Oxfordshire DIY Village Hall Wedding

When you think of DIY weddings, everyone will have their own impressions, but this was a cracker! Milly and Dave were one of the most relaxed couples I have had the pleasure to work with. I always recommend that couples design their wedding around them and this was very much them.

I arrived on a sunny September morning to the cutest village hall in Wytham, a small village just outside of Oxford. The first thing I noticed was the coloured streamers, hay bale seats and the English countryside village feel. Everything about the wedding was DIY with help from friends and family and it looked amazing. Immediately I could tell how relaxed and excited everyone was. 

A short walk through the picturesque village and you arrive at All Saints Church, Wytham. Staying with the family vibe the vicar was actually the groom’s dad. This is the second wedding this year I have photographed where the vicar has been one of the parents (check the other one out here) and it is such a lovely personal touch for the ceremony.

The bride’s sister also entertained everyone whilst the couple signed the register by singing. She had everyone in tears and received a well deserved huge round of applause. After the ceremony it was a short walk back to the village hall. I love a wedding where you can walk between the ceremony and the reception, on a sunny September day it was the perfect transport. 

A close friend of the couples just happens to be a very talented caricaturist and other friends, a duo that sang to entertain all the guests. The DIY touches included a whole cheese platter and of course a game of the British classic, cricket! 

Milly’s wedding dress had been passed down through the generations and Milly was the third generation to wear it (after her mum and grandma). Her grandma had sadly passed away but her grandad made a speech at the wedding which had everybody laughing and crying. As big drum and bass fans, the best man had a song made just for the couple. I have never seen so much dancing and singing during a wedding meal! 

The evening was as wild as the rest of the day, stunning weather ensured a fantastic day which finished with a ceilidh and what I can only describe as a rave! Smoke machine was in full flow and the tunes were blaring. The fantastic thing about a small village hall in a small village is most of the village was there so the end time was ‘less’ strict that it might be at a larger venue.  

Of course I captured the whole day in my natural, documentary style of wedding photography. Nothing fake and nothing posed, just the day as it happened.

If you are planning a DIY village hall wedding, why not get in touch, I can’t wait to hear about your wedding plans.