ardington house summer wedding in oxfordshire

This stunning Ardington House summer micro wedding in Oxfordshire has got to be one of the highlights of my 2022. Or the last two years! If I start counting from the time when Ashlyn first got in touch with me.

Ashlyn and Hunter initially planned to get married in the autumn of 2020. But 2020, as we all know, was a crazy year. It was such a stressful time for them to plan a destination wedding, especially remotely from the US. Over a span of two years, it was heartbreaking to see how Ashlyn and Hunter went through THREE stressful postponements.

Ardington House Oxfordshire Venue Summer Micro Wedding of American couple. Featuring a long trestle table covered in white linen floor-length fabric table cloth and adorned by seasonal floral arrangement with deep green foliage, David Austin roses, Delphiniums, Scabiosas, Snowbelles, Clematis, and Oxypetalum in shades of pink, peach, yellow, white and Pale Blue. 15 limewashed tiffany chiavari chairs with cushion, eucalyptus garlands, tapered candles in hurricane glasses, in the background are large shady willow trees, a river bank and the Oxfordshire countryside - Photo by Cristina Ilao Photography

But you know what they say? Third time’s a charm! And thank goodness they got Jeni (Vanilla Rose Weddings) to help them plan the wedding this time. Jeni’s not only a calming presence. She’s also an expert when it comes to planning English garden-inspired weddings. I knew from the moment she got involved that Ashlyn and Hunter were in good hands.

Getting ready and morning bridal preparations at the bridal suite - English garden wedding in Ardington House Oxfordshire England UK; Bride is wearing a white Chantilly lace A line long sleeves Claire Pettibone wedding dress, updo chignon classic hairstyle and holding a spring flower crown while sat on the dressing table in front of an antique mirror: Photo by Cristina Ilao

flatlay of a vintage style chandelier earrings in diamond and gold; a lace fabric embroidery with pearls; bride and groom name place card setting on a curled handmade paper printed digitally; two pence for goodluck; all styled and on top of a fabric linen styling surface backdrop - photo by Filipina destination wedding photographer Cristina Ilao

AN ARDINGTON HOUSE SUMMER MICRO WEDDING

Two years later, Ashlyn and Hunter finally tied the knot on a very special weekend. Their third wedding date ended up coinciding with their tenth anniversary of dating and the Queen’s platinum jubilee. The rest of the UK was all busy celebrating the Queen’s platinum jubilee in London. But Ashlyn and Hunter? They finally had the quintessentially English micro wedding of their dreams with 15 of their family and closest friends in the Oxfordshire countryside. And I couldn’t be more delighted that I was there to capture their special day for them.

Close-up newly married couple portrait at an English garden wedding in Ardington House Oxfordshire England UK; Bride is wearing a white Chantilly lace A line long sleeves Claire Pettibone wedding dress, updo chignon classic hairstyle with half flower crown, groom is wearing a beige suit with a white dress shirt and a nneutral sand straw hat with grosgrain ribbon: Photo by Cristina Ilao

A DREAM MICRO WEDDING IN AN OXFORDSHIRE COUNTRY HOUSE

I remember feeling so excited when Ashlyn first talked about their small and intimate wedding plans. There’s only one thing I love more than capturing a wedding. Capturing a micro wedding, of course!

Over the years, intimate or micro weddings have become my absolute favorite. I love seeing couples celebrate their love with only their families and closest friends. The celebration is more heartfelt, everyone just relaxes and focuses on enjoying the day. With big weddings, the couple can sometimes spend much of their time greeting their guests and hosting. And the risk is that they don’t get to enjoy their day or even eat their wedding meal.

stylish but cute flower girl crown with pink and white David Austin roses, foliage, fern and pale blue Oxypetalum; lace light baby blue children's occasion dress; small bouquet tied with a hand dyed silk ribbon; braided brunette dark brown shoulder length hair - Photo by Cristina Ilao Photography

Ardington House Oxfordshire Venue Summer Micro Wedding in the back English garden. Featuring a long trestle table covered in white linen floor-length fabric table cloth and adorned by seasonal floral arrangement with deep green foliage, David Austin roses, Delphiniums, Scabiosas, Snowbelles, Clematis, and Oxypetalum in shades of pink, peach, yellow, white and Pale Blue. 15 limewashed tiffany chiavari chairs with cushion, eucalyptus garlands, tapered candles in hurricane glasses - Photo by Cristina Ilao Photography

A QUINTESSENTIALLY ENGLISH CELEBRATION IN A GEORGIAN MANOR

Ashlyn and Hunter are both horticulturists who met while studying abroad in the UK. So, it’s no surprise that they wanted a wedding that reflects their love of botany and the English countryside.

Can you see how that’s reflected in every element of their Ardington House summer micro-wedding?

The shady spot under the willow tree where they chose to say I do. The seasonal floral arrangements they asked Nicola (Foxgloves & Roses) to create for them. Their beautiful wedding breakfast table was set up outside in the South-facing English garden area. Everything was perfect, including the glorious sunny weather on their wedding day.

Cotswolds summer wedding with bride and groom and father of the bride facing the wedding celebrant; bride is wearing a v neck Chantilly lace a line skirt bridal gown from Savin London and holding a seasonal bouquet with deep green foliage, David Austin roses, Delphiniums, Scabiosas, Snowbelles, Clematis, and Oxypetalum in shades of pink, peach, yellow, white and Pale Blue. groom is wearing a neutral beige tan morning suit with a fedora hat and brown leather church shoes, behind is the Oxfordshire countryside with a tall oak trees - Photo by Cristina Ilao Photography

What a lovely wedding it was. Everyone enjoyed themselves and really had a good time. And guess what Ashlyn had to say about having me at her Ardington House micro wedding!

Kind Words:

“Cristina is the best wedding photographer! As an American couple getting married in the UK, we appreciated her top-notch communication and her overall support of us throughout the planning. She went above and beyond to help us through several Covid-related postponements, and she readily gave us amazing advice when it came to other elements of the wedding planning as well as general travel recommendations. We felt immensely supported by her throughout the entire planning process.

On the day of the wedding, she was as kind, professional, and flexible as one could ever hope for on their big day. We also did a creative shoot the day before our wedding, and it was so much fun! Some photographers are unwilling to veer from their personal style, but she was very happy for me to give my creative input and work collaboratively to tell a story through pictures. All of the photos we received were outstanding. Her compositions and editing are impeccable. We can’t recommend Cristina enough. Her professionalism, skill, attention to detail, and unwavering kindness are unmatched.”

Read the rest of Ashlyn’s feedback here: