Even as Holly and Dudley’s wedding was still unfolding in front of me at The Great Tythe Barn in Tetbury back in 2019, I knew it would be a wedding to share. Why? Holly and Dudley radiate an honest and authentic connection with each other that is warming to observe. As a wedding photographer, I often describe myself as a “professional people watcher” and simply watching, capturing and being involved in their day was a true pleasure. Nothing about their celebrations went over the top yet their fun-loving nature, relaxed manner and positive outlook were infectious and something I believe I’m drawn toward – just like when you might be drawn towards a steady beat on the dance floor.
Holly and Dudley are located a heartbeat off the M4 in the Cotswolds so I was over the moon to accept an invite for a coffee at their home in the build-up to their wedding date. We discussed their vision of a relaxed wedding day at The Great Tythe Barn surrounded by countryside and a weekend, rather than a single day, of informal gatherings with their friends and families.
Without a doubt, they achieved their vision and I’m thankful for the invitation to witness and capture their gorgeous informal wedding in the Cotswolds.
A few words from the bride, Holly…
(or scroll down to see a highlights selection of their wedding photos)
Before becoming engaged, did you have any preconceived ideas of what your wedding would be like? And if so, how did this change once you started planning?
We always knew we would get married, it was just a case of when so we talked about it a lot before actually getting engaged. We wanted to get married in a barn with accommodation on-site so people could stay before and after to make a weekend of it. It was Dudley’s birthday the day before so this worked out perfectly! I think the only idea that changed was the food, we always thought we would want BBQ style food and a hog roast in the evening to keep it casual but after tasting the food we quickly changed our minds. We tried to keep it casual with long tables and an antipasti sharer starter board because we liked the social aspect.
How and why did you choose your venue(s)?
I (Holly) found it before we were engaged when looking online with my mum and then we arranged a visit when we got engaged. We liked that it was in the Cotswolds, local to us had accommodation on site and the barn was stunning. The team were really helpful and friendly from the beginning as well. An extra bonus was the pigs and donkeys!
What were your top one/three priorities in planning your wedding?
The venue, photographer/videographer and the food. The photographer/videographer was a non-negotiable for us as we wanted the best to remember our day.
What one thing most surprised you during the build-up to your wedding?
How easy it was to plan. We had heard from other people that it was really stressful to plan a wedding but we found it really fun and enjoyed all of it.
What one thing most surprised you on the day of your wedding?
How quickly it went. Again people had told us this but you don’t actually realise until the day.
If you could do it all over again, which one thing wouldn’t you change, and if anything, what one thing would you change?
It’s hard to pick one thing we wouldn’t change as we loved everything about it. If we could change one thing, we would only have had one best man speech rather than two.
In one sentence, or less, what advice would you give a couple planning their wedding?
Try to enjoy every aspect of it from the moment you start planning to the end of the day. And get a great photographer, it’s worth it!
A few lovely words about us from Holly and Dudley…
Barney captured the day beautiful, every single photo is incredible, we can’t stop looking at them! He was so lovely during the whole process and during the day, our guests even commented on how impressed they were. We couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect so thank you, thank, thank you!!
A complete supplier list can be found in the footer of this post.
Supplier List:
Venue: The Great Tythe Barn, Tetbury
Videographer: Storybox Films
MUA + Hair: Evie Smith
Catering Team: Fine Dine With Us
Band: The Kicks
Florist: The Wild Bluebell
Wedding Rings: Etsy
Dress Designer: Ellis Bridal (bought from Krystle Brides in Bath)
Shoe Designer: Pink Promise Accs
