Such a perfect day: Abi and Tom

For many couples there’s a very special shot they want for the album, and in Abi and Tom’s case, this required a tractor, teleporter, straw bales and an extremely game wedding party

Like wedding cake and confetti, group shots are standard issue at weddings and – in most cases – they are lovely memories of who was who, but somewhat lacking in excitement. But at the wedding of Abi and Tom, there was a plan – Tom’s – to do something different. With plenty of farmland and straw bales to execute his idea, and a wedding party who were ready to join in the fun, the result was a shot that is guaranteed to be a talking point down the generations. Photographer Ben Bull takes up the story.

Ben Bull: I think Tom may have seen a shot on social media that inspired him, but he told me his plan and then we had to work out logistics. Most importantly, we needed the straw bales that were ready in his barn somewhere that would capture the evening sun. We also needed to site this well away from the wedding, just in case any guests decided to go for a climb. We agreed the site, he put it in the perfect spot and then when the light was right the wedding party got into place with the help of the tractor. Everyone was ready and willing, never mind the wedding finery, and the result is an absolute classic for the album. I also managed to capture few lovely pictures of Abi and Tom standing on top of their straw bale installation just as the sun went down.