Venue Spotlight: Soughton Hall Wedding

Soughton Hall Wedding:

Are you a fan of regency era films, rich architecture, the vibes of Downton Abbey, British history, and English countryside charm? A wedding at Soughton Hall might just be the perfect place for you.

This past summer I had the honour of being an actual, genuine, guest at a family wedding at Soughton Hall in Mold, Wales, UK. My first time in the UK, actually, and it was every bit as stunning as one might imagine. Something about being a wedding photographer, is that you while are physically present at MANY weddings (every single weekend, in fact) it’s incredibly rare that you’re free to actually attend one. Since there are only so many Saturdays in a year, it’s very common to miss out on milestones and the various special occasions of loved ones. That’s why it was especially remarkable that I was available to attend Rachel and Phil’s wedding, but that it happened to be a destination wedding in England. What more could a travel-bug-bitten wedding photographer want?

When I’m on a trip that is purely a vacation and in no way work related (this is very rare), I like to challenge myself by bringing only a film camera along. Essentially nudging myself to not just capture vacation images on something other than a phone, but to shoot in such an intentional way, in the way that only film allows. While I was completely off-duty for this wedding - the unbelievably talented and kind Wyld Bee Photography was the photographic magician for this day - I did happen to snap a few photographs on film, as a small gift for the bride and groom. Sophie was incredibly generous to allow me to tag along during a quiet window of portrait time during the reception. I feel so grateful as there is really no other way to capture this venue that doesn’t it justice.

The Venue: As their website says, “Soughton Hall is an exclusive use wedding and event venue. On the border of Cheshire and North Wales, this stunning Georgian country house is approached down a sweeping driveway and surrounded by landscaped gardens. Full of character, charm and warmth, this lovingly restored hotel boasts 16 individually decorated bedrooms and a host of grand but cosy reception rooms that make Soughton feel like a home from home.” As a bit of an architecture and history buff, I was read up on the venue and learned that Edward Conway built Soughton Hall in 1714, and his family had owned the estate for several generations. No wonder these kinds of venues take our breath away - there’s nothing anywhere near that old (and well maintained) here in Canada. But the particularly fun part, is that it was remodelled by Sir Charles Barry, whose iconic work includes the Houses of Parliament and Highclere Castle of Downton Abbey fame. In addition, Soughton Hall became a hotel in the 1980s, with famous clientele like Richard Burton and King Juan Carlos I of Spain. How neat is that? I can now say I drank espresso martinis on the same premises as some pretty iconic guests.

Enjoy these snippets I captured in a rare moment as photographer on vacation; a girl who otherwise wouldn’t know what to do with her hands if they weren’t holding a camera. I’ll be counting down the days until an opportunity brings me back to the UK xx