Barnett Hill nestles quietly in the Surrey Hills, up a long driveway on a country lane only a few minutes out of Guildford. The most gorgeous Queen Anne style country manor was the setting for the wedding of Andy and Clare. They tell me that they fell in love with Barnett Hill and you can see why. Clare got ready with her mum and sister in the Thomas Cook suite, while Andy and the boys had fun in the gardens – a notable feature of Barnett Hill. I can tell you that these guys had an absolute ball. It was laughter from one end of the day to the other. This reading, a poem by Pam Ayres, was read by a friend during the ceremony:
Yes, I’ll marry you, my dear.
And here’s the reason why.
So I can push you out of bed
When the baby starts to cry.
And if we hear a knocking
And it’s creepy and it’s late,
I hand you the torch you see,
And you investigate.
Yes I’ll marry you, my dear,
You may not apprehend it,
But when the tumble-drier goes
It’s you that has to mend it.
You have to face the neighbour
Should our labrador attack him,
And if a drunkard fondles me
It’s you that has to whack him.
Yes, I’ll marry you, my dear,
You’re virile and you’re lean,
My house is like a pigsty
You can help to keep it clean.
That sexy little dinner
Which you served by candlelight,
As I do chipolatas,
You can cook it every night!!!
It’s you who has to work the drill
And put up curtain track,
And when I’ve got PMT it’s you who gets the flak,
I do see great advantages,
But none of them for you,
And so before you see the light,
I DO, I DO, I DO!!
Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed canapés and drinks on the terrace. Both children and adults enjoyed playing on space hoppers and having games of lawn chess. The wedding breakfast was held in the Garden Suite and was punctuated by the speeches. After there was a sweetie table and then came the game of rugby, which involved the whole bridal party (yes the bride too…) – perhaps there aren’t many venues apart from Barnett Hill that have such a huge lawn for this kind of fun and games?!
The evening brought more guests to enjoy the party and whilst the disco was happening, we were able to sneak Andy and Clare and some of the bridal party outside to the pond for some sparkler fun.
A truly fantastic day, full of laughter and love – thank you so much for choosing me to document your story xx
Are you getting married at Barnett Hill? Please get in touch for a chat. 07905 973255 or hello@mercedesevansphotography.co.uk
Mercedes Evans Photographer – Surrey wedding photographer taking relaxed and natural wedding photographs in Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire
