This English wedding is a delightful combination of lots of subtle elements: vintage lace, gorgeous colours, festive sparkle and sophisticated details. The bride and groom are Theresa and Chris and they got married at St. Peter’s Church in Cirencester this December. Theresa’s amazing smile and all the wonderful details of the are fantastic, and I hope they’ll inspire you!   

A beautiful composition of wedding dress, details and shoes by Caroline Alexander

The photographer for Theresa and Chris’s wedding was Caroline Alexander. Caroline’s approach to photographing a wedding is informal and she has a great eye for capturing all the magical little details of a wedding as the day unfolds. These first pictures of the wedding dress and shoes are really pretty, with all the colours working together to set the scene for this winter wedding…  

The vintage lace of Theresa’s wedding dress is just gorgeous.

Caroline snaps away as the final preparations are made. The detailing on Theresa’s dress is wonderful: this is one of the most beautiful vintage dresses I’ve ever seen. When Caroline submitted the wedding she told me, “I LOVE Theresa’s dress with it’s antique grey/silver lace and layers, it was quite fairytale and fitted her so perfectly”.  

Theresa relishes every moment of her wedding day!

Theresa’s laughter is infectious, even from the photograph! This is a fantastic little moment, the picture is all about the excitement of the day — no wedding day nerves in sight. Theresa and Chris were married at St. Peter’s Church in Cirencester, a picturesque Roman Catholic church. Father Michael Davies helps Theresa as she skips inside!  

The wedding ceremony inside St Peters of Cirencester

All eyes are on the bride and groom as they exchange wedding rings.  

Theresa and Chris’s wedding portraits were taken around Bibury

After the wedding ceremony, everyone went to Bibury for the reception, which was held at The Swan Hotel. Bibury is a charming little village on the river Coln in the English Cotswolds, once described by William Morris (1834–96) as “the most beautiful village in England”. You can’t beat that for your wedding photos!  

A romantic kiss, and a beautifully composed wedding photograph

I adore this picture. Shots taken from a little distance like this one, and in a small space, really emphasise a private moment of your wedding day. Caroline’s pictures are always natural, the bride and groom are wrapped up in their own little world and this really comes across here — such a romantic wedding photograph.  

Wedding inspiration from Theresa and Chris’s winter reception

The wedding was just before Christmas, and I think Theresa and Chris got the balance just right in terms of festive decoration and weddingy class! This photo composition of some of the wedding details shows they have crackers on the tables, and subtle little touches of red, gold and sparkle. The flowers are really lovely with white freesias and sea holly / sea thistle* — a really elegantly themed wedding reception.  

*I had to study and then illustrate these once for a calligraphy poem… I can’t remember the proper name, I know they’re called various things. Lovely flowers though.

Colourful retro sweetie bar and candy canes! Yum!

The candy canes, chocolate coins and satsumas are a lovely little festive touch. I love traditional sweetie bars at weddings, they’re so pretty and great from a guest’s point of view as well as a photographer’s!  

Theresa’s dad gave a fantastic wedding speech

I love and hate photographs of wedding speeches.… what was the joke? I’d love to know!! (they get me every time) But from the bride and groom’s point of view, this picture will always remind them of a brilliant moment at their wedding breakfast. Teresa’s dad looks a natural (and the guys’ waistcoats and cravats in silver look fab).

Theresa and Chris cut the cake while guests enjoy the moment

The great thing about photojournalism-style wedding photos is there’s so much to look at. Everyone has a camera, they’re all watching the big moment as Theresa and Chris cut the cake. I love the intimacy of this picture, the cosy room full of friends and family. And the cake is fabulous with three tiers and pretty flowers on top.

Congratulations to the bride and groom: Theresa and Chris, you’re gorgeous!

These last two pictures end this feature nicely: the bride and groom, simply and thoughtfully photographed. As they dance Theresa looks into Chris’s eyes and they both look so happy. I love the shape of the second picture, as Theresa spins into Chris’s arms and they hold hands, her gorgeous vintage wedding dress is the focus and wow — it’s still as stunning as in that very first picture.

Thanks to Caroline Alexander for submitting this wedding. I love it, I know Caroline loved it and I really think that comes through on every photo. There are even more pictures of this wedding on Caroline’s blog, and you should also visit her main wedding photography website to find out more about her. I think she’s fab. 

Fiona and Peter on their snowy English wedding day

It seems so long since we had all that lovely white snow across England in January, but looking at this wedding brings it all back in the most magical of ways.

Fiona and Peter were married in early January, and the gorgeous winter weather really made it a day to remember. The gorgeous wintry white of their wedding day is really beautiful. Photographer Marianne Taylor submitted their English winter wedding for the blog, and it’s such a pleasure to share it here.

