A Staunton Harold Engagement Shoot: Autumn Colours and Old School Friends
Claire and Derrick stood close together under the branches, the leaves turning gold above them and the parkland of Staunton Harold rolling away to the hills behind. It was autumn, but the day felt almost like summer. From this corner of the estate, looking down over the Hall where they would marry the following year, it was easy to see why they’d chosen it.
Staunton Harold: a Georgian estate in the Leicestershire countryside
Staunton Harold Hall is a Grade I listed Georgian country house in a small valley about three miles north-east of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in North West Leicestershire. It was largely rebuilt from 1763 for Washington Shirley, 5th Earl Ferrers, and the landscape park around it, laid out at the same time, is registered Grade II*. Its formal canals were turned into lakes, and on the shore of Church Pool stands Holy Trinity, a chapel built in 1653 by Sir Robert Shirley and now owned by the National Trust.
The house has had several lives, as a Cheshire Home and later a Sue Ryder home, before becoming a family home again in 2003. Today it also hosts a small number of exclusive-use weddings each year. For an engagement shoot the estate has it all: woodland, open parkland, water and long views across the valley, and in autumn the colours are spectacular.
Old school friends
I first met Claire and Derrick more than ten years earlier, around the time we were all studying for our GCSEs. When they started dating during their A Levels, they were the couple everyone thought would be one of the few to stay together after we all left school. I never would have imagined we’d end up photographing their wedding, back in the county where they first met.
This was a really special shoot for us. Verity was meeting Claire and Derrick for the first time, and we found ourselves sharing stories we’d almost forgotten. It’s amazing how you can go years without seeing people, then find yourselves chatting away as though no time has passed at all.
An autumn afternoon overlooking the Hall
We met in the grounds of Staunton Harold Hall. We’d visited before, but Claire and Derrick showed us a side of the estate we had never been to, overlooking the wedding venue. We were lucky enough to enjoy a day that felt almost like summer, with spectacular autumn colours all around.
Our favourite frame from the afternoon sums it up: the two of them in the shade of the trees, the low sun catching the leaves above, and the whole valley stretching out behind them. No big poses, just a couple who have known each other since school, completely at ease. When we photographed their wedding at the Hall the following year, it felt like coming full circle.
Why we love an engagement shoot
Connecting with couples before the wedding, at engagement shoots and meetings, helps us blend in on the day, which is exactly how we like to work. Here’s why we think it’s worth it:
- You get used to the camera. An hour or two together means the wedding day feels familiar, and being photographed stops feeling strange.
- We learn the place. Walking the estate with Claire and Derrick showed us a view over the Hall we might never have found on our own.
- Autumn is a gift. Low sun through changing leaves gives warm, rich colour, even when the wedding is months away.
- Arrange access first. Staunton Harold Hall is a private family home, so plan any shoot on the estate with the venue in advance.
Planning your own engagement shoot?
Whether you’re marrying in Leicestershire or further afield, we’d love to hear about it. See our destination wedding photography, compare prices and packages, or get in touch to tell us your plans.
See also: Wedding at Claire & Derrick – Staunton Harold Hall.
