Why does Cripps Barn work so well
for wedding photography?
When clients ask me to be their Cripps Barn wedding photographer, I’m always just a little bit thrilled! This beautiful 18th-century stone barn offers so much as a backdrop for relaxed, informal wedding photography, especially for couples wanting to enjoy the surrounding Cotswolds countryside.
As you turn off Fosscross Lane and head up the long drive towards the barn itself, you’re treated to views over the Coln Valley – think rolling fields and ancient woodlands. It’s beautiful, and gives you a real taste of the treat that’s in store when you arrive at the venue itself.
The barn opened as a wedding venue in 1990 and was the first venue in the Cripps and Co family. It has been stunningly renovated with large oak doors, exposed beams, flagstone floors, an open fireplace and those epic barn doors, which open out onto the stylish terrace.
The venue maintains its barn-like character but is stylish too. It honestly is such a treat to photograph there!
The gardens are gorgeous, plenty of space for guests to enjoy on a warm summer day. There are open fields around and woodland too. You can even choose to tie the knot outside under the Oak Pavilion in the woodland glade.
“Becky was an absolutely exceptional photographer for our intimate Cotswolds wedding.
Her friendliness helped her blend in perfectly with our guests, and she was everywhere, capturing every single moment we could want or need (even before we thought of it ourselves).
Her attention to detail meant that we caught gorgeous moments with the landscape, the venue, and our loved ones, without missing out on any of the fun or feeling like we were away from our guests.
She managed to capture both the gorgeous stills and key moments on film for a highlight video, which (as a fellow multimedia professional) I know is incredibly difficult, but she made it look effortless and made the whole day completely seamless for us.
We can’t thank her enough for capturing the best day of our lives in such a perfect way, and would whole-heartedly recommend her to anyone considering her for their wedding or special event. Becky is such a special talent , and we were so lucky to have her documentary the day”
Best Spots for Portraits at Cripps Barn and around Bibury
You’re spoilt for choice for portraits at Cripps Barn. The barn itself is stunning, and you’ve simply got to get at least one portrait inside.
Outside, there are beautiful gardens and rolling fields with sweeping Gloucestershire views, which make the perfect backdrop for creating epic landscape photos, with you and your new spouse in the foreground.
There is a field just a short walk from the terrace which faces West – ideal for those stunning golden hour portraits I’m well known for.
I love to back-light my couples, creating dreamy golden flare and gorgeous bokeh as the sun shines through the canopy of trees. I can’t help but get VERY excited when this happens, as I know my clients will just love these stills!
The staff at Cripps are good at keeping mown paths amongst patches of longer grass, which catch that low-lying light perfectly and just looks unreal in photographs. I’m getting excited just writing about it!!
The drive itself is also stunning, and perfect for framing my subjects with leading lines, or creating beautiful separation between my subject and the background, creating that appealing background blur, especially on a long lens like an 85mm.
If you wanted to go further afield, you could always visit Bibury, “The Capital of the Cotswolds”. Though it can be busy, it was recently declared the most beautiful village in the world, and for good reason. It’s stunning.
Arlington Row is the classic place for pictures – originally built in 1380 and later converted into a row of weavers’ cottages. Equally lovely is The Swan pub, which has the sweetest stream running through its gardens – I once photographed a wedding day duck race there!!
What happens if it rains? Wet weather wedding photos at Cripps Barn
Fortunately, Cripps Barn has multiple indoor spaces, making it the perfect venue for off-season weddings or days when the weather isn’t so good. Your photographs will still be stunning because everywhere at Cripps is beautiful, so there’s really no need to worry.
From experience, it’s incredibly rare that it rains all day, and it’s very likely we will get a break in the weather if you’re keen to get outside for some photos. This sort of thing is discussed at length in your pre-wedding consultation, so before the day I will have a clear idea of what your preferences and priorities are – I always say the same thing to clients – let me stress about the weather, you just enjoy your day!
