Saturday 25 August 2012

Weekend Life...Wilderness Festival 2012, Oxfordshire

Wilderness Festival, 11 August 2012, Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire

This was my day spent at the beautiful, magical, whimsical celebration of life, love, family, food, friends, music, the outdoors (and so much more) that was the Wilderness Festival 2012. It is difficult to explain just how beautiful the Cornbury Estate is: lakes, a waterfall, hidden forests, fields of deer, ancient trees and lush green fields....it is truly a little (although the estate comprises 1700 acres so maybe not so little!) piece of paradise in the heart of Oxfordshire.

I had a wonderful day wandering around the festival taking photographs, chatting to people (bumped into a few familiar fashion week faces!), eating incredible food and drinking in the magical surroundings. I can't wait for next year's festival.

p.s. I know, I know, a LOT of photos again (maybe I need an intervention?!) so congrats if you made it through the entire post without closing down the page :) I totally forgot to take food photos (particularly the Yotam Ottolenghi banquet) but figure I can do that next year :)

p.p.s Thank you so much to everyone who let me take their photograph including all the mum's and dad's that let me take photos of their kidlets. 

44 comments:

  1. incredibly beautiful photographs!
    really amazing!
    <3

    FASHION PHILOSOPHY
    www.fashionphilosophy.net

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  2. @Dominika - ahhh thank you! I have just realised that I posted so many photographs that it has forced all my other photos off the page! That has never happened before. A posting limit intervention is definitely needed ;)

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  3. No, you definitely do not need an intervention, Vanessa! Your photographs are magnificent - with a capital, "M"!
    I have seen some photos of Wilderness Festival on Carrie's blog, Wish Wish Wish, and I was completely entranced by the beauty of the surroundings. This fact has be further cemented by your photographs - everyone looks so content and carefree! It must have been a truly wonderful experience.

    Best Wishes,

    Tara
    http://dandelionden.blogspot.co.uk/

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  4. @Tara - it was so, so chilled and everyone was really friendly and relaxed. The amazing thing about the festival is that it is wonderful for any age group from tiny babies up to 80 years plus (I saw quite a few more mature festival goer's arriving for the masked ball and dancing when I was leaving on the bus). It feels really safe and is so family friendly. I completely loved it!

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  5. Loved all of the photographs. Such an enchanting festival spent close to nature. It must have been fun and carefree. No intervention required.

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  6. I loved all of the photographs...no intervention needed!! It looks so beautiful and peaceful, what gorgeous people and surroundings.

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  7. Oh my god, I loved all your photos! It looked amazing! Is it on every year? I think I'd like to go!
    Loving your blog, will start to follow you.
    Please check out mine and follow me!

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  8. beautiful captures!

    Bises,
    monkeyshines
    http://monkeyshines-monkeyshines.blogspot.com/

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  9. Amazing photos, it's such a shame I live in New Zealand now and never made it down to Wilderness when I lived at home. My friend Sally is the girl with horns and a rose in her hair :) She always looks great

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  10. absolutely gorgeous! makes me want to leap into these photos with rings of flowers in my hair and run through tall grass. have always been a HUGE fan of your blog, and have no idea why i haven't commented until now. thank you for the always amazing posts!

    cheers!
    amb

    http://amberthegirlone.blogspot.com/

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  11. I love every single photo. Wish I was there!

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  12. every single photo is amazingly beautiful!!
    Love love love love

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  13. Love all your photos! Thank you for sharing it with us <3

    www.socialbliss.com

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  14. @Pamela: enchanting - the perfect word to describe it! It was so wonderful to see all the kids and teenagers outdoors rather than on iphones, ipads (there was no reception in most of the estate!).

    @dustjacket - it was so dreamy to photograph. I am really fortunate I got the opportunity to go!

    @Home and Fashion Forecast - The first year was last year and this was the second time it has been on. I would say it will be on for many years to come!

    @monkeyshines - thank you :)

    @Amy W - over and under - Hey Amy, well, it was on for the first time last year! THat is so amazing that I photographed your friend! Small world. I loved the outfits that Sally and the other girl we wearing. I think I photographed the girl with the plaits on a camel ride earlier in the day :)

    @amber.thegirlone - there was so much beauty around the festival from the tents to the garlands that many people (girls and guys!) were wearing on their heads. Canvas and Canopy (the luxury glamping company) had a tent set up which was selling these incredible hydrangea floral headpieces plus masks (the girl in the pale blue dress is wearing on in the photo above). And yes, running through the long grass, swimming in the beautiful lake (in the late evening they had a skinny dipping/chunky dunking event which I would love to have seen!) and walking through the woods is completely the spirit of the festival.

    @shopaholic - thanks!

