A Humanist Wedding Ceremony at Oxleaze Barn: Lauren & Gareth
There's a particular kind of magic to Oxleaze Barn. Set within thirty acres of working organic farmland on the border of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, its beautifully restored Cotswold stone barn and courtyard have an effortless, understated elegance that doesn't need much dressing up to feel special. It was the perfect setting for Lauren and Gareth's wedding on Saturday 2nd August 2025, and one of my favourite ceremonies to have written this year.
A couple made for each other
Lauren and Gareth are, quite simply, a gorgeous couple, inside and out, and it's the kind of thing everyone around them says. We got to know each other over a few Zoom calls in the lead-up to the wedding, but it was meeting in person over brunch near where they live that really let me get under the surface of who they are as a couple, which is always my favourite part of the process. That's where a ceremony stops being a script and starts becoming genuinely theirs.
Luxury Humanist Wedding Ceremony Oxleaze Barn with Love Celebrants
The ceremony
Lauren and Gareth chose an outdoor ceremony at Oxleaze Barn, taking full advantage of the venue's stunning courtyard setting; exactly the kind of relaxed, natural backdrop this venue does so well. Their ceremony included:
A reading from Gareth's brother, Bryn
A ring warming, where their rings were passed among their guests to hold and bless before the exchange
Personal vows, written entirely by Lauren and Gareth themselves
The exchanging of rings
A group vow, bringing their guests into a promise of support for the couple's marriage
It was a ceremony built from genuine warmth, humour and the kind of detail that only comes from properly knowing a couple, shared in front of their loved ones on a beautiful August day.
Luxury Humanist Wedding Ceremony Oxleaze Barn with Love celebrants
What Lauren said
Lauren shared this after their humanist wedding ceremony at Oxleaze Barn:
"Kathryn was just brilliant! From our first meeting we were certain that she was the right person to help us create an authentic ceremony that felt true to us. Her entire process was seamless and made it all seem so easy! She was natural, passionate and engaging and brought such great energy to the day. Our guests had so many kind words for her and we would recommend her services again and again! Thank you SO much Kathryn, you are truly celebrant goals!!"
— Lauren
Behind the scenes
Every wedding is a team effort, and Lauren and Gareth's day was beautifully captured by Craig Williams Photography, whose relaxed, documentary style was a perfect match for their day.
Kathryn B Wilson - Love Celebrants with Couple Gareth & Lauren
Why Oxleaze Barn
Oxleaze Barn is one of those rare venues that manages to feel both grand and completely unpretentious at the same time. The exposed 18th-century beams and honey-stone architecture give it real character, while the flexibility of its spaces, from the Main Barn to the courtyard and the wilder WedShed at the top of the meadow, means every couple can genuinely make it their own. It's exactly the sort of setting where a humanist ceremony belongs: personal, unscripted, and free from formula, in a space that already has so much of its own story to tell.
If you're planning a wedding at Oxleaze Barn, I'd love to be part of your day. Get in touch to talk through your ceremony.
Luxury Humanist Wedding Ceremony Oxleaze Barn with Love celebrants