Autumn Wedding at The Old Hall Ely
Ok, I need to say this right away – I LOVE shooting a Wedding at The Old Hall Ely. First and foremost, it’s a stunning, superbly run and beautifully located venue on the outskirts of the historic Cathedral City of Ely. It also happens to be just 3 miles from my house. What’s not to love!
The Couple
I first met Charlotte and Tom for a drink in an Ely pub after they had just been to visit The Old Hall in Ely to confirm their reservation for their original wedding date in 2020. However, as with so many of my couples, their plans were scuppered by Covid-19 and put back another year. In that time as 2 have become 3 and they are now proud parents to a baby daughter.
Autumn Wedding at The Old Hall Ely
October could well be my favourite month for weddings, if the weather stays dry and not too cold. For Charlotte and Tom’s big day, it was perfect. The low warm sun not only made for beautiful light, but allowed for the Bride and Groom’s first choice of an outdoor Wedding ceremony .
The warm Autumn afternoon was perfect for drinks in the courtyard with relaxed group and portrait photo sessions before the light began to fade and guests were ushered into the permanent marquee for the wedding breakfast.
Bride and Groom Photos at The Old Hall Ely
Working with the restricted hours of available daylight during the Autumn and Winter months does provide a wedding photographer with additional challenges, however, if the weather is good and the photographer times it right, then the warm, golden hour light is hard to beat and can make for beautiful, softly lit couple portrait photos.
I had to be a little cheeky and take the couple off between their main course and dessert (with their express permission of course). This was the only way I could capture the best and the last of the day’s rays as cloud approached and the sun dipped onto the horizon of the Fenland sky. We didn’t take much time away, but were able to capture to great intimate backlit shots in just a few short minutes. My apologies to the catering staff for any disruption caused.
On returning back to the reception, day very quickly turned to night and the evening party got into full swing.
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Planning A Wedding at The Old Hall Ely
If you’re planning a Wedding in Cambridgeshire then there are some venues that are must see when doing your research. The Old Hall Ely is definitely one of them.
After entering the site via a long private gravel road, you are greeted by the beautifully maintained Jacobean building. The building sits on top of a small rise which (in the fens) is enough to provide a fantastic vista over the local landscape with amazing views over to Ely Cathedral. If you book a wedding at The Old Hall Ely you will have exclusive access to all of the bedrooms, beautiful event spaces, and wedding breakfast marquee.
The bridal prep room is huge, with stunning views and plenty of room for even the largest of bridal parties. The venue offer both indoor and outdoor ceremony spaces and as of spring 2022 will have a brand new orangery building at the back of the house, meaning you’ll be able to get married in the dry – at any time of the year and still enjoy the fab views.
The permanent wedding marquee also enjoys great view out across the fenland landscape. It houses a bar with a separate dance floor and stage area that is cleverly revealed to the guests when the Bride and Groom take to the floor for their first dance.
It’s an incredibly tightly run venue and always busy, so do book early. The venue have fine tuned everything to perfection and the time keeping and organisation are second to none.
As Cambridgeshire venue options go, a wedding at The Old Hall Ely should definitely be on your shortlist.
If you’re looking for a ideas on a wedding venue in Cambridgeshire then check out my blog post on 10 wedding venues in Cambridgeshire you will love