For a wedding photographer based in Berkshire I get a lot of weddings outside my home county! I’ve also shot plenty of weddings in the area though so here are a couple of my favourites. I’ve not just gone for the big flashy venues either, as I love a cosy English pub.
The Olde Bell at Hurley
This is a one of a number of wonderful, classic old wedding venues located in Berkshire. The Olde Bell is full of cosy rooms and dark oak panelling. It is a big, rambling old venue which can cater to a surprising number of people. In the summer there are some lovely gardens out the back. When the weather is not so good, there is a nice back room for group shots indoors, but you will need a photographer who can use artificial light.
Bisham Abbey
This is where the England Hockey team trains, but it’s also a very fine wedding venue. There is a beautiful old building set in the middle of a big grassy area at the back. The old building is full of character and the area out the back has a river running through it and some lovely trees. You can arrange boat trips as part of your wedding reception, which is what Sian and Mikey did. Here is a shot from their wedding reception at Bisham Abbey.
The Elephant at Pangbourne
This is another classic Berkshire wedding venue. It has beautiful decor inside and a fabulous outside section. Parking is a little bit of an issue, there is not much parking at the venue. There are a couple of car parks in Pangbourne that are not too expensive, one is located right next to the venue. The indoor rooms are lovely, with plenty of cosy corners for guests to converse in ( and they allow dogs, as you can see below ).
There is a lovely covered area at the back in case in rains, and the gardens are next to a beautiful church. The room where the afternoon/evening meal is held has plenty of light and looked great for the wedding I shot there.
Shiplake College – Henley Wedding Venue
This wedding venue is located between Caversham and Henley in a really lovely, sprawling set of grounds. The College itself is a spectacular venue and I was particularly impressed by the civil service room. There is an overhead gallery where your second shooter can go to capture some unique angles of the service. It’s also very easy to set up group shots indoors if the weather is not so great.
There is a great balcony area outside for wedding reception drinks and some large grassy areas below that for the kids to mess around on.
Conclusion
We are spoilt for choice when it comes to wedding venues in Berkshire. These are just a few of the ones I could have mentioned, but they stand out in my mind for various reasons. Some are just so essentially English, others are vast and impressive. Please feel free to contact me directly if you wish to know more about what a wedding was actually like at any of these venues.
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