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!

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!

Wedding at Wycombe Abbey, Gro & Chris A Sneak Peek

Chris & Gro celebrated their wedding at Wycombe Abbey School in High Wycombe. I dropped Kiti off at the school & she started the day with Chris & the boys who were there getting ready. She captured the images of the boys suiting up & applying their buttonholes before making their way over to the chapel to greet the guests. Wycombe Abbey is a lovely school set within lovely grounds. I do a lot of their photography so am very familiar with the school. I am still always surprised that there is such interesting buildings & landscaped grounds so close to the middle of High Wycombe. It is only possible to have your wedding there if you have a connection to the school such as a former pupil or member of staff. Chris’ Mum is a House Mistress at the school so they were thrilled to be able to have their wedding there.Meanwhile, whilst Kiti was with the lads I made my way over to Chinnor to Chris & Gro’s home to photograph the bride getting ready. It was a lovely to be with the girls right from the start of the day & Gro was such a relaxed & happy bride. Once the glad rags were on it was time for me to fly back to Wycombe Abbey to make sure I was there & ready for the bride’s arrival. The chapel at Wycombe Abbey is lovely & has a mezzanine level where Kiti had located herself. This was perfect as it gave her a fantastic vantage point to capture some unobstructed views of the ceremony.

After a beautiful service everyone gathered outside for a drinks reception & we did the group shots of the steps of the chapel. When I first moved up country from Cornwall I worked for a photographic studio who used a local picture framing company. I continued to use the same company for all my framing (once my lovely wife had stopped being a Picture Framer!) for many years. It was a fantastic, bespoke framers & the owner was Chris’ granddad Neil. He left after the service but it was great to see him & get some shots of the proud grandfather with the bride & groom!We then organised the guests to line either side & the chucked the confetti & blew bubbles as Gro & Chris wandered along!Whilst the guests mingled Kiti & took Gro & Chris into the grounds to capture some stylish shots of the two of them. We then went back to the main hall for the wedding breakfast. There were some fantastic speeches including musical performances, poetry & thanks to Gro’s Swedish heritage a schnapps toast! After the speeches it was time for the another musical performance, this time by Chris’ brother, first dance & then everyone hit the dancefloor. We made our way home as they were dancing the night away!

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!

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….

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!

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.