Ringwood Hall

South Yorkshire Wedding Photographer Tom Roberts, of Champagne Shutter Photography, at Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa, Chesterfield, Derbyshire

See Champagne Shutter Photography’s Video at Ringwood Hall

There is an enormous range of choice for outdoor and indoor wedding photography in the wedding suites at Ringwood Hall.

The Grade II listed Nineteenth Century manor house sits in 6 acres of award-winning formal gardens, which in turn sit within 29 acres of parkland.

Ringwood Hall sits between Brimington and Hollingwood, outside of Chesterfield, near J29a of the M1, an area perhaps familiar if you’ve ever visited Chatsworth House or Bakewell.

The largest of the indoor suites in the hall itself is the Ringwood Suite, whether for wedding breakfast and evening reception, or in combination with the Garden Pavilion for an outdoor ceremony.  The Ringwood Suite offers ceremony space for 60 – 130 guests, allowing a wedding breakfast for the same number, and an evening reception up to 250, as well as conservatory breakout spaces, the Library and Markham Bar.

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The Ringwood Suite; Conservatory alongside the Ringwood Suite; The Markham Bar; Conservatory alongside the Markham Bar

These options, and the Garden Pavilion, make for the most beautiful wedding photography.  The south-facing lower lawn, where the Garden Pavilion sits, is a wedding photographer’s dream, as a noon ceremony means the sunlight, rotating from east to south, should be coming from a direction to the right of the aisle and seating layout.  One good choice from a wedding photographer will likely be to spend some time alongside the pavilion, on the bride’s side, in order to capture backlit haloed wedding portraits at their most flattering.  No "backs-of-heads in ceremony" shots here!

The Garden Pavilion, on the south lawns, can be set with aisle, floral décor and seating for a flexible ceremony, complete with the assurance that your choice of indoor wedding breakfast and reception space can be your contingency plan for ceremony too, in the event of wet weather, with no sense of compromise or disappointment.

Lawns and trees for stunning afternoon wedding photography - again, the angles chosen under the tree here show spots first, then where a 'blank' lawn shot shows, it's my imagining of a portrait angle and composition in the right backlighting from the south. This tree makes for great low light wedding photographs with flash in the evening too!

Of course, your wedding is a celebration day to enjoy, not a photo-shoot, so I will aim to select 3 locations (6 “wow” ideas) to efficiently capture your heirloom memories without taking you away from the party for too long.

The Marquee and its garden offer ceremony and wedding breakfast space for 80 – 180 guests, with an abundance of natural light for elegant wedding photographs, before going on to accommodate evening receptions of up to 350.

Elsewhere, downstairs in the hall, are the smaller Chatsworth and Portland Suites, accommodating ceremonies of up to 80 and wedding breakfasts of up to 50, separately, or extending to 80 in combination. Spaces dressed here by Strides.

Celebrant Style - Sue Burton

Upstairs, the Hollingwood Suite can accommodate a ceremony of 60 guests and wedding breakfast up to 40.  The more intimate Cavendish Suite can serves for a ceremony of up to 24 guests, with 12 dining.  Again, there is the flexibility to have the Hollingwood and Cavendish Suites combined.

Ringwood Hall Hotel’s dining room and main bar; Klimt prints; the Staveley Bar can serve as a further wedding breakout space; the atrium above the hall and hotel's main entrance

With 12 honeymoon suites available, the Barlborough Suite offers a four-poster bed, elegant décor and a waterfall shower within a roll-top free-standing bathtub, romantically integrated within the bedroom itself.

The Barlborough Suite

Throughout Ringwood Hall, tall Grade II listed Nineteenth Century glazing makes for wonderful spots for an expert wedding photographer to read the light – picking a closed off dim slot, with soft broad lighting, for an elegant portrait option in black and white or colour, feminine for the bride, moody and chiselled for the chaps, depending on facing or turning for the window.  Think elegant headshot, framed by veil (or not) for the ladies, or a clever mirror reflection in the window light, over your shoulder.  For the chaps, a masculine turn of the head for greater split lighting of shadow: a prime pose for the cognac, cologne or Cartier shot.

Every couple is different – and whilst it’s all well and good me extolling the virtues of a what I think about portraying your day at a venue, we must make a genuine connection to tell your story!  Check out Champagne Shutter Photography - approach here.  Information from me on other venues can also be found on my website and blog.

For a friendly chat about your bespoke wedding photography plans, get in touch or reserve a Zoom call with Tom at Champagne Shutter.  Alternatively, give me a ring on 07738 620485 or email via tom@champagneshutter.com.  You’ll also find me on Hitched.