Ella & Josh / Gosfield Hall

A Gosfield Hall wedding comes with its own backdrop: Tudor red brick, an inner courtyard and that big blue door. Ella & Josh married outside by the arch on a properly hot July day — a string quartet playing against the old walls, a ceremony full of laughter, and confetti right in front of the door.

Gosfield Hall at a glance

Gosfield Hall is an exclusive-use country house at Gosfield, just outside Halstead in north Essex, set in ten acres of grounds and parkland overlooking Gosfield Lake. It hosts one wedding a day. Ceremonies are licensed in Queen Charlotte’s oak-panelled gallery, with its 120-foot aisle, in the Grand Salon, or outdoors on the original carriageway in the inner or outer courtyard. The former ballroom seats up to 116 for the wedding breakfast, there is room for 250 in the evening, and 23 bedroom suites are kept for you and your guests.

The day ran from rust-satin robes and a bride racing down the blue-carpeted corridor to her dad’s first look and the walk down the grand staircase. I photographed it all documentary-style: unposed, quick on my feet, there for the moments between the moments.

A Gosfield Hall wedding, courtyard to dance floor

Golden hour came late and long — low sun over parched fields, champagne sprayed over the bride by her bridesmaids, and a sunset kiss with the sun sitting right between them. Before that came speeches from her dad, the maid of honour and two best men in the panelled dining room; after it, a first dance and a packed floor with a live sax player in among the guests. Gosfield sits just outside Halstead in north Essex, and it photographs beautifully from the midday drone shot to the last light over the grounds.

I photograph weddings across Essex — see my Gosfield Hall wedding photography page for more from this venue — and the rest of the UK, one price, unlimited hours. Planning a Gosfield Hall wedding? Check your date and I’ll reply the same day.

With thanks to the brilliant team: Venue — Gosfield Hall · Dress — Perla Nova · Flowers — Flores UK · Hair — Louise Curtis · Make-up — Dayna Leigh · Strings — Chiqas Music · Sax — Jimmy Jefford · Content — Ever After by Ella

Photographing a Gosfield Hall wedding

Ella and Josh married outside in the courtyard, by the arch, and the big blue door made the backdrop for their confetti. Inside, the blue-carpeted corridor and the grand staircase gave me Ella’s walk down to her dad, the panelled dining room held the speeches, and they cut the cake by the staircase. On a hot July day the best light came late: golden hour over the fields beyond the grounds, with the sun sitting low between them.

Gosfield Hall wedding questions