You've said "yes!" and spent a giddy couple of weeks celebrating your engagement with family and friends but now, as you slowly float back down to earth from cloud 9, the prospect of actually planning your wedding has become a very real one. One of the first things people think about is where they want to do it. You might be lucky and already have had a very firm idea since you were 7 years old when you wanted to marry Morten Harket (lead singer of A Ha, look it up) in a hot air balloon which, whilst ambitious, is great. To others, it may be a marquee in the garden of their family home or maybe their idea of a wedding day is, as yet, a totally blank canvas. Whatever it is, you can adapt your plans to fit most weddings.
The first thing you need to think of what time of year you want to do it and what size it will be - how big do you want to go and how many people are you planning on inviting? Then you need to think of the ceremony - will it be a church wedding or would you rather a registrar?
For example, a lot of venues these days are licensed to conduct marriage ceremonies, the plus-side being that you're effectively "on-site" for the whole day, from getting ready in the morning all the way through to the end of the night, and there aren't the logistics of worrying how people are going to get from A to B or how you're going to feed and water everyone. Conversely, if you decide that you want to have a church wedding you need to think about where you're going to get ready beforehand, how far the church is from there and then how long will it take to get to wherever the reception is. Throw in thoughts about caterers and entertainment and then you'll see how complicated it can all be.
Once you've figured all this out you can then narrow down your search and be more specific about how you want your day to go. The important thing to remember here is that there is no right or wrong option, everybody is unique in what they want to do, it's just like trying to solve a big puzzle. Once you've done that, you can then focus on everything else.
Your location is a key part of the day and sets the tone so you want to get it right. I've shot weddings in a whole variety of different places, from stately homes and hotels to wigwams in gardens. There are so many options out there that frankly it is a complete minefield so I thought I'd share just a handful of the locations I've shot in to give you an idea as to what the possibilities are. So, let's start off by thinking about some...
The first thing you need to think of what time of year you want to do it and what size it will be - how big do you want to go and how many people are you planning on inviting? Then you need to think of the ceremony - will it be a church wedding or would you rather a registrar?
For example, a lot of venues these days are licensed to conduct marriage ceremonies, the plus-side being that you're effectively "on-site" for the whole day, from getting ready in the morning all the way through to the end of the night, and there aren't the logistics of worrying how people are going to get from A to B or how you're going to feed and water everyone. Conversely, if you decide that you want to have a church wedding you need to think about where you're going to get ready beforehand, how far the church is from there and then how long will it take to get to wherever the reception is. Throw in thoughts about caterers and entertainment and then you'll see how complicated it can all be.
Once you've figured all this out you can then narrow down your search and be more specific about how you want your day to go. The important thing to remember here is that there is no right or wrong option, everybody is unique in what they want to do, it's just like trying to solve a big puzzle. Once you've done that, you can then focus on everything else.
Your location is a key part of the day and sets the tone so you want to get it right. I've shot weddings in a whole variety of different places, from stately homes and hotels to wigwams in gardens. There are so many options out there that frankly it is a complete minefield so I thought I'd share just a handful of the locations I've shot in to give you an idea as to what the possibilities are. So, let's start off by thinking about some...
Barns
Most Barns that you'll come across will be what I like to call "full-service" venues. This means that they'll be licensed to conduct marriage ceremonies, they'll either have their own caterer or a preferred supplier and they'll basically be able to lay on everything for you on-site, tailoring a bespoke day that will be both unique and memorable. They have the added bonus of being very roomy whilst oozing history and atmosphere and are usually fairly rural so you won't upset any locals as you party long into the night. Good ones to take a look at are Lains Barn in Oxfordshire, The Tithe Barn in Petersfield, Hampshire or Brookfield Barn in West Sussex.
Stately Homes
If you want to go all Downton Abbey on your friends then why not have a look at a stately home? Again, the majority of these tend to provide the full-service and some even provide facilities for the Bride to get ready in the morning such as the stunning Hedsor House in Buckinghamshire and Morden Hall in South London (and they usually have large windows which, from a photography point of view, let in loads of lovely natural light). Some of these venues will also give you the option of staying the night.
One particular venue that provides loads of options is Loseley Park in Surrey. A stately home dating back to the 16th century (Elizabeth I once stayed there). You can, if you so choose, hold your ceremony in the Great Hall, but it also has a beautiful walled garden which has an explosion of colour during the Spring and Summer where you can either again, hold your wedding ceremony, or have a drinks reception with your guests. To cap it all off the house also has it's own 17th century Tithe Barn a stones throw across the lawn where the in-house caterers Caper & Berry* can provide you with an excellent wedding breakfast and keep you well watered as you dance long into the night.
