Jez and Karla booked me for their Dodford Manor barn wedding photography about a year in advance of their wedding day. I had met them both briefly at one of their friends’ weddings. Gemma and Luke has tied the knot at the same venue a couple of years earlier. After seeing the photographs I produced, they decided to book me for their big day!

Being a Northampton wedding photographer, I shoot weddings largely in this area. In fact, Dodford Manor Barn has long been a favourite of mine. Steph and I have the best memories of our wedding reception there back in 2012! After opening in the same year, Dodford has grown into one of the best wedding venues in the country.

AN EXCITING WEDDING DAY

Before the wedding, I met Karla and Jez for a pre-wedding shoot. I could tell as soon as I directed my lens at them that they were at ease in front of the camera. Often this isn’t the case. So if you are nervous about being photographed then don’t worry! You are in good company!

Another thing that I realised from the engagement shoot was there was going to be a lot of laughter on this special day! I wasn’t disappointed! I spoke to Jez and Karla about their expectations for their wedding photography prior to the day. They were keen to capture all the fun and excitement of their day in a reportage style. So I set about snapping all of the fun and laughter that was before me. Being surrounded by happy people and positivity has to be one of the best part of my job. If you can even call it a job that is!

Anyway, enough from me. Here are a few comments from the very lovely newlyweds!

How did you meet?

We met in Primary School, Karla came to the UK in 1992 from Trinidad and Tobago.

So we met at the tender age of 7 years old! It was 11 years later until we became a couple! Then 15 years later til we got married! Must be in that laid back island life that Karla brought with her!! 

Why did you choose Dodford Manor?

We attended a friend’s wedding there a few years ago, and it really set the benchmark high. We wanted a venue where both the ceremony and reception could take place. Also, Dodford is set in a beautiful setting!

The venue and their staff were so accomodating. With having our own wedding planner, no corkage on alcohol, amazing caterers, great PSL list for photographers ; ) all made our decision in choosing Dodford Manor very easy.

Why did you choose me to photograph your day?

I knew you were the right photographer for us, when you took a picture a few years ago of Karla. The picture was so natural, and it was the natural photographs that drew us to you. You truly capture a moment!

Describe your wedding day?

We couldn’t have asked for it to go any better! It was full of fun, love and laughter with all the right people. The only thing I would change it having a 3 day wedding! 

While some couples seek the luxury of an exclusive hotel, and others prefer the quiet seclusion of a tropical beach location, we are slowly seeing a rise in the recognition of the countryside’s beautiful simplicity. Barn-style wedding venues are now one of the most popular venue options, and Dodford Manor is no stranger to hosting the perfect rustic wedding.

Located on 20 acres of glorious Northamptonshire countryside, Dodford Manor offers exclusive venue hire for you and your guests, focussing on its award-winning Grade II listed restored barn. Spearheaded by a family-run team, Dodford Manor offers so much more than a venue, providing you with the support you need to celebrate your wedding day in the exact way you want to.

Rich in an authentic historical background, every aspect of this former working barn is offered to you privately for your big day, including the Grain Store which becomes the bride’s headquarters, and the fantastic Oak Barn complete with glass walls and an incredible atmosphere. The glass walls not only provide natural light but also become your very own skyline auditorium, from which you and your guests can enjoy the stunning views of the night sky as darkness falls. With the incredible setting offered by Dodford Manor, you really do have the perfect blank canvas on which to design and create your ideal rustic wedding. There are numerous opportunities to add personal touches to almost every aspect of your day – all you have to do is bring your ideas and we will work with you to make them a reality.

The exclusive venue hire means that you and your party are the sole focus of our team for the whole day, ensuring a seamless process as we move from final preparations, through the ceremony and onto the first dance. The Grain Store is one of the more unique elements of this stunning venue, as it creates a hidden oasis for the Bride and her Bridal party to get ready for the day ahead. Bare brick walls embrace the rustic nature of the venue and provide an incredible backdrop for those all-important intimate photos where we capture the emotion of everyone from the Bride to her parents.

Guests’ first experience will be of the Mortain Barn. Where they will congregate for the wedding ceremony itself. A vast expanse of open and airy space, the Mortain Barn is a truly rustic place in which to lay your soul bare and share your vows. With its bare stone floors and high ceilings, the power of your vows will resonate around the room for all your guests to enjoy.

On a good day, Dodford Manor offers a lot more than renovated barns. The outdoor space available is again offered exclusively to you and your guests, and makes for an incredible backdrop for couple photos and group shots alike. A single olive tree stands alone in the middle of the outdoor courtyard, symbolising the strong foundations your love is built upon and providing the ideal location for intimate photographs.

Following your ceremony, guests will move through to the Oak Barn – a structure that embraces its rustic past while also incorporating beautifully modern glass panels and windows. Your guests will be stunned into silence as they take in the beautiful countryside surrounding Dodford Manor, before being offered a drink and chance to congratulate and celebrate the day that you have created.

In terms of numbers, Dodford Manor can work with whatever your desires are. From a mere 30 guests to a vast 200 guests, the Oak Barn is an adaptable space which can be made both intimate and more spacious. Dodford Manor’s on-site catering team offer incredible local delights, to keep your guests full of energy until midnight, while the absence of a corkage fee makes it easy for your guests to enjoy as many drinks as they like without the hefty price tag for you.

Guests have quoted Dodford Manor as a place of charm, where historic meets contemporary style. The Manor is a place where the reception is warm and the designs are cool, with every space being created to command maximum enjoyment. The Manor has won awards for its offerings, including 2018’s Best UK Country Wedding Venue of the year, as voted by UK Bride.

If rustic is what you’re after, you really couldn’t ask for any more than Dodford Manor; a space of visual delight and country charm.