Oakley Court wedding photography

Oakley Court Hotel, the location for Sarah and Joel’s intimate winter wedding and not a ‘sweet transvestite’ in sight! I’d better quickly explain!!!…

A Victorian Gothic mansion, Oakley Court, built in 1859, sits on the south bank of the River Thames, just outside Windsor. It is now an upmarket hotel. But before it’s renovation, it was a dilapidated shell and the location for many a Hammer Horror film. Bray Studios, home of Hammer Horror, was just next door. It was ready-made for vampire films, just as it was for ‘sweet transvestites’…

“Wasn’t that a Castle we passed a few miles back up the road?”

This was the castle home of Dr Frank N Furter , The Frankenstein Place in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, that Brad and Janet found in the rain.

Anyhow, enough of that, back to the wedding…..

A small winter wedding, just thirteen people including Sarah and Joel – close friends and family. With a ceremony at 5 pm in December, it was going to be dark too. It was going to be a technical test of the high iso capabilities of my Nikon D750s for sure. 12,800 iso anyone? (A flash did get used, for about a minute, for some pictures outside. But with the strong winds, a light stand was a no-no, so we used the light illuminating the building for some quick, simple, portraits). Shooting such a small group, you can’t be invisible as a reportage wedding photographer, nor very silent – great as the Nikons are, they don’t have the quietest of shutters. Firing a flash would be too obtrusive. You have to hope that people can just ignore you after a bit, as you try to tell the story.

Coverage began at Sarah and Joel’s house in Bracknell. When I arrived, Sarah, her mum and two bridesmaids were chatting while watching a DVD. Julia Roberts and Rupert Everett in My Best Friend’s Wedding. Waiting for that song, before heading upstairs to get ready. One eye on the cats in case they spotted the wedding dress! Joel was at Oakley Court, ready for the ceremony, waiting in the Library.

The ceremony complete, some drinks before the candlelit meal. A couple of speeches followed, Joel and then his father, and a brief first dance for Sarah and Joel before the evening’s relaxing  – wedding cake, drinks, games…

An intimate winter wedding at Oakley Court. Here a few images from the day…