You can guarantee that a stately home will provide you with a lot of options for great photos and will make you feel like you are King & Queen for the day!
*Caper & Berry also provide the catering at Hedsor House, the Tithe Barn Petersfield amongst many other great locations.
One particular venue that provides loads of options is Loseley Park in Surrey. A stately home dating back to the 16th century (Elizabeth I once stayed there). You can, if you so choose, hold your ceremony in the Great Hall, but it also has a beautiful walled garden which has an explosion of colour during the Spring and Summer where you can either again, hold your wedding ceremony, or have a drinks reception with your guests. To cap it all off the house also has it's own 17th century Tithe Barn a stones throw across the lawn where the in-house caterers Caper & Berry* can provide you with an excellent wedding breakfast and keep you well watered as you dance long into the night.
You can guarantee that a stately home will provide you with a lot of options for great photos and will make you feel like you are King & Queen for the day!
*Caper & Berry also provide the catering at Hedsor House, the Tithe Barn Petersfield amongst many other great locations.
Down by the River...
If you like messing around on boats or just being near the water then a river wedding is definitely something you should explore. A waterfront venue like Ravens AIT which is situated on the river in between Kingston-upon-Thames and Hampton Court provides the perfect backdrop for your big day. With landscaped lawns and licensed for civil ceremonies and with in-house caterers the team here can look after all your needs. They even have their own vintage boat to take you on a cruise up the river before you start the festivities with your guests.
The above wedding was shot on a hot August Bank Holiday weekend where a cool breeze came off the river which was alive with activity from boats of all sizes making for a truly memorable day.
The above wedding was shot on a hot August Bank Holiday weekend where a cool breeze came off the river which was alive with activity from boats of all sizes making for a truly memorable day.
London Weddings
If you're city based and fancy a London wedding then it will come as no surprise to discover that you're spoilt for choice. Of course, you have your pick of central London's hotels with access to places like Hyde Park for pictures or there is somewhere like the Chiswell Street Dining Rooms if you're looking for something small and intimate. But don't think you're limited to the hustle and bustle of the big smoke as there are loads of other options that could give you something surprisingly different, whether its the calm surroundings of Pembroke Lodge in Richmond Park, the history of Fulham Palace or the elegance of the Hurlingham Club*. You might still be in a London post code but you'll feel a million miles away.
*The Hurlingham is right by the river as well and you could always arrange to have a boat transport there or whisk you off at the end of the night.
*The Hurlingham is right by the river as well and you could always arrange to have a boat transport there or whisk you off at the end of the night.
A Venue with a Meaning
When you get married it may be that you'd like to give a nod to your past, to maybe celebrate your big day in a location that played a big part in helping you become the person you are today. It sounds deep but to give it some context I recently shot a wedding at Trinity College in Oxford as the groom had been a student there and wanted to utilise the amazing facilities as well as, I guess, revisit his youth (including a visit to Hassan's world famous kebab van)! Oxford as a town also offered some spectacular sights in which to take pictures.
In a similar vein, the RMA Sandhurst has also served as a great location for a couple of weddings I've shot. A place where men and women are moulded into Army officers and where 2 of my couples wanted to return as the college and its magnificent chapel and grounds held a special place in their hearts.
It's spectacular surroundings like these that can really add an extra special element to your day so if you have any connections to any of the country's great learning establishments then it would be well worth getting in touch with them to see what they can offer you on your big day.
So that's a brief look at some of the kinds of venues that are available to you. It's an area where you can really think out of the box as you might come up with somewhere that you'd think would normally be off limits but then you may end up being pleasantly surprised, you never know. So, dream big and have fun planning your big day!
I still have a handful of bookings available for this year and am also taking bookings for 2019 and beyond. If you have any queries or would like to meet for a chat to discuss your plans for your big day then don't hesitate to get in touch!
In a similar vein, the RMA Sandhurst has also served as a great location for a couple of weddings I've shot. A place where men and women are moulded into Army officers and where 2 of my couples wanted to return as the college and its magnificent chapel and grounds held a special place in their hearts.
It's spectacular surroundings like these that can really add an extra special element to your day so if you have any connections to any of the country's great learning establishments then it would be well worth getting in touch with them to see what they can offer you on your big day.
So that's a brief look at some of the kinds of venues that are available to you. It's an area where you can really think out of the box as you might come up with somewhere that you'd think would normally be off limits but then you may end up being pleasantly surprised, you never know. So, dream big and have fun planning your big day!
I still have a handful of bookings available for this year and am also taking bookings for 2019 and beyond. If you have any queries or would like to meet for a chat to discuss your plans for your big day then don't hesitate to get in touch!
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