Hayley & Chris’ Wedding at Cripps Barn

Morning prep at The New Inn

The day started in the Garden Suite at The New Inn, where Hayley was getting ready with her bridesmaids. I photographed the bouquet and other details, captured candid moments through the morning, and then took a few portraits of Hayley and the bridesmaids outside on the patio once everyone was ready. Cripps Barn recommends The New Inn in Coln St Aldwyns as nearby accommodation, it’s around 15 minutes away, so it’s a really handy base for the morning.

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Arrival at Cripps Barn

By the time everyone arrived at Cripps Barn, the barn had been beautifully decorated with florals and the couple’s signage, but the rain had started, so it was straight inside. I took a few portraits of Chris and his groomsmen under the doorway before guests fully settled in.

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Ceremony in the main barn

The ceremony took place inside the main barn. It is a beautiful space, but it can be quite dark during ceremonies, so I chose to light it with off-camera flash to help the couple stand out while still keeping the atmosphere of the room. Hayley was walked down the aisle by her stepfather, and it was a really lovely ceremony. My favourite image from the day came just after the first kiss, when they embraced with all their guests looking on behind them.

At the end of the ceremony, they walked back down the aisle while guests threw confetti, which gave that part of the gallery a great burst of energy.

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Drinks reception in the main barn

Because the weather was so wet, the main barn became the drinks reception space straight after the ceremony. I lit the space with off-camera flash and focused on all the natural moments as guests chatted, laughed, and congratulated the couple. On a wet day like this, that sort of coverage really matters, because so much of the atmosphere comes from people relaxing into the space rather than spreading out across the grounds.

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Group photos by the fireplace

All of the group photos were done indoors by the fireplace in the main barn, as we wanted to include the florals in the background. These were also lit with off-camera flash to keep everything looking clean and consistent. We worked through all their groups there, including some larger combinations where I brought in seating to help fit everyone into the space.

When editing, I also removed a few background distractions like a fire exit sign and a fire extinguisher so the final images looked as clean and print-ready as possible.

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Dining details in the Oak Room

Before guests were called in, I photographed the Oak Room ready for the wedding breakfast. It looked brilliant, with beautiful florals, film-based table names, and loads of lovely detail throughout. I made sure to get wide shots of the room as well as close-up detail images before everyone entered.

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Wedding breakfast

Hayley and Chris made a big entrance to start the wedding breakfast, with all their guests cheering them in.

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Indoor portraits between courses

As it had rained for most of the day, we had not managed to get outside for portraits, and the barn was too busy during the drinks reception to do them then, so we used the time between courses instead. Hayley and Chris wanted to stay indoors rather than head outside with umbrellas, so I kept the portraits inside the main barn and got a bit more creative with them, including using red gels to light champagne glasses for some interesting foreground bokeh.

It is always worth saying that wet weather does not stop portraits. Whether couples want to stay inside or head out with umbrellas, there is always a way to make it work.

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Speeches

The speeches followed soon after and were one of the highlights of the day. Hayley’s dad kicked things off with a hilarious speech that featured a surprise appearance from her old favourite toy puppet badger, then the best man spoke, followed by Chris.

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Candids after the meal

After the meal, I spent some time photographing guests enjoying themselves and the atmosphere naturally shifting towards the evening. Even without much outdoor time, there was loads going on and plenty of good moments to catch.

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Dancing in the main barn

Hayley and Chris had chosen not to have a first dance, but that made no difference once the band got going. The dance floor quickly came alive, and the main barn worked perfectly for the evening once everything shifted into party mode. That is one of the nice things about Cripps Barn. The same space that hosts the ceremony and drinks can later feel completely different once the lights drop and the music starts.

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Hayley and Chris’s wedding at Cripps Barn was such a good reminder that bad weather does not stop a wedding from being brilliant. The rain changed the shape of the day, but it also gave the whole thing a really cosy, atmospheric feel, and the venue handled that perfectly. With the ceremony, drinks, portraits, dinner, and dancing all working indoors, it still felt relaxed and full of energy from start to finish.

If you’re planning your own day and looking for a Cripps Barn wedding photographer, I’d love to hear more about your plans.