Today I would like to share with you the beautiful classic wedding of Richard & Sophia that I photographed this spring at the rustic yet elegant wedding venue Barns & Yard in Worcestershire.
The ceremony took place at St. Gabriel’s Church in Hanley Swan, only 3 minutes away from Barns & Yard.
Catering: A to Zest and The Old Dough Hook
DJ/ Band: The Hawks
Guitar: Steven Edwards
Dress: Morilee
Shoes: Rachel Simpson
Make-up: Sasha Brown
Hair: Helena Sinclair
Cake: Hayley Stockwell Cake Design
Florist: Louise James Florist
Men’s suits / shoes: Peter Posh
I was over the moon to photograph Richard & Sophia’s classic wedding at Barns & Yard. They are an elegant yet relaxed couple and this venue suited their wedding very well. My timeless style of photography & their personal style were like a match made in heaven.
THE VENUE
Sophia says their wedding day was the “BEST DAY EVER!”
“When we started looking online we didn’t have a particular type of venue in mind, so I looked at marquees, stately homes, hotels, barns – the lot! We looked round a few in person which was so much more useful than looking online. One of the benefits of doing it this way was that you can really imagine what your day is going to be like when you are there. Another benefit is that you can talk to the staff who will be so important in giving you ideas, helping with your preparation and making the day itself run smoothly.
Nothing felt quite right until we got to Barns and Yard – almost immediately we knew that this was the place for our special day. The barns are the perfect combination of rustic but also luxurious, just so beautiful and the ladies who run it are stars.”
THE DECOR & FLOWER STYLE
“I had a very clear idea from the start that I wanted my bouquet to look like someone had picked it from a cottage garden. To achieve this, a whole variety of different delicate spring flowers were chosen such as stocks, Veronica and freesias in pinks, purples, whites and blues. This was the basis of our colour and decor theme: our cake was exquisitely painted with similar flowers, we had soft blue bridesmaids and gold flower tea light holders on the tables.”
“The barns and grounds were so beautiful that they didn’t need a huge amount of dressing. My favourite decor item was a fantastic floral ‘swag’ that our florist created on the wall behind the top table – a lovely focal point. My best friend was amazing and created lots of our stationary including our place names. She went to a local flower market to source flowers we arranged ourselves for the tables the day before.”
Tips for future brides and grooms on bringing your own character into your wedding and making the day unique:
- focus on what is really important to you – for us it was giving people really good food (and plenty of it!) as we are a couple of foodies. You can’t do everything so prioritising is really important.
- think about your guests and what would work well for them. We had a lot of kids and toddlers attend. For that reason we had our drinks reception on the lawn with lots of lawn games so they could run around and let off some steam.
- ask your venue and suppliers for hints and tips, both for things that work well and things that don’t. They have so much experience for you to tap into. For example our venue advised on doing a ‘cocktail hour’ outside after our wedding breakfast. This worked really well to get everyone away from the tables so they could be removed for the band to set up.
Our day was absolutely perfect so I wouldn’t change anything about it. But if I were to do it again I’d try to get less hung up on minor details in the month or so before. It’ll all work out and fall into place on the day. Also I’d ask for more help from friends and family!
PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE
“The day goes so quickly but our photos will last a lifetime. The day flies by, and you don’t get to spend much time with each of your guests, or to appreciate the little touches and things which make your venue unique. Cat captured photos of everyone and all of the details which I will cherish and look back on for years. I can’t wait to get some of our favourites framed and displayed at home.”
“I think it’s really important to ensure your photographer fits with your style. What I was looking for were timeless, elegant photos which is exactly what Cat delivered. I also wanted some more formal family shots too which some photographers don’t seem to do anymore. It’s important to look through portfolios and discuss with your photographer what you know you want or don’t want. This is essential for ensuring you are on the same page on the day. Also find someone who puts you at ease, they will be with you throughout the day so this is really important!
Cat did such a fantastic job for us! I am beyond delighted with the results and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone. Thanks so much Cat!”
Dear Sophia and Richard, photographing your classic wedding at the luxurious Barns & Yard in Worcestershire was an immense pleasure! Thank you for having me as your wedding photographer 🙂
