Claudia and Tom’s stylish summer wedding day was a beautiful celebration of their Romanian and English cultures.  Claudia and her family are from Transylvania, and the day was filled with unique touches to honour her heritage. From the elegant setting of the Ashmolean to the unforgettable wedding photos, everything about the day was really special.

The proposal

Claudia shares: “Tom had organised a surprise weekend to ‘celebrate my recent hard work’, which was highly suspicious as I had worked hard at other times in our relationship. He told me to pack action clothes and smarter-than-smart-casual clothes, and drove us to the surprise venue. On the way I asked if we were going to a falconry centre we had talked about, but Tom said no. He then cheekily teased me about being disappointed!

We arrive at the venue, and he’s booked a weekend at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, along with a few activities. We go to the first activity, and he’d brought that very falconry centre to the hotel! It was very special. Afterwards we were walking through the Japanese gardens and once alone on a bridge he gets on one knee and proposes with an amazing ring that his sister and mum helped him pick out.”

The historic Oxford wedding venue

The Ashmolean has to be one of Oxford’s most unique wedding venues. It’s officially the University of Oxford’s Museum of Art and Archaeology but can be hired for weddings when closed to the public. I am very proud to be one of Ashmolean’s recommended wedding photographers and have had the pleasure of photographing many weddings here. It’s a spectacular wedding venue with loads of character and some of the very best photo opportunities around.

“We knew we wanted a venue in Oxford as it’s beautiful, I was a part of the university, and it’s easy for guests to reach,” explains Claudia. “We looked at a few venues but Asia, the events coordinator at the Ashmolean, really sold it. They offer so much organisation on top of the venue hire – the way the wedding flows through different galleries, etc. We felt it would be quite unique and memorable – and it was. We wanted our guests to have fun! Weddings can feel long with lots of waiting as a guest, so we liked that the Ashmolean offered something interesting at every stage of the wedding.”

Timeless bridal style

Claudia got ready in the historic Randolph Hotel, just opposite the Ashmolean. I really love the old-school glamour vibe of this heritage hotel. Such a stylish setting for the bride and her bridesmaids to relax and get prepped for the big day. Her mum was also on hand to help her get into her beautiful wedding dress before the ceremony.

The bride wore a chic off-the-shoulder wedding dress with a floaty circle skirt. Paired with an elegant updo, pearl drop earrings and jewelled court shoes, Claudia looked effortlessly glamorous and absolutely stunning. We couldn’t resist taking a few candid snaps as Claudia walked from The Randolph along the streets of Oxford to the Ashmolean. When I say every head turned I mean it!

The museum ceremony

Choosing a venue like the Ashmolean means you have to be a little more flexible with timings. Claudia and Tom’s wedding ceremony started at 6pm, giving the museum visitors plenty of time to leave before the wedding party arrived. 

The ceremony room is a dream to shoot in, with lots of natural light, dramatic red walls, antique paintings and beautiful artefacts everywhere you turn. Claudia made an awesome entrance, coming down the large staircase to meet her groom, before the heartfelt ceremony.

The unique wedding reception

We had just enough light left after the ceremony to do the traditional ‘confetti shot’ outside the iconic blue doors of the museum. One guest was a little over enthusiastic and threw the whole empty confetti petal basket at the couple! Claudia and Tom didn’t even realise until I showed them the photo afterwards.

The Ashmolean makes a super-cool wedding breakfast space, with atmospheric lighting and ancient sculptures bringing so much character. The tables were named after different birds and were dressed with pretty floral displays reflecting the colours in Claudia’s bouquet.

Honouring Claudia’s Romanian roots, all the guests were invited to have a shot of Țuică to toast the couple. It’s a traditional Romanian spirit that’s made from plums ­and very strong! All of the couple’s guests were given a little bottle of Țuică made by Claudia’s grandma.

The wedding photos inside the Ashmolean

Because of timings we didn’t have long to take photos after the ceremony, so most of the couple shots were taken after dinner. It was so special to have our own ‘night at the museum’ inside the Ashmolean. We were given exclusive access to the Cast Gallery and Egyptian Gallery, which houses the Shrine of Taharqa dating back to around 680BC. It’s not often you get the chance to photograph inside places with this much history ­– never mind having your wedding photos there. I just love how these turned out.

The style file for Claudia & Tom’s wedding at The Ashmolean

Venue: Ashmolean Museum

Makeup artist: Joyce Connor 

Hair stylist: Tia Jacobs 

Flowers: Fabulous Flowers 

Cake: Cakes by Anusha 

Wedding dress: Joyce Young 

Band: Jennifer Williams 

Wedding Stationery: Emma Cox 

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