Skip to main content
Bride and groom laugh in church doorway at London wedding

West Lodge Park, Christ Church Southgate and Trent Park Country Club wedding day

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, London Wedding Photographer, Wedding VenuesOne Comment

Some wedding days happen all in one place, and that’s great, no one gets lost! And some wedding days are all over place, literally!

Bridal wedding prep at West Lodge Park Hotel

For Adriana and Alex’s special day it was three venues but all about five minutes from each other, perfect and nice variety too. Yes it rained, this is England of course, and we had to go to Plan B, but that didn’t matter as rain never stops play on a wedding day.

Bride gets ready with mirror West Lodge Park Hotel

From our first meeting I knew these guys had a sense of energy and fun and that really shone through on their wedding day despite the weather.

Wedding processional at Christ Church Southgate London

Coverage started at the lovely West Lodge Park Hotel, a venue we have photographed many a wedding day at, and I began with bridal preparations and seven bridesmaids and mum all in the same room, having a great time of course.

Bride and groom portrait at Christ Church Southgate wedding

Meanwhile Alex was being photographed arriving at Christ Church in Southgate and doing his pre ceremony meet and greet.

Wedding recessional bride and groom Christ Church Southgate

That’s one of the beauties of two photographers, very little gets missed and later on bride and groom get to see what the other was up to on one of the greatest days of their lives as a couple.

Confetti throw at Christ Church Southgate wedding

By the time the wedding ceremony was underway the heavens opened and rain began to pour. Conveniently it stopped for confetti throwing which I was pleased about for the couple, but started straight after so we did some family and couple shots back inside the church.

London wedding couple laugh together under umbrella

My attitude to weather conditions is very simple. You get what you were always meant to get on your wedding day, there’s nothing you can do so…enjoy it. And we did. Alanis Morissette famously sang that it was ironic if it rains on your wedding day, it’s not, it just IS.

Bride and groom under umbrella after Southgate London wedding

Anyway, we worked in the immediate area around the church with our trusty umbrellas out, and after a while it was time to make our way for the couple’s grand entrance to their wedding breakfast at Trent Park Country Club.

Wedding cake table Trent Park Country Club

We’ve photographed there before and were very happy to see a recent major upgrade and transformation to the club.

Wedding couple and wall of flowers Trent Park Country Club

After a fabulous meal and some lovely and emotional speeches it was time for some serious boogying the night away for the wedding party.

Wedding first dance Trent Park Country Club

By David Green

Wedding dress hanging at West Lodge Park Hotel

We’ve done lots of great stuff
Coverage and prices
We’d love to hear from you

 

Bride's veil blows in wind at Hanbury Manor wedding Hertfordshire

Hanbury Manor Wedding Photographers

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, Wedding Venues2 Comments

It is always a pleasure as a Hanbury Manor wedding photographer to return to one of Hertfordshire’s best wedding venues.

Wedding couple in big deckchair at Hanbury Manor

It’s a large well maintained and pretty venue, with great grounds and excellent staff to match.

Wedding couple laugh in gardens of Hanbury Manor

When Yui and Mark booked us last year I was excited to hear of their plans and wise choice of venue.

Bride getting makeup for Hanbury Manor wedding day

Before the big day itself we had a great chance to get to know each other a little better with a lovely engagement shoot on central London’s Southbank, and then on to the Tower Bridge and Butlers Wharf areas.

Groom gets ready in mirror for Hanbury Manor wedding

The wedding day itself started with us capturing Yui and her bridesmaids preparations, and also friends and staff as they set up the ceremony and receptions rooms too. Mark and his best man arrived shortly after to check everything was going to plan and of course to meet and greet friends and family.

Wedding ceremony at Hanbury Manor wide shot

I particularly appreciated the fantastic floral arrangements of blossom trees used for both the ceremony and wedding breakfast, and the lanterns and origami birds on the place settings.

Wedding recessional at Hanbury Manor photo

One of the wonderful benefits of a wedding day at Hanbury Manor is the chance to use their magnificent Poles Hall as a venue for the wedding ceremony. This former chapel is very grand and even has it’s own minstrels gallery! It looked truly beautiful decked out in the bride and groom’s choice of blossoms. The manor itself is a grade II listed building which is mainly Victorian, but the history of dwellings on the site starts all the way back in the sixteeneth century.

