My first wedding at tudor barn, eltham

Last month I was lucky enough to photograph Kessa and Sam’s wedding at Tudor Barn, Eltham. It was my first time shooting at this gorgeous venue and if you’re thinking of getting married here, I’ve put together some of my highlights from the day to get you excited!

The perfect place for a first look

Kessa wanted to do a first look with her parents before she walked into the venue. Luckily, there were some big Lilande trees just by the entrance of the courtyard to hide behind, which meant that Kessa was able to have a really special moment with her parents before the flurry of the ceremony.

A second reveal

The bridal party will enter the ceremony space from the other half of the hall, which is separated by a thick velvet curtain. The staff at Tudor Barn are fantastic and use this to reveal each bridesmaid in turn, until the final grand reveal of the bride.

The aisle is below a gorgeous ceiling of flowering plants, with spotlights placed evenly, meaning that you are beautifully illuminated as you walk down.

When you visit the venue ahead of your ceremony, you might spot the fire alarm and fire exit signs next to the door on the left-hand side of the aisle - don’t worry too much about these, they’re very easy to remove in photoshop.

An intimate space

The venue is a really flexible space, which means that if you want to have a more intimate wedding, the room still feels very cosy. Being close to your guests means that you get some really lovely shots - just like this one!

Ready-made spot for portraits

Directly outside the double-doors exit (where you’ll do your confetti throw) is a beautiful courtyard with a big lawn surrounded by trees - perfect for portraits, especially for family members that might not want or be able to walk longer distances to find a place to take photos. This is a great spot to take more traditional portraits with family and friends - or some less traditional ones!

Stunning grounds

Tudor Barn is set in 13 acres of grounds, which you can explore as part of your photo session. Highlights include this stunning water feature, beautiful bridges, and a branch-covered walkway to take photos in.

Light and airy reception space

On the other side of the curtain, you’ll find this gorgeous, airy reception space which is perfect for candid photos of your guests during the reception.

Speech time

I won’t lie, when I saw that the sweetheart table was smack bang in front of a window, my heart dropped a little. But after a couple of test shots, I was pleasantly surprised - the light is actually pretty even on the couple, and this makes getting reaction shots during the speeches really fun!

And lastly …

If you’re a train fan (or even if you aren’t!), there’s a perfectly placed model train to take photos of just next to the venue. You might have to ask a couple of kids to step away for a couple of minutes, but when you end up with a fun photo like this, it’s definitely worth it!.

So if you’re thinking of getting married at this stunning venue, drop me a line - I’d love the chance to photograph here again!