    @Joy - it was pretty special :)

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  15. p.s. one of my friends said that by the photos it seemed very Moonrise Kingdom - and I agree! A couple of times during the day I thought that. There was this really cute stand called the Royal Society for the Pursuit of Love Birds (www.rsplb.squarespace.com - they normally go to Glastonbury and Latitude festivals) and all of the "club committee" + the decor looked like they were straight out of Moonrise Kingdom.

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  16. It looks like such a serene place, beautiful landscape and wonderful people.

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  17. look it was fun :)
    and i love the boy who has a cat nose <3

    http://dontthinkjustfeel-yuka.blogspot.com/

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  18. @Yuka - Oooo he is my absolute favourite as well! I would love to give a copy of the photo to his mama. He is actually dressed as The Fantastic Mr Fox (from Roald Dahl books). I thought he was a tiger until his mama pointed out his fox tail ;)

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  19. I love how whimsical this festival looks! Wow, what a fun event! And as always your photos are just an incredible slice of life. (My favourites are the little kids with their tails. Such a cute portrait of childhood.)

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  20. I absolutely adore visiting your blog because of all the ethereal and enchanting essence that your photos posses!:) The above photos were exactly this and so delicate:):) Thank you!


    Chrysa
    Stories and Sequins

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  21. AMAZING !!! I don't know what this is but I wish I were there !
    I love your pictures, I can't stop looking at them

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  22. I was pretty much sold when you mentioned Yottam's banquet, thanks for introducing me to a festival I may love. Must remember to bookmark the dates for next year. And those little tails.. cute overload:)

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  23. Ohhhh amazing photos!!

    x.o.x.o
    Miss Saint Tropez

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  24. If you need an intervention is just to say: thank you!! I love every single picture. They're so magical and beautiful! Now there is a new place in the world I can't miss.

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  25. Love all your photos.Very Romantic. Good Luck.

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  26. @The Lady Nerd - is it the photo of the tails by the water towards the end of the post that you liked? That is actually two girls in (probably) their early 20's!I think that is the wonderful thing about the festival - you can dress up and indulge your inner child and no one bats an eyelid!

    @cococollage - even if you aren't a festival person this is definitely one that I think you would love. It isn't crowded and you can be as social or solitary as you like as there are so many beautiful places you can go off to read, nap or contemplate life :) There are talks and debates (I unfortunately didn't get to hear any) plus loads of brilliant quality food and coffee.

    thanks very much everyone for your very kind comments :)

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  27. wow this looks so awesome. I agree with Isabelle, looks like paradise.

    Collections

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  28. oh my this looks like sooo much fun!!! Beautiful photos of this event!

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  29. Love the extra large floral headbands- way better than at most music festivals
    LILYKG
    http://www.untangleyourspangle.blogspot.com

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  30. @LilyKG - it was pretty much the more florals/leaves you could fit in your hair the better!

    @Jody - you would have loved photographing it :)

    @Collections and @Isabelle - yes, I was pretty much trying to figure out a way to live there :)

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  31. How delightfully other-worldly and lucky are they to have you celebrate this festival in photographs.

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  32. these photos are so inspirational!! see my blog www.lexyrose.wordpress.com

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  33. love love love these lexyrose.wordpress.com

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  34. @Cameron - how are you Cameron?! I hope you are well and enjoying the summer in the USA!

    @queen of heart core style and @Slimbykings - thank you both

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  35. This looks absolutely gorgeous! Definitely signing up for next year (unfortunately short on funds this year). It must be so awesome to have cool parents which take you to these events and to dress up like some of the kids are. And love the doe/ladies.

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  36. Your pictures? Gorgeous! I've been visiting your site for a while now. I appreciate all of the shots outside of fashion shows, but these are some truly inspirational images. Wish I could be there next year. My 5-year old would make a pretty cute woodland creature. Thanks for sharing!

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  37. This looks like the most adorable festival! I love all the animal costumes.

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  38. Oh wow Vanessa this festival looks amazing! It's like a dreamscape!! xx

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  39. @I want what she's wearing - hello my lovely! How are you? Yes, it was a really, really beautiful place....I can't wait for next year!

    @Fashion Vice - thank you! yes, I think travel and festivals and non-fashion related things are easy/easier for more people to relate to :) And my favourite thing in the world is to take photographs (of things I love - people and beautiful places) so this day was just dreamy for me. Your little one would LOVE the festival - they have loads of kids activities and I think even a bush camp overnight. Plus there is babysitting if you want to sneak off by yourself for a little alone time ;)

    @Michelle Y - I think if you book early, the tickets are quite reasonable so definitely something to save up for! Aren't the doe ladies gorgeous? They were lined up getting some food when I spied them but were happy to take a moment while I photographed them

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  40. You have no idea how much this post made me dreammmm this morning. I wanna go there!
    Thaîs

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