Stratton Court Barn Wedding Photography

A Rainy, Rainbow-Filled Wedding at Stratton Court Barn, Oxfordshire

Rain, a ridiculous amount of love and one of the best rainbows I’ve ever seen. Evie and Sam’s wedding at Stratton Court Barn was a reminder that the best wedding days aren’t necessarily the ones that go to plan.

If there’s one thing you can’t control on your wedding day, it’s the British weather. And for Evie and Sam, the weather really did have other ideas.

It rained. And rained. And then rained some more.

Not the occasional little shower, but proper, relentless rain for most of the day. The sort of rain that has everyone checking their weather apps every five minutes, hoping for a tiny break in the clouds.

But here’s the thing. It didn’t matter.

Evie and Sam were surrounded by their favourite people, everyone was having an amazing time and there was far too much happiness going on for a bit (well, a lot) of rain to spoil anything.

A Beautifully Personal Wedding at Stratton Court Barn

Set in the Oxfordshire countryside, Stratton Court Barn is a gorgeous place to get married, with beautiful grounds, rustic charm and plenty of space to celebrate.

What I particularly loved about this wedding was how personal it felt. So much thought had gone into the details, with Evie’s sister helping to style the day and create something that felt completely them. (*Ellie is the mastermind behind styling studio Mood and Bloom).

Nothing felt overly formal or staged. Just a really lovely couple, their friends and family and a day full of genuine moments.

Exactly the sort of wedding I love photographing.

And Then Came the Rainbow…

Now, this is where things got a little bit magical.

After what felt like endless hours of rain, everyone had settled down for dinner when, finally, the skies began to clear.

The rain stopped. The light changed. And outside, the most incredible rainbow appeared across the Oxfordshire sky.

You really couldn’t have scripted it better.

After spending most of the day dodging puddles and watching the rain hammer down, suddenly we had this beautiful little window of evening light. Of course, we made the most of it.

And those moments outside with Evie and Sam, with the rainbow hanging in the sky, were just wonderful.

It’s one of the things I love most about wedding photography. You can plan every detail of a wedding, but sometimes the most memorable photographs come from the things nobody could have anticipated.

The Brilliantly Unpredictable Bits

Weddings aren’t about perfect weather, immaculate timelines or everything happening exactly as planned.

They’re about the people. The laughter, the emotions, the slightly chaotic bits and those completely unexpected moments that become part of the story.

Evie and Sam’s day had all of that in abundance.

And actually, I think the rain made everything feel even more special.

A huge thank you to Evie and Sam for having me along to document it all. What a brilliant day, from the soaking wet beginning to that rather spectacular ending.

Planning your own wedding at Stratton Court Barn? I’m a documentary wedding photographer working across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and beyond. I photograph weddings as they happen, capturing the real moments, the lovely little in-between bits and everything that makes your day yours.

Rainbows are optional. But always welcome.