Bridal Barn Wedding Photography
A Wedding Venue So Good I Chose It Myself – Updated 2022
In 2019 long before I knew the Bridal Barn existed I asked the special question to my girlfriend of 10 years whilst away with family. It was such a lovely occasion and I know I did it just right for myself and Sarah. Soon after came the wave of initial wedding planning and conversations between the two of us. I was really keen to keep things really minimal for my own wedding day as I sort of felt I’d “been there, done that” with all my weddings. I soon realised Sarah had never had all of these incredible experiences which I had been so lucky to be bestowed with. From this point, I knew I wanted our wedding to be a little more than a registry office affair which I’d had within my mind.
My one request was we (more like she) finds a venue which I haven’t photographed before. A truly challenging objective which I probably didn’t realise the difficulty of until 90% of the venues she found were turned away due to a past working relationship. It’s not that I didn’t like these venues but more so that I’d seen behind the curtain a little more which ruins the magic. After a lot of research on Sarah’s part, she came across a barn venue in Bridgnorth, Shropshire called the Bridal Barn.
Upon two visits we fell for the space and could only imagine this as our wedding venue. We were due to marry within the Bridal Barn in July 2020 but this has now been pushed back to October 2021 due to the Corona Virus Pandemic.
During our postponement, I got to know Jill who’s the Planner who works with the venue. Through this and a subsequent wedding fayre I’m now on the recommended suppliers list to be a Bridal Barn Wedding Photographer as let’s be honest who better to photograph other people’s weddings than a photographer who married there!
I Love to Photograph Weddings at Bridal Barn
Bridal Barn isn’t particularly close to my home. It’s actually just under an hour from door to door but this doesn’t stop me from wanting to shoot as many weddings here as possible. With me choosing it for myself I know the couples looking to get married here are similar to me and this means we’ll see even more eye to eye on the day making my job oh so much easier.
My style of wedding photography is built on a great relationship with my couples. All of my weddings are different and unique; even those due to be at the same venue as the Bridal Barn. Time on your wedding day is really important to me. So if I can help it I don’t really want you to miss a thing and would love you to remember as much as possible. This caring and relaxed approach to my wedding photography is the reason why so many couples recommend me. They always say it feels like a friend is taking their photographs and not a photographer.
A Wolverhampton Wedding Venue in High Demand
Rolling along the A458 in Claverley, Bridgnorth you’ll see the brown road sign directing you to the DIY wedding venue, the Bridal Barn. Once you’ve found the secluded entrance to this woodland wedding venue you’ll meander down a long winding single-track road. All along the road, you’ll catch glimpses through the woodland of the barns and the Nordic Tipi nestled in between the hills. This approach really heightens your excitement for the wedding venue and it does not disappoint.
The Bridal Barn is a fairly new wedding venue for Wolverhampton. It opened its doors a good few years ago now but it’s just recently starting to gain momentum with full years of weddings already booked in well in advance. It’s almost the county’s biggest secret when it comes to wedding venues as they don’t really need to advertise as the venue is so spectacular. With their rule of only ever two weddings a week it makes it a very exclusive option for a lot of people. You can either get married at the weekend on a Saturday or midweek on a Wednesday. There is some scope for different days but it’s very rare as this venue is reset to perfection after every day.
Originally an old farm barn, the Bridal Barn was transformed into an idyllic woodland escape perfect for any couple looking to have more of a relaxed day. With its Indian stone flooring, restored wooden beans and old vintage farm equipment it really does set the scene and theme for a wedding day connected to nature.
Because of the remote location of the Bridal Barn, there is no WiFi and limited phone signal you’ll have far fewer distractions for your guests on your wedding day.
Your Day at Bridal Barn
One of the best features of Bridal Barn is when you book your day you also get access the day before and the day after. With the venue being DIY this gives you time to come in the day before and make a real splash with decorations for your big day rather than doing them or paying someone else to do them on the morning of your wedding day.
On the morning of your wedding, you’re welcome on site early morning to start preparing in the Bridal Lounge prep space which can be used by either one of the couple. If you’ve booked the shepherd’s hut for the wedding evening then this will also be accessible for the other partner to get ready within. The Bridal Prep space is ample in size with many mirrors and comfy seating. You can also see outside at your guests arriving but with reflective glass, they cannot see in.
Because of the diverse space of the barn and the DIY element you’re welcome to get married anywhere within the premises. There is the Courtyard Nordic Tipi for an outdoor but covered ceremony, then there’s either side of the main barns either in the smaller or large barn and finally, there’s an open-air option within the woodland beneath a gigantic Scots Pine forest.
Depending on your option for the ceremony will then depend on which space is free for the wedding breakfast but this is the beauty of the Bridal Barn. No two weddings are the same here and you can literally do what you want.
Although most wedding days have been laid out completely differently there is one go-to option for the end of the night dancing and this is the Nordic Tipi in the courtyard. It provides just enough space for your wedding band and guests to party the night away whilst having the magic of being outdoors.
In the evening the venue also lights the lanterns, turns on the festoon lights and starts up the fire pit which gives that real warmth of a wedding beneath the stars.
The day after your wedding day your friends and family can pick up any cars which have been left for the night between 9:00 and 11:00 am. You’ll also need to collect any decor so the barn can start its tidy up ahead of the next wedding. This may seem very pressured but usually, wedding venues have you take your stuff away on the night of your actual wedding and they also won’t allow you to set it up until 10:00 am on the day you marry. The venue is exclusive to you. Not only that but you’re literally in the middle of nowhere so it’s really just you and your wedding party.
If you’re after overnight accommodation then you can book the wedding Shepherds Hut onsite for the couple or try out one of the several beautiful B&Bs in the area including the huge self-catering Dinney Cottages.
Unique Photography Within a Woodland Wedding Venue
I love photographing at Bridal Barn. I actually got married here myself so it holds a special space in my heart for sure. Every day I do here is different which really keeps me on my toes when it comes to the photographs. It also gives great space to create new photographs. The woodlands are so vast and the onsite golf buggy means you can go practically anywhere to have your photographs taken. I’ve also been in the neighbouring fields to capture portraits in there before too and capture the sun as it dips behind the hills.
With its neutral colour palette of decor, it’s also really easy to add bright bold colours and have them stand out. The space is not overpowering at all either and it holds good average-sized weddings of anywhere from 50-90 people without making it seem empty in the photographs.
Bridal Barn Wedding Photography
