Wedding at Hethfelton House Photos With Lizzie & Ben

Lizzie and Ben’s engagement photoshoot in the Dorset countryside was full of happiness and laughter. Their wedding at Hethfelton House was on the next level. After our last wedding, creating some Oakley Hall wedding photos in Basingstoke, it was strange to be working just down the road!

Hethfelton House Wedding Morning Photographs

We arrived at this stunning Dorset Manor house to find Lizzie and the girls already busy with the bridal preparations. The ever-talented Tara Sanger had set up next to a corner window, styling the wedding makeup.

Joined by the chaps from Bride and Zoom we quickly scoped locations, light, and details. All would feature in this wedding at Hethfelton House

Within the stately rooms, bridal accessories were found everywhere. Helium balloons, custom facemasks, bags, pink silk dressing gowns, coat hangers, and the girl’s dresses (from Minster Bridal) hanging in the bridal suite.

Lizzie was full of nervous energy. This soon transferred to the girls as they whizzed about the place. All the time under the watchful, if not tear-filled eyes of Lizzie’s mother.

As hair and makeup progressed Lizzie and her mum took some time to check out the extensive wedding details and floral decorations. The wedding bouquets had been delivered by Floral Couture by Jay. He had outdone himself with these white and green creations, now sitting next to a reminder of Hethfelton’s links to Monkey World. A statue of an orangutan’s head!

Before they knew it the bridesmaids were helping each other into their dusty pink dresses. With wedding guests now arriving across the grounds, they could ‘spy’ on them from the second-floor windows.

Still joking and laughing Lizzie and her mother disappeared into the bridal suite to put on her wedding dress. Now wedding-ready, with extra hairspray and perfume, she looked stunning.

Her bridesmaids thought the same as they gasped, cried, and shook upon seeing her in her dress for the first time. Just when we thought things could not get any more emotional, alone with his daughter Lizzie’s father joined in with the tears and hugs.

Groom Preparation Photographs

No wedding at Hethfelton House would be complete without groom preparation photographs. Ben and the chaps were to be found getting ready in The Hideaway, one of Hethfelton’s lovely estate cottages. A bottle of Talisker was somehow magically emptying itself as braces, buttonholes, and bowties were donned. Now looking extremely dapper in their dark blue wedding suits the chaps gathered around the kitchen island to finish the bottle. Still cool as a cucumber, Ben opened his wedding morning gifts from Lizzie. These included an exploding confetti card and a classy analog wristwatch.

With time spare the chaps headed down into the ceremony marquee on the side of Hethfelton House. They greeted the arriving guests, accompanied by the beautiful sounds of Keysworth String Quartet.

Hethfelton House Wedding Ceremony Photographs

One of the page boys and the six beautiful bridesmaids led the wedding party from the house. They walked around the gardens and into the wedding marquee. The sight of Lizzie in her wedding dress turned Ben to tears as she was led up the aisle by her father. The crying and laughter from all guests continued throughout the ceremony. All present enjoyed watching the exchange of vows, a couple of readings, and, of course, the first kiss. The newlyweds left to a standing ovation for a walk around the gardens after their wedding at Hethfelton House.

Countryside Manor House Wedding Drinks Reception

By now the weather had started to turn with some moisture blowing in, something we had not yet experienced at a wedding at Hethfelton House. The wedding guests enjoying the sun on the patio moved into the marque, again entertained by the string quartet. The chatting, music and laughter could be heard from across the grounds.

Wedding Confetti Photographs

With the call for wedding breakfast due it was now time for Lizzie and Ben to ‘walk the gauntlet’ of guests armed with confetti. This, however, was no ordinary wedding confetti. Every single petal had some sentimental meaning. Some were from guest’s gardens and ponds, some from gifts, some from meaningful locations and some from other meaningful bouquets.

Hethfelton House Wedding Breakfast Photographs

Inside the dining room, the tables were decorated with yet more white flowers and green foliage. White balloons, tethered with ivy hovered as centerpieces. Guests filled the room, guided by a mirrored table plan. They welcomed the happy couple with another standing ovation. It was at this point that we realised that Ben’s face had been lit up with a smile since the very start of the day.

The guests enjoyed a scrumptious meal from The Salt Pig before it was time for speeches. Lizzie’s father led proceedings with stories of the past and jokes. He struggled to keep his tears at bay, whilst Lizzie was in floods. Next up, Ben’s best man had the guests in stitches and ben’s speech reduced Lizzie’s father to a pool of tears.

With the final champagne toast called we moved everyone outside for group photographs. Fortunately, the wet weather has subsided enough to allow us some time outside. The bridesmaids may have dropped Ben on his face and there may have been a photo-bombing competition between the chaps and the girls during.

The rain was still holding off. So we took the opportunity to take a walk around Hethfelton’s stunning gardens with Lizzie and Ben for some couple photographs. With 150 acres of gardens, woodland, and grounds a wedding at Hethfelton House should always include stunning bride and groom images. After their engagement session, they knew exactly what to expect and were so very relaxed in front of the lens.

Wedding Evening Photographs

Back inside the house wedding guests were enjoying an evening drinks reception. A Polaroid camera was used to take ‘selfies’ in a balloon arch, which were promptly displayed in a frame. Milk and Two acoustic duo entertained in the marquee as the evening guests arrived.

The bar opened and one of the bridesmaids decided shots of ‘firewater’ would be a good idea before the evening’s festivities. The amazing wedding DJ Carlie from Luvwed was set up and ready to go.

Ben and Lizzies stunning five-tier wedding cake was then gently moved into the middle of the dancefloor by Hethfelton’s amazing wedding organiser Shelly and her team. After cutting the cake several times Lizzie and ben took to the dancefloor. Surrounded by their nearest and dearest they gently swirled around the boards to their first dance. A couple of surprise confetti cannons later and the room was filled with dancing guests.

Next, the DJ kept tune after tune coming, with the dancing becoming ever more extravagant throughout the evening. Outside some guests took a breather as the sunset and an evening BBQ filled the air with the smells of burgers.

Wedding Sparkler Photographs

With the dark of night now upon us the Hethfelton Team helped organise a ‘sparkler exit’. This again involved Lizzie and Ben running the gauntlet of their guests armed with something different. The only exit they actually performed was from the gardens back to the dancefloor.

After two more couple shots, we left Hethfelton still grinning ourselves. Lizzie and Bens’s happy enthusiasm for everything was catching. The venue glowed with the disco lights in time to the music being played to the packed dancefloor. You can tell from the photographs that we simply loved this uplifting wedding at Hethfelton House.

Would you like to read what Lizzie & Ben think of their wedding photographs? You can see their review of our Dorset wedding photography services here.

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