Every wedding venue has its unique selling points and photo opportunities, and what I loved to see in 2022 was so many couples took a venue and very much made it their own – that’s what your wedding day is all about. From a purely photography point of view, there are some wedding venues that stood out for photo opportunities in 2022 and I wanted to share those with you. For future couples – if you want stunning backdrops and a variety of photo opportunities, these might be the venues for you!.
Nurstead Court
This Kent Country house really is something else! With its stunning library room, grand piano, beautiful scenery and shepherd’s huts for you and your guests to stay in, it really is a great wedding venue.
Jen and Darren married here in July 2023, and we met at Nurstead Court for their pre-wedding photo shoot to scope out the venue as I hadn’t shot there before. I was honestly blown away! The building itself is typical country manor, and the unique little rooms give some perfect photo opportunities (and some space to cool down as it was a very warm summer day!). Hands down the library was my favourite, with its statement doors leading out onto the lawn.
For the actual wedding day, the gorgeous Stable Cottage was perfect for getting ready – it’s so nice to have bridal prep at the same venue as the wedding so we can take photos right up to the last minute. The ceremony was held in the building itself, and then celebrations and drinks outside enjoying the beautiful July weather. The marquee, overlooking amazing Kentish views, held the wedding breakfast and dancing, and Jen and Darren had beautifully decorated the marquee to get across their personalities. Then as the sun came down on a beautiful summer’s evening, we got some beautiful couple portraits near the Shepherds Huts and enjoy a moment of quiet time away from the party. Nurstead Court really does have it all!
Hoath House
Steff and Neil married in a local church ceremony in September, followed by their reception at Hoath House. This is another lovely venue with a variety of photo opportunities, but also the best marquee I have ever seen!
My favourite part about Hoath House was leaving the guests enjoying the party and stealing the couple away for a short period of time to explore the beautiful grounds. The Hoath House accommodation is a classic, Tudor style building which makes a wonderful backdrop for photos (and great accommodation for your guests too!). It is surrounded by beautiful floral gardens, and it was lovely to take Steff and Neil for a walk and some photos around those. And it had a classic wooden swing hanging from a tree in the grounds – need I say more!
Hever Castle
Last, but certainly not least, is Hever Castle. This venue has a personal meaning to me, as it is where my parents married (many moons ago!) and I have spent many happy days here with my children. As a wedding venue, it is stunning. With a range of options for where to have your ceremony and reception, and the most beautiful grounds, plus a CASTLE, it honestly is one of the best venues I have ever seen.
I have worked at 15+ (starting to lose count!) weddings at Hever Castle, and with my experience I know exactly how to make the most of the limited time you have for couple’s photos to do a whistle stop tour of the castle, bridges, beautiful steps, Italian garden, Rose garden and Loggia and get an array of stunning images with these beautiful backdrops. It is honestly like getting married abroad.
Looking forward to 2023…
That is just a small selection of venues I worked at in 2022, and I am already excited for all the opportunities in 2023. And one I already know is going to make the list for next year is the Pear Tree – having done Andrea and Sean’s engagement photoshoot there, ahead of their April 2023 wedding, I am unbelievably excited about the photo opportunities!
