Although Friars Court is a wedding venue I work at fairly often, I don’t actually know Oxfordshire all that well. As a general rule I photograph more weddings in Gloucestershire, but certainly enjoy a trip ‘slightly’ further afield in the Cotswolds when possible. Last weekend it was Lee & Tracey’s turn to tie the knot, which saw me speed on over to the beautiful town of Witney for a bacon butty and some bridal preps…..followed by a fantastic outdoor wedding ceremony at Friars Court, a short hop away in Clanfield.
Having picked the most popular weekend of the year (the 1st weekend in September) I can honestly say hand on heart, I reckon it’s the best bet for getting good weather on your wedding day. Yes I am slightly obsessed with the weather, and having keep an eye on this particular weekend for the past 8 years, the result is: 7 out of the past 8 years it’s been brilliant weather – fact! So if you’re dithering about dates, or deliberating about booking a wedding photographer, act fast…..:-)
Anyhow, here is a small selection of their wedding photos from a lovely day (if not for the wedding cars not turning up, delaying things slightly!).
Ahhh the smell of bacon cooking. What a chef, I even got to taste the goods……
….meanwhile Abigail whipped up her own scrambled egg & cooked breakfast. The perfect start on any wedding day morning!
Tuck in. Don’t worry about make-up, eat-up ;-) There was plenty of time to spare after all. In fact you can see it was 11:30.
Ahh bless. Abigail is surprisingly good at writing at such a young age.
Alright, back to wedding make-up.
Abigail was changed, but struggling to get away from monsters on the stairs!
Yep – looks good. Now pop that dress on and let’s jump in the wedding cars and head off to Friars Court.
This one is for the girlies. Those of you that like to see the details on wedding dresses. It was a sweet dress too. Not sure how to describe it, so stick with me here. It had sleeves, i.e. wasn’t a sleeveless dress that you end up hitching up all day as it slips down due to the surprising effectiveness of your wedding day diet. AND, (this is the bit I liked) had a really nice shape at the back as it scooped down from the shoulders. There – got it. Did I explain that well? You ca see a photo later….probably best.
Wedding hair. My next point of note from this wedding. CHECK IT OUT. How cool is that. If you’re looking for unique ways to style wedding hair then this must be on your short list. It’s probably got a proper name like french plat to the side, who knows.
Small space – 3 ladies looking up your dress – wedding photographer snapping away.
Yes, not your average day.
Ahh Friars Court. I arrived in plenty of time. Just need the bride now.
Ohh I should add, if you’re having a civil ceremony, it’s often necessary for you to arrive 10 mins early to see the registrars beforehand. (More on that another day)
Anyhow I waited, and waited, and waited. Until such a time I decided to get an update from the registrars on the brides where-abouts. “The wedding cars haven’t turned up, so they’re making their way under thier own steam’. Okay….time to go take a few photos of something else for a while then!
The wedding breakfast was going to be held in the Barn at Friars Court, with this fantastic table setting. I later found out there was no table plan though as Tracey just ‘forgot’ that! Brilliant. Sometimes it’s more fun this way I say.
Check out Lee’s face here. Brilliant.
Abilail may have had a full English breakfast, but clearly she was still hungry.
Watch out…..Friars Court fat cat is a serious trip hazard!
Anyone keeping up on FB will have seen this photo (above) before. I always say to clients when taking their photos, it’s the smallest movement that make a difference. I love the eyes closed look, but equally like the photo I then took below. Do you have a favourite?
Ahh yeah, I mentioned the back of Tracey’s wedding dress. Well this kind shows it off nicely. See what I mean about the nicely scooped shape?
Very thoughtful Lee.
Abigail started heckling the best man….perhaps she was hungry :-)
I hear a lot of best mans speeches, but this one was different. It wasn’t in fact a speech, but a best mans poem. possibly one of the most creative way’s I’ve heard to deliver a wedding speech and very well written & read. Top marks to this man for putting in the effort and even adding in extras following the days events. Cooly read off an ipad too.
If you are looking for a Friars Court wedding photographer and have enjoyed my photos then please contact me for a chat about your day. I am a recommended supplier here and have several examples of Friars Court weddings on my blog.