Ashridge House wedding photographer – Kayleigh and Mark’s Day
Two of the best things about being a Hertfordshire wedding photographer are getting to work with lovely couples like Kayleigh and Mark and getting to capture wedding photography at Ashridge House. This winter wedding was a joy to capture! I first met Kayleigh and Mark when I photographed their pre-wedding shoot back in 2020, so it was great to catch up with them again.
Once a royal residence to King Henry VIII, Grade I listed Ashridge House is a breath-takingly beautiful historical house set in 190 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens. Regarded as one of the finest examples of early gothic Revival architecture in the world, it’s an awe-inspiring location for a wedding, so they really did choose a magnificent venue for their special day!
On the day, I headed to Ashridge House to catch up with Kayleigh and her bridal party who were getting ready in the gorgeous wood panelled sitting room. I found Kayleigh in good spirits and in the capable hands of hairstylist and make-up artist Adie.
Kayleigh looked absolutely stunning in a Stella York dress that she bought at Lucy Hart Bridal. The dress had a beautiful lace Bardot neckline, lace detailing on the back and it skimmed Kayleigh’s figure before gently fanning out, giving her a perfect silhouette in all of my images. The dress was embroidered with pretty lace detailing and was complemented with a large posy of beautiful cream roses with pops of dusty pink and green foliage, created by the team at Apple Blossom Flowers who did the flowers on the day. Kayleigh’s bridesmaids looked elegant in dusky pink dresses.
Experienced Ashridge House wedding photographer
Before the ceremony, we captured a gorgeous father seeing the bride moment.
We also caught up with Mark and his groom’s party who all looked very smart in traditional black tie. Alfie, the youngest member of the groom’s party was the only one trustworthy enough to take care of the rings, and was taking this duty very seriously!
The wedding ceremony took place in the majestic Main Hall of Ashridge House. The wedding party all made a dramatic entrance down the famous cantilevered staircase, which is precisely where Kayleigh and Mark took their vows. After a beautiful and heartfelt ceremony, Mark and Kayleigh shared their first kiss as husband and wife, before signing the register.
After signing the register, Kayleigh and Mark were handed a glass of champagne before posing in front of a gorgeous Christmas tree. This is another reason why I love winter weddings at Ashridge House, because the Christmas decorations add such a magical and enchanting vibe. Guests then lined up for a fun confetti moment which looked amazing with the Christmas tree in the background!
Kayleigh and Mark then boarded a Cinderella pumpkin horse drawn carriage that they hired from The Ostler. They took a turn around the grounds of Ashridge House and enjoyed some quality time just the two of them, with me following behind to capture some great images.
Now, it’s always lovely meeting and working with other professionals in the wedding industry, and this was certainly the case working with my second shooter Stuart Felstead, who literally allowed me to be in two places at once!
By the time Kayleigh and Mark returned, their guests were enjoying a drinks reception in The Old Library, and Stuart got some great candid images of everybody mingling and enjoying themselves, whilst I was able to focus on the group shots.
Storytelling wedding photography at Ashridge House
I also did the couple’s photoshoot in the house, the regal architecture and period interiors giving us endless great backdrops for photos. Kayleigh and Mark were so easy going to work with and we got some great images.
The wedding breakfast was held in the opulent Lady Marian Alford Room. This beautiful room has fluted columns of rose serpentine marble, marble fireplaces, and its main feature is an elaborately decorated gold leaf ceiling. It’s a stunning room perfect for a winter wedding breakfast.
After a sumptuous meal made by the in-house chefs at Ashridge House, there were some very well-delivered speeches given by Kayleigh’s dad, Mark, and the best man.
Evening celebrations started with the cutting of the most delicious looking cake. It was nakedly iced with three-tiers and was made by Jessica Lauren cakes. Everybody then headed to The Wyatt Room for the evening party, which started with a romantic first dance for Kayleigh and Mark, and it wasn’t long before their guests joined them. It seemed everybody was up for a party, and with DJ Dan from JN Sounds on the decks, they certainly got one!
With the party in full swing, I took the chance to quickly whisk Kayleigh and Mark outside to get some great images of them in front of the house all lit up. There was an event going on at the house at the time called ‘Ashridge Illuminated’ and it made a fantastic backdrop for photos creating some of my favourite images of the day. Here, take a look!
We then returned to the party and I took my last few images of the day. They were of Kayleigh and Mark on the dancefloor having fun with their loved ones, and felt like the perfect images to close the story of their amazing wedding day.
I loved capturing Kayleigh and Mark’s wedding at Ashridge House. A fun, family friendly winter wedding full of love and laughter, at a simply stunning Hertfordshire wedding venue. Congratulations guys and thanks for allowing me to tell the story of your day. I loved it!