Confetti throw at Hanbury Manor wedding day

After a lovely ceremony and then confetti throw in the courtyard of Hanbury we did some family photos and the usual reportage of the drinks reception, before zooming off on a golf buggy to create some couple shots around the grounds of the manor, which is also has a very popular golf course.

Bride and groom in daffodils at Hanbury Manor Wedding

We were back in good time for the couple’s grand entrance for their wedding breakfast in the Thundridge Suite. After speeches and cutting of the cake it was time for Yui and Mark’s first dance, and as a photographer I always appreciate a good confetti cannon explosion right in the middle of one!

Wedding couple walking in Hanbury Manor walled garden

I stayed to capture some good old boogeying on down, as well as the tossing of the bouquet and Yui’s wedding garter.

Hole in the wall wedding at Hanbury Manor

All in all a fantastic day for these two lovebirds and their Hanbury Manor wedding photographers.

Confetti cannon explodes during Hambury Manor wedding first dance

By David Green

Poles Hall Hanbury Manor ready for wedding ceremony photo

Here’s a peek at the couples pre wedding shoot: London Engagement shoot at Southbank and Tower Bridge again

Here’s a little September 2018 update, we’ve just received this fantastic and detailed review from Yui and Mark on google Plus with a blog post about it here:

Another 5 star review for David and Joanna – thank you!!!

And here is the screen grab and text:

September google review for Big Day Weddings photographers

From Google Reviews:

“Big Day Weddings was hands down one of the best choices we made when it came to suppliers for our wedding. We’d done a lot of research and searched high and low – both online and offline – for photographers whose work we liked and that we knew we would feel comfortable working with. It was quite by accident that we discovered David and Joanna, and oh boy did they fit the bill! We actually came across them via a highly complimentary online review from a couple whose wedding they’d shot, and who had also used the videographers that we ended up using. We decided to contact Big Day Weddings as we thought it would be a nice idea to have a team of photographers and videographers who’d worked together before. They’d also gotten great feedback from previous clients, their prices were reasonable and they offered a range of affordable packages that fit what we were looking for. Our decision was cemented the moment we got on the phone and spoke to David. He’s genuinely friendly and approachable and put us at ease immediately. He listened to our preferences, offered suggestions, and, as the big day approached, was happy to run through the programme to make sure everything would go smoothly. On our wedding day, both David and Joanna were absolutely wonderful, dealing with our guests, the venue staff, bridal party nerves, and everything in between, like complete pros. As for the wedding photos, they turned out BRILLIANTLY, and turnaround time was pretty quick. We were so impressed with the many beautiful images of us, our families, the guests, the venue, and all the key moments. In addition, David and Joanna had managed to capture many other little things that made up the day such as decor features, wedding memorabilia, and other details that so many people miss. As photographers, they are are highly skilled, talented, and experienced, but what sets them apart has to be their personalities and people skills….they are so amiable, funny, and fantastic to work with! Nervous in front of the camera, or not sure what to do? Have a difficult guest or two who hates having their picture taken? Then you NEED someone like David to shoot your wedding! He really knows what to say and do at the right moment, and how to bring out the best in people so that you will get the best shots possible. The shots they captured will serve as wonderful reminders of one of the best days of our lives. Big Day Weddings is the BEST: David and Joanna are absolute gems….a fab team, and truly one of a kind. Really chuffed to have worked with them….they have our highest recommendation!”

Outdoor Jewish wedding ceremony at Shendish Manor

Shendish Manor wedding photographers, fun in the sun!

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, Wedding VenuesNo Comments

Shendish Manor is another of Hertfordshire’s more grand locations worth considering for a couple’s special day.

Jewish Dancing at Shendish Manor wedding reception

As Shendish Manor wedding photographers we were pleased to provide images for their new wedding brochure which featured photos from Gemma and David’s big day described here in this blog post.

Wedding dress hanging at Shendish Manor

Bride dress and mirror Shendish Manor wedding

Shendish Manor caters for weddings of all faiths and nationalities, and Gemma and David’s wedding was a grand and stylish Jewish celebration.

Groom by mirror Shendish Manor Hotel

Groom laughs getting ready for Shendish Manor Hotel wedding

We had all been crossing fingers for rain free weather as their ceremony and ‘Chuppah’ (wedding canopy) was located splendidly and rather dramatically on the lawns at the back of Shendish. All told Shendish Manor actually has about 160 acres of gardens and parkland, so it’s huge!

