The Ridgeway Barns

‘Oh my word! The film is absolutely beautiful!! Thank you so much for capturing our special day so perfectly! We can't stop watching it - so many wonderful moments! We've both been smiling and crying in equal measure watching it. Thank you once again for being part of our special day and creating a truly special film.’

the ridgeway barns

Situated in the rolling hills of Wiltshire on the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Beauty, The Ridgeway Barns are located on a working sheep and arable farm. Beautifully revamped and restored in 2021, the Barns and outbuildings now provide a rustic and charming space for a wedding celebration - think exposed beams and original red brick, combined with modern touches like floor-to-ceiling glass walls.

Surrounded by rolling fields and beautiful landscapes, it’s is a wonderful choice for couples who appreciate the rustic charm and tranquility of a countryside setting. It’s a relatively new venue, so it was a pleasure to be one of the first wedding videographers to get the chance to make a film here.

The Wedding Film

Emily & Ali were married in June, at the height of the British summertime. Although summer is not always a guarantee of great weather in the UK, in this case we were blessed with gorgeous sunshine all day, and the evening light in particular was spectacular. All credit to the photographer Imogen for searching out such a beautiful location for the couple portraits - we got so lucky with the golden hour light!

With such amazing golden hour portraits, it made sense to open the film with these shots. In order to increase the emotional impact of the visuals, I needed some narrative audio that fitted with these clips, and Emily’s sister’s reading from the church ceremony fitted the bill perfectly. I think the combination of the sweet, understated poem and the stunning golden hour shots make for an excellent opener that leads perfectly into the next section.

Morning Preparations

Emily got ready in the morning on-site at The Ridgeway Barns, surrounded by her family and closest friends. Not only was I able to capture some lovely footage of all the preparations, but being on-site at the venue also meant I was able to grab some b-roll of the venue and the decor. The stunning florals were designed by the bride herself (Emily runs a floristry business), and I felt that she had managed to create beautiful floristry that blended in well with The Ridgeway Barns and its countryside setting. I included some more audio from the church service, this time the priests address to the congregation. His words seemed to fit with the vibe of the wedding perfectly, talking about what heaven may look like - in this case the jpyous joining of two people filled with love.

The Ceremony

The ceremony took place nearby at the Church of the Holy Rood, a quaint little church with roots stretching as far back as the Norman invasion in the 11th century. It provided the perfect backdrop for Emily & Ali to exchange vows, with plenty of natural light streaming through the windows and the vaulted ceilings giving the occasion a sense of grandeur. including some clips of the aisle walk and confetti (have you ever seen a happier groom!) provided the perfect segue into the reception.

Ali’s ability as a public speaker was clearly evident - his job as a sports presenter giving him plenty of practice. But his speech wasn’t just well delivered and humorous, it was also memorable for the sincerity of his words about his new bride. Including snippets also meant that I could show more of the beautiful sunset portrait session!

Emily had also done such a great job with the florals and decor that I really wanted to do them justice in the film; so I made sure to include plenty of clips of her fine work. The Ridgeway Barns itself is also a great looking venue, with the rolling hills as a backdrop, so I made sure to feature shots of this as well. Ali’s toast to his new bride Emily also gave me a great piece of audio for moving from the reception footage to the dancing - people cheering and toasting helps to move the narrative onwards to the footage of the first dance and the party. A few final shots of Emily and Ali enjoying their first dance gave the perfect ending to this Ridgeway Barns Wedding Film.