Malmaison Oxford - Beth and Roz
Thinking of getting married somewhere a little different? Are you looking for a venue but need some inspiration?
When Beth and Roz got in touch to discuss the details of their big day and revealed where they were planning to tie the knot, I was blown away with excitement - who wouldn’t want to capture the celebrations in Oxford’s former prison?
Certainly not your typical church or wedding venue, Beth and Roz were determined to make their day mean something even more personal to them. They met whilst working as mental health and primary care nurses in a prison, so when they stumbled on the venue Malmaison had taken over, they knew this was the perfect place. In Beth’s words - An interesting venue with history and some humour was always a winner for me, rather than something that just looked "classic wedding"
Their day was amazing and I felt so fortunate to have been there to capture it all; on arrival Charlotte and myself were welcomed and given a mini-tour of the venue - there was one working lift which I became very familiar with, as it was the main access from the rooms to the ceremony. Beth and Roz did get ready seperately, but it didnt mean they avoided each other - in fact the opposite was true and for me that made it really special. Roz prepared along with several bridesmaids in one room and Beth with help from her family, but Roz did venure upstairs to assit Beth with her makeup and it was so nice to witness them having a few moments together to calm nerves and enjoy the build up.
There was a lot about the day that the couple had created themselves, from wedding shoes that had been made more glamorous to most of the floral arrangements that were created. Roz informed me during the morning, that she has 2 wedding dresses, and one of them Beth knew nothing about and she was planning to swap for the evening celebrations, we took tim moving between rooms to capture details, everyone getting ready and there was a calm excitement about what was about to happen.
As the guests began to arrive and take their places for the ceremony, you could see just how much this day mean to everyone; obviously more for the couple, but friends and family were all together talking and laughing and really excited to see them finally tie the knot. As the registrar’s took their places and the guests took their seats, we awaiting Roz’s arrival, which she did take her time in doing! When the doors finally opened, only two people in the room were the focus and as Roz made her way up the aisle, Beth just stood smiling knowing this was the moment they’d both been waiting for. From there the ceremony was lovely, and with their own personal vows made, they were now married!
We had a blustery confetti line with guests in the courtyard and much laughter, then moved through formal group photos before whisking the couple up the road from the venue to capture them on the Rainbow Crossing. Charlotte and I were made to feel so welcome with meals supplied and got to enjoy their speeches soon after; then it was time to break the rules a little! The staff had told me that getting on the roof of the venue might not be possible due to the time of year and the fact the rooftop bar was not open; but a short chat and permission later, we grabbed the couple and headed onto the top of the building to, (just about), catch the very last of the sunset.
The it was time to dance the night away, and as mentioned earlier, Roz took a moment to change and came back with a second dress that was stunning, but gave her a little more ability to make some shapes on the dancefloor - and as the evening wore on, thats where we left them. It’s rare that you feel so much of a part of a couples day, but from the very first email, Beth and Roz have treated me more like a close friend than a supplier and when we met a couple of months after for me to deliver their package, it was really lovely to catch up, chat and hear about their plans for the next steps of their lives together, and I’m so excited for them.
Congratulations Beth & Roz!
Dress - Allure Bridal | Florist - MericGarden on Etsy | Second Photographer - Charlotte Rebecca | Cake - Because Cake | Evening Entertainment - Silverbird Entertainment | Wedding Venue - Malmaison Oxford
