Blog - Mark Lord Photography

Emma & Charlie – Dry Sandford & The Tythe Barn

24th July 2018

Rarely am I happier than when I wake up on a sunny Saturday with a Tythe Barn wedding ahead. We headed off to meet Samson at the barn before travelling together to Dry Sandford for the wedding preparations. There was a fair bit of travelling between locations so Becky was on hand as our designated driver. Becky dropped me off at the salon where today’s bride Emma was getting ready with her bridesmaids & she then whizzed off to drop Samson with Charlie the groom. I captured shots of Emma & the other bridesmaids having their hair & make up done. It was soon time for the bride to have her veil put in place before making the short hop home to make the final preparations & get their dresses on.

Meanwhile Sam was with the Groom & Groomsmen getting suited & booted before heading off to the pretty little church in Dry Sandford.

The Bride was ready to go so we did some shots of them outside in the sunshine before we headed to the church where an eager groom & congregation were awaiting their arrival.

Emma headed into the church followed by her bridesmaids & a couple of furry friends who had an important job during the ceremony.

It was a lovely service but one of the highlights has to be the Best Man ‘forgetting’ the rings only to be upstaged by Charlie & Emma’s dogs trotting up the aisle with them. So lovely to have them as part of the day.

Another highlight has to be the lovely poem by Emma’s daughter Neive. She did a fabulous job, quite an undertaking to stand up in front of so many people at a such a young age & delivering it so well.

It was soon time for the happy couple to walk back down the aisle into the sunshine. Whilst the guest mingled in the churchyard we took some great shots of the happy couple under a flurry of confetti & some group photos in the shade of the beautifully decorated lychgate.

It was then time for us to jump in the car & head off to the barn. We hoped to catch up with the Bride & Groom in their Bentley on the A34 but there was no way our little car could catch up! It’s always lovely to arrive at the barn with everything so perfect, I often wonder what the guests think as they walk in. Its lovely in any season but when the doors are open & everyone can gather in the garden its something else.

Whilst the guests were mingling we took a few more group photos before taking Emma & Charlie to do some photographs of the two of them in the lovely grounds. The sun was high in the sky & the weather looking fine all day we made plans to come out again in the lovely golden light of the evening.

Emma & Charlie headed into the barn to the congratulations of their friends & family. There were some fantastic speeches with tears & laughter along with some of the obligatory embarrassment for the Groom!

After a delicious meal we took the happy couple into the evening sun for a few more shots of the two of them & then it was time for the first dance as husband & wife.

Soon everyone joined them on the dance floor & were soon slinging each other round to the sounds of a traditional ceilidh band. It was great fun & we managed to get some fun shots without getting in the way or being trampled underfoot!

We left them all dancing the night away!

Wedding Photography

Lucy & Vince – The Tythe Barn

14th July 2018

It was another sunny Saturday as Kiti & I returned to one of our favourite venues The Tythe Barn, Launton to photograph the wedding of Lucy & Vince.

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 miles away from the venue before crushing your dress in the back of a hot car for the journey. The Nook is a beautiful area full of style & elegance & is a wonderful place for bridal preparations. It is such a lovely space to photograph the bride & bridesmaids getting ready for the celebrations ahead.

Whilst I was with the bride, Kiti was photographing the groom & his groomsmen who were at the nearby pub having a couple of drinks to steady the nerves before making their way to the church next to the barn for the service. She captured some great shots of the boys – including their socks! & then the guests arriving.

After getting ready in the peace & calm of The Nook Lucy, her Mum & Dad & Bridesmaids made the short walk to the church where an expectant groom & congregation was waiting for her.

It was a lovely service & a very happy couple made their way into the sunshine, followed by a flurry of confetti!

We then took some of the group photos in the shade of the church before we all walked back to the barn. The guests enjoyed their drinks & mingled whilst we took a few more group photographs. Then 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. We think it is a lovely to time for the bride & groom to take a few moments out of the craziness of the day. The sun was still quite high in the sky & hot so we made plans to pop back out during the evening when the sun would be softer.

So with plans for later we made our way back to the barn & Lucy & Vince returned to their guests. It was a fabulous wedding breakfast with some lovely speeches. The guests then returned to the lovely barn garden to play garden games & relax in the evening sun.

We then took the lovely couple back out into the warm evening sun to do some more shots of the two of them. I am really thrilled with these images & I am really looking forward to the Bride & Groom seeing them.

We headed back to the barn & 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.

Congratulations, Lucy & Vince – Wishing you every happiness! We hope you enjoy your sneak peek

Wedding Photography

Golnar & Paul – The Tythe Barn

4th June 2018

A couple of weeks ago Samson & I photographed the Friday wedding of Golnar & Paul. We met at the wedding venue, our home from home The Tythe Barn near Bicester & Samson then went to the pretty Oxfordshire village of Aynhoe where Paul was getting ready.

