Stapleford Park wedding

Now, before I forget, Stapleford Park isn’t just Suzanne and Andy’s favourite place … my four-legged family members love it too! Daisy, my Head of Security, took us there for a mini-break. And then she wrote her very own blog post about her pawsome adventures at this dog-friendly wedding venue in Leicestershire!

It’s one of those ‘mouth-open-jaw-hits-the-floor’ venues with incredible architecture, historical details and all the modern luxuries. Stapleford Park weddings can range from grand-scale exclusive-use events, to elegant ceremonies and dinners for a handful of guests.

Suzanne and Andy had a micro wedding – an intimate gathering of their closest friends and family. That meant they could base their entire day in the main part of the old house, with their civil ceremony in the Gilt Room and a banquet-style wedding breakfast in the Harborough Room.

A man with a plan

Andy took on the role of chief wedding planner. And on the day, I arrived at Stapleford Park to find him pacing nervous laps of the car park. He was making final plans to ensure everyone was running on time – and trying to calm his nerves – before heading to get ready with his best man. What a brilliant gift to Suzanne, who was able to simply relax and enjoy getting ready with her daughter.

Giggles, gold and getting married

Their ceremony took place in the Gilt Room. It’s a historic and grand but intimate space with (surprise surprise) lots of gilt décor & detailing. It made a beautiful backdrop for Suzanne’s glittering gold gown and their fresh white flowers.

Suzanne sparkled her way down the aisle – softly giggling as she went. You could see (and hear!) she really enjoyed that moment. I positioned myself at the front of the room, which meant I could capture close-up shots of their expressions. And I worked closely with the Registrars so I could briefly move into the aisle for the readings.  

Their exit was a fun surprise … as they danced their way down the aisle to ‘Bring Me Sunshine’!

Documentary wedding photography at Stapleford Park

Canapés, drinks, and a harpist were waiting for everyone as they moved to the terrace at the back of the house. Suzanne and Andy only wanted a few posed group photos and portraits, as they booked me for my relaxed documentary style. And that gave them maximum time to enjoy chatting with their guests. Much needed after eighteen months of being apart.

Outdoor wedding photos at Stapleford Park

Towards the end of the drinks reception, I took a short walk with Andy and Suzanne to capture some relaxed portraits of the two of them. We used the stunning architecture of the house as our background. I’m a sucker for symmetry and Stapleford has that in spades!

But there are so many lovely locations for wedding photography at Stapleford Park. It has bags of character, plenty of space, and lovely light. And as fields and parkland surround the venue, it feels serene and secluded. Which is ideal to help you relax in the photos.

The wedding breakfast (with a special guest appearance)

The Harborough Room (which is stunning with scarlet silk wallpaper and glistening chandeliers) was set up with one long banqueting table for the wedding breakfast. It felt really chilled and personal; especially for the speeches, which were more like a chat with everyone gathered around the table.

I’m a big kid at heart, so I was super invested when Jack, Suzanne’s beloved teddy bear, made a guest appearance in her speech. Jack travels everywhere with Suzanne and guests voted on whether he should be allowed to join them on their honeymoon … Of course, the answer was ‘yes’ – which Andy was less than pleased about. Plenty of grown-man-vs-adorable-teddy-bear banter followed! (ETA: Jack had a jolly good time in Jersey.)

Congratulations Suzanne & Andy (and Jack the bear!)

After their meal, we went for a wander around the grounds of Stapleford Park for some final photos using the iron gates and manicured hedges of the walled gardens.

As the gardens are vast, I like to do this later in the day so my couples don’t need to watch the clock or rush to get back for food. It also gave Suzanne and Andy a chance to enjoy a few moments alone together. Afterwards, they headed back to their guests to eat cake and chill with coffee at the bar. A great night right there!

More weddings at Stapleford Park? Yes, please!

I don’t think I’ll run out of portrait locations at Stapleford Park any time soon! So if you’re getting married at Stapleford and fancy helping me tick off some more, I’d love to join you!

Please do get in touch or browse my blog for more wedding inspo, top tips, and behind-the-scenes insights.