Davina and Bevan were married in the village church at Notgrove and celebrated in a marquee in the grounds of Notgrove Manor — her aunt and uncle’s house — with family and friends who had flown in from all over the world.
Notgrove Manor in the Cotswolds
Notgrove sits high in the Gloucestershire hills, and the manor house belongs to Davina’s aunt and uncle — which gave the whole day the feeling of a house party rather than a hire. The marquee went up in the grounds with the gardens running away from it on every side.
Getting Ready at the Manor
Davina got ready upstairs in the manor with her bridesmaids in blue around her. Bevan and the men were out walking the fields, which is one way of passing the morning.
The Ceremony at Notgrove Church
The ceremony was held in the village church, a short walk from the manor. Small, full, and warm — and with a golden retriever sitting patiently in the aisle throughout.
Drinks in the Grounds
Back up to the house for drinks on the lawn, a saxophone going, and a great many people meeting each other properly for the first time.
Portraits in the Gardens
The gardens at Notgrove Manor are the kind you could photograph all afternoon — clipped yew, deep borders, and the house sitting behind it all.
Dinner in the Marquee
Long tables the length of the marquee, foliage overhead and bunting across it. The speeches were funny and then abruptly not, in the way the good ones always are.
The Serenade & First Dance
Before the first dance Davina took the microphone and sang to Bevan in front of everybody. I have photographed a lot of weddings and I had not seen that before.
Sunset in the Cotswold Fields
We slipped out once the dancing was underway. Ten minutes down the lane and into the wheat, with the light doing what it does over the Cotswolds in July.
Into the Night
Then back to the marquee, which by that point had no intention of stopping.
Photographed across one summer’s day at Notgrove Manor in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire. More of my work is in the portfolio, and there are other marquee and country house weddings on the blog.
