A dream outdoor wedding at Soughton Hall, North Wales

Soughton Hall in North Wales is one of my favourite venues to shoot at, so I was thrilled when Lucinda and Tom asked me to photograph their wedding at this beautiful venue.

I’m a wedding photographer in Chester and North Wales, and Soughton Hall is actually just down the road for me, based in Flintshire. It’s one of the venues I shoot at most frequently, and it’s not hard to see why it’s such a favourite for couples who are getting married. Set on the border of Cheshire and North Wales, Soughton Hall is a stunning Georgian country house approached down a sweeping driveway and surrounded by landscaped gardens.

As with so many weddings recently, the path to Lucinda and Tom’s wedding date wasn’t always a smooth one. This lovely couple originally booked me for their wedding in June 2020 and due to COVID restrictions it didn’t go ahead, and they moved it to the following year. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do their new date – argh! But low and behold the date got moved again and yes, bingo I could do it this time! And I’m so glad I could, as it was the perfect day full of love, laughter, and even a beautiful outdoor ceremony…

Lucinda and Tom’s Soughton Hall Wedding

I joined Lucinda and her bridal party on the morning of the wedding to capture some bridal prep shots. As a wedding photographer, I love being involved in bridal prep: it’s such a fun and exciting part of the day.

Soughton Hall has beautiful rooms to get ready in, and I enjoyed photographing Lucinda’s gorgeous dress from Cherish the Bride with the backdrop of the bridal suite.

Lucinda and her bridal party were pampered by Samantha Gannon, Freelance Hairstylist and Bridal hair Specialist, and their make up was by Sophie Griffiths. All the girls looked beautiful and we took some fantastic photographs of them all enjoying getting ready and having a great time together before the big event.

One of my favourite parts of being a wedding photographer is witnessing people’s reactions when they see the bride for the first time in her dress. Lucinda’s bridesmaids were completely overwhelmed with how beautiful she looked and it made for some lovely wedding photography.

I then headed outside to find Tom and his groomsmen, two of whom were adorable page boys- Lucinda and Tom’s sons Bobby and Franky. 

A dream ceremony at Soughton Hall

Soughton Hall is the ideal venue to have an outdoor ceremony, with the breathtaking backdrop of the Hall and surrounded by the North Wales countryside. However, we all know that the weather doesn’t always play ball and sometimes plans can change, but luckily for Lucinda and Tom the sun shone and they got their dream outdoor ceremony.

It was such a happy, emotional ceremony and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house (especially from the groom!)

Following the ceremony the guests enjoyed mingling in the grounds and I took the opportunity to capture some lovely wedding photography of everyone enjoying themselves, especially Lucinda’s nan who is 92 years and absolutely incredible: she absolutely loved her granddaughter’s wedding day!

 

Outdoor wedding photography at Soughton Hall

One of my favourite things about Soughton Hall is the grounds and gardens: I’ve captured some stunning photographs there and it never disappoints. So I was pleased to get the opportunity to slip away with the bride and groom for some shots before the wedding breakfast.

As a wedding photographer, some of my very favourite photos from Soughton Hall have been taken in the venue’s picturesque Secret Garden. Overlooking the southern façade of the Hall, and shaded by eucalyptus trees, this atmospheric garden really is perfect for some magical wedding photography, whatever the season. Lucinda and Tom’s images are beautiful and such a moving reminder of their special day.

Lucinda and Tom’s Wedding Reception

We then moved inside for the wedding breakfast. Couples getting married at Soughton Hall tend to choose the marquee for their wedding reception: it’s a lovely, elegant space that lends itself to any type of venue dressing. The Marquee overlooks the wooded gardens and is accessed directly from the house through a glass walkway.

After dinner I was able to pop outside again with Lucinda and Tom to capture some beautiful wedding photography in the late-afternoon sun. We took advantage of Soughton Hall’s elegant exterior to create the perfect backdrop.

Then it was party time, with entertainment from The Beat Pilots.

It was a fabulous day and it was wonderful to see so many happy faces. Thank you Lucinda and Tom for inviting me to be your wedding photographer at Soughton Hall, North Wales: after 3 date changes we got there in the end!