Kelham House Wedding Photography – A Relaxed Nottinghamshire Wedding Venue

Kelham House Country Manor is a wedding venue just outside Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire, combining the character of an Edwardian manor house with landscaped gardens, mature woodland and a bright, modern Garden Room.

Having photographed a wedding at Kelham House, what stood out to me was how easily the venue allows the different parts of the day to flow together.

The ceremony, drinks reception, wedding breakfast and evening celebrations can all happen in one place, which means less time moving people around and more time actually enjoying the wedding.

And from my point of view as a photographer, that creates exactly the sort of relaxed wedding day I love photographing. 

Built in 1903, Kelham House is an Edwardian manor set within nine acres of private grounds near Newark.

There’s a nice mixture of old and new throughout the venue. You have the original manor house and its period character alongside the Garden Room, which provides a much lighter space for ceremonies, dining and the evening celebrations.

Outside, there are formal gardens, mature woodland and open grounds, giving guests plenty of space during the drinks reception and giving us lots of options when we head out for photographs. 

For couples who like the idea of a country house wedding but don’t necessarily want something that feels overly formal, Kelham House strikes a really good balance.

Wedding ceremonies at Kelham House

One of the things couples have at Kelham House is a choice of where to hold their ceremony.

The Garden Room is licensed for civil ceremonies and benefits from plenty of natural light, while outside there is a purpose-built licensed gazebo within the formal gardens. If the British weather has other ideas, the Garden Room can be kept available as the indoor alternative. 

From a photography perspective, ceremonies are one of those parts of the day where I want to interfere as little as possible.

Of course I’ll photograph the big moments — walking down the aisle, exchanging rings and that first kiss — but I’m also looking around the room.

The nervous glance before the ceremony starts. A parent getting emotional. Your friends laughing. That little look between the two of you when you think nobody else has noticed.

Those unscripted reactions are often the photographs that really take you back to how the ceremony felt.

Wedding photography around Kelham House

The grounds are probably one of my favourite things about photographing a wedding at Kelham House.

You don’t have to travel anywhere to find different backgrounds. We’ve got the manor house itself, gardens, mature trees and woodland all within the venue grounds.

That means we can take a short wander together, get some relaxed photographs of the two of you and have you back with your guests without turning your drinks reception into a photoshoot.

Normally, 10–15 minutes is plenty.

And if we get some particularly nice light later in the day, we can always head outside again for another few minutes.

It’s something I always think couples should consider when viewing their wedding venue — not just whether somewhere looks good in photographs, but how easily those photographs can fit around the day you’re actually planning.

A relaxed drinks reception at Kelham House

Because everything is happening in one place, once the ceremony is finished your guests can simply settle into the day.

During warmer weddings, the terrace, lawns and gardens can be used for drinks and canapés, giving everyone space to mingle. Its also worth thinking about how long you should allow for wedding drinks reception, as this is often when family photographs, a few relaxed couple photographs and plenty of natural moments with your guests happen

For me, this is also one of the best parts of the day for documentary photography.

While you’re talking to guests, there are dozens of other little things happening around you — people catching up, hugs, laughter, children playing and conversations between family members who might not have seen each other for ages.

You won’t see everything that happens at your wedding.

That’s one of the reasons I love photographing it this way.

You don’t need to be comfortable posing

One thing I hear from couples all the time is:

“We’re really awkward in front of the camera.”

That’s absolutely fine.

You don’t need to arrive at Kelham House knowing how to pose or wondering what you’re supposed to do with your hands.

When we head outside for your couple photographs, I’ll give you some gentle direction when you need it, but I’m not interested in forcing you through a list of poses.

I’d much rather you talk, laugh, walk around and concentrate on each other.

The same applies throughout the rest of the wedding.

For most of the day, I’ll let things happen naturally and concentrate on documenting them. That’s a big part of my documentary approach to wedding photography — the less you’re thinking about the camera, the more the photographs start to feel like you.

The wedding breakfast and evening celebrations

The Garden Room can take the wedding from ceremony through to dining and then into the evening celebrations, so once again there isn’t a big interruption to the flow of the day. 

For me, the wedding breakfast and speeches are less about photographing what’s directly in front of me and more about watching what’s happening around the room.

If someone is giving a speech, I’ll obviously photograph them — but I’m also watching you, your parents, the wedding party and your guests.

That’s usually where the photographs that really tell the story are happening.

Then the evening arrives, the music starts and people generally become even less interested in where the photographer is.

Perfect.

Whether it’s your first dance, people catching up at the bar or your guests making questionable decisions on the dance floor, I can just concentrate on documenting it.

Is Kelham House right for your wedding?

If you’re looking for a Nottinghamshire wedding venue where the whole day can happen in one place, Kelham House is definitely worth putting on your list.

You’ve got the character of the Edwardian manor, a bright Garden Room, the option of an outdoor ceremony and nine acres of grounds surrounding the venue. There are also 12 ensuite bedrooms across the Manor House and Coach House for group bookings, which can be useful for close family and friends staying around the wedding. 

But from my perspective, its biggest strength is how easily everything works together.

There are plenty of opportunities for photographs without having to take you away from the wedding for long, while the way guests move between the house, Garden Room and grounds creates lots of opportunities for the natural, unplanned moments I love photographing.

You can find the latest information about weddings and arrange a viewing directly through the Kelham House wedding website⁠.

Looking for a Kelham House Wedding Photographer?

If you’re planning your wedding at Kelham House and you’re looking for natural, relaxed wedding photography, I’d love to hear what you’re planning.

My approach is simple: I’ll give you some guidance when you need it, but I don’t want your wedding day to feel like one long photoshoot.

I’d rather you enjoy it while I capture the people, atmosphere and all those little moments happening around you.

Planning a Kelham House wedding? Find out more about my approach as a Kelham House Wedding Photographer.