A UK backyard wedding.
Done properly
Bella & Max chose to get married at a beautiful family home, creating the most relaxed and personal garden wedding. With rising venue costs across the UK, more couples are choosing backyard weddings and private home celebrations — and after photographing this one, I can completely see why.
When Bella first enquired about me documenting their wedding at a family home, I was instantly in. I love photographing garden weddings because they allow couples to design a day that feels completely their own. Then she told me about the setting — a river running through the bottom of the garden, a ceremony overlooking the stream, and incredible views across open fields — and I knew this was one I wanted in my portfolio.
Since this wedding, I’ve already booked three more family home weddings, and I can honestly see this style of UK wedding becoming more and more popular.
Getting Ready at the House
The morning started with Bella and her bridesmaids getting ready in one room, while Max and his best man were in another. One of the best things about a garden wedding at a private residence is how relaxed everything feels. No formal bridal suites, no venue time pressures — just a house full of anticipation and real moments unfolding naturally.
There was even a pub next door — technically you had to walk all the way around to reach it. Instead (with the pub owners’ permission), ladders went up on either side of the wall and everyone climbed over. It made for some brilliant candid photos and completely summed up the laid-back, DIY backyard wedding vibe of the day.
An Outdoor Ceremony Overlooking the River
The ceremony took place in a beautiful part of the garden, styled with flowers and hay bales, overlooking the river and countryside views. It was such a perfect example of how stunning a UK garden wedding can be when couples make the most of meaningful surroundings.
Even more special, the celebrant, Julie, was part of the family. Having someone so close lead the ceremony made it incredibly personal — one of the many reasons couples are drawn to family home weddings over traditional venues.
Drinks Reception, Portraits & Marquee Reception
With the sun shining and drinks flowing, we made the most of the long driveway leading up to the house for Bella & Max’s couple portraits. The setting was unreal and just proves you don’t need a stately home venue to create beautiful, editorial-style wedding photographs.
Guests gathered on the lawn for relaxed, fun family photos before heading into the marquee for the wedding breakfast and speeches. Despite being in a back garden, it didn’t feel like a compromise — it felt intentional, stylish, and beautifully planned from start to finish.
As the evening rolled in, an ice cream cart arrived — a new venture from one of the guests — and everyone leaned fully into that relaxed summer garden wedding atmosphere.
I originally photographed a close friend of Bella & Max, which is how they found me. Since then, I’ve had another booking from the same friendship group. That’s honestly one of my favourite parts of this job — building these networks across the UK and seeing familiar faces again at different weddings.
If you’re planning a garden wedding, backyard wedding, or family home wedding in the UK and want it documented naturally and honestly, these are exactly the kinds of days I love to photograph.