Outdoor summer weddings at Crondon Park in Essex are truly beautiful. It was my first outdoor wedding there in all the years I’ve been going and I’ve seen this stunning wedding venue blossom over the last 7 years. It was now the turn of my super lovely and laid back couple – Kirsten & Gary.
All the wedding photography took place at Crondon Park which is something the owners have worked hard on more recently. Kirsten got ready in the bridal suite which is opposite the main building, and Gary had one of the well kept rooms next to the indoor ceremony area.
The weather was supposed to be a 4% chance of rain but there was an ominous cloud looming over the barn that threatened to ruin the outdoor experience for the couple. Luckily the staff at Crondon are very well organised and were ready for plan A and B. They decorated the indoor ceremony room just in case we had a downpour and it was definitely in the air but Kirsten opted to stick to the original plan and we were all so pleased that she did.
One of the big things I was asked to focus on were their 2 kids throughout their wedding at Crondon park. Both the boys had brilliant personalities and weren’t shy in the slightest. I love fly on the wall photography, I think if you get this correct, you really get to see the true personalities of people, and the boys took the attention off of the fact that there was a photographer in the room.
Both the bride and the groom enjoyed a chilled atmosphere while they got wedding ready. The ceremony was at 3pm and everything ran on time. The guests arrived around 2pm and lets not forget that we were still under restrictions from the pandemic so the wedding guest numbers were limited to 30.
Gorgeous outdoor summer wedding photography at Crondon Park
Those lucky enough to be chosen to attend Kirsten & Gary’s wedding were in high spirits and obviously very close with the couple. We have some characters in the restricted crowd and the vibe could be described as ‘merry’. The brides walk is significantly enhanced for an outdoor wedding at Crondon as opposed to the much shorter one indoor. Kirsten walked through the private gated area near the car park and right behind the water fountain, finally heading through the waiting guests and meeting Gary at the bottom of the newly created steps.
The standout moments of the ceremony for me were the extra words spoken to one another. They were heartfelt, meaningful and really well put together. I enjoyed the entire process and hope to capture more outdoor weddings here after having a taste of what it’s like 🙂
The canapés and drink came straight after the confetti that took place on the steps where the guests were seated. This is another new edition that I think works really well. The guests are already in place for the confetti so all they needed to do is move a little closer to the aisle and the couple simply walked up the stairs and boom! At this stage I like to kick back and capture candids of the group enjoying their drinks and talking to the bride and groom for the first time that day.
We wasn’t rushed for time the whole day so the couple were able to enjoy quality time with their guests as the musician played some classic songs in the warm summer climate. The fear of rain had all but gone from our minds at this point. In fact the skies cleared more and more as the day went on.
Weddings at Crondon Park offer a multitude of photo opportunities and the couple had suggested that they wanted a full group shot on the hill by the pitch and putt (to the right of the car park). I hadn’t done this before so I was intrigued to see how it panned out. I’d definitely use this area again for group shots. Kirsten just wanted a different backdrop to the rest of her images in the garden and it worked well in my opinion.
We took the family of 4 down the well landscaped pathway for some fun. They didn’t want the traditional formal family photos so I suggested that they simply have fun and I’ll be there to capture the emotions as it unfolded. It took just 5 minutes to get a whole series of images that summed up who they were as a family 🙂
We were doing really well for time but the couple wanted to have their couple shots taken right after those family shots so they could enjoy more drinks with their guest. We dropped the kids off, grabbed some champagne and headed for the granary steps where the couple enjoyed a nice breather and a catch up. At this point i’m in full documentary mode so we don’t lose the flow of the moment. Kirsten and Gary were very much into each other so this is gold for a wedding photographer.
Just a stones throw from the granary is the stunning driveway overlooking a beautiful landscape. We kept everything relaxed and authentic because the couple didn’t want anything too posy or awkward. The wedding staff at Crondon Park even came out to the couple and gave them their own platter of food while we did their shots which was a lovely touch.
We took around 10 minutes to capture everything and then joined the guests outside the main building. The famous barn was where they had their sit down meal and the smiles kept coming. The whole service didn’t take long at all. The Crondon staff are always on point and efficient.
The couple ended with a quick cut of their cake and some evening shots with their nearest and dearest in the sunshine. Restrictions meant that they couldn’t have their evening reception party this time around but they plan on day 2 next year to make up for it!
So there we have it, outdoor summer weddings at Crondon Park don’t come much cuter than this. It was a perfect day for a lovely couple.
This is not the first restricted wedding I’ve captured so if you wanted to see how the others went, click here and see if there’s some inspiration for your wedding day.
Are you planning a wedding and looking for a wedding photographer at Crondon Park? I’d be honoured if you would consider my services. You can contact me on 07746134504 or email chris@chriswoodmanphotography.co.uk and I’d be happy to answer all your questions.
Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing from you.
Until next time 🙂
~ Chris
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