Castle Ashby gardens is one of those places where the more you explore, the more you see. Woodland, manicured lawns, glasshouses, colourful borders, countryside views, architectural delights, lakes, even a menagerie with meerkats and a mini pony. And every so often, you catch a glimpse of Castle Ashby house and St Mary’s church through the trees.

A wedding here is paradise for nature and architecture lovers. And a dream for the wedding photographer lucky enough to work there.

And to think: This is part of someone’s back garden!

If a landscape designer and wedding planner had a baby, Castle Ashby gardens would be their bouncing bundle of joy. Because a wedding here flows effortlessly.

You can get married at St. Mary’s church and then take a Jimmy Choo-friendly wander into the gardens for your reception. First stop is the orangery - a gorgeous spot for drinks and canapes. Lawns for the sun worshippers and plenty of cool spots under the trees for the shade seekers. Contained enough to keep everyone together, but large enough for everyone to find their own space to settle into and soak up the scenery. A few group photos later, it’s time to continue a little further, past the Birmingham houses and into the walled garden for dinner and dancing.

Romance, grandeur, and thirty-five acres of pure wedding photography heaven - though the meerkats might steal the show.

Castle Ashby Wedding Photography

Your guide to

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No matter which angle I choose, the background will be beautiful. I’ve explored every corner of the gardens and am yet to find a spot that isn’t photogenic.

The sheer variety of locations offers so much choice for portraits of the two of you. We can use the Orangery, Italian gardens, arboretum, glasshouses, lake, bridges … and, yes, the meerkats can make a cameo.

Whether you prefer architectural drama or natural backgrounds, Castle Ashby gardens has a choice of iconic spots for group photos that will look truly special on your wall.

The atmosphere at Castle Ashby gardens is stately but not stuffy. It’s a great fit for classically elegant and natural in-the-moment photography (like mine!).

Even if the British weather throws us a curveball, we’re covered - literally. It’s rare for an outdoor wedding venue to have any sheltered spaces. Castle Ashby gardens has two! The orangery and Birmingham Houses - which aren’t just practical but also incredibly beautiful.

Dogs are allowed! If you know me, you know I’m here for that. Nothing makes me happier than photos of fur-family celebrating in their own way.

Six reasons you’ll love Castle Ashby for your wedding photography

Castle Ashby hasn’t offered weddings for many years - but sound the klaxon, because The Walled Garden can now host tipi and marquee weddings.

And when Castle Ashby’s wedding planner rang to ask if they could recommend me as one of their photographers, I truly did try to keep my cool.

Spoiler alert: I failed.

I’ve yet to capture a wedding at Castle Ashby - but Poppy and I are regular visitors (Daisy adored it, too.) We love to wander through the gardens, sniff the orangery (them, not me), and then loop through the arboretum to the lake and back up through the woodland, before chilling with a coffee (for me) and gravy bones (for the fur-ladies). We now know the gardens like the pads of our paws.

And your wedding won't be my first rodeo as a Castle Ashby wedding photographer. I’ve captured pre-wedding portraits, bridal fashion shoots, and even a marriage proposal here (if you’re wondering, she said "yes"!).

So while I'm yet to photograph a wedding at Castle Ashby, it’ll be worth the wait.

Will you be my first Castle Ashby wedding couple?

Hi, hello, bonjour! I’m Sarah.

My Experience at Castle Ashby

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Flat, comfy shoes are your best friend at Castle Ashby. The gardens are vast and the best photo spots are spread out, so if you'd like portraits in a variety of locations, give your Choos a rest.

If you’d like portraits in a few different spots or fancy a trip to the lake and arboretum, allow around 45 minutes in your timeline. It’ll be time well spent and your guests could explore at the same time.

Castle Ashby is calling to be seen from above. Drone photos during your drinks reception will capture the grand scale and garden design in a way no ground-level shot ever could.

When it comes to group photos, flexibility is key. If it’s wet, there are stunning covered areas we can use but the space is limited, so larger groups may not be possible. I recommend smaller groups rather than larger ones, or sticking to your immediate families and wedding party.

