Staunton Harold Hall Wedding Photographer
A Georgian hall in a quiet Leicestershire valley, with lakes, parkland and a 17th-century chapel.
Photographing weddings at Staunton Harold Hall
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’s a family home that opens for a small number of exclusive-use weddings each year, so on your day its painted ceilings, grand staircase and lakeside lawns are yours.
This corner of Leicestershire means a lot to me. I went to school in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and that’s where I first met Claire and Derrick. Years later I photographed their engagement shoot on the estate, in a blaze of autumn colour. Then came their wedding at the Hall, a day all about family, with both sides together from across the world. You can see it in Claire and Derrick’s Staunton Harold Hall wedding.
It’s a straightforward drive south from my home in Wharfedale, and travel and accommodation are included in every collection, so I’m there from the start of the morning. Get in touch to check your date.
About Staunton Harold Hall
The Hall began as a Jacobean house, altered around 1700, and was largely rebuilt from 1763 for Washington Shirley, 5th Earl Ferrers, as the brick and stone house you see today. Its landscape park dates from the same years and is registered Grade II*. The old formal canals were made 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.
In the 20th century the Hall became a Cheshire Home and later a Sue Ryder home, before returning to family life in 2003. Today the Staunton Harold Estate offers up to eight wedding dates a year, between April and September, all exclusive use.
Civil ceremonies take place in the Saloon on the first floor, reached by the Grand Staircase or a lift, with seating for up to 100 guests. Your reception is in the Great Hall, with the Ballroom next door for the wedding breakfast. There’s also a quiet Library for older guests, a games room for children and a private room for the bridal party.
A wedding day at Staunton Harold Hall
On Claire and Derrick’s day, the bridal party passed the morning playing cards on the floor while they got ready at the Hall. Derrick got ready in a boarding house back in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, where we’d all been at school.
They married under a painted plaster ceiling and a chandelier, with tall windows and purple curtains, and their first kiss was met with applause. The grand staircase, with its green walls and ironwork, is perfect for portraits whatever the weather. Outside, the lawns run down to the lake, with weeping willows and the red-brick Hall behind.
My favourite moment came in the evening. Before the party began we walked up the hillside overlooking the Hall, with music drifting over the fields. We only had ten or fifteen minutes, but the light was beautiful, and the view back over the lake and the house told the whole story of the day. Then there was dancing under the chandeliers in a red room hung with paintings.
Why couples choose Staunton Harold Hall
- It’s yours alone. Weddings are exclusive use, on only a handful of dates each year.
- Rooms that flow together. The Saloon, Great Hall and Ballroom are close together, so your guests are never far from the moment.
- A real landscape. Lakes, a registered park and the hillside above the Hall give your portraits a true sense of place.
- Thought for every guest. A quiet Library for older guests and a games room for children make it easy for families.
Questions couples ask
Is Staunton Harold Hall licensed for weddings?
Yes. Civil ceremonies take place in the Saloon on the first floor, reached by the Grand Staircase or a lift, with seating for up to 100 guests.
When can you get married at Staunton Harold Hall?
The Hall offers a limited number of exclusive-use wedding dates, up to eight a year between April and September, so it’s worth asking early.
How much does a Staunton Harold Hall wedding photographer cost?
My full-day photography collection is £1,750, with travel and accommodation included within England. You can add a mini film for £500 for a half day or £750 for a full day. See prices for what’s included.
Do you film weddings at Staunton Harold Hall?
Yes. I’ve been filming weddings since 2022, either on its own (full-day film is £1,500) or alongside photography. See my wedding films.
Weddings at Staunton Harold Hall
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