Wedding at Abingdon & The Four Pillars, Oxford – A Sneak Peek

Nearing the end of the wedding season but some lovely Autumnal weddings still to go. We recently photographed the wedding of Vicky & Dominic. Kiti & I travelled to Abingdon where I dropped Kiti off with the Groom, Best Man & Ushers before travelling to The Four Pillars Hotel at Sandford near Oxford where the Bride was getting ready.Kiti got some shots of the boys getting ready & making their way to the church before taking some images of the guests arriving. I was with the Bride & bridal party capturing some shots of the Bridal preparations. Soon it was time to make our way to the church & a space was saved for me in the bridal car so I could spend the most time photographing & less time travelling! An expectant groom was awaiting his bride & so with no further ado Vicky made her way up the aisle on the arm of her very proud dad. It was a lovely service which was made so personal by a family friend who married them. They exited the church & mingled outside in the Autumn sunshine with their guests. It was soon time to make their way back to The Four Pillars for the reception. Once we returned back we took Vicky & Dominic to do some shots with the two of them & the lovely cars before we then did the group photos in the grounds of the hotel. After the group photos we borrowed the Bride & Groom for a little longer to do some more shots of the two of them in the grounds which stretch down to the banks of the Thames. Before too long we took Vicky & Dominic back to join their guests where they enjoyed a lovely wedding breakfast with emotional speeches followed by cutting the cake. It was then time for Vicky & Dominic to welcome their evening guests before hitting the dancefloor for their fantastically choreographed first dance. Then everyone joined them up on the dancefloor & it was time for us to wind our way home. Congratulations Vicky & Dominic, we hope you enjoy your sneak peek – lots more to come!

A Village Wedding – Katherine & Dave’s Sneak Peek

A couple of weeks ago I photographed the wedding of Katherine & Dave in Ewelme & Britwell Salome. I have known Katherine & her family for a few years now & was really thrilled to be asked to photograph her wedding.
My assistants & I started the day with a quick meeting to run through the details & timings for the day. We synchronised clocks on our cameras & made our way to our separate starting points. Beder started his day in a pub in Watlington with the Groom, Best Man & Ushers before making his way to the church. Richard started at the reception venue to get some shots of the marquee, flowers, table centres & all the important details before he too made his way to capture the guests arriving.

Meanwhile, I spent the morning capturing some lovely shots of Katherine’s bridal preparations with the ladies having their hair done with gorgeous up-do’s for the bridesmaids. I love the shot of Katherine’s mum Carol helping her with her dress & Dad Chris making the final tweaks to his speech. They all looked wonderful as they left home to make the journey to the church in Ewelme for the wedding. Becky was waiting for me so I jumped in the car & we made a quick get away to make sure we got to the church as fast as we could. It was then time for the Bride’s arrival on the arm of her very proud Dad & she made her way into the church to see her expectant groom. It was a lovely service in a beautiful church, afterwards we made our way to the historical cloisters to do some photographs of the two of them with some shelter from the rain. We didn’t keep them for too long as it their guests were waiting to shower them in confetti as they walked up the church path to their car to take them to the reception venue. The reception was held in a marquee in the gardens of the family home & was a lovely light filled space even on a rainy day. As their guests mingled we took the Bride & Groom away to do some shots of the two of them. It looked like the rain & drizzle were set in for the day so we took our white umbrellas with us. Katherine & Dave embraced the rain & really helped me achieve some great shots despite the conditions. We returned them to their guests as soon as we could to take the group photos, most of which were small enough to do under the covered area of the marquee. We all hope for perfect weather on our wedding day but we are in the UK so this can’t be guaranteed! It’s a good idea to consider where your photographer will photograph your formal group photos if the weather is inclement. Katherine & Dave’s marquee had a raised area outside which was covered which fitted my needs perfectly. It was now time for everyone to take their seats for the wedding breakfast & some fantastic speeches by the Father of the Bride, Groom & his Best Man, his twin – you are not seeing double! As so often happens as the evening came the rain cleared away to a beautiful evening & we took the opportunity to take Katherine & Dave away for a few more photos of the two of them in the evening light. They then returned to the marquee for their first dance & were soon joined by their friends & family. They had an excellent band who were fantastic & great at getting everyone up & boogying the night away. Lovely to see some familiar faces having fun on the dance floor!

Wishing you both every happiness! We hope you love your sneak peek Katherine & Dave, there are a lot more fab images to come.

