It’s been an incredible Summer for weddings at Hampshire’s magnificent Avington Park. Now under new ownership, this wonderful venue has seen a huge amount of work and this is very apparent in so many areas, not least the opening up of the gorgeous wings and suites which were previously reserved as private accommodation and which are now available to wedding parties as dressing rooms, preparation areas and somewhere to crash at the other end of the day. I’ve had the good fortune to photography a number of weddings at Avington Park over the years – it’s long been one of my absolute favourite wedding venues – and it’s been such a treat to see these new spaces and to make the most of the fantastic photo opportunities they bring to the table.


Alison & Chris tied the knot in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in the height of the Summer. Bridal preparations took place in one of the upstairs suites with views over the rear of the venue, so the bridal party were able to keep an eye on things as they unfolded with the set-up for the wedding and as guests started to arrive. Meanwhile Chris and his groomsmen were able to make use of one of the ground floor apartments, when they weren’t busy setting out the garden games and photobooth on the front lawn…

Elegant wedding venue details showing floral arrangements, decorative elements, and interior design touches.
Intimate black and white wedding preparation moments captured in natural light.
Wedding ceremony setup in a lush garden setting with white chairs and floral arrangements.
Wedding reception venue with elegant table settings, floral centerpieces and classic decor.
Close-up details of wedding floral arrangements with roses and greenery.
Getting ready moments captured in a bridal suite with natural window light.
Black and white candid moments from wedding day preparations.
Documentary style photos capturing pre-wedding moments and preparations.
Wedding day preparation scenes in a naturally lit room with vintage decor.
Detail shots of wedding accessories including flowers and decorative elements.
Intimate wedding ceremony moments captured in candid photography.
Groomsmen in gray vests and white shirts share laughs during wedding preparations.
Black and white photos show groomsmen in formal attire sharing candid moments.
Wedding party in gray suits poses along a white columned building wall.
Elegant outdoor wedding venue with brick architecture and manicured gardens.
Wedding party walks along brick building pathway surrounded by green landscaping.
Bridesmaids in floral robes prepare for wedding day celebrations.
Black and white panorama of elegant interior room with chandelier and vintage decor.
Close-up details of white wedding dress lace and buttons in black and white.
Series of artistic bridal portraits showcasing wedding dress details.
Bride by window in elegant room with natural light streaming through.
Bride in white dress poses elegantly by window with natural light streaming in during wedding preparations.
Wedding party members in formal attire gather for indoor photos in an ornate venue.
Bridesmaids in pink dresses pose with bride in elegant room with chandelier and decorative walls.

For all the weddings I’ve photographed at Avington Park over the years, this was the first time I had seen an outdoor ceremony. Most likely one reason for this is that it was only recently that the laws on outdoor weddings were relaxed; previously they had to take place underneath a permanent structure, but at least for the moment (the change in the law was introduced as a temporary measure but now it’s here let’s hope it sticks around) this is no longer the case. What a beautiful Summer it was, suddenly being allowed to photograph weddings taking place in gardens, underneath trees… I haven’t had a beach wedding yet but fingers crossed.


The outdoor ceremony space is absolutely gorgeous, on the flag-stoned terrace between the two orangeries to the rear of the venue and with the formal gardens and a view of the church behind. The beautiful columns add a real sense of occasion, and just in case that’s not enough to wow your guests if you’re very lucky one of the resident peacocks might just deign to make an appearance and try to photobomb all your wedding photos. Total show-offs those birds, honestly.

Wedding guests mingle on outdoor patio during summer celebration.
Wedding ceremony details and candid moments captured in outdoor garden setting.
Wedding party celebrates in elegant indoor venue decorated with floral arrangements.
Guests enjoy outdoor wedding reception seating on garden terrace.
Wedding party walks across manicured lawn at elegant estate venue.
Black and white panoramic shots capture romantic moments on estate grounds.
Wide landscape views of historic estate building and grounds during wedding celebration.
Wedding ceremony guests seated on white chairs on a lush green lawn with historic architecture in the background.
Outdoor wedding celebration with guests mingling on manicured grounds of a stately venue.
Elegant outdoor wedding ceremony with floral arrangements and guests gathered on a sunny day.
Wedding party and guests celebrating during an outdoor summer reception.
Panoramic view of an outdoor wedding venue with white columns and brick architecture.
Candid moments captured during an outdoor garden wedding celebration.
Wedding ceremony setup with floral arrangements and seating on a manicured lawn.
Wedding guests seated in rows during an outdoor ceremony on green grounds.
Panoramic view of wedding guests seated for outdoor ceremony at historic brick venue.
Candid wedding moments captured during outdoor celebration with natural greenery.
Wedding guests gather outdoors for a celebration on a sunny day with white floral arrangements.
Elegant outdoor wedding ceremony setup with white chairs and floral decorations.
Wedding guests seated in rows during an outdoor garden ceremony.
Wedding ceremony attendees gathered on a beautiful summer day.
Wedding guests signing the official marriage register at an elegant venue.
Wedding party and guests mingling in a lush garden setting.
Wedding ceremony seating arrangement with elegant white chairs outdoors.
Garden wedding ceremony with guests lining the pathway.
Wedding guests forming a receiving line in a beautiful garden setting.
Wedding guests mingling on manicured lawn during outdoor reception.
Panoramic view of an elegant red brick Georgian mansion with guests gathered on the expansive lawn.
Wedding guests mingling on manicured grounds of a historic estate on a cloudy summer day.
Wedding celebration with guests enjoying outdoor activities on the lawn of a stately manor house.
Candid moments captured of wedding guests interacting during an outdoor garden reception.
Couples enjoying a relaxed moment on the sprawling green lawns of a country estate.
Black and white wedding photography capturing intimate moments during an outdoor celebration.
Decorative floral arrangements adorning rustic wooden benches in an English garden setting.
Guests enjoying refreshments and conversation during an outdoor garden party.
Elegant black and white photographs capturing candid moments at a formal outdoor wedding.
Wedding guests scattered across a vast lawn during an afternoon garden celebration.
Two formal group photos of wedding party on green lawn.
Wedding party in pink bridesmaid dresses stands on manicured lawn with floral bouquets.
Large group photo of wedding guests in front of grand historic mansion with white columns.

