Liz and Arthur got married at Baddow Park House in the autumn, which is the right time of year for that place. The grounds do the work for you.
The venue
Baddow Park House is a country house near Chelmsford with a lot of ground around it. Big period rooms, good light through the windows, and enough space outside that you’re never short of somewhere to take people.
In autumn it’s the trees. You can walk twenty yards from the front door and have a completely different backdrop, and none of it needs setting up.
The day
Liz and Arthur kept the styling simple — warm colours, white roses on the tables, nothing fussy. It suited the house and it suited them.
Confetti outside after the ceremony, then a champagne reception while everyone caught up.
Sue from Simply Sax
They had Sue from Simply Sax playing through the drinks reception, which was a good call.
Live music changes how a drinks reception behaves. People stay outside longer, they stand around in bigger groups, and they stop checking their phones. That’s better for everyone, me included — it’s much easier to photograph a party than a queue at a bar.
Portraits
We took twenty minutes or so out for portraits, which is usually all it needs. I don’t arrange people into shapes. I give them somewhere to walk and something to talk about, then work around them.
The autumn light is the other reason to get married then. It goes low and warm by mid-afternoon and you don’t have to fight it.
The evening
DJ, first dance, cake, and a full floor for the rest of the night. Fairy lights on outside, which is when the house starts looking its best.
Congratulations to you both, and thanks for having me.
Photographing weddings at Baddow Park House
A few things I’d tell any couple getting married there.
- You don’t need to go anywhere for photos. Everything is on site. That saves you half an hour of your own wedding, which matters more than people expect.
- Autumn is worth booking on purpose. The colour is different and the light is easier all afternoon. Winter works too — the interiors are warm and you get the house lit up early.
- The period rooms take natural light well. I don’t need to set up lighting in them, so getting ready and the ceremony stay quiet.
- Leave twenty minutes for portraits, not an hour. Nobody enjoys the hour, and you don’t get better pictures for it.
If you’re getting married at Baddow Park House or anywhere else in Essex, have a look at my prices and send me your date.
