There are weddings where the venue does a lot of the work for you, and there are weddings where the couple do. Nicole and Sam’s was both. A late-August Sunday at Hodsock Priory, clear skies from morning through to the evening band, and a day built almost entirely outdoors.
Nicole got ready inside with her bridesmaids, sage-green dresses hanging up behind them and the sort of easy, unhurried atmosphere that makes for the best prep photographs. Sam and the lads got themselves together separately — grey check suits, burgundy ties, a lot of straightening of each other’s jackets on the way over.
And yes, there was a dog. There is often a dog, and it is always the right decision.
The ceremony was held outside on the lawn, with white chairs either side of the aisle and pale florals dressing it. Hodsock is licensed for outdoor ceremonies and the grounds are open enough that nothing blocks the view from the back row — everyone actually sees the vows rather than the back of somebody’s hat.
It is a lovely space to work in, too. There is enough room to move around the edges without walking through the middle of the ceremony, which is how you get the guest reactions rather than just the couple.
Confetti happened on the path immediately afterwards, which at Hodsock means a proper tunnel of people rather than a polite scattering. From there we walked round to the Tudor gatehouse for the group photograph — that red-brick arch is the single most recognisable thing at this venue, and it holds a big group comfortably without anyone disappearing behind a pillar.
We then took twenty minutes with just the two of them around the grounds and the front of the house. That is usually all it takes here.
Between the meal and the evening there was crazy golf set up on the grass, which turned out to be the best decision of the day. It gave everyone something to do in that awkward gap after the speeches, and it produced some of my favourite photographs — guests in their wedding best, entirely losing their composure over a putt.
The tables were styled in sage green and white, with greenery running down them and candlelight at every setting, which came into its own as the light dropped.
Live music took the evening, a first dance, and the kind of dancefloor that fills early and stays full. By the time the band were properly going, a fair few people had abandoned their shoes.
Nicole and Sam — thank you. It was a genuinely lovely day to be part of.
Hodsock Priory sits just outside Blyth in Nottinghamshire, a short run down from South Yorkshire, and it is a venue that rewards a day built around being outside. This page is Nicole and Sam’s wedding in particular — if you are researching the venue itself, the getting-ready spaces and how the day tends to flow, that is covered in more detail on my main Hodsock Priory wedding photographer page.
Two things are worth knowing if you are planning a date here. The gatehouse arch is the group-photo location and it is a short walk from everywhere else, so you do not lose half your drinks reception walking anywhere. And the grounds are big enough that couple portraits never have to repeat the same backdrop twice.
The team behind the day:
💎 Venue — Hodsock Priory, Blyth
💄 Makeup — Immy May Bridal Makeup
💇 Hair — lovedup_ by Lucie
🌼 Florist — The Purple Peony
✨ Venue decor — Everything Covered Weddings
⛳ Lawn games — Crazy 9
🎸 Band — Balcony Hearts
🎷 Musician — Stephen Donoghue Music
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Hello! I’m Fabio! A Wedding photographer. I love capturing weddings and i’d love to capture yours!
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