Banbury Wedding Photography  -  Some of my favourite photos from Luci and Jame's  – Bruern Abbey School wedding.

 

I first heard from Luci and James a couple of years back. They live in Hong Kong, but planned a UK wedding in Oxfordshire so that all their friends and family back home could join them. Travel restrictions meant that I didn’t actually get to meet them in person until the morning of the wedding itself, but I felt like we were old friends, because I’d been reading Luci’s hilarious emails on and off for almost two years! Luci’s initial email enquiry to me had been one of the funniest emails I’d ever received, and I was so happy they wanted to book me as there was so much humour and personality packed into her writing, I just knew we’d get on like a house on fire. 

As the pandemic went on, Luci stayed in touch. The thing about lockdowns delaying weddings and celebrations is that in the long lead-up, I often get the chance to get to know the couple quite well – and never was this more true than with Luci and James! Every time I got an email from Luci I made sure I settled down with a cuppa to read them, because each one was like a beautifully crafted little story, keeping me up to date about the wedding plans, napkin rings and how the pandemic was unfolding in Hong Kong.

I was genuinely so excited to meet Luci properly on her wedding day, because from her emails she seemed like someone with so much joy and energy, not just for the details of her big day, but for life in general! It was lovely to feel that we’d made a real connection beforehand, despite not being able to meet face to face. 

Luci and James were really clear about what they wanted from their wedding day – they wanted it to feel very informal, relaxed, and for their guests to enjoy it rather than feel like an obligation. I thought this might be a little hard to achieve, however, as Luci and James were getting married at a school! Not just any local comp, however – Luci’s dad works at Bruern Abbey School in Bicester, Oxfordshire, so they were granted the run of the place for the day. Bruern Abbey is quite an imposing, big, gothic building, with some very impressive architecture – but the plan was to just use the grounds and have an outdoor wedding and outdoor reception. 

Being an unconventional soul, Luci had no bridesmaids, and she wanted the bridal prep to be really relaxed. She was doing her hair and make-up herself, and then planned to have some close friends come and join her. I rocked up, anticipating a very calm morning, not realising that the ‘few’ close friends was actually going to be 15 very excitable pals who were all over the moon to see Luci after a long period of forced separation. The morning of the wedding was actually full of fun and energy, and there were plenty of opportunities to get some gorgeous, happy shots of these reunited friends.The weather couldn’t quite decide between glorious and terrible, so it was showering on and off on the day of the wedding, which didn’t bode well for Luci’s outdoor wedding plans. After some persuasion from James, however, Luci agreed that the wedding breakfast would be indoors (no one wants to eat in the drizzle, right?) – but that the ceremony itself would remain outside. Fortunately, with a humanist ceremony, they could be a bit flexible about the exact timings for the day, and Lucy was able to get her wish.

They were married in front of a huge oak tree, and as a way of cementing their wedding vows – there’s no register to sign in a humanist ceremony – they planted a tree. This was a lovely touch, and it really reflected that Luci and James are free spirits. The whole day felt like it was really ‘them’ – from Luci’s gorgeous golden dress, to the speeches, where we heard tales of the bride from one of her best friends, as well as all the first on James from the best man.

Midway through the ceremony the rain did start again, but Plan B sprang into action and all the guests cracked out their brollies and were able to stay relatively dry while Luci and James could have the outdoor ceremony they wanted. After a slightly damp confetti moment, the sun was back out, and the wedding guests quickly made the most of it, lounging out on the terrace enjoying 40 minutes of beautiful sunshine, fizz, and food – until they were very sharply brought back down to earth by one of the biggest downpours I’ve ever witnessed.

With spirits undeterred, however, the wedding guests certainly made the most of the day. In common with many of the post-lockdown weddings I’ve been lucky enough to shoot, it was clear that everyone was delighted to be socialising again, the booze was flowing freely and the dancefloor was shaking by 8pm. Luci and James had organised for a live band to play, which always makes for an electric atmosphere, and James’s friends were so delighted to see him that he was showered with bear hugs and lifts – in fact he may have spent more time with his feet in the air than on the floor.

t was a really cracking day with two fabulous people – thank you Luci and James, and congratulations!

Bruern Abbey School ,Banbury Wedding Photography - 

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