Dorfold Hall Wedding Photography

This was our first wedding as a Dorfold Hall wedding photographer. We’ve been looking forward to photographing here for months now. It’s such a stunning Cheshire wedding venue and has lovely owners to boot! We first visited the wedding venue a couple of years ago and had the best time photographing our model bride and groom in and around the house, just as it was becoming a wedding venue: Inspirational Shoot

Bridal preparations

We joined Rachel, her bridesmaids and various parents upstairs in the main house for all their wedding pampering. Bridal hair and makeup were underway and everyone was looking great! We took the chance to make the most of the house while we had it, photographing Rachel’s gorgeous wedding dress hanging up in the doorway. To do this we were mixing natural light and artificial flashlight shooting through objects. As a result of photographing like this with prime lenses, it creates some gorgeous bokeh at wide open apertures. It really is a stunning building.

The groom Tom, soon arrived, with his bright pink socks and gang of groomsmen. They were closely followed by the wedding party and all headed over to the Coach House to greet the guests ready for the ceremony. The florists, Ewer Roberts had done such an amazing job!! A stunning Moon Gate as a backdrop for the wedding ceremony really set off the coach house and it couldn’t have looked any more beautiful for the arrival of the bride!!

The wedding ceremony at Dorfold Hall

During the civil ceremony, we had beautiful readings of ‘The Lovely Dinosaur’ and one from Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. Then all the wedding guests headed over to the main house for a big group photo, of course using a super wide lens, lots of dried flower confetti, reception drinks and really pretty canapés from Catherine Skates Catering. It was so hot and bright, so we left a lot of the photos until later. We knew the sun would be softer and produce a lot more lovely golden hour light which is perferct for wedding photos. With that said, we did take the chance to take all the bridal party away to make the most of the long driveway with the house in the background. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were certainly a lot of laughs!

The house makes for a stunning backdrop for wedding photos, especially taken with a nice wide lens to encapsulate the house & gardens all in one!

The wedding breakfast in The Sperry Tent

We absolutely love this wedding Sperry Tent from Top Marques. It’s such a beautiful marquee-style structure for a wedding. With translucent sides and pretty exposed wooden poles inside and flags on the roof, it wows time and time again! Again the florists had exceeded expectations with a gorgeous overhead structure on the top table and floral centrepieces on all the guest tables – great job guys!! The wedding breakfast food looked amazing from the caterer. A really pretty oriental duck salad with prawn cracker ribbons, beef 2 ways and then posh lemon meringue for dessert – YUM! The Father of the bride speech was very touching – Rachel is obviously very special to them, and the best man’s speech really made me chuckle – Tom must have been so ‘wild’ when he was younger! 😂

The evening reception

We went for a little walk with the bride & groom after dinner for a few photos and then it was time to cut the cake, have a first dance and party the night away! We had a great time with everyone, special thanks to Candice and Ceri for making the day run so well and to Rachel’s mum for being so lovely! Tom & Rachel are a lovely couple and we had a great day at Dorfold Hall!!

We had such a great time with you guys and LOVED being part of your wedding day! Here’s a little preview while we work on your full gallery! Turn it up loud, hit ‘full screen’, and enjoy!!!

Dorfold Hall – The history

Dorfold Hall was built between 1616 and 1621. Amazingly, the estate has been in the same family since 1603. An incredible achievement! It was built for James I to visit and the estate is truly impressive and secluded, just perfect for weddings. Often described as one of the finest examples of Jacobean architecture in the country, the house and estate are perfect for an exclusive wedding. There are acres of parkland and plenty of beautifully maintained gardens which are stunning for your wedding photography. There is even a Spanish chestnut tree on the grounds that is thought to be over 1000 years old – a legacy of the original Delamere Forest.

The House

In the 1800s the east side of the house was added giving the benefit of 30 rooms which is perfect for your accommodation on the wedding night!! They grew their own pineapples in extensively heated glasshouses, had its own bakery, butcher and even brewery. Much of the architecture and landscaping you can see today was the result of Wilbraham Tollemache and William Nesfield. In 1862 they designed the lake and the tree-lined driveway (which we love for images of the bridal party), built the lodge by the road and he also bought the unique cast-iron statue of the wolfhound and pups which still stands in the centre of the courtyard at the front of the house. This area often used for a big group photo of all wedding guests before heading for drinks and canapes.

The historic home has seen many important events pass by. Notably, in 1644 it was affected by the battle of Nantwich. The building served as a home for refugees from Liverpool during World War 2 and a base for American soldiers.

Your wedding at Dorfold Hall

The huge range of historic buildings allows for lots of choice for your wedding day. The ceremony can take place in the gardens, the house or the coach house. Dinner the night before the wedding with your parents in the Drawing Room. Breakfast the day after. A reception for up to 250 guests.

The gardens are well known and renowned, during the summer months. They are alive with colour which looks so vibrant on the wedding photos. Furthermore, the clock tower has recently been recently renovated also plays a prominent roll in the gardens too overlooking the drinks reception.

An ideal place for an exclusive wedding

The beauty of this building is hard to explain, viewing is a must. The stunning Jacobean mansion is the perfect place for photography, the interior packed with interesting light and historic artefacts. The coach house is perfect for your ceremony, the gardens make an impressive backdrop for the drinks reception as the Sperry tent is an attractive space which is ideal for an evening reception and party.

If you need a Dorfold Hall wedding photographer, drop us a line to check if we’re free!

Here are a few more of our favourite photos…

Dorfold Hall Wedding Photography