Wedding at Old Rail Farm,
Warwickshire

Old Rail Farm
A new wedding venue in Warwickshire

For their ‘big’ wedding day, Gemma and Tom chose Old Rail Farm, located near Atherstone in Warwickshire.  A working farm location, it has been developed into an events venue as well as offering holiday accommodation and Gemma and Tom’s wedding was (nearly) the very first one held there.

Old Rail Farm offers a picturesque location, with a lakeside area suitable for an outdoor ceremony.   It also has much wider grounds which provide some great photo locations for later in the day.  The Highland Barn though is the centrepiece of the venue – a beautifully converted Dutch-style barn with lots of rustic charm.

Getting ready

As with most of our ‘full day’ bookings, we began with the morning preparations.  For us, the ‘getting ready’ photos are less about hair, makeup and suits and more about the atmosphere and interactions of the two parties as they prepare for the wedding day.  The preps are a time where we just want to melt in to the background to document what actually happens.

Gemma and three of her bridesmaids got ready in one of the cottages at Old Rail Farm.  Tom and the fellas  opted to start their day at Tom’s parents’ home nearby.

First look

Late in the planning stages of their ‘big’ wedding, Gemma and Tom decided that they’d like to do a ‘first look’.  They wanted a quiet moment without the presence of others, where could see each other in their wedding attire for the first time.

We’ve only seen a small handful of first looks in all the years we’ve been working so we really looking forward to the opportunity of photographing this very special part of the day.

The first look was to take place shortly before the guests were due to arrive.  Liaising with the venue staff, we cleared the barn of anybody who didn’t need to be there (ie everyone except the couple and us), got Gemma and Tom into position and then just let the moment breathe. with us moving around to get the best viewpoints.  Afterwards, Gemma was greeted by her mum was had been waiting patiently outside.

Guest arrivals

The point in the day where guests begin to arrive for the ceremony is often over-looked.  It’s seen as an ‘in-between’ time where not much happens, but we’ve never looked at it this way and we always try to cover as much of the arrivals as possible when timings allow.   The guests arriving is an important juncture of a wedding day, where everyone meets and greets, catch up and reconnect with friends and family.  It could be said that this is where the wedding really begins.

Outdoor wedding ceremony

Old Rail Farm has lakeside spot which is ideal for an outdoor wedding ceremony, with a wooden platform at the water’s edge, a simple gazebo and  haybales for seating.  With clear views across the countryside, it’s a lovely setting for a ceremony.

As Gemma and Tom’s legal wedding was already done, their ceremony at Old Rail Farm was simpler and less formal, with a celebrant conducting the proceedings and handfasting taking the place of the usual ring exchange.

Drinks reception

With the ceremony wrapped up it was time for everyone to have a drink and mingle.   The drinks reception is always an important part of the day because this is when everyone really gets chance to relax and chat properly.

Gemma and Tom only wanted a small number of organised group photos and these were taken care of at the end of the ceremony, so the drinks reception time was super-relaxed and free of formality.  However we did take the opportunity to get a few photos of the couple inside the Highland Barn, knowing this would be our last chance to do so before the meal began.

Meal & speeches in the Highland Barn

For the wedding meal, Old Rail Farm’s Highland Barn had been set up with three long banquet tables plus a ‘top’ table at one end.  Food was provided by Gurdev’s Indian Street Food.

Evening photo session with the bride and groom

Once the meal and speeches were done, it was time to take Gemma and Tom off around the Old Rail Farm grounds for a relaxed photo session.  For weddings in the warmer months, the evening session often yields some of the best photos of the day as the more ‘formal’ parts of the wedding are done and dusted and everyone is relaxing before the evening party begins.

Old Rail Farm is a real working farm, so there’s lots of potential for photos.   We always try to show off the venue in our photography so a location such as this, with it’s crop fields, winding paths and glades, is a joy to work at.

Evening party

Something we don’t get to see too often is a bouquet toss.   You kind of get in position, fire away and hope for the best, always trying to prioritise capturing the expressions of those involved.  They’re always a lot of frantic fun to try and photograph but I think we managed pretty well with this one!

After photographing weddings for as many years as we have, we always think that one of the things that really elevates a wedding is live music.  A perfect example of this was with the evening party for Gemma and Tom, where two of the wedding party performed, including a song they’d written about Gemma!  Absolutely brilliant.

A huge thank-you to Gemma and Tom for asking us to photography both of their wedding days.  Enjoy the pictures!