Vintage Wedding at Marwell Zoo...but only just

Ben and Victoria had a fabulous vintage wedding at the wonderful 17th Century Grade 1 listed Marwell Hall and a gorgeous vintage car in the grounds of Marwell Zoo.

But it nearly wasn't quite as convincingly vintage as it was.

Ben likes tanks!

His dream was to hire a Challenger tank decked out like a stretched Limo to take him to his wedding. Sadly Marwell Zoo said it would distress the animals to drive a Challenger tank through the zoo.

His next choice was for him and his groomsmen to drive a Mini-Tank each in a V-formation up the main road through the zoo. The Mini-Tanks were equipped with paint-ball guns on the turrets...would have been way too tempting near the meerkat enclosure!!! ...sadly the Mini-Tank company were too far away and the cost prohibitive.

The architecture of the magnificent Marwell Hall really helped to set the vintage mood.

Then it was time to go outside to see the Bride & Groom feed the lemurs.

It was raining during the portrait session but there were some wonderful opportunities inside the Hall.

The rain had made the pea-shingle drive quite muddy but we were able to use the porch for some elegant portraits.

Including this one which was actually shot during the day time, stopped down to make it look like night with a star burst street light in the background, which was actually our own flash on a stand.

It was then off to the marquee for the reception, speeches, cake cutting and disco. 

It was a day full of fun and...as I remember...more than a few Jagerbombs consumed by the bride and groom.

Ben did eventually get a nod to his passion for heavy machinery at their otherwise refined vintage wedding...Ben and Victoria were driven to the airport for their honeymoon in a HUMMER.