Stone Barn Wedding Photography

I love Stone Barn wedding photography. It’s such a unique place with it’s old barn fronted by the patina of the dutch barn. Out in the middle of nowhere, it’s the perfect place for a celebration.

Mel and Ged met at work. Mel interviewed Ged for a job and after 3 years of working side by side and discovering that they were both Midsomer Murders fans – They entered the wedding breakfast to the Midsomer Murders theme – they finally got together in 2006. I asked them why they had chosen to have their wedding at Stone Barn. They told me they just loved the Cotswolds and wanted their wedding photos to reflect the area and time of year; Roaring fires, stone cottages and beautiful countryside. Stone Barn is an amazing place for us Cotswolds wedding photographers. I’ll let Ged tell you about the wedding…

A Rustic Venue In The Heart Of The Cotswolds

“Mel and I love the Cotswolds and it seemed like the perfect excuse to have the ultimate weekend there with our family and friends. Stone Barn was our 3rd venue viewing and we fell in love with it so much I cancelled the other 5 viewings we had that afternoon.”

“The catering was on site provided by Cripps, cooked on the biggest indoor BBQ in the UK. Part of the reason we went for Stone Barn was the food option, we went for the Sirloin Brick, which gives you the option to nominate a carver at each table. We kitted them out with an apron and hat and they all loved their role. It was great fun, and was a great ice breaker for people that didn’t know each other. Our cake was a show stopper, a Krispy Kreme tower…218 doughnuts in total. People were pushing me out of the way to get a picture with it.”

The Details

“My theme was like my dress, crisp and elegant, you could say I used The White Company as my inspiration. I tried on 55 dresses over 5 shops, and after starting to despair that I’d never find the right dress, I tried on my beautiful Jenny Packham “Fern” gown in The Wedding Shop, Colchester. It was the perfect size and the striking, elegant style I’d been after all along. My shoes were Jimmy Choo and my earrings were borrowed from a work colleague who had worn them on her wedding day a year prior. They were the perfect compliment to my dress.

The suits were from Jack Bunney’s in Barking, Essex. Mel’s check waistcoast and tie were custom made. We gave the ushers and Dad’s pocket watches as gifts so they could wear them on the day. They really topped off their look. The Bridesmaids were in multi way dresses from Victoria Lou. I went for Dove Grey Tulle to match the chaps ties and pocket squares. The girls could wrap them how they wanted them and if they wanted a different look later in the day, then they could. The grey also complimented the detail on my dress. I think its important that the bridesmaid dress colour suits the bride too.

Not many people knew, but in my boquet was a little Westie dog; a gesture to my family’s pet that is sadly no longer with us. I kept it a secret until the day and showed my parents and sister on the wedding morning, it was funny and a little emotional.

Music is very important to Mel, the one thing he wanted was a live band for the evening entertainment. We chose Electric Soul Club. They did a great rendition of Zoom by Fat Larry’s band for our first dance. Mel loved it; he felt like it was just us in the room.”

 

Advice for other couples planning their wedding

“Always remember that its your day. It can easily be forgotten in the planning and preparation. Photography is more important than you think. Do your research, don’t go for the first option. The photographs are the only things that last from the day.”

For this wedding, Ged & Mel wanted two photographers. Most of the time if couples want an additional photographer I work with my wife Carol although on some occasions I work with a small selection of fantastic documentary photographers who compliment my style.

“We are so happy with our photos, they capture so much emotion and are like a storybook of the events on the day. I loved the fact Kevin and Carol were a partnership, it opens up the opportunity of much more photos and the engagement shoot was incredibly helpful to feel more comfortable on the day. I researched our photographer more than I did anything else and I am so pleased I made the choice I did. Thank you so much.”  – Geraldine & Melvin

Wedding Dress by Jenny Packham from The Wedding Shop, Colchester
Shoes by Jimmy Choo
Earrings from Carat
Bride’s hairdresser was Chris Fordham
Make up by Harriet Cook
Band Electric Soul Club
Flowers by Beth Cox
Cake by Krispy Kreme
Favours – Cancer Research pins
Bridesmaid Dresses by Victoria Lou
Suits by Jack Bunneys, Essex
Catering by Cripps Stone Barn
Coach for the guests- Denwell Coaches
Table plan and table names by Project Pretty
Bridal party stayed at The New Inn, Coln St Aldwyns

