A Gorgeous Wedding at Shotesham Park, Norfolk

10 Jun

Michelle and Lawrence’s beautiful day at Shotesham Park, in Norfolk was full of what makes a wedding day amazing to capture - A really lovely couple and guests, stunning venue and decor, a relaxed atmosphere, plenty of emotion, and so many natural moments of fun and connection from start to finish.

There was a cute penguin theme running throughout the day, which added a sweet and personal touch. From the little details to the overall feel of the celebration, it was clear how much thought had gone into making the day feel truly like them.

Shotesham Park is a wonderful setting for a Norfolk wedding, with its countryside surroundings, beautiful buildings, and plenty of space for guests to enjoy the day. The wedding planner was also so friendly and helped make sure everything ran smoothly.

One of the most memorable parts of the day was the cricket. Lawrence is a keen cricketer, so of course the afternoon wouldn’t have been complete without a few overs out on the lawn. It brought lots of laughter and energy to the day, and made for some brilliant natural photographs.

It was also great to see Becky and Chris again who’s wedding I had the pleasure of capturing a few years back.

5 Planning Tips for a Shotesham Park Wedding

1. Make time to enjoy the grounds

Shotesham Park has so many lovely outdoor spaces, so it's worth leaving time in your day to really enjoy them. Drinks on the lawn and garden games work beautifully here.

2. Plan for an outdoor drinks reception

If the weather is on your side, the lawns at Shotesham Park are ideal for an outdoor drinks reception. Guests can spread out, enjoy the setting and mingle while you have a few family photographs taken. It creates a wonderfully relaxed feel and gives plenty of opportunities for natural, candid images.

3. Use the venue backdrop for your group photos

The front of Shotesham Park, the courtyard and the lawns all make beautiful backdrops for family and wedding party photographs. Keeping your list to around 8–10 group photos helps everything stay relaxed, so you can get back to enjoying the drinks reception.

4. Save time for golden hour

If the weather is kind, the surrounding countryside at golden hour is absolutely beautiful for couple portraits. Even 10 minutes later in the day can give you some of the most romantic images.

5. Add something personal

The cricket on the lawn was such a brilliant part of this wedding because it felt completely personal to the couple. The penguin theme was another lovely detail that made the day feel unique to Michelle and Lawrence. Whether it is a sport, garden games, music, a pet, or a family tradition, those little touches help make your wedding feel like yours.

Sample Wedding Timeline for Shotesham Park

10:30am Bridal preparations

Photographs of final hair and makeup, details, dresses, flowers and relaxed morning moments in the gorgeous stables.

This is also a lovely time to capture the groomsmen getting ready, including buttonholes, suits and natural moments before the day begins.

12:30pm Guests begin to arrive

Natural photographs of guests arriving, chatting and taking in the venue.

1:00pm Ceremony

The ceremony begins, followed by confetti and congratulations.

1:45pm Drinks reception

Candid guest photos, hugs, champagne, canapés and relaxed documentary coverage.

2:15pm Group photos

A short list of family and wedding party photographs.

2:45pm Couple portraits

A relaxed walk around the grounds for natural portraits.

3:15pm More reception time

Guests enjoy the lawn, drinks, garden games and relaxed time together.

4:00pm Wedding breakfast entrance

Room details, table styling and guests seated before speeches or dinner.

4:30pm Wedding breakfast and speeches

Natural coverage of speeches, reactions and laughter.

7:00pm Golden hour portraits

(Depending on the time of year) A short evening portrait session by the fields

7:30pm Evening guests arrive

Relaxed coverage as the evening celebrations begin.

8:00pm Cake cutting and first dance

The start of the evening party.

8:30pm onwards, Dancing and celebrations

Fun, movement, laughter and dancefloor photographs.

Best Photo Spots at Shotesham Park

The courtyard and stone wall

The courtyard is a lovely spot for portraits, especially with the beautiful stone wall as a backdrop. It gives photographs a timeless, elegant feel and works well for couple portraits or smaller group shots.

The surrounding countryside at golden hour

Later in the day, the countryside around Shotesham Park is perfect for soft, romantic portraits. Golden hour light works beautifully here and gives couples a quiet moment away from the celebrations.

The lawn

The lawn is ideal for natural guest photos, drinks reception moments and fun personal touches. For this wedding, it was the perfect setting for Lawrence’s cricket game, which brought so much laughter to the afternoon.

The front of the building and balcony

The front of the building makes a brilliant backdrop for group photographs. The balcony also gives the opportunity for a fun, relaxed group shot with everyone together.

Inside the reception room

The reception room looked absolutely stunning. It was the perfect place to capture all the decor, table styling, florals and thoughtful details before guests sat down for the wedding breakfast, and would have provided a great setting had we of had wet weather. The penguin touches added a playful feel to the styling, making the room feel even more special.

A Joyful Norfolk Wedding Day

This Shotesham Park wedding was relaxed, beautiful and full of personality.

From the gorgeous decor and outfits, to the penguin theme and cricket on the lawn, every part of the day felt true to Michelle and Lawrence.

If you’re planning a wedding at Shotesham Park and looking for natural, relaxed wedding photography in Norfolk, I would love to hear all about your plans. Contact me here.

Enjoy the inspiration…