Ali and Marcus were married at Bredenbury Court Barns on a bright spring day in Herefordshire — a wedding that carried their Zimbabwean roots through the whole of it, from the wording on the menu cards to the dancing that finished the night.
Bredenbury Court Barns
Bredenbury Court sits out in the Herefordshire countryside, and on a clear spring morning it is hard to beat. The Oak Barn had been dressed with pampas and dried flowers, and the light through those big windows did most of my work for me.
Getting Ready
Mornings like this one are my favourite part of the day — not much happening, everybody together, and the odd moment that catches people out. Ali got ready surrounded by her bridesmaids, and there were a few tears well before anyone reached the ceremony room.
The Ceremony at Bredenbury Court Barns
Marcus had been holding it together right up until the doors opened. He didn’t manage much longer than that. And somewhere in the middle of it all, the couple’s golden retriever came down the aisle in a flower collar, entirely unbothered by the occasion.
“One of those weddings where nobody needed any encouragement — the room did all the work itself.”David Liebst, Photographer
Confetti & Congratulations
Out into the sunshine, and straight into the noise. This is always the loudest ten minutes of a wedding day, and Ali and Marcus were swallowed up by it.
Portraits Under the Blossom
We slipped away for half an hour while the blossom was out. Neither of them needed posing, which makes my job straightforward — mostly I just followed them round the grounds and stayed out of the way.
Speeches & the Wedding Breakfast
The menus welcomed everyone to eat in Shona, and the room filled up quickly. The speeches ran the full range — properly funny in places, and quiet enough in others that you could hear the glasses.
Dancing Into the Night in the Oak Barn
The Oak Barn looks completely different once the lights go down. The dance floor filled after the first dance and stayed full, and the night finished outside under sparklers.
Photographed across one spring day at Bredenbury Court Barns, Herefordshire. More of my work is in the portfolio, and there are other Herefordshire weddings on the blog.
