Ashlea & Adam | Hooton Pagnell Hall Wedding

Ashlea and Adam got married at Hooton Pagnell Hall on a warm August day, and it was one of those weddings where everything felt relaxed from the first cup of tea to the last sparkler. Hooton Pagnell sits in the South Yorkshire countryside just outside Doncaster, with a Grade II* listed hall, a medieval tithe barn, an old stone gatehouse and five acres of gardens. It is a dream of a place to photograph.

They had planned a day that was completely theirs: a ceremony in the village church, drinks on the lawn, street food instead of a formal sit-down meal, and a barn full of white flowers. Here is how it all unfolded from behind my camera.

Meet Ashlea & Adam

Ashlea and Adam have been together for ten years, and their story starts somewhere wonderfully ordinary. In Ashlea’s words: “We met 10 years ago at a Chinese takeaway through mutual friends!”

I love that. No grand meet-cute, just a takeaway and a few friends, and a decade later a wedding day full of the people who have been cheering them on ever since.

The Proposal

Adam popped the question on holiday. As Ashlea put it: “Adam proposed at our hotel in Tenerife on the roof top!” Sunshine, a rooftop and a ring. Pretty hard to beat.

Why They Chose Hooton Pagnell Hall

“Hooton Pagnell really stood out to me because it’s exclusive, the interior is what I imagined for my wedding and I love all the different areas to keep the guests entertained.”

Having spent the day there with them, I can see exactly what Ashlea means. There is the church, the walled gardens, the lawns in front of the hall, the gatehouse and courtyard, and the tithe barn for the celebrations. Guests never stand around in one spot for long, and neither do I, which means plenty of variety in the pictures.

Personal Touches

Ashlea told me they had made the day their own through the colours, the food and the entertainment, and you could see it everywhere. The palette was soft whites with greys and greens, from the groomsmen’s Tweed & Groom suits to the flowers. Folletti Fleurs filled the barn with white floral arches, tall centrepieces and glass candle holders, Bears Street Food fed everyone in place of a formal meal, and Michael Scott provided the live singing.

Getting married at Hooton Pagnell Hall? I’d love to hear about your plans.

Bridal Preparations

Everyone got ready at the hall, which made the morning lovely and calm. Make-up started at seven, with Emily Hartley MUA looking after Ashlea’s make-up and Hair Headz doing the hair. The bedrooms at Hooton Pagnell are full of character, with antique furniture and big sash windows, so Ashlea’s dress from Made With Love Bridal went straight up on the carved wardrobe for its first picture of the day.

Ashlea had planned a reveal with her dad in her room, and then her bridesmaids waited at the bottom of the stairs to see her come down. The window light in that room was soft and even, and the quiet pictures of her with her bouquet before she left are some of my favourites from the morning.

Adam and his five groomsmen were getting ready at the hall too. I caught Adam for a quiet minute perched on the edge of a roll-top bath, before the lads headed out through the courtyard, all in step, beneath those castle-like towers.

The Ceremony

The ceremony was at one o’clock in All Saints, the Norman church in Hooton Pagnell village. Ashlea and her dad paused in the old stone doorway with the daylight behind them, then walked down an aisle lined with urns of white flowers while Adam turned to watch her come in.

The church is small, all old stone and stained glass, so I kept things quiet and worked from the sides and the back. During the vows the two of them could not stop smiling at each other, and I love the picture of Adam listening, completely lost in the moment.

Then out they came, through a tunnel of guests along the church path and straight into a proper shower of confetti.

Drinks Reception at Hooton Pagnell Hall

Back at the hall, the drinks reception spilled out across the lawns in front of the house. It is a great space for guests, with plenty of room, views of the hall and the gardens close by. I grabbed a few relaxed pictures of Ashlea and Adam together straight away, while they were still buzzing from the ceremony, and a couple with friends by the old garden gateway.

Meanwhile the tithe barn was waiting. With its light stone walls, oak beams and chandeliers, and Folletti Fleurs’ white flowers and candlelight everywhere, it looked incredible when the guests went in.

Couple Portraits at Hooton Pagnell Hall

Hooton Pagnell is a gift for couple portraits, because a few minutes’ walk in any direction gives you something completely different. We started in the walled garden, then the stone steps in the gardens, and a few quieter moments against the old stone walls, where the ivy and greenery softened everything. Ashlea’s laugh in these pictures is the real thing, because Adam kept her giggling the whole time.

Out on the lawn a gust of wind caught Ashlea’s veil, and we got a kiss with it streaming out behind them. I could not have planned that if I had tried.

Later on we slipped back out for golden hour. The sun was low across the lawn in front of the hall, and then we walked through the gatehouse archway into the courtyard, where the old stone towers glow warm in the evening light. It is one of my favourite spots at Hooton Pagnell, and it only takes ten minutes or so away from the party.

Fancy a few pictures after dark on your own wedding day? Twilight portraits only take about fifteen minutes.

Wedding Breakfast and Speeches

Speeches came first, in the barn, and there was a bit of everything: happy tears, big laughs and a hug or two that nearly knocked people off their feet. I love photographing the reactions during speeches even more than the speakers, and this lot did not hold back. Ashlea gazing up at Adam is one of my favourite pictures of the whole day.

Instead of a sit-down meal, Bears Street Food served up around four o’clock, which kept the atmosphere relaxed and sociable. Guests could wander, chat and go back for seconds, and it suited Ashlea and Adam perfectly. The cake from The Confectionery Lounge was cut a little later in the afternoon.

The Evening Celebrations

The first dance was at seven, with everyone crowding in around the dance floor in the barn. I shot a few in black and white with the lights behind them, as there is something about the glow in a barn like that. Then the party got going properly, with Michael Scott singing and the dance floor full.

Once it was dark we popped outside for a sparkler heart and a couple of twilight pictures in the parkland, with the last of the light still on the horizon. Ashlea and Adam loved them, and it was a lovely way to finish the day.

Hooton Pagnell Hall Wedding Suppliers

Ashlea and Adam, thank you so much for having me along. It was a joy to spend the day with you both, your families and your friends, and I hope these pictures bring back every laugh, happy tear and dance-floor moment for years to come.

Planning your own wedding? I’d love to hear all about it.

Getting married at Hooton Pagnell Hall? Have a look at my Hooton Pagnell Hall wedding photographer page for more about photographing a wedding there.

Planning your own wedding near Doncaster? Have a look at my Doncaster wedding photographer page.