II’ve been the wedding photographer for quite a few special days at the magnificent Bodleian Library in Oxford. The Bodleian was founded in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley and is one of the oldest working libraries in the world. It’s therefore a unique venue steeped in history and is an important cultural landmark to anyone who lives or studies in Oxford. It also makes a stunning backdrop for a wedding of any size. I photographed an intimate civil partnership between Katie and Adam in the middle of the pandemic with only a few close family in attendance. It meant the  and also the big wedding of Eleonore and Elco who filled the space with grinning friends and family and created a totally different atmosphere. Both were special in their own ways.

Wedding Photographer At The Bodleian Library Oxford

The venue offers many different options in terms of spaces for any wedding size. The weddings I’ve shot have taken place in The Chancellor’s Court and Convocation House, with its high fav-vaulted ceilings and church-style seating. Afterwards we were able to sneak into The Divinity School, an impressive medieval hall used for lectures. The couple were able to take a breath and revel in their newly married status before returning to their guests. The Divinity school is also used for receptions and drinks and canapés can take place in the Old Schools Quadrangle. Couples have also been known to arrange tours of the Bodleian Library. Allowing guests to explore the reading rooms of old scholars and discover rare manuscripts such as the Gutenberg Bible and some of the original works by William Shakespeare. There’s also the option of dancing the night away in The Sheldonian Theatre across the quod if you have too many friends and family.

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Taking photographs in The ‘city of the dreaming spires’

Even if you haven’t chosen the Bodleian Library as the venue for your wedding it’s still a significant landmark. The Radcliffe Camera and the Bridge of Sighs are some of the most iconic backdrops for wedding photographs in Oxford, and if you get married at the Bodleian Library then they are right on your doorstep. Most couples I photograph in Oxford want to wander around the area that links Broad street and the High street, soaking in the architecture and the history. You’ll also be transported to many film sets including ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘The Favourite’ starring Olivia Coleman.

Features of The Bodleian Library that look wonderful in wedding photographs

The buildings of Oxford encompass a diverse mixture of architectural styles, from the gothic to the barque to the neoclassical. And the Bodleian itself is a reflection of the University’s history, culture and evolution. The combination of the five separate buildings that make up the Bodleian Library are a feast for the eyes and a gift for any photographer. I normally have to go quite wide-angle with my lens choice to get in the grandeur of some of the buildings. And the angle I have to shoot at changes depending on what impressive roof or structure I’m trying to squeeze into the photograph. But with the Bodleian you are never without a stunning backdrop, a frame to stand in or an arch to hide your couple under. The Light is also something quite special, the sunshine bounces around the warm coloured bricks and off the stunning windows and even on the greyest of days you can feel the warmth of the buildings that surround you. Also the light in the Convocation house, where the wedding ceremonies are performed, streams through the high windows and gives you and all your guests a beautiful backlit halo. It looks amazing against the dark wood panelling and makes all the colours you introduce into the space in the form of wedding flowers and bridesmaid dresses pop against the backdrop.

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