Bridal makeup Shendish Manor wedding morning

Bride looks out of window at her Shendish Manor wedding

Those crossed fingers worked as it was a gloriously sunny day, all day.

Groomsmen walking to Shendish Manor wedding

Coverage started with Gemma and David’s preparations within the hotel, and their interactions with friends and family arriving and assisting.

Jewish-wedding-ceremony-at-Shendish-Manor-Hotel-gardensBride and groom kiss after Shendish Manor wedding

Following in typical Jewish wedding day tradition once bride and groom were ready David assembled with the male side of the family for his “Tish”. This is a chance for the groom to meet publicly with his rabbi, get advice, have a drink, and sign a pre wedding document know as a ‘ketubah’, basically a Jewish wedding contract.

Wedding couple by tree at Shendish Manor

Gemma meanwhile prepared in a separate room for her “Bedeken” which is a veiling ceremony whereby groom enters and checks that this really is his bride! This is usually with only close family and wedding party and in our experience is typically a touching and emotion affair too, as it the first time future man and wife see each on the day.

Wedding couple in grounds of Shendish ManorBride and groom kiss by tree Shendish Manor wedding

After this it was out into the rather warm sunshine for a beautiful ceremony conducted under their wedding ‘Chuppah’ which is the canopy that everything happens beneath, also good for shading from the sun!

The formal ceremony ended with the grooms breaking of the glass underfoot and the celebrations began in earnest.

After some family photos we spent time with the bride and groom in the immediate grounds of Shendish. We were on a tight timescale (nothing unusual there!) so we had about 25 minutes to create some special memories.

For the rest of the day along with the wedding breakfast, toasts and speeches there was plenty of Israeli dancing and enthusiastic boogying on down throughout the evening.

A memorable Shendish manor wedding day for sure, and one I know David and Gemma will always cherish.

By David Green

London engagement shoot by Big Ben and Westminster Bridge

London Engagement shoot at Southbank and Tower Bridge…again

By London Wedding Photographer, Wedding Venues2 Comments

We love our London engagement shoots and we love a challenge too. This particular pre wedding photo fest in London’s iconic Southbank and Tower Bridge was no exception.  Engagement shoots are a excellent way to get to know a couple before their wedding day, have some fun, and get some great extra images that can be shared and shown on the big day itself.

Wedding-couple-kiss-under-Tower-Bridge-London-photo

Many our shoots are in the north London region typically places such as Alexandra Palace or Kenwood House in Hampstead. But for Yui and Mark’s we had arranged for it to happen around London’s Southbank.

London engagement shoot couple by southbank graffiti

Things kicked off with a quick cappuccino, always a good start it in our opinion, by one of our favourite wedding venues the Oxo Tower.

London eye engagement photo silhouette

We know all these areas like the proverbial “back of our hands” and relish the chance to photograph around Gabriel’s Wharf and it’s surrounding nooks and crannies. This Tuesday afternoon in March after the ‘beast from the East’ cold spell began with rain and heavy clouds. I asked the couple if they were ok with this and troopers that they were we started their shoot in the rain. Taking a quick peek at the LCD on my rain soaked cameras I could see all he individual drops of rain in front of their faces, which was kind of funky but I hoped for their sake we would get a little bit of dryness too. The rain stopped to order and I worked nice and fast to keep the energy level up.

Engagement photo shoot at Southbank beach London

I did this particular shoot on my own (David) which often happens for engagements, and that tends to make things a little more intimate and relaxing too as a bonus.

London engagement couple by quay on Southbank

When you photograph in central London you have to accept the fact that there will always be other people around and something happening. So I tend to start in back streets first to get couples acclimatised and then move into more public areas.

One of the issues professional photographers may well encounter at Southbank are security guards who tend to tell you to move on, and that you are not allowed to photograph here. Sometimes it happens other times not. I will keep my opinion to myself on this one, but we did have to move on twice because of this.

London engagement photo by Tower Bridge

One of those instances was in front of the London Eye. I though this might happen from previous experience so I had to work fast. It’s ironic really as we shoot weddings on the London Eye as official photographers, so it feels very strange to get moved on!

Warped engagement shoot on Londons southbank

Considering the tiny amount of time we had there I’m very happy with the results we got.

