Chicheley Hall won my heart the moment my eyes met its perfectly symmetrical facade. It makes me so happy to give my OCD a day off when I photograph a wedding here!

But the formality of the architecture is balanced by unassuming yet elegant interiors, relaxed grounds, and a very warm welcome. And the size of the rooms, which are perfect for smaller guest lists of up to 60 people, makes a wedding here feel both grand and intimate.

The Hall dates back to the 1700s and oozes history but it also has every modern luxury you could dream of - including sumptuous bedrooms, great food, and reliable wifi to check the sports results on a Saturday afternoon!

Being tucked away in the countryside, Chicheley Hall is a peaceful retreat, but it’s also super close to a good road network, so very handy for couples planning a church wedding in and around Olney, Milton Keynes, and Bedford. And it’s especially local if you're getting married at St. Lawrence’s church next door!

Looking for a classic country house wedding venue in Buckinghamshire? You might have just found it!

Chicheley Hall Wedding Photography

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Great quality light. All those stunning windows don’t just look good … they’re the basis for your photos too. They let in lots of lovely natural light, which brings gorgeous depth to your pictures. A suit hanging on the wardrobe, you two exchanging rings, guests laughing during the speeches …. every photo will be radiant.

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An incredible team. The Chicheley crew is always full of fun and beans, but totally professional, and will go out of their way to make sure you have the best time and get the best photos.

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Amazing architecture and interiors. The hall itself is a brilliant backdrop for both candid and posed photos. The inside is incredible too, with several reception rooms big enough for group photos. You won’t be disappointed on a cold or rainy day.

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A portrait spot for all styles. Nature-lover? The lake and tree-lined driveway were made for you. Romantic? You’ll love the tree-lined driveway, the lake view, and the gardens filled with lollipop topiary and rambling roses. Adventurer? The octagonal dovecote, neighbouring fields of long grass, and fruit tree orchard will set your hearts on fire.

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The sweeping staircase. The stunning chandelier screams for statement photos of your ceremony entrance. And it makes an equally brilliant backdrop for pictures of the two of you.

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Five reasons you’ll love Chicheley Hall for your wedding photography

I had the lucky honour to be the first wedding photographer to shoot at Chicheley Hall after it was bought and renovated by The Royal Society in 2009. (Yes, I’ve been capturing weddings for a longggg time!) And it’s been amazing to see the Hall evolve into the popular, leading wedding venue it is now.

I’ve photographed many events at Chicheley over the years, including a Thailand-themed wedding with the most beautiful authentic Thai silks, another for two vicars with a love of Ceilidh (yes, the party was a riot!), and a British-themed wedding on the same day as the Queen’s Jubilee with afternoon tea canapés and a fish ‘n’ chips supper. The owners have changed several times over the years, but snow or sun, every visit to Chicheley has been a dream. It’s one of the best venues to make your day unique and personal.

I’ve also worked at St Lawrence’s church next door. I’m not sure if it’s officially in the grounds of the Chicheley estate, but if not, it’s as good as! The walk between the two is just so much fun to see and capture … you couldn’t want for a more effortless day.

Hello, hi, bonjour! I’m Sarah.

My Experience at Chicheley Hall

Becca & John

“Thank you so very, very much for our incredibly beautiful wedding photos. We really can’t get over how amazing they are! You captured so many of our friends and family, and so many beautiful moments and details that we either couldn’t remember or didn’t get to see on the day. You were also a brilliantly calming influence. We knew how hard you worked and will always be so very grateful. We are over the moon.”

FRan & Hugo

“Thank you so so much for everything. Thank you first for being such a lovely and laid back person to work with, and for all the ways in which you were encouraging, willing to roll with all that went on, and a pleasure to work with. Thank you for all of the wonderful and precious photos that you took of our day. We couldn’t have asked for more and we are so grateful for the way you captured such special memories.”

Helena & Paul

“We just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for such an amazing wedding album! It is simply stunning and we love all of it from start to finish! It brought tears to our eyes as you've really captured how wonderful and perfect our wedding day was. We will treasure it for years to come. Thank you so much for everything you have done. We couldn’t have asked for a more amazing wedding photographer.”

Love notes from Chicheley couples

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Save photos by the lake or tree-lined avenue for after dinner. Both are a totally-worth-it but long-ish walk so portraits in these gorgeous spots are best saved for the evening when most of the formalities are over and there’s less time pressure. If you’re getting married in the darker months, consider a longer drinks reception to allow enough daylight without a rush.

