St Ebbes Church Wedding, Liz & Barney
In July of 2022 I was in Oxford to photograph the wedding of Liz and Barney, who were getting married at the family church of St Ebbes. Barneys Father is a vicar at St Ebbes church so it was fitting that he would conduct the ceremony for his son and future daughter-in-law.
Liz and her maids, got ready at Hawkwell House in Iffley village, before heading to the ceremony with her dad in a vintage Morris Minor. I headed to the church in a taxi a little ahead of them so I could arrive in good time and capture Liz’s arrival.
St Ebbes Church is a fantastic building standing in the center of Oxford city. The interior is a beautiful space, flooded with plenty of natural light. The ceremony was really lovely with a mixture of emotions and lots of singing. The ceremony finished with Liz and Barney exiting the room to a chorus of cheers and applause.
A drinks reception and the cutting of the cake was held in the church gardens, which are located at the back of the church. A wonderful space to enjoy a few drinks and a piece of wedding cake.
When it was time to leave for the Isis Farmhouse, an epic confetti run was organised and Liz and Barney ran the gauntlet before jumping in the Morris Minor and making their escape.
Here's what Liz & Barney had to say about their wedding
What was your favourite part of the wedding?
We loved it all and we would both say that it was the best day of our lives! It was better than we ever imagined! We loved having all of our family and friends together at such a beautiful venue. It was so special that Barney's Dad was able to marry us and the service was so brilliant. The speeches and the band were also real highlights of the day. Every speech was really different but they were all equally as funny and heartwarming! One of the band members is Barney's old housemate and we were blown away by just how epic they were! They played banger after banger and we just couldn't stop dancing! It was great dancing the night away with all our friends and family and seeing them have a great time!
Please let me know about any personal or DIY touches you added to make the day a little more ‘you’.
The service was super special as Barney's Dad married us. Barney's Godparent's prayed and spoke, and Liz's friends did the readings. It was really lovely to having so many important people have roles in the service- which was so fantastic and happy.
DIY-wise, we collected jam jars for about 9 months! We decorated these with twine and used these for the flowers on the table. We bought DIY flower buckets and Liz's aunties did the flower arranging at the venue the morning of the wedding, making the tables look beautiful.
Why did you choose your venue?
We absolutely LOVED the unique character of the venue in such a beautiful setting by the river. It was amazing that we were able to get married in the centre of the city but have the reception in what felt like the middle of nowhere. It had the most amazing, relaxed feel to it. We loved the decorations and character and loved the idea of guests having to arrive by boat! We loved that there were so many elements to the venue- the field with the fire pits and games, the private bar area, the huge marquee for food and the beautiful barn for dancing!
How did you find using Lee Dann Photography, were there any particular things about my approach that you liked, and how did you feel about the photos once you received them?
Lee was excellent from start to finish. He had such a relaxed and calm approach. He was super helpful and listened to everything that we asked for and delivered it to perfection! The zoom call the week before was a great chance to get to know him and to plan the day.
He very much slotted in and was able to take the most lovely photos of all of our guests. The photos were fantastic, they captured the day so perfectly from start to finish and we loved all the natural shots of our guests having a good time. We loved that everyone looked so happy and we were struck by just how many amazing photos there were! We would recommend him to anyone!
If you were doing it all again what would be the one bit of advice you’d give yourself at the start of the planning process?
We both loved the day and wouldn't really change anything! The only thing that we'd say is relax a bit more and don't sweat the small stuff- it'll all come together and be fantastic on the day!
A selection of images from Liz & Barney's St Ebbes Wedding
I met Liz and Barney as they arrived in Iffley and we spent twenty minutes taking some natural couple photos as they made their way to the Isis Farmhouse.
All the guests had made the journey from town along the Thames on a boat, so I got some great pictures of them arriving and getting off the boat.
After the drinks reception at the Isis, I took a little breather while everyone enjoyed their meal before capturing some brilliant speeches. The speeches were brilliant!
The night for me came to an end after photographing a surprise singing performance by Liz’s mum and aunties. It was amazing and Liz had no idea her mum had this planned. Her reaction was priceless.
This was a fabulous wedding and i’m so happy I was booked to document it.
A Summer Wedding Photography at an historic Oxford church
I have photographed many weddings in fine churches all over the UK. St Ebbes church is an amazing space to tie the knot. A beautiful Church set in the middle of the bustling city of Oxford. The photo opportunities are endless and it is a dream church for a photographer, with so many fantastic options available.
I really loved working with Liz & Barney, such a lovely couple and a great celebration.
I hope you enjoy the photos and if you are planning a wedding I'd love to hear from you.
Thanks for looking.
Suppliers
Hair- Amy Davis Hair
Dress- The Bridal Room Broadway
Veil- Occasions by design
Car- Premier carriages
Flowers- Howe Farm Flowers
Band- AB-Y Music
Venue- Isis River Farmhouse
Boat- Salters Steamers Oxford
