Photographing weddings at Elmhay Park

Elmhay Park is one of my favourite wedding venues in Somerset. Tucked away behind the woods on the Orchardleigh Estate, just outside Frome and around ten miles from Bath, it's a Victorian walled garden with its own Orangery, Italian Garden and little village of cottages. Once your guests arrive, the whole place is yours, and that's a big part of why weddings here feel so relaxed.

I've photographed many weddings at Elmhay over the year's, so I know how the day flows, where the light falls through the afternoon and evening, and where to find a quiet corner for a few portraits without taking you away from your guests for long.

Getting ready on the estate

Lots of couples get ready on the Orchardleigh Estate itself, and I've followed brides down from the castle to the ceremony, which always makes for a lovely arrival. Elmhay Village, the cottages just behind the Orangery, means your closest family and friends can stay on site too, so the morning stays calm and nobody has far to go.

Your ceremony at Elmhay Park

The Italian Garden is licensed for outdoor civil ceremonies, so on a dry day you can say your vows in the open air with the walled garden all around you. If you'd like a church ceremony, the estate has St Mary's, a tiny candlelit church on an island surrounded by a moat, and All Saints in Lullington is just outside the estate. Wherever you choose, I'll be there quietly capturing it as it happens, from the walk down the aisle to the faces of your family in the front row.

Drinks, the Orangery and the evening

After the ceremony, drinks in the walled garden are when I catch so many of the natural moments: friends catching up, grandparents laughing, little ones running across the lawn. Confetti is welcome at Elmhay, so it's well worth planning a confetti moment straight after your vows. The Orangery is where the wedding breakfast and speeches usually happen, and later it becomes your dance floor, with a late licence so the party can carry on into the night.

How I'll photograph your day

My style is natural and relaxed. For most of the day I'm simply capturing what happens as it happens, without stopping things to set up shots. For your couple photos and family groups I'll give you a few gentle prompts so you're never stood there wondering what to do, and I'll keep the family photos quick and organised so you can get back to your guests. Elmhay's walled garden, the Italian Garden and the woods and lake across the estate give us lots of beautiful spots, and if timings allow, a few minutes at golden hour is always worth it.

Planning a wedding nearby? Have a look at my Orchardleigh House, Babington House and Frome wedding pages.