Ness Gardens wedding photographer
I have shot a lot of weddings at Ness Botanic Gardens on the Wirral and I’m so proud to be their recommended photographer!
I’ve built a really good relationship with Jen & the team over the years and always love working there. Whether it’s a big all day wedding or an intimate ceremony with just a handful of guests.
As a nature loving, colour obsessed photographer it’s a venue that really suits my style. In fact I often refer to it as my second home! With over ten years experience of working at this gorgeous venue, I know where to go for the best photos!
In this blog post I’ve done a breakdown of how I shoot weddings there. Whatever the season and whatever the weather!
Wedding ceremonies in the Rock Garden
This is where the majority of ceremonies are held. There’s a large pond filled with fish and water lilies, surrounded by tweeting birds, trees and brightly coloured flowers. Access to the Rock Garden is via a short walk across a small sandstone bridge to your guests and soon-to-be husband or wife. You could even break with tradition and walk in together!
A thatched hut is the focal point and depending on the weather you can tie the knot inside or stand outside with your guests.
Once the ceremony is finished I can organise your guests into a confetti tunnel while you sign the register. Please note that only real flower petals are allowed in the Rock Garden.
Drinks, canapés and mingling
Once the legal bit is out of the way I like to give my couples time to catch up with their guests. It’s not very often you have all of your favourite people in one place so I want you to relax and enjoy it! Usually after about half an hour of mingling I like to start on the group photos if they’re required. I try to keep these quite relaxed and brief so we can spend more time on natural moments. If the sun is too hot and bright in the Rock Garden we do have the option of doing group photos in the shade of the large trees up by the Hulme Conservatory.
A walk through the stunning gardens
Once my couples have had time to grab and drink and chat to their guests it’s time to make our way over to the Hulme for the reception. I use this time to walk my couples through the gardens, stopping off at various places to take some relaxed photos. This takes about 20-30 minutes depending on your timeline. You really are spoilt for choice when it comes to photo opportunities. There’s beautiful scenery and gorgeous colours around every corner!
The Hulme Conservatory for speeches & dancing!
The Hulme is a light and airy space with stunning views of the gardens. It’s pretty much a blank canvas so you can decorate it to suit your tastes. Bunting, fairy lights and lots of flowers are popluar choices. You also have use of the deck for mingling and relaxing, you can even do your first dance out there!
Ness Gardens weddings through the seasons
One of the reasons why I love weddings at Ness is its versatility and how different it looks throughout the year. I’ve shot weddings in almost every season, apart from winter. Not many people choose to have an outdoor wedding in December, though I’m sure it would still be lovely!
Spring
Spring weddings at Ness are truly beautiful! It varies from year to year but usually from late March onwards the blossom is out, followed by daffodils, magnolia and my favourite, the wisteria!
Summer
The season when Ness is at its peak and there’s a huge variety of plants & flowers in full bloom. There’s colour everywhere!
Roses, Hydrangea and Black-Eyed Susans are just some of the flowers you’ll see at this time of year. You can have a BBQ on the lawn outside the Hulme or simply chill on the grass with a cold beer as the sun sets!
Autumn
This might be my favourite season for weddings at Ness, if I was FORCED to choose! Flowering plants are still in abundance but with the added bonus of the trees turning orange and red. The heat and light are also less harsh compared to summer. It’s usually a good idea to have a shawl with you though in case it gets a bit chilly in the evening.
What if it rains on your wedding day?
Living in the UK you can never really count on the weather and I’ve shot a few weddings in the rain at Ness. Funnily enough they’ve all been in summer! The way I see it is you can’t control the weather so you might as well not worry and just embrace it if it does rain. Just be prepared with brollies and some wellies!
Even if it does rain on your wedding day there is usually a break in the weather during the day. Take Val & Rob’s wedding below. They went ahead with their ceremony in the Rock Garden with their guests sheltering under umbrellas. We then did some fun shots with the bridesmaids in their wellies! Later in the evening the rain stopped and the sun came out for a bit so we managed to get some lovely couple portraits too.
Luckily at Ness there is an indoor option if you decide not to go ahead with an outdoor ceremony. The Hulme Conservatory is light and airy with views overlooking the gardens, bringing the outside in. Emily & Joe had their ceremony inside before heading outside for confetti on the deck when the rain eased off. We also managed a little walk to the Rock Garden for some portraits.
Stunning views at Ness Gardens
Most people book Ness for the stunning gardens and the magnificent views. From certain points you can see the River Dee and right across to Wales. The sunsets can be pretty spectacular too and can be enjoyed from the deck or the lawn overlooking the gardens.
I might even drag you outside for a few more photos before the party really kicks off!
Ness Gardens wedding photography
Are you looking for a relaxed and colourful photographer for your Ness Gardens wedding? If so then get in touch here!
