Alternative october Halloween barn Wedding
- Mar 27
- 4 min read
Lisa & Chris - The Clock Barn, Hampshire
When it comes to alternative weddings, does it get much cooler than a gothic bride in a black detailed dress, green velvet tuxedos with skull embellishments on Halloween?
Look, it’s not often you get to rock up to work wearing whatever the hell you want… but it’s even rarer to know that halfway through the evening you’ll be dressing up for a Halloween costume competition with your best mate.
That is exactly what happened at Lisa & Chris’s Halloween wedding at The Clock Barn in Whitchurch, Hampshire.
From the very first meeting with Lisa & Chris, Liv and I just knew this one was going to be sick.
The brief included a Halloween costume competition, a fire breather, and a heavy metal playlist for the reception. Honestly, this is the kind of wedding we live for.
We arrived at the venue around 10am and headed straight for the bridal suite. One of the few perks of shooting somewhere you’ve been before is knowing exactly where you’re going without having to dodge twenty members of staff buzzing about.
Lisa's Prep
Knock knock… behind the door was a riot of laughter, the low rumble of bass, 1/16th kick drums, and the gentle screaming of a metal band warming up the day. We knocked a little louder and were welcomed in by Lisa’s nearest and dearest.
This wedding wasn’t just unique because of its alternative edge, but also because much of Lisa’s family are Registered Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Within seconds of being in the room, it was obvious that nothing about that stood in the way of why everyone was there: to celebrate Lisa & Chris. It was genuinely moving to witness how natural, inclusive, and full of love the whole morning felt.
We set up quietly in the corner, loaded cameras, prepped gimbals, checked batteries, and got to work capturing the morning as it unfolded. And true to form, this wasn’t your average bridal look. A black veiled overskirt, white and green high-top Doc Martens, skull-adorned florals, and even a coffin-shaped ring box. Absolute perfection.
The morning rolled on at a relaxed, comfortable pace. Family members drifted in and out, the groom’s party made the odd appearance, and before long Lisa’s dad was ready to see his daughter in her wedding dress for the first time… Docs and all. The embrace that followed, hands scrambling as they signed to each other with pure emotion, is a moment that will stay with us for a long time. A final buttonhole adjustment from his granddaughter, a few last touch-ups, and it was time.
No drama though. A bit of rain isn’t stopping anyone getting married. Umbrellas were drawn like swords, and everyone made their way across the courtyard to the main barn. A quick pit stop in the cosy nook out back to reorganise dresses, line up the kids leading the procession, and make sure everyone was behaving. Curtains pulled back, deep breaths taken, and the ceremony began.
The barn filled with quiet anticipation, guests seated in a semi-circle, smiles everywhere. The ceremony itself was led by Lisa’s eldest son, which added an extra layer of emotion from the start. Spoken sections were signed by interpreters for Deaf and Hard of Hearing guests, resulting in applause, laughter, and a room absolutely buzzing with love.
Once officially married, it was time for photos. With rain rolling through on and off, we picked our moments carefully, moving between the cosy nook, the patio along the east side of the venue, and back into the courtyard on the west. From full wedding party chaos to quiet moments with just Lisa & Chris, we made the most of every pocket of light and dry ground we could find.
This is where we really get to do our thing. We pulled out our one-of-a-kind card game to guide the couple through portraits with minimal posing and zero awkwardness. It’s a stupid little game we made up, but it works. No poking, no prodding, just genuine moments and natural connection.
We bounced between a few spots around the venue while guests queued for drinks and kids prepared to absolutely savage the sweet table before their parents noticed. The vibe was immaculate. Every detail, from the DIY decor to the outfits of the guests, screamed alternative in the best possible way. Nobody dropped character for a second.
THE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY CARD GAME
Chris, Lisa and their guests enjoyed their canapes, drinks and the staff at the Clock Barn were flipping the room ready for food. In true Alternative wedding style, the tables were decked in skulls, black lace, challices and gothic dressings. It was amazing. Speeches that pulled even the most emo, black heartstrings from Chris' best man and Lisa's daughter. Dotted around the room were 2 interpreters making the speeches accessible for all.
Then it was costume time.
We disappeared with Lisa & Chris and a handful of friends to get changed. Our costumes leaned more towards face paint than actual outfits. Liv frantically turned me into a skeleton while transforming herself into a bat, all while we somehow still managed to document Lisa & Chris masking up too.
Back into the courtyard for the next event of the evening… fire breathing.
The area was cordoned off, Preacher (guest, MC, and fire breather rolled into one) stepped into the centre, and flames lit up the night sky. In over ten years of shooting weddings, this was a first.
Would absolutely do it again.
The rest of the evening was exactly what you’d hope for. Skeleton cake toppers, a live band, guests roaming between rooms in full Halloween outfits…from subtle skeletons to full-on inflatable dinosaurs. The couple shared their first dance while Lisa’s eldest daughter signed the lyrics for guests, a simple but incredibly powerful moment that made it even more emotional.
We finished the night head banging with everyone else, eating pizza, and capturing absolute carnage in the best way possible. An unforgettable wedding, with unforgettable people, doing things entirely their own way.
And honestly? We bloody loved every second of it.
Venue: https://clockbarn.co.uk/
Hair Stylist: https://www.instagram.com/hairbycharlottebridal/
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