Dreaming of a relaxed and refined wedding? You’ll be hard-pushed to find anywhere better than Kelmarsh Hall.
Having been the family home of renowned interior designer Nancy Lancaster, Kelmarsh Hall is kept true to her vision: a luxurious home with a lived-in feel.
You’ll feel like a royal here... but also like you can grab a tea in your favourite chipped mug, curl up on the sofa with a crumbly coconut cookie, and sink back into the freshly-plumped cushions - without a butler giving you a Paddington stare.
But it isn’t just the homely feel.
Kelmarsh Hall has a unique superpower: Giving you the wedding you want
This isn’t a cold commercial venue that churns out hundreds of cookiecutter weddings a year. At Kelmarsh, you get to have your wedding.
“We always ask our couples what they imagine their dream wedding to be – so we can make the right recommendations to make the day personal to them and make their dream come true.”
Eleanor, Kelmarsh Hall Wedding Planner Extraordinaire
This is a BIG thing. Because when your wedding feels like you, you’ll feel like you. And your relaxed day (with photos to match!) will simply fall into place.
Your elegant home away from home is calling
Kelmarsh Hall Wedding Photography
Your guide to
Take a peek for yourselves...
Absorb everything or go straight to the part you'd like
Choose your adventure
Spacious and flexible reception areas. Weather not so great? No problem! Kelmarsh Hall works just as well in cold or wet weather as it does on a gloriously hot summer’s day. The interior spaces couldn’t have been designed better for photos inside and every season has something special outside.
Incredible architecture. The Palladian style, the scale of the windows, the intricate plasterwork, *that* ceiling.... Kelmarsh Hall is full of talking points; not to mention brilliant backgrounds for your photos!
Extensive gardens and grounds. Take your pick: Historic walled garden, romantic paths, billowing borders, serene lakeside, peaceful woodland, verdant views… Soooo many breathtaking settings for a little timeout and pictures of the two of you.
Relaxed atmosphere. Whether you crave calm or it’s time to celebrate, Kelmarsh Hall has this way of bringing what you need. Which means everyone has a great time and you get photos to prove it.
Dreamy flattering light. Those beautiful big windows aren’t just about the views. They’re your wedding day BFFs for flattering photos! All that lovely natural light will do wonders for your skin and make sure every emotion is captured crisply and faithfully as you make your marriage vows.
05.
04.
03.
02.
01.
Five reasons you’ll love Kelmarsh Hall for your wedding photography
Oops! In my excitement to gush about Kelmarsh Hall, I forgot to introduce myself. How rude. Let’s try again.
Hi, hello, bonjour! I’m Sarah. Wedding photographer, coffee cake connoisseur, and lover of love.
I’ve been a recommended photographer at Kelmarsh since I photographed my first wedding there 18 years ago. And I also do Kelmarsh’s commercial photography when they need images of the hall, gardens, and events. All of which I’m hugely grateful for. Partly because it means Kelmarsh is a regular feature in my carefully colour-coded calendar - but mostly because they have tea on tap.
Over the years, I’ve absorbed every nook and cranny, from the attic to the servants’ quarters. (Trust me, you wouldn’t want photos in either of those places, but I like to pay due diligence and check out everywhere!)
Which means…
More fun, more photos, less faff. You won’t be left hanging around or miss out on photos while I work out where the light is best, get lost between locations, or wonder where we can go when rain sets in partway through our portrait session. Instead, I’ll capture as many moments as I can and, when it comes to your groups and portraits, we’ll take the shortcut to the best locations.
Your much-loved venue captured at its very best. I’ve photographed the Hall and gardens in every season and in all kinds of light and weather conditions. So I’ve come to appreciate what makes it so special and understand how to photograph it so it looks good. Because even country mansions have bad angles!
Sarah who?!
My Experience at Kelmarsh Hall
Just imagine yourselves (and your photos) here…
The Kelmarsh Hall Gallery
Katie & Tom
“You spend a good chunk of your wedding day with your photographer, which is why you have to have Sarah! I would have happily cut the cake, grabbed a cup of tea, and sat down with Sarah for the afternoon! She’s a dream. We were delighted with our photos, all the pictures we hoped for plus many more. Sarah has a lovely friendly but discreet style. She captured the posed pics for the frames but then documented the love, joy, and happy guests, which means we can re-live our day over and over!”
Fiona & Will
“Sarah is the best photographer we could've imagined for our wedding. She knew our venue (Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire) so well so we trusted her completely and rightly so! Sarah was so fun on the day and made everyone so comfortable when taking the photos. She is SO great and if you ask her to be your photographer, you’ll be infinitely grateful to this wonderwoman.”
Clare & GAry
“From our first meeting until even now after the wedding she has been nothing but a joy to work with. Sarah is insanely talented and her knowledge, skills and extensive experience mean that you will without a doubt get the most incredible photos. We are absolutely blown away. Sarah captured our day so beautifully. 5 stars doesn’t do Sarah the justice she deserves, her work is very special and our wedding photos surpassed every expectation.”
