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.

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.

As always, after getting some dance floor & cigar action Kiti & I left everyone on the dance floor & wound our way home.

Hope you enjoy your sneak peek Stacey & Lewis! Wishing you every happiness…..

Gemma & Sam – A Wedding at Wormsley – A Sneak Peek

Recently Kiti & I were very excited to do a wedding very close to Mark Lord Photography HQ. Gemma & Sam were married at the lovely village church in Aston Rowant & held their reception on the beautiful Wormsley estate nearby.Wormsley Estate is a 2,500 estate & covers the most beautiful Oxfordshire countryside. It is very well known for its cricket pitch which has hosted the South-African, Australian & West-Indian teams. I was particularly looking forward to photographing Gemma & Sam in the wonderful walled garden with was restored by Sir Paul & Lady Getty.I started the day with Gemma & her bridesmaids at a cottage on the estate. It was a beautiful, sunny September day as they got ready in the lovely, sunshine-filled conservatory.Whilst I was with Gemma, Kiti made the short walk to the church to meet Sam & get some shots of him & his Best-Man & Ushers before the guests arrived. The cars arrived & I hopped in to make the 5-minute journey to Aston Rowant from Wormsley Estate.We gathered outside the church as Gemma’s bridesmaids straightened her dress & made sure she was ready to meet her groom.The church was quite strict in their allowance of photography during the service but we were allowed to take shots of Gemma’s arrival & she looked beautiful as she made our way up the aisle.We weren’t allowed to take any shots from the front but we got some lovely shots from the back of the church during the service. Often, unless the position at the front is perfect, a position at the back can provide a fantastic vantage point for some great shots.After a lovely service Gemma & Sam made their way out into the sunshine with their friends & family before their guests boarded a fabulous vintage bus from The Vintage Bunting Company. I got a lift from one of the guests & with a little encouragement I persuaded the guest to zoom past the wedding car as I grabbed some shots out the window!As we arrived at Wormsley Kiti & took the bride & groom to the beautiful walled gardens. I had already been there with Gemma & Sam as we did their pre wedding shoot there a month or so ago. It’s a wonderful space with paths leading through wonderful planting. It is a large space & has endless options for some stylish bride & groom shots. When we returned to the reception it was time for the more formal group shots with their friends & families. It was now time for everyone to make their way into the marquee. Rather than the normal escort cards or table plan Gemma & Sam had a tree in the centre of their marquee which was festooned with golden apples. On each apple was written a name & table number. After welcoming Gemma & Sam into the wedding breakfast it was time for Sam’s speech.

We offer lots of different time packages for weddings anywhere between 4 & 10 hours to cover all aspects of your wedding from getting ready coverage to your guests hitting the dancefloor. Gemma & Sam booked us for 6 hours so after Sam’s speech it was time for us to make our way home & leave them to continue celebrating.Congratulations Gemma & Sam – Hope you enjoy your sneak peek.

Wishing you every happiness!!

Katie & Gavin – A Sneaky Peek

Recently we had the wedding of Katie & Gavin in the lovely village of Brill in Buckinghamshire.I started the day at Long Crendon Manor to meet Katie & her bridesmaids before making our way to the church.We stopped off at a lovely village pub The Nut Tree in Murcott & enjoyed a quick drink in sunshine before travelling on to All Saints Church, Brill.Meanwhile, Kiti was with the groom & best man as they gathered in a friends garden with their friends & family before making the short hop to the church to meet his bride.It was now time for the bride’s arrival & Katie looked beautiful as she walked up the aisle to be married.

After the service the guest gathered on the lovely village green for some group shots & to cover the Bride & Groom in confetti!It was then time to make to short journey to The Pheasant Inn also in Brill for the wedding reception. After allowing them some time to mingle with their guests Kiti & I took Katie & Gavin for a wander to do some shots of the two of them together. Brill is a lovely village with far reaching views across five counties & has a beautiful traditional windmill that we used to get some great shots. I try not to keep the couple away from their guests for too long so it was now time for Katie & Gavin to be welcomed into the marquee by their guests & to enjoy a delicious meal & some great speeches. After the speeches it was time for the evening guests to arrive & everyone to get down on the dancefloor. We hope you enjoy your sneak peek Katie & Gavin. Wishing you every happiness!

