breakfast it was time for the cutting of the cake & the first dance before everyone hit the dancefloor. Kiti & I left everyone dancing the night away

Congratulations Lora & James – wishing you every happiness. Hope you love your sneak peek as much as we do!

Ruth and Stephane – A Sneak Peek

Most of my weddings are in Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire so it was with some excitement that Mrs Lord & I travelled to Kent to photograph the recent wedding of Ruth & Stephane in the beautiful late Spring countryside. We travelled down the day before so our day started with collecting my Antipodean assistant Kiti & we made our way to Tenterden.

All of today’s wedding locations were in close proximity so we planned to do a quick reccee of the wedding & first look locations prior to meeting the B&G. Rural Kent is a beautiful & looked wonderful at this time of year with the trees bursting into leaf & the cow parsley out in flower. After familiarising ourselves we made our way to meet our Bride & Groom.

Ruth & Stephane planned a day that was personal to them & this started with a first look amongst the vines of the famous vineyard Chapel Down. Normally I do my couple images with the bride & groom after the service during the drinks reception but it made refreshing change to do the photographs before the service & I think it was a special moment for the Bride & Groom to share.

After the first look we made our way to The Great Barn, Rolvenden which was the venue for the day. The service was beautiful & it was lovely that Ruth & Stephane were placed facing their friends & family rather than the audience viewing their backs!

By now what had been a rather overcast day had turned into a beautiful sunshine & Ruth & Stephane mingled with their guests in the orchard. They planned a really individual day after the drinks reception the guests gathered back in the barn at long trestle tables for afternoon tea after which there was beer & wine tastings for the guests.

They decorated the barn in a fabulous rustic way with reclaimed wood signs & strings of fairy lights, the tables decorated with bottles with local hedgerow flowers.

By now the sun had softened into that lovely evening glow & I took the Bride & Groom away for a few more couples shots. I have recently been experimenting with shooting into the sun which offers a soft, ethereal feel to the images.

After a few more shots with the happy couple it was time to let them return to their guests for their very original first dance & as always Kiti & I left everyone hitting the dancefloor.

Wishing you every happiness Ruth & Stephane. Hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

Alex and Marie – A Sneak Peek

The day shone bright & clear the morning of Alex & Marie’s wedding as Kiti & I headed up the M40 to The Tythe Barn, Launton near Bicester.

The Tythe Barn is one of my favourite venues whatever the weather but it really comes into its own when the sun is shining & people can use the outside space.

I met with Marie at The Nook to get some shots of her, her closest girlfriends & her Dad & Brother. I took the opportunity to get out in the sunshine & took some lovely photos in the hidden courtyard.

The light was lovely & Marie looked beautiful with her short style dress with lace overlay. I love the shock of colour from her bouquet which contained freesia, ranunculus, anemones & one of the funkiest of flowers craspedia otherwise know as billy balls or billy buttons.

After the short walk through the garden to the barn it was time for Alex & Marie become husband & wife.

They left the barn in a flurry of confetti.

These are one of those moments as a photographer that you only have one chance to nail it. You can’t really say just as everyone has thrown their fistful of confetti ‘Excuse me can we try that again!’ I am really pleased with this shot, great expressions, fantastic flurry of confetti & I love the sun flare across the lens.

After the ceremony Kiti & I took the bride & groom off for a few shots around the grounds – always a nice time for the bride & groom to take a moment from the madness of the day.

Once the lovely couple returned to the barn it was time for them to re-join their guests as the celebrations continued…….including a drum solo from the groom!

We hope you enjoy your sneak peek Alex & Marie. Wishing you every happiness!

Claire & Richard – A Sneak Peek

Last Saturday saw the wedding of Claire & Richard. Their ceremony was in the picturesque Oxfordshire village of Somerton in the quaint village church St James.

It was a bright spring morning as the guests gathered in the church decorated with lovely pew ends of spring flowers in glass jars.

Kiti & I took the opportunity before the brides arrival to get some shots of the groom, best man & ushers in the village & churchyard.

Then it was time for the groom to take his place before the bride arrived with her Dad.

Claire arrived at the church in a vintage Rolls Royce clutching a beautiful bouquet by the very talented Flower Fairies. The stunning springtime bouquet made up from whites roses, brunia, eucalyptus, grape hyacinths, pussy willow & wax flowers.

After a lovely service Richard & Claire left in the sunshine to make the short journey to The Tythe Barn, Launton for the wedding reception.

As always, I took the opportunity to take the bride & groom away from their guests for a little while to take some shots of the couple around the grounds of the barn.

