Oxfordshire Wedding - Hayley & James
I’ve always been a fan of Caswell House - it’s a wonderful venue which feels like it was built to be photographed.
Whether it’s the private bridal preparation suite, the beautiful courtyard which provides a great outdoor ceremony location or the Cotswold stone barn which caters for everything from the I do’s to the last dance and everything inbetween, Caswell is stunning.
Hayley and James celebrated their day in style and from the moment I got out of the car to hear the laughter from the bridal suite, I knew it was going to be a good one.
That’s right - the moment I stepped out of my car I could hear the laughter coming from the bridal suite as Hayley and her bridesmaids were just getting started, it was great hearing how excited everyone was ahead of the morning. I’d already had the details ahead of the day and knew that with smoke grenades and a singing waiter, they were planning to really go for it and have the most amazing time.
The attitude of everyone was just infectious and everyone was just getting on with the day without any drama - a couple of bridesmaids had to make last-minute dress alterations, but rather than anyone panicking, out came the scissors - bridemaids stood on tables and the bottom of dresses were snipped! The mood with the guys was just fun and relaxed and along with their son, the groomsmen made the most of the morning with a few beers and a lot more laughter.
Hayley and James had chosen to have their ceremony inside the main barn, whcih was beautifully decorated by the team from The Native Florist, the registrars were also so laid back and helped the mood no end - in fact even the ceremony just felt like an extension to the big celebration. Following the confetti line and some formal group photos, we grabbed the bridesmaids and groomsmen and had a bit of fun, from walking arm-in-arm, to reenacting the can-can - something the guys in particular, were ver good at!
Following a short break for food (supplied by Ross & Ross), Lucas and I headed back into the wedding breakfast to capture the speeches and then the entertainment as David from Singing Surprise took a tumble and got up to break into a song from The Greatest Showman, which quickly had everyone up singing and dancing as he sang several songs ending in a conga out onto the courtyard where the drinking and partying continued.
By the time Groove Anatomy were ready to go, we’d taken the bridal party off for some coloured smoke canon shots which were so much fun, and everyone was up for making this the dancefloor and night to remember. I stuck around a little longer than I’d said, but that was down to the fact that I didn’t really want to leave - if I hadn’t got a family to get back to, I’d have grabbed a beer and joined in!
As usual, the team at Caswell House were amazing and helped to ensure that the wedding went off without a hitch and I know everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day.
Congratulations Hayley & James!
Dress - Madi Lane | Hair and Makeup Artist - Claire Guy Bridal | Florist - The Native Florist | Second Photographer - Lucas Vale Photography | Cake - Krispy Kreme | Caterers - Ross & Ross | Singing Waiter - Singing Surprise | Evening Entertainment - Groove Anatomy | Wedding Venue - Caswell House