Sam & Charles – A Sneak Peek!

Kiti & I breathed a sigh of relief as we made our way to Sam & Charles’ wedding in beautiful sunshine after what seemed like 24 hours of rain the day before.

I photographed Sam’s sister Georgie’s wedding last year & for those of you that keep an eye on my facebook page will have seen the shots of Sam catching Georgie’s bouquet that I reposted last week. Sam was one of Georgie’s bridesmaids last year & Georgie was one of Sam’s lovely bridesmaids. It is always lovely to be recommended by couples to their friends & families & even better when the new couple have seen me at work!

Kiti started the day with Charles, his best man, ushers & family at Charles & Sam’s home before boarding an original routemaster bus to make the journey to the church. They picked up a few guests along the way & made a pit stop at the pub!

Meanwhile I was with Sam at her family home getting ready with her bridesmaids & family. Sam’s family are great fun & the preparations even included her dad swinging from a rather high rope swing! Not many fathers would risk life & limb on their daughters wedding day & I must admit my heart was in my mouth!

By now the bus had made its way to the church & it was time for Sam to get to the church to see her groom!

It was a lovely service & Sam’s Dad certainly seemed pleased to get his final daughter of three married!

After the service & a flurry of confetti Kiti & I went back to Sam’s parents house for some shots of the two of them together. Charles decided against having a go on the rope swing!

Not wanting to miss out on the party we made our way back to the wedding reception which was located in Sam & Charles’ beautiful garden. The entered through a lovely floral arch & a tunnel of their friends & family.

Whilst their friends & families mingled in the sunshine to the sounds of a steel band we did the more formal….& not so formal group shots.

Which included this intrepid photographer risking life & limb to climb a ladder to capture the entire wedding party!

Now it was time for the wedding breakfast & speeches, which involved lots of fun & laughter & childhood videos.

After the speeches Sam took to the stage to throw her bouquet this time caught by Charles’ sister & Sam surprised her groom with a song accompanied by her bridesmaids.

It was now time for everyone to hit the dancefloor & we left them dancing the night away!

Wishing you every happiness Sam & Charles. Hope you enjoy your sneak peek – lots more to come!

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?

Paul & Samantha – A Sneak Peek

Recently Kiti & I travelled to a venue new to both of us for the wedding of Paul & Samantha. Their wedding was held at the lovely Manor by the Lake near Cheltenham. I photographed Paul’s sister Louise’s wedding a few years back & she reminded me that was nearly ten years ago! Since then I have photographed various family shoots for them too so we have stayed in touch. I was really pleased to be asked to photograph Paul & Samantha’s wedding.

Manor by the Lake is a characterful manor house with fabulous period features & is surrounded by lovely gardens perfect for drinks reception & stylish bride & groom shots.

I started the day with Samantha & Kiti with the groom & ushers. The rooms at Manor by the Lake are elegantly decorated in neutral colours & silver. With lovely natural light these are photographers dream offering uncluttered backdrops for some stylish getting-ready shots.

Whilst I was with the bride & the bridal party Kiti was with the groom & ushers. She used the period features of the arches on the outside of the manor for some fabulous shots with Paul & the boys.

Now it was time for Paul to see his bride. As he nervously waited his bride walked into the sun-bathed ceremony room. After a lovely service with readings from Samantha’s Mum & bridesmaid Shanti it was time to celebrate!

As their guests mingled Kiti & I took Paul & Samantha off for some bride & groom shots. We wandered around the grounds using some lovely garden backdrops as well as the architecture of the building.

Paul & Samantha then joined their guests for the traditional wedding breakfast & speeches.

After the speeches it was time for Paul & Samantha to hit the dance floor…followed by their guests! As always after capturing some dance floor action Kiti & I wound our way homewards.