Stone Barn Wedding Photography

 

Stone Barn is a combination of a stone barn with a Dutch barn attached to the front. The Dutch barn with it’s patina gives it a really unique, post industrial look. Stone Barn is beautifully set in glorious Cotswolds countryside near Aldsworth, Gloucestershire. Its isolated position means that your privacy is guaranteed. Cripps Stone Barn wedding photography is a gift. On a sunny day the countryside makes a beautiful backdrop and there are lanes and fields to spread out in. On a rainy day the barn is large enough and has plenty of interest and light to make amazing images indoors. In the evening the firebowls are lit outside and you can light sparklers and toast marshmallows or just chill out and relax after an incredible day. There is even camping available in in the field nearby.

Weddings at Stone Barn

It has separate spaces for the ceremony/dancing and bar/wedding breakfast. The split level Dutch barn contains the dining area and kitchen with its enormous and spectacular barbeque. The lower level dining area extends into a conservatory which makes the whole place very light and airy, unusual for a barn. Clearly for a venue centred around a large kitchen the food is something Cripps are justifiably proud of. There are whole barbequed lambs, steaks or rotisserie chicken, served in a the style of a feast direct to the tables.

Cotswolds Wedding Venue

We love Stone Barn, it’s one of our favourite venues as Cotswolds wedding photographers. We are often asked what our favourite venues are and the answer is always the same. It’s about the people. The staff here are very welcoming and will look after you all day. You can contact them on 01285 721909 or email enquiries@crippsstonebarn.com

Stone Barn Photography Gallery

Greg & Rhian

Greg & Rhian were married at the Stone Barn on a beautiful September day. They had hired a vintage red double decker bus to pick up all their guests from nearby Burford and bring them to the venue. Rhian and her bridesmaids had started the day with the bridal preparations at The Wheatsheaf Hotel in Northleach and she travelled the short distance to the Stone Barn in the car with her father.

The couple had chosen the stunning Stone Barn for it’s location, having family and friends coming from Yorkshire, Surrey and the South West. Greg & Rhian loved the fact that there was a distinct space for the ceremony in the main barn, along with the light and airy Dutch barn for the wedding breakfast. Flowers were the main choice of decoration on the day for Greg & Rhian. There were two huge hanging spheres in the stone barn where the ceremony took place and milk churns full of flowers either side of the registrar.  In the Dutch barn there was a stack of vintage crates absolutely overflowing with flowers as well as filled crates on the tables and vintage birdcages full of flowers were hung from the ceiling. The light that floods into the barn with all the decorations and flowers is truly beautiful.

Unusually for a wedding venue, the rose petal confetti was thrown inside – we’re not sure why, although given that it was quite a blustery day it seemed a really good idea. Greg & Rhian walked down a tunnel made by their wedding guests which meant we were able to get some great photos with the lights twinkling overhead in the Dutch barn. Before the wedding breakfast guests relaxed outside to the string quartet who had also played during the ceremony. This enabled us to get some wonderful photographs of the couple and their guests having a great time, while also capturing all the detail that had gone into the decorations, table plans, cake and table settings. Rhian’s sister (and bridesmaid) had made their cake in the same birdcage theme they had used throughout the day.

After the wedding breakfast came the speeches, we think the Best Man just about stole the show. We took Rhian & Greg off for some portraits before the sun set and the celebrations moved on into the evening.  The Stone Barn looks as fantastic when it is lit up at night as it does during the day, and the first dance took place to the band ‘The Zuzu Men’ – with Greg sweeping his new wife around the dance floor.

For the evening, sparklers were placed outside next to the fire pits along with huge jars of marshmallows for guests to toast on the fire.

Lauren & Mike

Lauren & Mike were married at Stone Barn on a glorious May day. A spring wedding at Stone Barn is perfect when everything is bursting into life. It seems that the summer of 2018 is never ending and we’ve been so lucky this year with all the incredible couples that we’ve photographed. Everyone can be outside for the day – which is a bummer for the band who have to play to an empty barn – and on into the warm evening. As we left Lauren and Mike were outside taking a few minutes to themselves. Taking a few minutes away from everyone is something that every couple advises. It helps to remember your day and to spend some time together. Of course it didn’t last with guests soon finding them and wanting to congratulate them but we got a beautiful shot as we left with the sun going down.

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