Liz & Luke
“I wanted to capture the day as it progressed and the atmosphere of the weather and people within the wonderful surroundings of Kelmarsh Hall, whilst also having images that were artistic. I was keen that we had high quality images and no cheesy ones! We were not disappointed at all. Not only were the images what we hoped for but we enjoyed the way we were made to feel; very welcome and looked after. If you pick Sarah you will be very happy you did!“
Jo & John
“We are thrilled with our album! You have captured the spirit of the day perfectly and it feels like we’re reliving the emotions every time we turn the pages. From start to finish you have been totally fantastic and your brilliant organisation meant that we felt confident that all would run smoothly. So many of our guests commented on how you made everyone feel so relaxed, yet capturing everything! You have a brilliant eye for detail and made all of our little personal touches look more beautiful than we could have imagined!”
Henny & Seb
“Sarah came recommended from Kelmarsh Hall and I am so glad that she did. We not only gained a fantastic wedding photographer but she was invaluable in helping us create our timeline based on when the light would be best at different times of the day. Our photos were ready much quicker than we thought and the shots are a mix of beautiful classic posed portraits but with lots of fun candids too! I highly recommend Sarah to anyone looking for a wedding photographer.”
Kind words from Kelmarsh couples
Downloading the guide will sign you up to my emails. I think you'll find them pretty handy, but you can unsubscribe at any time.
Curious if there’s anything you should know about Kelmarsh Hall when it comes to your wedding photography?
From what to do if it rains to where the best lighting is, I’ve condensed (almost) everything I know into my free ‘Guide to Wedding Photography at Kelmarsh Hall’, so you can get the best photos possible.
Borrow my brain on all things Kelmarsh Hall
Optimize portrait time. Immortalise more of the venue by splitting your portrait photo time into two. How about a 10-minute session while your guests find their seats for dinner, somewhere close by, say at the front entrance or in the Chinese Room? And then a 20-minute slot after dinner, when time is more relaxed and we can go deeper into the gardens or down to the lakeside?
Plan ahead. Having a civil ceremony? Space around the registrar's table is very limited and when your witnesses join you for your vows they can unwittingly obscure my view of you. So before the day, ask them to stand back a little so they don’t block your photos.
Get your confetti exit ready. Want a big group photo of all your guests? This process is super efficient and takes the least amount of time possible: Walk down the aisle, then head to the library for a post-ceremony breather. Meanwhile, your guests exit the hall through the front door, grabbing a handful of confetti from a basket as they go, and then make a pathway ready to throw said confetti. When everyone’s in place, you appear to a sea of smiling faces and run the confetti gauntlet. Last, your guests gather on the front steps for that big ol’ photo … and then your reception awaits. Bish-bash-bosh!
Cut your cake early. Want the best possible cake-cutting photo? Cut it in daylight hours. And when it’s time, we’ll turn your cake so the front faces the piano (with your permission, of course). Then you face the piano and I stand opposite you for the big moment. It gives a flattering and dramatic result, compared to trying to shoot into the window, where even pro cameras struggle with the angle of the light. The same thing works in The Great Hall and the Ballroom too - it’s simply about the angle of the light.
Comfy footwear, please. The gardens involve a lot of walking - or at least it’ll seem that way if you’re wearing heels, and balancing bouquet and bubbles. So pop some comfy shoes in your bag to save your feet - and your sanity.
My top five planning tips for wedding photography at Kelmarsh Hall
If you're getting married at Kelmarsh Hall, you get VIP access for your pre-wedding photoshoot. This is a great way to get used to being in front of the camera, and also a chance to create memories and photos in a different season or location from your wedding pictures.
Nervous about being photographed?
FAQs
Take a look at some of my editorial photoshoots at Kelmarsh Hall …
Want some more inspo?
Yes, you can have a light and airy look in the darker months. This spring/summer edit was created in the autumn! Includes a ceremony and intimate banquet-style dinner set-up in the Saloon and a large dinner set-up in the ballroom.
Pale and interesting
Red roses aren’t just for Valentine's Day. Check out this classically romantic burgundy and blush editorial to see how a bold red can be transformed into something pretty for any season. It’s a masterclass in creating layers and tactile texture.
Rouge Romance
This elegant earth-friendly shoot was inspired by Kelmarsh Hall's most famous owner, Nancy Lancaster. Expect large-scale refined but relaxed wedding styling ideas with an abundance of florals - all created as mindfully as possible.
Sustainable luxury
Dearest gentle reader, this delightful affair is the epitome of our era and features a splendid outdoor tableau and a wedding cake that would make even the Dowager Countess swoon. Be sure to notice the calligraphy on the flower ribbons - a detail sure to stir the heart of any discerning observer.
Bridgerton Blues
After a festive feel without the predictable glitz? This one’s for you! Think rich reds, deep greens, all the berries, tumbling ivy, classic candelabra, and bold but classic stationery. This look is a wonderful combination of tradition and nature.
Candle-lit and cosy
Psst! Did you know *this* about Kelmarsh Hall?
The gold dust jars in the Chinese Room were commandeered by Lord Admiral Nelson in 1740.
There are over a dozen rooms ‘below stairs’ – including a bake room, brushing room, and a wine cellar.
There's a deserted medieval village underneath the parkland in front of the church - which is now home to a pedigree herd of British White cattle.
The walled garden is home to over 100 varieties of dahlia – a spectacular sight for September weddings.
Kelmarsh’s most well-known resident – Nancy Lancaster – lived at Kelmarsh Hall twice. First, as Nancy Tree and later as Nancy Lancaster (after marrying her former landlord). Lady Whistledown would have a field day!
Copyright © 2007-2026 | Sarah Vivienne Photography