Royal Berkshire Hotel Wedding Photographer
Morgan & Brijan’s Royal Berkshire Hotel Wedding in Ascot
Morgan and Brijan’s wedding at the Royal Berkshire Hotel in Ascot was full of beautiful details, plenty of personality and, inevitably, quite a lot of rain. It rained for most of the day, but thankfully we had little breaks where the rain eased enough for us to head outside with an umbrella and make the most of the grounds.
A romantic pink wedding at the Royal Berkshire Hotel
Morgan and Brijan chose a soft pink colour palette which worked beautifully with the luxury country hotel. The styling felt romantic without being too fussy, with flowers and details bringing lots of colour into the day. Morgan looked incredible in a fitted lace wedding dress with a long train. It had such a beautiful shape and was one of those dresses that photographs really well because there was so much detail to work with.
The morning started with bridal preparations, with hair and make-up by Carla from CESCA and Michaela Selene Makeup. It was lovely having those quieter moments at the start of the day before everything really got going. The flowers were created by Hannah at The F Word Flower, and the pink florals worked perfectly with the overall feel of the wedding. For the ceremony and drinks reception, Caity Mchale provided the music, which added such a lovely atmosphere as guests arrived and Morgan made her entrance.
Photographing a Rainy Wedding at The Royal Berkshire Hotel in Ascot
It rained for most of the day, so this was definitely one of those weddings where you have to be flexible with your photography. I actually think rain can add something really lovely to wedding photographs. You just have to work with it rather than constantly trying to avoid it. Whenever we had a little break and the rain became lighter, we headed outside with an umbrella. One of my favourite places at the Royal Berkshire Hotel is the fountain, particularly with the statue sitting in the background. There is something really romantic about that part of the grounds, and it gave us a beautiful backdrop for Morgan and Brijan’s portraits. There is also another angle from the opposite side where you can bring the house into the background. I always think it is worth moving around a location and looking at it from different directions rather than just using the obvious backdrop. Even on a grey, rainy day, the Royal Berkshire Hotel gives you plenty to work with.
Indoor Portrait Locations Around the Royal Berkshire Hotel
When the rain became heavier, we brought the group photographs inside and used the fireplace. This is something I always like to have in mind when photographing weddings in the UK. You don’t need perfect weather to get good group photographs, and having a beautiful indoor space means you have a really good alternative when standing outside in the rain isn’t an option. The fireplace worked particularly well because it gave the photographs a warm, classic feel and meant we could keep everyone comfortable and dry. It is also a good reminder that your wedding photographs don’t all have to happen outside. Sometimes an indoor photograph can have just as much atmosphere.
Couple portraits around the Royal Berkshire Hotel
The hotel itself also gave us some great options for couple portraits. There are lots of lovely areas around the Royal Berkshire Hotel, including the rooms and corridors, so we were able to create a mixture of photographs rather than having everything look like it was taken in one place. I really like doing this at weddings. Even if we only have a short amount of time for portraits, I’ll often move around rather than staying in one spot. It gives the gallery more variety and makes the photographs feel more connected to the venue. And because the weather was so changeable, having these indoor options meant we didn’t have to worry about losing all of our portrait time.
A brilliant evening of entertainment
The atmosphere really started to change as the day moved into the evening. During the meal, The London Function Band provided entertainment which had everyone getting up from their seats. I love it when a band does this because it changes the feel of the room completely. Instead of everyone sitting quietly through dinner, suddenly people are up, dancing and getting involved.
Then came the dancing. As Brijan is Albanian, there was Albanian dancing in the evening, which brought a completely different energy to the dance floor. It was brilliant to photograph because there was so much movement and interaction between everyone. Morgan and her dad also had a brilliant little surprise after the first dance. Rather than going for a traditional slow dance, they did a fun dance together which was such a great moment. It was one of those parts of the day where you could see everyone watching and waiting to see what they were going to do next. These are exactly the kind of moments I love photographing because you can’t really manufacture them. You just have to be ready.
Morgan’s evening party dress
Later in the evening, Morgan changed out of her wedding dress and into a party dress. This gave us an excuse to do a little flash photography session around the hotel. We used the corridors and the bridal suite to create something completely different from the softer photographs we had taken earlier in the day. I love doing these little evening sessions because the photographs can have a totally different feel.
The flash, the darker surroundings and Morgan’s party dress all made the photographs feel more fun and fashion-led. For me, these are the photographs that often become some of my favourites from a wedding because they don’t feel like the standard wedding photographs. They’re a little bit more relaxed and a little bit more playful.
Here's a few more of my favourite shots from the day.
Why I love photographing weddings at the Royal Berkshire Hotel
The Royal Berkshire Hotel is one of those venues where you can get a really varied wedding gallery without having to travel anywhere. You’ve got the grounds, the fountain and the house outside, but then you also have the fireplaces, rooms, corridors and other indoor spaces to use. And for me, that’s particularly valuable as a wedding photographer in the UK because we simply can’t rely on the weather. Morgan and Brijan’s wedding proved that perfectly. We had rain for much of the day, but it didn’t stop us from getting outside. We just waited for the lighter moments and used an umbrella. When it wasn’t possible to go outside, we embraced the hotel instead. I actually think that is one of the best things about photographing weddings at the Royal Berkshire Hotel. There are enough beautiful spaces that you can adapt the photography around whatever the day throws at you.
A Royal Berkshire Hotel wedding full of personality
What I loved most about Morgan and Brijan’s wedding wasn’t just the beautiful pink styling or the setting. It was how much personality there was throughout the day. From Morgan’s lace dress and their romantic portraits by the fountain, to the indoor group photographs by the fireplace, Albanian dancing, their brilliant evening entertainment and Morgan’s change into her party dress, there was always something happening. And that’s what I want wedding photography to do. I want it to show what the day actually felt like, rather than just give you a collection of nice photographs.
The Royal Berkshire Hotel gave us some beautiful photographs, but it was Morgan and Brijan and the people around them that made the photographs what they are.
If you’re planning a wedding at the Royal Berkshire Hotel in Ascot and are looking for a wedding photographer who knows how to make the most of the venue rain or shine, I’d love to hear about your plans , get in touch now.
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