Whittlebury Park
wedding
photographer

Northamptonshire

Photographing weddings at Whittlebury Park

I’ve photographed weddings at Whittlebury Park a few times now, in summer and in autumn, and I always enjoy going back. It’s tucked away in the south Northamptonshire countryside near Towcester. If you’re looking for a Whittlebury Park wedding photographer, the two things I’d tell you about first are the Orangery, which is a lovely ceremony room, and the grounds, which work really well for portraits. I’d wanted to photograph a wedding here for a while before Ashleigh and Lewis booked me for theirs in June.

The Orangery is always a lovely room to walk into, and it has plenty of charm for a ceremony. At Stephanie and Matthew’s autumn wedding, it was a crisp, sunny October day, and the venue felt completely different to the summer. It’s surprising how much a place changes with the seasons. Their daughter and son came down the aisle, and everywhere I looked, guests were grinning.

  • Bride and groom embrace beneath a large tree, sunlight filtering through dense foliage
  • Smiling newlyweds walk hand in hand through a park filled with vibrant autumn trees
  • A bride in an off shoulder lace dress faces the groom in a blue suit at the altar
  • Bride and groom share their first dance beneath colourful lights and illuminated MR & MRS letters
  • Two people watch red and golden fireworks illuminate the night sky from a grassy field
  • A bridesmaid laughs warmly while chatting with the bride, her veil draped softly between them

  • Woman in black hugs a bride whose shoulder tattoo reads Forever
  • Bride and groom embrace and smile outdoors on a sunny lawn beneath filtering sunlight
  • Smiling woman in a floral robe receives help attaching a name tag from another woman
  • Man in a blue suit and pink tie sits in the driver's seat of a blue convertible
  • Three women in formal attire smile outdoors, one giving a thumbs up beside two suited men
  • Newlyweds walk down a ribbon decorated aisle as guests applaud beneath a chandelier

How the day works at Whittlebury Park

Getting ready can happen in the room just above the Orangery, which keeps the morning close to the ceremony. After the vows comes confetti, then I usually leave you alone for a bit so your guests can get their hugs in. Groups work well on the lawn just outside the Orangery. At Stephanie and Matthew’s wedding, the rain arrived just as we finished the groups, so everyone headed back inside, it passed in about ten minutes, and then the three of us nipped out for portraits. Bigger weddings have the meal and evening in the Pavilion. Smaller ones can eat in the room next to the Orangery, then move to the Pavilion for the evening. (Still weighing up photographers? My guide to choosing the right photographer might help.)

  • Bride and groom embrace in a sunlit ceremony space beneath glass ceilings, surrounded by chairs
  • Woman lifts a smiling baby in pyjamas above her head beneath colourful festive lights
  • Man in a shirt and tie helps a baby in blue put on socks on a carpeted floor
  • Bride and groom stand beside a grand piano as a man in black plays and smiles
  • Newlywed couple kiss at dusk as friends and family hold sparklers beneath a blue sky
  • Man and woman swing a laughing young girl at a reception beneath illuminated LOVE letters
  • Laughing bride in a lace gown dances beneath string lights and a chandelier
  • Bride and groom dance beneath colourful lights, with a chandelier and illuminated letters behind them
  • Bride and groom walk hand in hand through a grassy field at sunset, smiling together

Moments I remember from Whittlebury Park

Ashleigh and Lewis’s wedding had plenty of them. Lewis (the groom, not me) arrived about an hour before the ceremony in a BMW with the roof down and the music blaring, grinning from ear to ear. Later, they wanted to practise their first dance without anyone watching, so while the guests had a drink in the sun outside the Pavilion, we slipped away, put their song on, and they danced. They said they were nervous about it. You’d never have guessed. I also won an award for one of the images from their day, which I’m still quietly pleased about. At the very end of the night, once every guest had gone, it was just me and the two of them in the Pavilion for one last dance on their own. I’d never photographed anything like that before.

The white bouncy castle at Ashleigh and Lewis’s went down just as well with the adults as the kids, and the game of Mr & Mrs got some proper laughs. Stephanie and Matthew had fireworks before their first dance, with their daughter pushing the big red button and hearts going up into the sky. Every wedding here has had its own thing going on, and that’s the stuff I’m there for. For most of the day, I let things happen, then step in for confetti, groups and a few relaxed, creative portraits before getting you back to your guests.

  • Thoughtful man rests his chin on his hand at a decorated table beside two guests
  • Woman in a mauve dress dabs her eyes with a tissue while holding a colourful bouquet
  • Bride and groom hold up shoes back to back beneath colourful lights and MR & MRS letters
  • Guests smile at a meal table decorated with wine, dishes and colourful flowers
  • Woman in a floral dress hugs another woman holding a bouquet at a cheerful outdoor celebration
  • Newlyweds smile at an ornate flower adorned table before a large mirror

Is Whittlebury Park the venue for you?

If you’re still deciding, book a visit and have a proper look round, inside and out. There’s a hotel on site, so guests can stay over and let their hair down, and there’s a restaurant too if you fancy lunch while you’re there. Looking at other venues in the area? Have a look at my Towcester and South Northants page.

Need directions to Whittlebury Park? The map’s below. And if you’ve already booked it, I’d love to hear what you’ve got planned.

CONTACT DETAILS

Phone: 01327 850441

Email:  [email protected]

Web: www.whittlebury.com

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