The Tythe Barn have recently installed a crash pad for the bride & groom, a shepherds hut with, of course, one or two touches of luxury! Decorated in their normal chic style it really is a fabulous place for the bride & groom to stay after the party is over. Claire & Richard are my first couple to stay there so we made sure to get some shots of them outside the hut.

After we returned the couple to their guests it was time for the wedding breakfast, banquet style. It looks so beautiful all laid up & really adds to the celebratory atmosphere.

Music was supplied by Gigz Management who are suppliers of fantastic bands, dj’s, string quartets & much more. The band called Bring the Party were just fabulous & soon got everyone up on the dance floor. We left them boogying the night away with their guests very envious of their night of luxury in the shepherds hut!

We hope you love you sneak peek, Claire & Richard – lots more to follow soon! Wishing you every happiness for your future lives together….

Amy & Tom – A Sneak Peek

Wedding season is truly underway at Mark Lord Photography & last weekend Kiti & I travelled to the lovely village of Evenley in Northamptonshire for the wedding of Amy & Tom.

Kiti started her day with the groom at his family home in Evenley & I was with the bridal party getting some preparation shots before making the journey to the church. Its always an exciting part of the day & I always love the moment that Mum & Dad see their daughter in her wedding dress.

I love this shot of Amy & her Mum enjoying a moment before she walks into church on the arm of her dad.

After a lovely service we made our way to Notley Tythe Barn, Long Crendon near the border of Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire. The barn is in lovely countryside & offers some rural backdrops for some great couple shots.

Our bride even made a play on her maiden name & wore a bright yellow pair of Hunter wellies around the farm!

After a wander around the farm it was time for the bride & groom to mingle with their guests before making their entrance into the wedding breakfast.

As always Kiti & I were quite the Cinderella’s & left everyone on the dancefloor!

Hope you love your sneak peek Amy & Tom, we’ll be in touch with the rest of your images soon!

Janine & Jonathan – A Sneak Peek – The Tythe Barn, Launton

The 2015 wedding season started at Mark Lord Photography last weekend when Kiti & I photographed the wedding of Janine & Jonathan at The Tythe Barn, Launton.

Janine & her bridesmaids got ready at The Nook at the barn, which is their dedicated bridal preparation area. No need to get ready in a hotel room with not enough room or mirrors before then squishing you & your dress into the back of the car for the journey to the venue. The Nook is a beautiful space full of style & elegance & is a wonderful place for bridal preparations. It must also be a favourite of many a wedding photographer as it certainly adds to the getting ready shots with some fantastic backdrops & great lighting.

After getting ready in the peace & calm of The Nook Janine took the short walk across the garden under the pergola to meet her groom in the barn.

Janine & her bridesmaids looked beautiful as they walked into the barn twinkling with fairy lights. Nothing beats the moment when the bride & groom catch sight of each other on the day. Janine & Jonathan’s had the added ‘aaah’ moment when their daughter & bridesmaid saw her dad.

After a beautiful service we took the opportunity to go out into the grounds of the barn to do some stylish bride & groom shots. It really is an honour to share the couples first few minutes of wedded life. I think it is a lovely to time for the bride & groom to take a few moments out of the craziness of the day.

I am really pleased with the images I got of Janine & Jonathan, the low spring sunlight added a certain je ne sais quoi to shots & I love the light & flare through Janine’s veil.

Once we returned to the barn it was time for Janine & Jonathan to make their entrance. Rather than groups of tables they had a long banquet style table & they walked into a flurry of waving sparklers that guests had lit from the magnificent candelabras down the middle of the table.

After a speeches & a delicious meal by Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts the guests hit the dancefloor & we left them dancing the night a way……

Janine & Jonathan thank you for asking me to be your wedding photographer I had a great time & got some fantastic shots of your day. I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

The perfect #Valentines gift!

Struggling for Valentine’s inspiration this year. Why not celebrate your love for each other with a portrait shoot? 😉

Between now and Valentine’s Day (14th Feb!!!) I am offering portrait vouchers valued at £75 for just £25 for portrait shoots is the Henley, Marlow, Thame, Bicester and Oxford area! This is a great opportunity for the two of you to have some lovely pictures taken together. This offer can also be used as a family portrait voucher if you have a family too! The vouchers will be valid for all of 2015 and the session to be done in a location within 25 miles of OX49, Watlington.

After the shoot we can either arrange a viewing for you to come and see the images projected in my viewing room or if you prefer an online gallery. Print prices start at just £25.

Please contact me by email to info@marklordphotography.co.uk if you would like to purchase a voucher and we will pop one in the post.

I love these pictures from a shoot last year with one of my lovely wedding couples who’s wedding had subtle themes around the film ‘Up’ – hence the cool balloon!

Mark Lord Photography

Oxfordshire based photographer specialising in people and our rich landscape

Countryside