Wedding photography at Hanbury Barns
Getting married at Hanbury Barns?
If you’re looking for a wedding photographer who’ll photograph the day without turning it into one long photoshoot, you’re in the right place.
I’m a Staffordshire wedding photographer specialising in relaxed, documentary wedding photography. I like photographs that feel natural, a bit unpolished and actually tell you something about the people in them. I take photos that show emotion, laughter, personality and relationships.
Rather than spending hours lining everyone up and asking you to smile at the camera, I’ll be looking for what’s actually happening. Capturing real moments that are happening during your wedding day, not something that has been set up and forced into a awkward pose by me.
The laughs. The chaos. The nervous bits. The people you’ve invited. The stuff that happens when nobody realises I’m taking a photograph and Hanbury Barns is a pretty great place for that. I love photographing wedding at Hanbury as there’s so many opportunities for photos. The outdoor space is my personal favourite, it’s perfect for wandering off for ten or fifteen minutes to do photos of just the two of you.
Hanbury Barns wedding venue
Hanbury Barns is a wedding venue at Parsons Brake Farm in Hanbury, near Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. It’s set in the heart of the National Forest and was created specifically as a wedding venue, with the original country barns restored rather than turned into something overly polished and generic. I knew the venue back when it first started and was opened by fellow photographer Adrian and his wife. Since then I’ve seen the space transform and become a great all round Staffordshire wedding venue.
It’s relaxed, rustic and stylish without feeling too formal.
The main buildings are full of exposed timber and red brick, and you’ve got a few different spaces that naturally take you through the wedding day and it’s got lot’s of my favourite backgrounds – walls!
There’s the red-brick Ceremony Barn, with its exposed timber frames, an outdoor ceremony pavilion overlooking the lake, a courtyard, the wedding breakfast barn and a separate evening space.
Basically, there’s plenty going on.
Because it was initially started and set up by a photographer he had other photographers in mind, allowing plenty of natural light, leaving spaces and room for photos in different weathers and light conditions. This really is a wedding venue that ticks a lot of a Staffordshire wedding photographers boxes. Mine especially.
The Ceremony Barn
The Ceremony Barn is a great starting point for the day. The exposed timber and brick give it plenty of character, and it has that proper barn-wedding feel without needing loads of decoration to make it interesting.
I’ll photograph the ceremony as it happens — the nervous faces beforehand, the reactions as you walk in, your guests, the bits that make everyone laugh and the quieter moments too. I’m not one for wandering around in front of everyone trying to get the perfect angle. Yes I want you to have the best photographs but I also want you and your guests to enjoy it. I’ll find my spot and get on with it. After so many years photographing weddings in Staffordshire and beyond and having photographed at Hanbury before I know where the best spots are.
Or get married outside by the lake
If the weather plays ball, Hanbury Barns also has an outdoor ceremony pavilion overlooking the lake, another reason I like the venue from a photography point of view. All the natural light and plenty of space, plus there’s more freedom from me to move around taking photos during outdoor ceremonies.
After the ceremony, you’ve got the lake, gardens, courtyard and surrounding countryside to use for photographs while everyone is having a drink and catching up. It will only take ten or fifteen minutes of us having a wander and a chat to stop along the way for some relaxed portraits. Check out my last wedding at Hanbury here.
The courtyard, gardens and lake
This is where things can get really good, the outdoor spaces give the wedding day somewhere to breathe.
People can wander outside with a drink, catch up with friends they haven’t seen for ages, and generally do what people do at weddings, exactly what I want to photograph. I’m not looking for everyone to stand in the same place looking at me. In fact I’d rather people ignore me and carry on having a good time in the way they know best!
I’m looking for the conversations, the hugs, the drinks, the ridiculous group photos your mates insist on taking on their phones and everything happening around them. Hanbury is one of my favourite wedding venues for spaces, there’s loads of them, lot’s of different areas where your guests can hang out, have a laugh or a chill and because I know all these areas, you can be sure there will be photos of all of this.
Documentary wedding photography at Hanbury Barns
The layout of Hanbury Barns works really well for documentary wedding photography because there are different spaces to photograph without constantly moving everyone around. The day can naturally move from the ceremony, outside for drinks and photographs, into the wedding breakfast and then on to the evening party. That gives me lots of opportunities to photograph the day as it unfolds rather than having to manufacture moments.
I’ll photograph the things you’d expect:
- Getting ready
- The ceremony
- Confetti
- Family and group photographs
- Drinks and canapés
- Couple photographs
- Speeches
- Reactions from your guests
- The first dance
- The evening party
Depending on which photography package you chose and how you use your hours may alter a few of these things. I’m not into telling my couples what they should have photos of, the idea is you use your time to cover what you want capturing. I can give you some guidance on this if you’re not totally sure and we will also have a chat just before your wedding day to get a plan together too.
I’ll also photograph everything in between because that’s usually where the good stuff is!
You don’t have to be good at having your photograph taken
If the thought of being photographed makes you want to hide behind one of my favourite backgrounds, a wall, don’t worry! Nearly all of the people I’ve photographed in 12 years aren’t particularly comfortable in front of a camera.
You don’t need to know how to pose. When we take your couple photographs, I’ll give you a bit of direction so you’re not standing there wondering what to do with your hands. We’ll walk around, chat, have a laugh and make use of the gardens and the space around the venue. The idea is to capture you both as you naturally interact with each other and as you make the most of actually having ten minutes alone together.
Hanbury Barns weddings are made for having a good time
The venue is designed around having the whole wedding there, rather than constantly moving from one room to another. It’s an exclusive-use venue, with spaces for the ceremony, reception, wedding breakfast and evening celebrations.
Wedding photography without taking over your day
I’m not going to spend your wedding shouting instructions at you. In fact I won’t shout at all, if needed I’ll get one of you mouthy mates to do that for me! There’s always one! And believe me, they come in handy when it comes to group photos.
For the rest of the day, I’ll be looking for the moments that happen naturally. I do spend a lot of a wedding day looking and watching, picking up on things that I know I will need to photograph.
The emotional bits. The funny bits. The completely random bits. The photographs you’ll look at in ten years and immediately remember exactly what was happening and how it felt to be there.
Getting married at Hanbury Barns?
If you’re looking for a relaxed wedding photographer at Hanbury Barns, I’d love to hear what you’re planning.
I’m a Staffordshire documentary wedding photographer, photographing relaxed, natural weddings at Hanbury Barns and across Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire and the surrounding areas.
If you want photographs that are less posed, less traditional and more about what actually happened, get in touch.
Real photography for real couples.
This lady is just amazing!!! And that still doesn’t feel a strong enough word! The biggest thank you for everything you have done and all the photos are perfect!!!
From the first phone call I knew you had to be at our weddings. You made it happen and joined us on the Isles of Scilly and you were perfect. You became part of the family. Everyone loved having you around. You have a best friend for life in our daughter she absolutely adores you. I can’t tell you how many people have come to me and Dan and told us how amazing you were at the wedding and I couldn’t agree more. You go above and beyond in what you do not only to get the best picture but to make sure the bride and groom and for us our daughter is completely happy. I don’t know anyone who would run to get a groom chocolate or go down a slide to make a little girl smile. You are honestly the best I will be recommending you to anyone who will listen!!!! So if you are thinking of booking Rosie , just do it!!! You won’t be disappointed.