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Beg, borrow, or hire some garden games. The back lawn is brilliant for a drinks reception. It’s beautiful and has plenty of space, with garden seating for those who want to sit and relax. The addition of a few garden games really brings an afternoon or summer evening to life for little ones (and big kids, too!). It’ll be quite the quintessential English scene and make great photos of everyone being themselves.

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Give your photographer a head start for car photos. The front entrance is ready-made for great arrival shots of your wedding car. If it’s possible for them to do so, and most will, ask your car company if they can take a detour to give your photographer a chance to get ahead of you from the church. There’s really no better spot but it takes some coordination to capture.

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Make your confetti a natural moment to get the most natural photos. There are confetti options galore at Chicheley! The best option depends on your plans for the day but for civil ceremonies in The Great Hall, the side sash door (on the lake-facing side of the hall) gives the most natural flow and makes the moment feel effortless rather than like a staged photo. Come out of the ceremony, hide away or greet your guests at the foot of the staircase; everyone then heads through the reception rooms to the back and lines up ready for you to follow them out.

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Plan to enjoy your drinks reception. If you want to make a grand entrance into dinner down the staircase, we’ll need to take any photos of the two of you before you go upstairs and hide away. So a drinks reception of at least 1.5 hours is ideal, as it means you get to actually have a drink and be part of the celebration, not just take photos.

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My top five planning tips for wedding photography at Chicheley Hall

St Lawrence church is literally next door to Chicheley Hall, so you won’t need to worry about any logistics. And it’s sooo pretty!

Chicheley church weddings

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If you're a Chicheley Hall couple, with permission from the team there, we can use the Hall and grounds for your pre-wedding photoshoot. It’s a great way to feel at ease in front of the camera on your wedding day and an excuse (if you need it!) to spend more time at Chicheley.

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FAQs

Any time is the best time! There are masses of daffodils in the spring, and the summer is gorgeous too with the roses in bloom. All those trees are stunning in their autumn finery. But Chicheley has you covered on winter days too with flexible indoor spaces. Just pick your favourite!
St Lawrence's church is a very short one-minute walk. Chicheley is also easily accessed from churches in and around Olney, Newport Pagnell, west Bedford, and Cranfield.
My go-to spots are the tree-lined driveway, the front of the hall, and the lake which offers an incredible view back towards the hall and is easily one of my past couples' faves. Those are all iconic Chicheley. Inside, the staircase is incredible and works well just before everyone's called in for dinner. There are many lovely nooks, though, so if somewhere's caught your eye, I'm all ears.
Assuming your drinks reception is on the back lawn, I recommend using the gardens on that side so we don't have to move people too far. If your list is short and the number of people involved is quite small (making movement manageable), the front entrance is also brilliant.
There's nowhere we can't go. But if you'd like to make your entrance into dinner down the staircase, we'll need to take any pictures of the two of you during the drinks reception, rather than while your guests find their seats for dinner — because it looks a bit odd for your guests to see you walk up the stairs and straight back down again!
Chicheley Hall comes into its own! Being inside is no second place to being outside. The Great Hall will be either ready or being turned around for your wedding breakfast. So for your group photos, we'll use one of the wood-panelled reception rooms. And for your portraits, the staircase will be incredible. I also love the sash door, with you two just inside, or if there's space between tables, we could use the shelter of the front door.
Most couples have got ready at Chicheley Hall itself, as it has on-site bedrooms including some stunning suites. For guests, The Holiday Inn Milton Keynes East is the closest well-known hotel. Find it at MK16 0JA. And Milton Keynes city centre offers plenty of choices.
The White Hart in Sherington (MK16 9PE) is five minutes away and ideal for a drink, quick sandwich or jacket potato, or dinner. The Heidi pie sounds delicious! The market town of Olney is 10 minutes north of Chicheley on the A509 and has several independent coffee shops (Out of Office and Bewiched are great) and restaurants. The Cherry Tree pub is a personal fave. And you might enjoy window-shopping at the little boutiques along the high street. Emberton Country Park is also close by, lovely for a walk, and has a cafe (MK46 5FJ). If you prefer a more modern scene, Milton Keynes city centre has everything you could imagine and more.
No, travel is included in my prices. It's only half an hour from home and just try keeping me away!

A resident bat colony lives in a purpose-made home in the roof of the Coach House.

There’s a secret library on the top floor of the hall.

The ceiling in the Great Hall has been painted only four times since 1719.

Recent archaeological discoveries include a culvert and an unexploded German grenade from World War II.

The Hall was used as a film location for Pride & Prejudice and Black Beauty.

Psst! Did you know *this* about Chicheley Hall?

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