I went to the best bridal getting ready venue, The Nook at The Tythe Barn. Not only is it fully equipped with everything a bridal party may need but also it is only a short stroll the barn itself. As I captured shots of the bride, both her & Paul’s lovely Mum’s & the bridesmaids getting ready Samson met up with the Groom & the lads.

The boys got themselves suited & booted & made their way the short distance to the barn ready to meet the guests as they arrived.

It was soon time for Golnar to make her final preparations as she had an expectant groom awaiting her arrival. She made the stroll with her bridesmaids under the arbour, which looked absolutely beautiful covered in wisteria blossom.

Golnar looked wonderful in her beautiful dress as she walked up the aisle on the arm of her very proud Mum. The barn was strung with simple, yet gorgeous lights & there was barely a dry eye in the house as Paul turned to see his bride.

The Tythe Barn is such a beautiful building & backdrop to images. What I really love is that they are always striving to improve what is already such a fab venue. No resting on their laurels here! Since my last wedding they had installed a new backdrop behind where the registrar stands. A magnificent pair of original barn doors strung with white lights added a wonderful addition to the images of the service.

It was a beautiful service & a very happy couple made their way back down the aisle to the congratulations of their friends & families. They waited a few minutes whilst their guests gathered outside & then they made their entrance to a flurry of bubbles. Bubble ‘confetti’ is becoming ever popular, who doesn’t have fun when blowing bubbles & it is certainly more fun than being pelted with rice or lavender!

We took their group photos in the lovely garden of the barn with the wisteria arbour as a backdrop. We then took the opportunity to take the couple away for a while to get some shots of the two of them. The barn has a variety of lovely backdrops & I am really pleased with the images we took of Golnar & Paul.

It was soon time for us to get the happy couple back to their guests. Their guests cheered & clapped as they made their way into the barn. There were some fantastic speeches & they had a quiz on who knew the most about the Bride & Groom – with some very interesting answers. They also had a game of wedding Mr & Mrs, quite a test for the newly married couple!

By now it was just beginning to get dark so as everyone was mingling over coffee we did some lovely shots of Golnar & Paul under the wisteria arbour. It was then time for the happy couple to make their way onto the dance floor for their first dance. Soon they were joined on the dance floor & we left them dancing the night away.

Congratulations Golnar & Paul, we hope you enjoy the sneak peek – there are lots more to come!

Wedding Photography

Chris & Victoria, Bampton & Kirtlington Park

26th May 2018

Another sunny Saturday morning meant that #teammarklordphoto headed off for another fabulous wedding. This time it was the turn of Chris & Victoria in Bampton & at Kirtlington Park.

Often, due to logistics, we require an additional driver so for this wedding Becky joined us as getaway driver. We drove around Oxford to the picturesque village of Bampton, best known as the village in Downton Abbey. We took a look at the historical church & left Kiti there before she made her way to where the groom was getting ready.

Becky & I made the 40-minute journey to the beautiful Kirtlington Park to meet with the bride, her bridesmaids & family. I always love being part of the day from the very start & this wedding was no exception. There is an almost ceremonial feeling to the process of preparing a bride to meet her groom.

I was really pleased to see one of my favourite florists Charlie from Flower Fairies who had done an utterly wonderful job on the stunning floral arrangements & bouquets.

Meanwhile, back in Bampton Kiti had made the short walk to Chris’ parents home & commenced photographing the boys getting ready, fixing buttonholes & enjoying a glass of bubbly. Before long it was time for the Groom, Best Man & Ushers to make their way to the church to greet the guests & await the arrival of the bride.

Victoria made her way down the beautiful staircase & into the handsome vintage cars that were waiting. I dashed to the car where Becky was waiting for me & we flew back down the drive back to Bampton.

I was positioned outside the church ready for Victoria’s arrival & before long the wedding cars arrived. The bride made her way up the aisle to meet her expectant groom.

It was a beautiful service & a very happy couple made their way back down the aisle to the smiles of their friends & families. Everyone mingled in the sunshine before lining up for the obligatory confetti tunnel & the Bride & Groom made their way to the vintage cars to take them back to Kirtlington Park.

We followed the cars & then on the A40 made our move so Kiti could get a shot out the window (whilst I drove very carefully obviously!) We got back to Kirtlington Park just before the Bride & Groom & captured images of the cars travelling through the park before getting shots of the two of them & the men in front of the cars lined up in front of the impressive house frontage.

It was then to the garden where their guests were gathered for the drinks reception to take their formal group photos. After which we borrowed the Bride & Groom to capture some shots of the two of them.

Before long it was time for the happy couple to make their way back to their guests who were waiting for them. Their fantastic toastmaster announced them into the room & their guests greeted them with cheers & hollers.

There were some fabulous speeches with tears & laughter. Then it was time for Chris & Victoria to cut the cake & enjoy their first dance as man & wife. Their guests joined them on the dance floor & we left them boogying the night away.