A Cornish Festival Wedding – A Sneak Peek – Leanne & Tim

Most of our weddings are in Oxfordshire, Berkshire & Buckinghamshire so it was with great excitement that we travelled down the A30 to my native Cornwall to photograph the wedding of Leanne & Tim.I started the day in Falmouth with Leanne, her bridesmaids & Mum & Dad at their family home. It was a lovely part of the day, I know them well as Leanne’s Mum Dianne is my cousin! I photographed the girls when they were young before I left Cornwall but it was lovely to catch up. I loved the images I captured of the girls getting ready & Leanne’s Dad keeping out the way in the garden!

Before long it was time for Leanne to get into her dress & make her way down the stairs to see her family. I love the emotion of this moment of the day when a proud dad glimpses his daughter in her dress for the first time. I then whisked myself off to the reception venue to make sure I was there in readiness for Leanne & Andrew’s arrival. Meanwhile my assistant had been photographing Tim & the guests arriving. Even my assistant at this wedding was a blast from the past! Many years ago when I was starting out I assisted a very talented photographer called Bjorn. Fast forward a few years & the roles had reversed & Bjorn was helping me out for the day. It was great working with again & we had a blast! Back to the wedding, by now a expectant groom was waiting for his brides arrival. He didn’t have to wait too long before she arrived on the arm of her proud dad.

After a beautiful ceremony we all made our way outside & Leanne & Tim appeared with a flurry of confetti.After the group shots in the Cornish sunshine we enlisted Becky’s help to drive the photography crew down to the beach for a few shots. Leanne & Tim made their way in style in a very cool VW camper. We really wanted to get some shots of them with the camper with the sea behind them. Now being a Saturday in July it wasn’t guaranteed but with a very helpful driver & a couple of signs being ignored we captured the shot!Leanne took off her shoes & we made our way onto the beach to do some shots of the two of them. We certainly caused quite a stir! We didn’t want to take too long so we then made our way back to the reception venue Penmorvah Manor just outside my home village of Budock Water. Leanne & Tim then enjoyed a fabulous wedding breakfast surrounded by their friends & families. There were some fabulous speeches & it was fantastic to capture the emotions – the laughter & the tears. The highlight certainly was at the end of Andrew’s speech when their friends & family all joined in with a rendition of All You Need is Love – kazoos & all. This was a complete surprise for them both but there was quite a few more surprises to come! After the wedding breakfast a vintage coach turned up to take all the guests to the next venue for the evening festivities. Leanne & Tim are both massive festival fans having got engaged at one & they both worked really hard on arranging a fabulous festival wedding! They had great attention to detail with fantastic signage, a hand built stage with live music & even a camping field for the dedicated festival goers! It was a fabulous evening & was enjoyed by all. It was great to photograph a wedding surrounded by so many of my family too. It was so great that I couldn’t seem to put my camera down, it might have had something to do with all the surprises too! One of which was when Leanne & Andrew were announced onto the dancefloor for their traditional Father & Daughter dance….or so we thought! Check out the photos as they busted some serious dance moves. It really was a fantastic day from start to finish. Wishing you every happiness Leanne & Tim. We hope you enjoy your sneak peek, there are lots more to come!

Caroline & Phil, A Tythe Barn Wedding – Sneak Peek

Last week Kiti & I returned to one of our favourite venues The Tythe Barn, Launton to photograph the wedding of Caroline & Phil. 007-CPM-MLP22183-7 The sun was shining brightly as I made my way to The Nook, which is the Tythe Barn’s 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. Whilst I was with the bride, Kiti was photographing the groom & guests arriving & all the details in the barn. Before long the guests were all seated & all were expectantly awaiting the arrival of the Bride. After getting ready in the peace & calm of The Nook Caroline & her Dad made the short walk across the garden under the pergola to meet her groom in the barn. The ceremony was lovely & Caroline & Phil made their way out into the sunshine where they were soon joined by their friends & families. As the guests mingled they enjoyed a beautiful trio of ice creams that certainly made the mouth water!

We tore the guests away from their chatting & ice cream so we could do some group shots against the beautiful sandstone walls of the barns.

We then 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. We 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 we got of Caroline & Phil, the lovely summer sun added a certain je ne sais quoi to shots. We made our way back to the barn & stopped off for a few more shots with Phil’s Dad’s VW Camper before Caroline & Phil joined their guests for a delicious afternoon tea.

After some great speeches everyone mingled in garden playing giant jenga & croquet.

