An August Wedding Built Around Family
Isobel and Harry got married on a Saturday in August at St Mary’s Church in Stowe, before a marquee reception on Isobel’s parents’ land just down the road — the same gardens where Isobel’s own parents had their wedding photographs taken. It was a day built almost entirely around family: a small, packed church, a roaming magician, a marquee full of people who’d clearly known each other for years, and not a single moment that felt forced.
A Small Church and a Family Tradition
St Mary’s is a small church, and with 120 guests it was full. After some conversations with the them both about having the ceremony more intimate between the two of them, we agreed photography, apart from coming down the aisle, would be kept to the back and sides during the service.
Outside, after the confetti, the immediate family and bridal party walked round the corner into Stowe Landscape Gardens for portraits by the Temple of Ancient Virtue — the same spot where Isobel’s parents had their own wedding photographs taken. Getting permission from the National Trust for even a short session like this took a bit of back and forth (their standard photography fee assumes a much longer booking than the fifteen minutes we actually needed), but it was worth it for a setting that meant that much to the family.
A Marquee, a Magician and No First Dance
The reception was a ten-minute drive away, in a marquee on Isobel’s parents’ land. Nothing screams elegance for a Buckinghamshire wedding than arriving back at the Marquee in an 1980’s Aston Martin… I like my cars and this one was to die for… in British Racing Green nonetheless. Guests were kept entertained by a roaming magician through the afternoon, while Isobel, Harry and I slipped off to the woods beside the marquee for couple portraits before speeches.
Four people spoke — Isobel’s dad, Harry’s Dad, Harry and Harry’s best man — and the day was full of small, deliberate choices that made it feel like theirs: no first dance, a cake cut in the middle of the band’s break to kick the dancing straight off, with Isobel’s brother providing his Royal Navy, ceremonial sword, and a bouquet toss squeezed into that same break. It’s the kind of running order that only works when a couple knows exactly what they don’t want as well as what they do. The evening was an absolute ball for both being a photographer and a guest. Drinking tequilla shots off Ski’s (Harry and Isobel met skiing, so that was kind of the theme for the day) then finding out later that they made great limbo dancing poles.
Working With Isobel and Harry
Isobel described herself as “a Type A person” during planning, and it showed in the best possible way — she cross-referenced my timing plan against her own before the day, which meant we arrived at the wedding with a shared, tested plan rather than a rough sketch. It’s exactly the kind of preparation that makes a day like this with lots of moving parts, run smoothly, whatever the schedule throws up.
Isobel put it better than I can:
“He made a real effort to get around all of our different groups without ever being intrusive. He would often set up shots before coming to find us, meaning we weren’t pulled away from our guests for any longer than necessary. He managed to get all of the ‘wow’ moments without them feeling too orchestrated… Sending us the sneak peeks within 48hrs was so fantastic! And the second sneak peak slideshow was such a nice touch.”
Thank you to Isobel and Harry for such a warm welcome on the day, and for trusting me with a spot in Stowe Landscape Gardens, that clearly means so much to their family.
Getting married at Stowe, or somewhere else in Buckinghamshire? I’d love to hear from you.
Suppliers: Venue — Stowe Landscape Gardens (National Trust) · Dress — Brides at Waterfield · Suit — Bakers of Bond St. Menswear · Hair & Makeup — Bridal by Charley · Catering — Gourmet Hog Roast Company · Marquee — Abacus Marquees · Band — Skalatons · DJ — Confetti Discos