Engagement couple by London Houses of Parliament

The London and Southbank engagement shoot carried on towards the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge, and then we hopped on an Uber to finish off at Butlers Wharf and Tower bridge.

Engagement photo by arch at Londons Butlers Wharf

We had lots of fun, and as I mentioned at the beginning of this post it was a great opportunity for us all to get to know each other better.

Roll on the big day itself which will be in one of Hertfordshire’s best wedding venues Hanbury Manor!

By David Green

We’ve done lots of great stuff
Coverage and prices
We’d love to hear from you

 

couple laugh by tree at Fanhams Hall wedding in Hertfordshire

Great Hertfordshire wedding venues to consider for your ceremonies and receptions

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, London Wedding Photographer, Wedding VenuesNo Comments

When it comes to counties with great wedding venues for both ceremonies and receptions, few can beat Hertfordshire! The sheer range of quality and choice is almost overwhelming.

Whenever we are booked for a wedding, whether that is in the home counties or central London, we always make a point of asking which other venues couples had a look at. You could call it professional curiosity, or just plain nosey, but we love to know that people value and why!

Funky photo of wedding party at Fanhams Hall Hertfordshire

As far as this post is concerned we are going to concentrate solely on venues in Hertfordshire. We will post some photos we have taken in those places, and where relevant include links to previous articles and wedding days we have featured at them.

We have no vested interest in these suggestions as we don’t pay to be on anyones recommended supplier list. So many times in initial enquiries we hear a similar story, a couple quite naturally has checked out a venues list of preferred suppliers first and then cast their net wider perhaps unconvinced at what they find. Our experience from speaking to most venues is that if you pay them per year you will be featured, which is hardly an independent recommendation! Thank you to Google for making this optional for wedding photographers and brides and grooms to be 🙂

Ok so on to our personal take on some of the lovely Hertfordshire wedding venues we have worked at, and in no particular order:

Fanhams Hall

It is a rare couple looking for quality in Hertfordshire that will not have had Fanhams Hall on their bucket list of places to consider for their wedding. We have photographed there countless times, and whatever the weather have never ever had a dull day.

Confetti throw at Fanhams Hall wedding

Both inside and outside of Fanhams has so much depth and variety in terms of locations and ambience a good photographer is spoilt for choice. From wonderful themed gardens with fountains, walls, bridges and pagodas to elegant internal stair cases and grand receptions rooms and more. Don’t take the rather boring and old fashioned wedding albums on display there as too much indication of what can be achieved! Fanhams Hall as a premier Hertfordshire wedding venue never disappoints.

super wide shot at Fanhams Hall wedding

Take a look at a recent Fanhams Hall wedding from ourselves here: Fanhams Hall Wedding Photographers, with laughter love and fun in the sun!

and here too: Another fabulous Fanhams Hall wedding day in sunny Hertfordshire

Offley Place

Offley Place is a gem of a venue lying on the border of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. It has a lovely large conservatory dedicated for the provision of wedding ceremonies, which then gets turned around during the drinks reception ready for any ensuing wedding breakfast. The grounds are nice and mature with plenty of nooks and crannies for interesting photography, and the classic 17th century manor house interiors are also pretty for extras shots, or in case of inclement weather.

wedding couple on bench at Offley Place Hertfordshire

Here’s one of our wedding days at Offley on the blog: Offley Place wedding photography. It’s not London, it’s the Hertfordshire Bedfordshire border

Groom and best man at London wedding photo

Wedding recessional photo Offley Place

Shendish Manor

Shendish manor is a very versatile wedding venue, and is able to cater to both small and large numbers of guests. The last time we were there the large scale ceremony was held outside in the grounds, and the reception inside. The hotel itself is set in 160 acres of gardens and parkland, and of course it has it’s own golf course, a bonus for those addicted to the sport! Historically there has been a manor house on the site since the 1300’s with most of todays buildings dating from the early Victorian age.

Jewish dancing at Shendish Manor wedding reception

Outdoor Jewish wedding ceremony at Shendish Manor

Of course with so many venues in Hertfordshire this can never be a truly comprehensive list, but we just wanted to highlight some of our favourites. Other locations that we regularly photograph in that are worthy consideration are: West Lodge Park, Theobalds Park, Hatfield House, Knebworth House and barn, Brockett Hall and Moor Park.

Bride and groom kiss after Shendish Manor wedding

By David Green

Bride looks out of window at her Shendish Manor wedding