The Bride & Groom cut their cake & then they hit the dancefloor for their first dance.

Soon they were joined on the dancefloor by some keen guests who were having great fun. There was a brief break in the dancing for some sparklers but then everyone got back to the dancing & we left them dancing the night away! Congratulations, Caroline & Phil – Wishing you every happiness! We hope you enjoy your sneak peek

Georgia & Sam, A Sneak Peek

Last week we showed you what happens when you catch the bouquet in the most epic bouquet toss ever. We also teased you with an image from Georgia & Sam’s wedding. Now it’s time for their sneak peek!It’s always lovely to book weddings through recommendation & lovely to know how our happy Brides & Grooms have told their friends & families about us. We photographed Georgia’s sister Charlotte’s wedding to Alex two years ago & before that had photographed Alex sister’s wedding. Kiti & I arrived in Weybridge in plenty of time for the wedding & recce’d the locations so we knew where we were going. You so often hear about wedding cars getting lost & cakes going missing. We always make sure that routes have been timed & we have an idea of where we are going in case the faithful satnav breaks down! I then dropped Kiti off with Sam & the boys to capture them getting ready. She got there just as they were having the obligatory full English before they were suited & booted….& some graffiti on the bottom of Sam’s shoes. I then joined Georgia & her bridesmaids at her parent’s home. I captured some lovely shots of the Georgia & girls getting ready. After getting ready upstairs Georgia made her way downstairs where her bridesmaids & Mum & Dad were waiting expectantly for her. I love the moment where everyone sees the Bride for the first time & Georgia certainly brought a tear to their eyes. After making the short journey to the church it was time for Georgia’s Dad to accompany her down the aisle to meet her groom.
It really was a beautiful service with lots of tears & laughter. It’s always wonderful to see a couple in love starting their journey together.After the service everyone poured outside & mingled with the Bride & Groom offering their congratulations. It was then time for a group shots before & the guests got their opportunity to cover the bride & groom with confetti.The Bride & Groom were then whisked off to the Burhill Golf Club with Kiti & I in hot pursuit! Georgia had surprised Sam with a steel band & I love the moment I captured where he first heard them as they were walking to the marquee. As the guests were mingling in the sunshine Kiti & I took the bridal party away to do some cool group shots. I love the large scale balloons that the girls had & they really added to the atmosphere of the shots. After groups the guys went back to the party & we did some more shots with the happy couple. They were really great & looked fantastic, we’re really thrilled with the images we took of them around the golf course. After not too long it was time for the wedding breakfast so we took Georgia & Sam back to join their guests. There were some great speeches & much laughter & tears. They are always fabulous to capture with some brilliant reactions! After the wedding breakfast it was time to cut the cake & the first dance. Georgia & Sam hit the dance floor & there was hardly a dry eye in the house. This was certainly true once she’d also danced with her Dad & her lovely Grandad! Now, when you’ve been part of the most epic bouquet toss its your duty to then pass the baton on so to speak. Georgia threw the bouquet & after a bit of a tussle & some spilled champagne her bridesmaid, Caroline, caught the bouquet. Could we be looking at a happy Mark Lord Photography Bride & Groom of the future?!
Everyone hit the dance floor & had great fun; the evening included a performance by Georgia’s sister Natalie & a group performance of Candy by Cameo by the entire dance floor! We left everyone on the dance floor having fun! We hope you enjoy your sneak peek Georgia & Sam, wishing you every happiness!

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 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.

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

Leanne & Tim, Pre Wedding Shoot – A Sneak Peek

We recently made a quick pre wedding season visit to Cornwall & whilst we were there Mark photographed Leanne & Tim for their pre-wedding shoot. Leanne & Tim are getting married in Cornwall in the Summer & Mark will be photographing the big day.Mark is a proud Cornishman & has lots of family there. Leanne is a cousin on his Dad’s side & Mark was thrilled when she asked him to photograph her wedding day. When Mark was at college studying photography he often roped in family to pose for him. Leanne & her sister Sarah didn’t manage to escape the lens. Mark did some lovely black & white portraits of them & other cousins growing up.They had a fab time at the pre wedding shoot & went to the beach at Swanpool, Falmouth & their wedding venue Penmorvah Manor Hotel outside the village where Mark grew up, Budock Water. Not often that a wedding photographer based in Oxfordshire gets to shoot on a beach!Hope you enjoy your sneak peek Leanne & Tim. We will be in touch soon with the full gallery!