An Intimate Essex wedding for Carmel & Dan
“Thank you SO much for sharing the link to the wonderful photos! We absolutely loved looking through them and remembering the day – they really capture a lot of the fun we had! The couple’s ones are stunning, we are over the moon with them“
HISTORIC COLVILLE HALL WEDDING VENUE
Are you searching for a wedding venue with character? How about some cool history behind it too? Well, Colville Hall Essex has bundles of both. You can just sense a medieval vibe as you roam around it’s beautiful grounds. I for one, always visit a wedding venue before I go and shoot there, and it’s a great opportunity to scout out some locations and unveil the potential of the place.
I’d thoroughly recommend taking a look for yourself. There’s actually more to it than meets the eye as you drive up the long pathway and arrive in the car park close to the bridal rooms. Here’s the Colville Hall address in case you decide you wanted to explore what this 12th Century medieval site can offer you: Colville Hall, Chelmsford Road, White Roding, Essex, CM6 1RQ.
To the left as you drive up towards the car park, you’ll catch a glimpse of the Historic wedding barn where you can choose to tie the knot. It has an old timber and red brick frame that oozes charm and immediately takes you back to times gone by. The other alternative at Colville Hall is an outdoor wedding. My couple in this blog chose this option and the wooden pagoda where you say your vowels is situated behind the main buildings and across the field at the back. You’ll have plenty of time to compose yourself as this is one of the longer aisle walks you’ll make at an Essex wedding venue.
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY ESSEX
Carmel & Dan got ready at Down hall at the beginning of the day, so I met up with them after breakfast to capture all the emotions as they unfolded. This couple were super relaxed and wanted their photography to express that. One nice tip for you to take away and consider is the giving of gifts during this morning session. It’s a great way to take the attention off of the photographer & to capture some lovely, natural moments. Carmel had gifts for her bridesmaids and you could tell by their reactions that she did good for her girlies!
Before you knew it, we were packed up and heading to Colville Hall where Carmel and the bridesmaids slipped into their wedding dresses. The bridal suite has multiple rooms so it’s convenient and perfect if you wanted a little privacy to get changed. There was no fuss here when it came to the finishing touches and the bubbly was flowing freely while we waited for all the wedding guests to seat.
This particular day was sweltering, so the bridal party stayed in the cooler suite until it was time to make that long aisle walk. You might actually struggle to find a longer aisle walk in Essex to be fair. It’s possibly the longest one I’ve ever photographed. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing for you, but one thing I do know is you’ll love the layout and location. It really is a gorgeous setting.
We had musicians playing as the bridal party made their way down to the guests which was a nice touch. The ceremony went without a hitch and the couple celebrated their marriage by walking through confetti (which was actually bubbles instead) – another nice alternative to the norm.
From this point onwards, I just sit back and capture some candids. I think it’s important that the bride and groom have time with their guests and enjoy the day. I never make it into a photoshoot, and even when we do the ‘couple shots’, I believe 15 minutes is sufficient during the day and then maybe another 15 minutes in the evening. My couples seem to prefer this relaxed photography approach.
Carmel & Dan entertained their guests with lawn games and alcohol – a fantastic choice if I may so say. Everyone enjoyed basking in the sunshine and playing giant Jenga, swing ball, space hoppers and much more.
Weddings at Colville Hall seem to fly by and this was another example of time going so quickly. I whisked the couple away before the guests were called in to seat for their 3 courses of food. The couple were quite reserved and felt more comfortable having their photos taken away from their guests. Fortunately, Colville Hall has so much to offer in terms of stunning landscape so we were spoilt for choice.
We decided to keep things close by before the wedding breakfast and utilised the nearby lake, the medieval barn and a beautiful trail for a walk.
I suspected this crowd were drinkers and my suspicions were proved right when the shots came out during the speeches. It was lively bunch of people that really made the day special for Carmel & Dan. The speeches were touching, funny and heart felt.
With that, everyone was fed and watered and back out to catch the remainder of the sun. The games continued and you could tell that the drink was starting to take effect. Being reserved was a thing of the past. These guys were here for a good time and I just love that!
We had about 2 hours before the room was ready for the evening and I knew that the couple were really wanting some sunset shots. Colville Hall has some gorgeous fields beyond the car park and away from the hive of activity. The couple were actually enjoying the 5-minute breather too and we captured some lovely natural, relaxed images which they adore.
I’d been waiting for the evening section of the day after hearing what Carmel and Dan had to say about their guests during our consultation which took place at the Colville Hall wedding venue a few months prior.
I’ve got to say it didn’t disappoint. It might just be the one of the craziest nights of 2019 for me and I enjoyed every minute of it.
My time was over at Carmel and Dan’s wedding but before I finish my blog, I’d like to list a few hotels near Colville Hall Essex for you in case you wanted your loved ones to stay overnight and nearby.
HOTELS NEAR COLVILLE HALL ESSEX
Westpoint bed and breakfast: http://westpointbandb.co.uk/booking-reservations/
They offer good value, countryside views and only 7 minutes away from Colville hall which is amazing for your guests.
Hunters Meet: https://huntersmeet.co.uk/
This place is even closer (Only 5 minutes away) and even has a spa so you can relax before and after the celebrations.
The Cock Inn: https://www.thecockinnsheering.co.uk/
At the time of this blog, their website was going through some upgrades but their contact details are still on this link. You can also book through any of the main agents like tripadvisor and booking.com. The Cock Inn is just 8 minutes from Colville Hall and is rated ‘very good’ from 272 reviews on Trivago. Check them out and enjoy your stay.
That’s it from me guys. I hope you’ve enjoyed my Colville Hall wedding photography blog. There’s plenty of inspiration for your wedding here and if you wanted to get in touch to discuss your day, please either call 07746134504 or connect with me through my contact page here: Contact
As always, it’s been a wave of emotions and another truly amazing wedding at this historic Essex wedding venue.
Until next time guys
Take care
~ Chris
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