With such beautiful backgrounds around the church, a second photographer means you can capture the excitement of everyone arriving - and offer your guests a chance to have a quick posed photo (as a couple, family, group of friends). The Italianate fountain and screen make an incredible spot for this and would be a lovely memento for everyone.

My top five planning tips for wedding photography at Castle Ashby

FAQs

All of the above! Castle Ashby is the name of the village and the country estate (of which the house is part). Castle Ashby Walled Garden is part of Castle Ashby gardens (they share the same car park). And just about everywhere in the village uses Castle Ashby in its name.
I'd personally choose late spring just because it's my favourite season and there's cow parsley! But really, the gardens are beautiful any time in the spring, summer, or autumn. And it's an entirely outdoor venue so you won't need to worry about heat for your marquee or tipi during the warmer months.
St Mary's church is right by the entrance to the gardens and every bit as beautiful as the setting suggests. The walk from the church through the gardens to the orangery for the drinks reception is a crowd-pleasing moment. But Castle Ashby is close to the A428 Bedford Road which means there are many south east Northamptonshire, north Buckinghamshire, and north west Bedfordshire churches within easy reach.
The Triumphal Arch. There's a ready-made aisle (leading from the orangery) with lawn on either side for seats. That would work for large or small weddings. For an intimate wedding, the orangery would be lovely. I can just imagine a photo of everyone gathered around the fish pond.
One of the really brilliant things about wedding photography at Castle Ashby gardens is the huge variety of options for posed photo backgrounds. There's everything from formal gardens and dramatic architecture, to lakes and woodland. I personally love a combination of architecture and nature to make the most of the venue. The orangery, Triumphal Arch, Birmingham Houses, and the Italian gardens are favourite spots because they always look great, are close to hand, and are unmistakably Castle Ashby. If you have enough time, I adore the terracotta bridge for dreamy, romantic shots and we could take in the arboretum on the walk there.
On a cloudy day, I recommend the front of the orangery or the Triumphal Arch. It's a gravel path so easy for anyone wearing heels and close to hand so we're not taking up time dragging people too far. If it's sunny, we just need a shaded place or an angle where the sun is behind you so you're not squinting.
Castle Ashby House is out of bounds but other than that the only limit is the time you have available as the gardens are expansive.
Castle Ashby gardens has a couple of great options for wet weather photos. My go-to spots are the Birmingham Houses (adore the light and honey-coloured stone here) and the most beautiful orangery you ever saw. You'll stay perfectly dry but still have photos with an outdoor look and feel. The floorspace is limited though, so for your group photos, you'll want to keep the numbers small.
Past couples have stayed overnight at The French Partridge in Horton and The Falcon in Castle Ashby village which has both hotel rooms and cottages for small groups. For guests staying over, there's a Premier Inn and a Holiday Inn just a short drive towards Northampton. Or a little further on, is the Hilton at Collingtree.
There's much to explore in Castle Ashby village, with some lovely independent artisan shops in the rural shopping yard, and a deli which serves drinks and rustles up really yummy food. For a pub lunch, you could try The Stags Head at Great Doddington or The Red Lion in Brafield — best to book those. And Olney is a wonderful local market town with independent stores, coffee shops, and pubs. Some of my couples make a weekend of their venue visits with a short stay at The Falcon wellness retreat in the village. If you do stay a few days, I also recommend a walk at Salcey Forest followed by Davey's farm cafe in Quinton, or Summer Leys nature reserve or Harrold Country Park. All dog-friendly!
No, travel is included. Castle Ashby is just 15 minutes from my front door — so only a short commute after my morning cuppa and bowl of porridge!

The house is a built in a E-shape – in celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth I.

The stone lettering parapet is in latin and based on the 127th psalm – “Except the Lord build the house they labour but in vain they who build it; except the Lord keep the house the watchman waketh but in vain".

The walled garden was originally a (very large) kitchen garden.

The driveway is almost four miles long.

The pond in the orangery is home to over 100 fish.

Psst! Did you know *this* about Castle Ashby?

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