Such a pleasure to be back at Milton Abbey – one of my all-time favourite venues – for some sunny wedding photography with an absolutely lovely couple with local connections bringing them home for the nuptials. This gorgeous venue is unquestionably one of Dorset’s hidden gems. As for much of the year the estate operates as a school you have to be one of the fortunate couples who manage to secure a date outside of term times if you plan to marry and celebrate here. If you can, it’s so worth it. Just look at the views, the buildings – inside and out – and of course all of this is matched by the service. This wedding venue deep in the Dorset countryside really does have it all in abundance.
With two preparation locations in neighbouring villages I was able to capture some of the action on either side as the bride and groom got ready. That gorgeous white cottage in the photo above is where the bride and bridesmaids were holed up, and is the signature image of the village of Milton Abbas, right next to the School and Abbey. A row of cottages just like this runs up each side of the main road through the village (a few, like this one, available to hire and an excellent choice of base if you’re having your wedding here).
Just a quick hop down the road is the Abbey itself, where groom and guests had now assembled for the ceremony, many taking their time outdoors in the sunshine while they had a moment, to appreciate the incredible views of the surrounding hills and countryside. It really is such a beautiful spot, it’s hard to put into words.
One of the beautiful things about a Milton Abbey wedding is that the celebrations begin the moment the couple step through the church doors and into that glorious view. It’s just the most spectacular setting for drinks and canapes, with the Abbey towering over you and the rolling Dorset hills all around, and they also do a seriously good line in nibbles here. The sun was absolutely blazing for this wedding so we took advantage of the small clump of trees just outside the Abbey to provide some shade for the group photos. It’s one of several great locations in and around the Abbey and School for the formal photos: inside the quad (most often used for the large group photo of everyone) is another classic, and you can adapt your plans depending on the timing and where the light and shade are at the time which is great news for photographers. It all tends to flow so nicely from one stage to the next as well: immediately after the large group shot all of your guests are already assembled, ready to be called through to the dining hall for the wedding breakfast and speeches.
Step through the doors from the dining hall and through the bar, and you’re all set to start the evening celebrations. The band was all set up and ready to go – I love to see live music at a wedding reception; it always gets things going with a proper swing – and while some of the guests hit the dancefloor, others stepped back out into the evening light for the last of the sun and a final drink on the lawn as the evening drew in. Just the time for a final few couple portraits before the party drew everyone back indoors to throw some serious shapes.
What a stunner of a wedding, with a really lovely bride and groom and a room full of party people. Thank you Milton Abbey for hosting another absolutely superb day, and I can’t wait to be back there again soon!
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Making it happen…
Venue & Catering: MILTON ABBEY
Dress: ROSA CLARA
Flowers: THE ENGLISH FLORIST
Live Music: FUNK CITY BAND
If you are currently planning your Milton Abbey School 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.