Drinks, canapes (jaw-droppingly great catering courtesy of wedding food superstars ) and photos out on the front lawn with all the magnificence of that beautiful house as a backdrop, before friends and family made their way through to the library for the wedding breakfast as I whisked the bride and groom off to the iconic iron bridge for a few photos before they made their entrance to kick off the rest of the day’s celebrations.


The library at Avington Park is a hugely popular option for the wedding breakfast (and also for party time later on in the day) and it’s not difficult to see why. It has this real balance of grandeur and comfort at the same time, and along with this one small step and you’re back out in those wonderful gardens as well. The food itself was something else and definitely worth a big mention. The salmon starter was an absolute picture (literally; see below) but the star was the family style lamb loin joint, served family-style for carving at the table. This is a trend I’ve seen emerging over a few years and it’s one I thoroughly approve of; a real sense of occasion and you can see a real glint in the eye of the lucky guest who’s been nominated as each table’s carver (not least of course because they can steer the biggest and best cuts to their own plate – or is that just me?).

Artistic wide shot of couple standing on ornate garden bridge surrounded by greenery.
Romantic moment between newlyweds on garden bridge overlooking water.
Intimate wedding portrait of couple on ornate bridge surrounded by lush greenery.
Intimate black and white portrait of newlyweds sharing tender moment.
Black and white wedding photo of couple walking along curved garden path.
Wedding venue exterior showing red brick mansion with white columned entrance.
Elegant wedding reception tables set with fine china and glassware in bright conservatory setting.
Elegant wedding venue interior with ornate architectural details and floral arrangements.
Wedding celebration with guests mingling in an ornate historic venue.
Wedding party gathering in a grand historic building hallway.
Candid moments of wedding guests enjoying the celebration.
Elegant plated wedding dinner dishes with gourmet presentation.
Fine dining plates with beautifully presented wedding reception meals.
Black and white candid shots of wedding guests during reception.
Candid black and white photos of wedding reception celebrations.
Panoramic view of a historic mansion and gardens with columned architecture.
Decorative details and outdoor elements from an elegant wedding venue.
Wedding party enjoying outdoor garden photos at an elegant venue with brick buildings and lush greenery.
Candid moments of wedding guests socializing in an ornate library setting with elegant chandeliers.
Panoramic view of an elegant wedding reception hall with crystal chandeliers and arched windows.
Black and white candid shots capturing emotional wedding moments in an indoor venue.
Artistic black and white photos showing candid reactions during wedding reception celebrations.
Wedding celebration candids showing guests mingling in an elegant library setting with floral decor.
Elegant wedding reception hall decorated with chandeliers and white floral arrangements.
Outdoor wedding venue scenes with guests gathering among brick architecture and gardens.
Wedding guests celebrating in a historic library venue with wooden bookshelves and classic decor.
Wedding cake cutting moments captured in an elegant library setting with vintage bookshelves.

What else do I need to mention? There was so much packed into this fab day that I’m worried I’m going to miss things so I’ll jot a few down quickly. Beautiful music during the ceremony and reception courtesy of The String Quartet, awesome cocktails for the evening reception by the Drunken Jockeys (special shout-out for the lengths they go to in styling a bar to fit perfectly in your venue; these guys are class!), party time led by the Boogie Brothers… I’ll put a full list of suppliers below in case you like the look of anything you see in the photos.

Romantic wedding couple embraces on a tree-lined path in an elegant outdoor setting.
Newlyweds share intimate moments along a scenic garden walkway.
Wedding party poses in front of historic brick mansion with manicured gardens.
Elegant wedding photography session in formal garden with stone pathways.
Wedding party celebrates with champagne toasts in lush garden setting.
Classic wedding portraits captured at historic mansion with white columns.
Wedding guests mingle during outdoor cocktail reception on mansion grounds.
Evening wedding reception with guests dancing and celebrating.
Romantic evening reception with warm lighting and dancing couples.
Dramatic black and white shot of ballroom reception with chandeliers.
Wedding band performs in an elegant library room with bookshelves and chandelier.
Wedding reception dance party with guests celebrating on a wooden dance floor.
Newlyweds share their first dance surrounded by guests in an elegant ballroom with arched windows and chandelier lighting.

These photos are really just the tip of the iceberg – I simply couldn’t stop firing the shutter on this one. What a stunning day, what a gorgeous couple! Congratulations Alison & Chris. Friends and family can see the full, finished set in their private gallery, but you’ll need to as the couple for the link and password first.


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Making it happen…


Venue: AVINGTON PARK


Suits: ZEBEL BESPOKE


Dress: PAVERLY BRIDAL


Flowers: PETALS AND POSIES


Catering: KKALM KITCHEN


Daytime music: THE STRING QUARTET


Evening Music: BOOGIE BROTHERS


Bar & Cocktails: THE DRUNKEN JOCKEYS


Cake: FOREVER CAKE CREATIONS



If you are currently planning your Avington Park wedding and would like to know more about my wedding photography services, packages and prices, please do get in touch to check availability and ask me any questions you might have. I’m only too happy to help however I can.