Where do we begin with Fran and Zac’s stylish Cambridge College wedding? It was a day filled with timeless elegance; a sense of history mixed with a contemporary edge. Fran and Zac had met whilst studying at Queen’s College, Cambridge. It’s a place filled with happy memories of their early courtship, and somewhere that has a very special place in their hearts. So when they got engaged, it seemed only natural that they should celebrate their wedding at Queen’s too! Cambridge is one of our favourite UK cities. For its history, architecture and atmosphere, it’s pretty hard to beat! So we were super-excited when Fran and Zac approached us about capturing their Cambridge wedding!
Read on to see how Fran and Zac’s awesome wedding day unfolded…
Fran and Zac chose July for their Cambridgeshire wedding. Their day dawned warm and sunny, and a slight heat haze threw a soft morning light across the city. They had chosen to get ready for their wedding day separately. Zac was accompanied by his groomsmen, while Fran was surrounded by her family. When we arrived there was a palpable sense of excitement in the air and the morning preparations were in full swing. We always love spending time with our couples the morning of their wedding day. It’s such a beautiful and evocative part of the day to capture. It also helps that we photograph as a husband and wife team, so we can literally be in two places at once—on this occasion on opposite sides of the city.
When Fran was ceremony-ready, she took a quiet moment to herself, to write-out her speech for later-on in the day. Whether it’s a minute to read-over your wedding vows, open a card or letter from your partner or bush-up on your speech, we highly recommend taking a few moments to be alone and centre yourself, before you head-off to your wedding ceremony. It helps to calm the nerves, and allows you to feel really present in the moment when you are exchanging those all-important vows.
Zac really liked the idea of walking from their accommodation, through the Cambridge streets, to the chapel at Queen’s College for their wedding ceremony. It was a chance to pass-by some favourite old haunts from his students days, enjoy the sunshine, and psyche himself up for the main event. We loved how sharp the guys looked, striding through the city in their suits!
Fran and her dad were the last ones to leave the house for the wedding ceremony. Fran really wanted to have a special ‘first look’ moment with her father who had supported her so lovingly over the years. A big vintage car fan, Fran’s dad had hired a Rolls Royce to take them to Queen’s College for the wedding ceremony. It felt like a real Hollywood moment, gliding through the bustling Cambridge streets and attracting smiles and waves from the passersby.
Queen’s College chapel is the most amazing space and an absolutely beautiful setting for a wedding ceremony. All of the Cambridge Colleges are stunning, but the chapel at Queen’s is definitely special. The colours, the architecture, the summer light all added to the atmosphere. When we had recced the chapel the previous day, we’d seen that there was a great ‘top shot’ looking down on the aisle from the organ platform. So one of us waited here, while the other one took-up a position on the floor of the chapel, ready to capture Fran’s ‘big entrance’…and Zac’s reaction… Working as a husband and wife team definitely helps to capture multiple perspectives at moments like these!
With their wedding ceremony over, it was time to celebrate! The quadrangle in the centre of Queen’s College made the perfect setting for drinks and canapés on the lawn. Guests spilled out into the gardens, mingling and chatting…and seeking-out pockets of shade in the cool cloisters away from the blazing Cambridgeshire summer sun!
Fran and Zac wanted to take a little time-out on their wedding day, to take a stroll through the city and enjoy a romantic moment to themselves. It was a chance to revisit some of their favourite parts of Cambridge, places that held especially happy memories for them. As the heat of the afternoon gave way to the cool of the evening, we took a circular walk through the city, along the backstreets and along the College Backs beside the River Cam. We really enjoyed bringing a Vogue-inspired vibe to Fran and Zac’s couples shoot—city weddings are oh so chic!
When we returned to Queen’s College the tables were laid in the Dining Hall, ready for the wedding breakfast, speeches and the evening celebrations. This room dates back to 1449 and you can really feel that sense of history, and all the many uproarious banquets that must have taken place here in the years gone by. There’s something very poignant about becoming a part of that long and venerable Cambridge tradition.
Before long it was time for the speeches… which were hilarious and erudite! We definitely learnt a whole lot more about Fran and Zac, both as individuals and as a couple, thanks to the witty insights of their friends and family! One thing that emerged strongly, though, was just how perfectly matched these two are. It was awesome to see them celebrated by friends from far and wide.
After dinner, it was time to party! And party these guys did… After their ‘first dance’, Fran took centre stage as lead singer for the college band that she’d fronted in her student days. All amazing musicians, they belted out a string of absolute bangers that soon had the whole room dancing. The atmosphere grew increasingly wild as the drinks flowed and the tunes kept coming. We called it a night at 11 pm, but we sense that these guys were partying until dawn! If there’s one thing that we can say for sure, Fran and Zac’s Cambridgeshire wedding is one that we’ll remember for a long time to come!
Kind words from Fran and Zac:
“Oh WOW these are so fab! We absolutely loved the photos! We spent one night last week going through them all and re-living the day over and over again. We couldn’t have wished for a more beautiful set of pictures — they tell the story of the day so beautifully. Thanks again for being so wonderful on our big day. We couldn’t have wished for two lovelier people to accompany us on the wedding day journey. Really appreciate you travelling all the way to Cambridge for the day too. THANK YOU!!!”
We love Cambridgeshire weddings! Whether it’s a chic city wedding in Cambridge, or something rustic and bohemian in a Cambridgeshire countryside setting, we’re always down to photograph your day in this beautiful part of the UK!
If you are planning a Cambridgeshire wedding — countryside or college — we would love to hear from you!
