I’ve never really been sure how to pronounce Pishill – Oxfordshire wedding photographer.

11th Aug 2017 By Rob Wheal

Last month, it was my pleasure to photograph the wedding of Cara and Etienne. I only met the couple a few days prior to the wedding, as they live in Australia – so all my dealings with them had been through e-mail, and through Etienne’s mum, Annelize. Luckily, we all got along fine. A lovely couple.

What I did know, was that both the bride and groom have a passion for ecology and conservation, and that the wedding was to be a relatively simple, rural affair. So, I wanted to keep that in mind for the couples’ shots.

Cara got ready at Annelize’s house, which has a fantastic garden

Being an ecologist, Cara chose shoes that she could use for work subsequently. No Louboutin or Choo here; and also a lot more practical for getting around the terrain later. Should I show them in a garden setting, or in a way to reflect the sporty nature of the family?

The day was all due to take place at The Crown at Pishill. It’s a lovely country pub, steeped in history, and on the road between Watlington and Henley on Thames.

It’s always been a very tranquil spot in a quiet valley, and in the last year, has taken on a bit of a French feel, as the surrounding slopes have been planted out with vines. I’m looking forward to tasting the first production.

The ceremony and reception took place in the thatched barn alongside the pub, and was an ideal size for the quite intimate group attending. Cara is Canadian, so it was quite an international gathering.

Following the ceremony, I had a very short amount of time to whisk the couple away to take some photographs of just the two of them. I had scouted the area a couple of weeks beforehand, and found a setting a few minutes away which showed promise. A dusty track, a field full of wheat (I think. I’m not really a country lad), and an old iron barn.