Chris & Dave’s Doctor Who Wedding at Cripps Barn, Cirencester
“So, I’m going to build a Dalek, paint it in the colours of R2D2, and send it down the aisle with our rings. You up for that?”
I mean. Have you met me?
If you know me, or pay any attention to my socials, you’ll know I’m a bit of a Whovian. Massive tattoo of Billie Piper on my arm, Bonnie Langford’s dog on speed dial, that sort of thing.
Been one all my life. There used to be a massive Doctor Who experience in Cardiff. Wonderful show next to the studios where the show was made. But Cardiff’s a bit far if you live in London, so that’s why it was so exciting when the Doctor Who exhibition opened in Earls Court in 2008.
I remember going with my mates. A celebration of groundbreaking television, it was remarkable in more ways than one. It changed the lives of Chris and Dave forever. Having bonded over The Face of Boe, they moved in together in south London, with a garden big enough for a labrador and a couple of guinea pigs before deciding city life wasn’t for them. They relocated the whole menagerie to Cheltenham, have been there since, and they love it.
Marriage came up over the years without ever feeling urgent. Then somebody noticed there was a chance to get married exactly eighteen years after Earls Court. Two geeks were never going to walk past a coincidence like that. It became, in their words, the perfect excuse for a big party bringing together the people they love.
Loud, proud, and out in the Cotswolds
Chris and Dave wanted this wedding loud and proud, out in the Cotswolds countryside, and Cripps Barn was the first venue that felt right. They’d already got plans for weaving Doctor Who into the day before they’d even signed the contract.
The props they built themselves
A full-size TARDIS. A homemade purple Dalek. A K9 built from scratch. I’ve seen a lot of handmade props in my time, and these were some of the best. Chris and Dave wanted their guests to see these things, get photographed with them, and get pulled into a bit of silliness along the way. You can tell the difference between a hired prop and a made one. A made one has blood sweat and tears on it, with personal details like names and dates on the TARDIS door. Their reception tables carried names pulled from Blake’s 7, which is a very specific, very deep-cut kind of nerdy, and I’m entirely here for it. Still haven’t recovered from the final episode.
The ceremony at Cripps Barn
I had a quick catch up with the registrar before the wedding. “Do you know about the surprise?” she asked? Blood slightly went cold. “Surprise?” I was expecting a Love Actually serenade or something. “The dancing. The Dalek.” “Oh, those! Sure. Got it covered.” Chris and Dave met each other halfway down the aisle and had a little dance before carrying on to the front. Nobody choreographed that. It was just them, being them, in front of everyone who mattered. Then the ring bearer arrived. That half-size Dalek, painted in R2-D2’s colours. Trundling down the aisle to applause.
Portraits, Cotswolds countryside
Wedding portraits are a chance to breathe after the manicness and adrenaline of the ceremony. And so it was with Chris and Dave. Nothing major here – this wasn’t the focus of the day and five minutes in, it was time to go sit down.
Dinner, and a spare chair at every table
One of the lovely things about this wedding was the way Chris and Dave wanted to spend time with all of their guests. Many couples stay at their top table – others are more relaxed. And so it was here. Chris and Dave put an empty chair at every single table, on purpose, so they could work the room properly during dinner. This wasn’t so they could do a quick lap of honour with a hello and a photo. This was actual time, spent with their family and friends, having a laugh, soaking up stories and making sure that everyone felt welcome and warm. This kind of thing changes the whole feel of a reception. It becomes a less formal event with a seating chart, and more like a dinner party that eighty people happened to be invited to.
Chris and Dave’s top tip
“If you are planning a big bash, expect to take a long time over it. And to spend a lot of money! Next year soon becomes next month, with so much left still to do. Keep it fun and if something is becoming a chore, chuck it aside. And don’t invite anyone you don’t want to be there, just because you feel you have to. It’s your day for you!”
Thinking about getting married at Cripps Barn?
Chris and Dave picked it for the countryside setting and for how welcoming the staff were from the first visit. A few things worth knowing if you’re considering it yourself: The outdoor space comes into its own once the sun goes down. Fire pits, lawn games, marshmallows on sticks. Chris and Dave built their evening around it rather than treating it as an afterthought. The barn gives you room to personalise properly. If you’ve got a TARDIS you’re hoping to fit somewhere, or a homemade Dalek that needs a good spot for photos, there’s space here to do it without it feeling squeezed in. Looking at the gallery, I think Chris and Dave followed their own advice pretty well. There’s a homemade Dalek ring bearer sitting in this story as proof. Wedding Photography for Awesome People. With Daleks.
Paul Phipps-Williams, Birmingham Wedding Photographer Fancy some laid back, joyous photography from a guy with a massive Doctor Who tattoo? Get in touch.
Location: Cripps Barn, Cirencester · @crippsbarn · crippsandco.com
