Mercure Oxford Hawkwell House Iffley - Gabby and Eddy Wedding 2022

This is a venue that I have displayed at on a few occasions at wedding fairs and I absolutely adore it.

Whilst it has a modern contemporary feel from the moment you arrive, the location also oozes an air of history and is linked tightly to Oxford and its academic vibe.

The staff at the location cannot be more helpful not only to you, the clients, but also us as suppliers too. This is always helpful as weddings can often be hectic and busy and staff at some locations can see other attending professional wedding suppliers as “staff” too - not at Hawkwell House, I am treated just as important as the wedding clients.

The layout of the venue all feeds into the flow of a wedding day. Bearing in mind this is a hotel with other paying guests not related to the wedding celebrations, the staff always manage to isolate the wedding guests without making them feel cut off from the rest of the hotel, more so provide a feel of exclusivity to the wedding party.

Gabby and Eddy my lucky couple chose this venue as it was close to family and guests, and the fact that the venue could cope with the number of guests that wanted to stay overnight.

The wedding service took place outside on the grounds of the hotel, and its setting was perfect in terms of the midday/afternoon summer sun.

Every detail in preparation was perfect. In fact, one example of just how perfect was the duty manager overlooked the seating arrangments outside - ensuring all seats were lined out correctly with equal distances and gaps between each one.

In terms of wedding photography, I was forewarned by the bride that her husband-to-be was not a fan of being photographed. This was a challenge that I cautiously embraced, and as soon as he arrived I seized my opportunity.

We spoke for a short time and he seemed more settled with the chance of having shots taken from a distance. Hallelujah for Nikon zoom lenses!

With the ceremony in full swing, the wedding party looked relaxed and settled looking on as the celebrants nestled in the garden house next to the couple.

In terms of the photographs, there are a set of steps that lead from the garden into the bar area and patio - this crisp open space is ideal for the group shots - even Eddy was getting into the swing of things by now!!

The evening celebrations were held in an airconditioned conference-style room that again was totally fitting to the vibe of the day.

It was a perfect end to a perfect day.

If you are looking for a venue that has the modern clean crisp feel of an up-to-date hotel with a feel of history scattered around the inside then look no further than Mercure Oxford Hawkwell House Hotel.

Here are a few of my favourite shots from the day - special thanks to Eddy for taking part!