My cameras are pretty hardy to a bit of rain, and I’m always up for going outside, even if it is wet! I actually think portraits of you running about in the rain are pretty romantic, so if you’re not too precious about your dress, I recommend just embracing whatever the weather may be.
Planning your wedding day timings at Cripps Barn
Cripps and Co have a team of incredibly experienced planners who will support you to plan out the perfect timeline for your day, so you really have nothing to worry about.
If you choose to have your ceremony on-site, you’ll need to book a registrar from Gloucestershire Registration Service, which will decide the time of your ceremony; after that, everything will flow from there.
Most clients tend to have around 90 minutes for their drinks reception (2 hours, for an extra relaxed vibe).
For a 3-course meal and speeches, most venues allow roughly 2 hours. Your meal at Cripps will be more of a feast than anything else, cooked on either the barbecue, rotisserie or asado grill – you won’t want to rush it!
It’s nice to have a little gap between dinner and dancing, and guests can enjoy a cocktail on the terrace with some of those award-winning Cripps Spirits, or roast marshmallows on the firepits before getting some bangers on that state-of-the-art Funktion-One sound system to get the party started.
How to choose your Cripps Barn wedding photographer – practical considerations
There’s so much to think about when choosing your wedding photographer, and it can feel a bit overwhelming.
My advice is that the best person for you is the person who makes you feel like you can be most yourself with them around.
I’m all about non-performative photography; I want to capture real moments, because I believe a shot of your Grandad shedding a tear during your vows means far more than anything I can stage, especially in years to come. It’s important to me that not only you but your guests all feel at ease in my company, so I work really hard to be warm and kind to everyone I meet, and it genuinely shows in the final gallery too.
Some practical things to consider at Cripps Barn is that, as it currently stands, you can’t get ready there.
Fortunately, Cirencester and the surrounding area have an abundance of accommodation available. Some of the recommended local places include: The New Inn (Baz & Fred), The Stump and Masons Arms.
You’ll also find plenty of local Airbnbs if you want to hire a whole house for you and your bridal party to get ready in, and most are very aesthetically pleasing, if that’s important to you for your getting-ready photos. Always double-check that your photographer is happy to travel between locations, but for me, it’s definitely not an issue.
Real Wedding Photography at Cripps Barn
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A chilled wedding day in the Cotswolds
Jane and Owen were particularly keen on a super chilled-out wedding day, and that’s exactly what they got.
They got married ahead of that ridiculous heatwave we had in 2026, but the weather was still gorgeous, and we were spoilt with a beautiful golden hour, which we enjoyed, running around in the fields taking pictures!
They had their ceremony in the main barn, which looked so pretty with its hand-forged greenery wheel and floral decorations above the fireplace. The ceremony was simple and beautiful, and it wasn’t long before the newlyweds were showered with confetti out on the terrace.
Guests enjoyed the outside space during the drinks reception, and we utilised the shade of the trees for the group photographs before heading for a little walk around the grounds for some portraits before the wedding breakfast.
After dinner, there were some short speeches before everyone spilled back out onto the terrace to enjoy the evening atmosphere, drinks and smores on the firepits.
Jane and Owen opted for their own curated playlist, rather than a DJ or band, so after they’d cut the cake that the bride had made herself, they got to dancing!
Before I left, we headed outside as the couple were keen for a night portrait. I set up my off-camera flash to light the couple, with a second light behind them to create a rim-light, and the couple danced and messed about whilst I shot away.
It was the perfect day, just what the couple had planned, and I was thrilled to deliver their gallery a few weeks later.
Similar Venues to Cripps Barn
You might also be interested in other nearby Cotswolds and Gloucestershire Venues:
– Hilles House
– Upcote Barn
– Owlpen Manor
– Hyde House
-Eastington Park
–Lapstone Barn
-Old Gore
– The Barn at Berkeley
– Ellenborough Park
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