Fiona’s wedding dress with lace detail, and her lovely shoes

Marianne’s style is very much wedding photojournalism. She captures all the little details of the wedding day, starting with these beautiful photographs of Fiona’s dress — the lace of the bodice is so delicate and pretty — and her shoes. The composition of the picture makes it look very vintage.

Fiona is beautifully composed before her wedding begins

As Fiona prepares for the big day she looks so beautiful already. The shape of her bodice suits Fiona so well, and that high neck at the back of the dress is gorgeous. She looks so calm and composed too, a very happy, naturally beautiful bride.

The expressions in this photograph are priceless!

That is until the make up artist and hair stylist rush in with a perfectly coordinated, full on attack strategy. I love this picture. They look so determined, and Fiona’s face says so much!

The hyacinths are a wonderful backdrop for the wedding ring picture.

The wedding rings are captured in this imaginative and beautifully composed photograph with wintry blue hyacinth buds — very fitting for the day. What can be a very ‘token’, ordinary picture is turned into real art by Marianne’s skill with her camera.

The little chocolate box church in Rickmansworth is idyllic

The roman catholic marriage ceremony was held at Our Lady Help of Christians, in Rickmansworth. It’s a beautiful little building, full of character outside, and (from these photographs at least) tardis-like on the inside!

The bride and groom are all smiles inside the church

Peter and Fiona both smile from ear to ear as they stand together at the altar. They’re clearly made for each other and make a wonderful couple.

Peering through the balcony railings for a gorgeous photo of the ceremony

I adore these very artistic photographs taken during the marriage ceremony itself. First, a shot of the bride and groom at the altar, taken from the rich wooden panelling inside the church by Marianne’s assistant photographer Susanna. While the church itself is so lovely and bright inside, this picture makes a lovely contrast with the bright shining windows in other photographs.

This view of the church from the balcony is stunning

The view of the congregation and of the length of the church is very nicely done. The elegant building is symmetrical and lit from above the beams, while the full congregation and the bride and groom in the middle of the picture complete a perfect scene.

Fiona and Peter enjoy the snow outside Stoke Place on their wedding day

Happily married, Peter and Fiona took their guests along to Stoke Place — one of Buckinghamshire’s very picturesque stately home wedding venues — for a sophisticated wedding breakfast. And we see how wonderful the pure white snow works in the portrait photographs taken outside the venue. Fiona’s dress is a beautifully slender shape and suits her figure perfectly. Peter’s suit in a warm navy colour, and his tie and buttonhole are perfectly coordinated and match with the rich blues in Fiona’s bouquet. I love everything about this picture: the bride and groom, the trees framing the shot and the gorgeous venue in a beautiful snowy scene. Definitely a favourite.

Fiona poses with her bridesmaids on the stairway at Stoke Place

This photograph of Fiona and her two gorgeous bridesmaids is really lovely. All three look so happy, the blues of the bridesmaid dresses and the blue walls work so well together, and Fiona looks stunning in every photograph… but here with the white fur wraps and white roses this is clearly an elegant winter wedding, and what makes the photo so special is the crystals from the chandelier in the foreground. Don’t they look like beautiful sparkling icicles?

The wedding cake and reception room are striking in white and navy

The theme for Fiona and Peter’s reception was white and navy — one of my favourite winter wedding themes. The cake was very simple, three tiers with navy ribbon and white daisies for decoration — simply perfect. And the venue itself is perfect for the theme — Stoke Place is a rare treat of a wedding venue in that it is pretty much a blank canvas for you to fill with the wedding colours of your choice!

The wedding cupcakes and table votives add fun and sparkle to the reception

Quite often, photographs of your wedding details can really make your album — they’re the cherry on the cake, so to speak. And these two are really lovely. Cupcakes are always photogenic, but this lovely cupcake tower in white and navy with the shiny silver cases looks gorgeous. The white rose table decorations and simple little votive candles create pretty little highlights across the tables.

Two striking wedding photographs beneath trees in the snow

I’m really delighted to be able to share Fiona and Peter’s wedding with you. For me it’s the perfect winter wedding, beautifully made with such an elegant wintry theme. I adore Fiona, she’s so very beautiful and has the most amazing smile. These last two pictures are a perfect note to finish on, I think: the snow in the background and on the branches of the trees, and the way Fiona and Peter hold each other… so very much in love, and so relaxed and happy it shows in every one of their wedding photos.

Thanks to Marianne Taylor for submitting this wedding to the blog. The day is really inspiring I think, and the photography is really out of this world. A winter wonderland and a magical wedding for the blog. I love it!