Milton Keynes gets a bad wrap, there’s no escaping it. “where did you grow up Liam?”, “Milton Keynes”, “oh yeah, with all the roundabouts”…It’s 2018, it’s time we do better. Admittedly I moved away for a while, but Milton Keynes has much more to offer than roundabouts and concrete cows. More importantly, it has plenty of locations for you to plan a beautiful wedding, and given the laws are about to change, you may even soon be able to get married in the endless amounts of woodland that surround it.
So what makes this place so great? Well, it’s thirty minutes away on the train from Euston, it’s wonderfully laid out and easy to navigate and is also serviced by the M1. Any direction you’re coming from, Milton Keynes is pretty easy to get to. A huge variety of locations to choose from, from old ruins of Bradwell, to open farmland on the outskirts and plenty of lakes in between, MK is great I promise.
Milton Keynes is incredibly green. Despite the bad rep it gets for being on the dull side due to it’s INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT LAYOUT, it doesn’t (in my eyes at least) get enough props for how much green space there is. Because of this, there are plenty of parks and lakes to adventure in to find the ideal spot for couple photography.
Keep Liam Smith in mind to hire as a wedding photographer in Milton Keynes!
Willen Lake
A local hotspot on a bright and sunny day, be aware that the jetty area near the shops will be rammed with ice cream lovers and wake boarding crews, but don’t be put off, just beyond the main entrance are plenty of hidden locations to take amazing portraits. Pack a change of shoes, flats are best advised as you’ll need to walk a few hundred metres to get to the coolest spots. I make no secret that my heart skips a beat when I know that there’s Willow trees close by, they are magnificent beasts that can aid one in creating amazing photographs. They filter light and create an amazing emerald backdrop. When it’s overcast, they create a difference in light that allows you to achieve a similar effect to when it’s bright and sunny, they are lifesavers.
Further into the ground of the lake is a man made forest. Being man made means that it’s planted in perfect rows. Because of this you can play around with the geometry and leading lines available in the space. I’ve not found anyone willing to venture in that far to date, hit me up if you fancy an adventure.
Bonus Willen Lake
There is a GoApe style climbing rig also located at Willen. For those not afraid of heights this could be an amazing inclusion for a day of engagement shooting. Start off with high adrenaline fun and finish off with a stroll around the lake looking for cool spots, i’m game if you are!
Other notable but very similar locations to Willen:
- Teardrop Lake
- Lodge Lake
- Campbell Park
Woburn sculpture gallery
Woburn Abbey
Rich in history, expansive gardens and a bronze tortoise, what’s not to love?
Stowe Temple of concord and victory
Fine, technically on the edge of Milton Keynes but it has an MK postcode and is only about twenty minutes drive away. Stowe is a photographers dream. Open spaces, intimate spots, bridges, rivers, lakes, architecture and even cool spots sheltered from the rain. Stowe genuinely has it all.
Grand Union Canal
The canal runs right through Milton Keynes and there are plenty of docking areas in equally very cool locations. My idea? Hire a boat for the day and theme the shoot around that. Great opportunity for lols trying to steer a barge. Intimate spaces inside the cabin with portholes letting in just enough light. Lots of pubs along the way to stop at for a drink or to have a walk and find even more cool locations in the surrounding forests.
Stony Stratford Nature Reserve
Many Milton Keynes locals are not even aware of this places’ existence. Just north of Wolverton, not far from newport pagnell lies a stretch of nature reserve connected to the river Ouse. The area itself is absolutely massive and covers considerable acreage. Being a nature reserve, a lot of it is floodplains and generally boring areas reserved, funnily enough, for wildlife. But! On an autumnal or winters morning the mist rising from the ground as the sun rises is a sight to behold. It would mean getting up to shoot at around seven or eight AM, but we’re doing this for the pictures and the best light is always first thing in the morning, or last thing in the evening.
Milton Keynes gets a bad rap, but it’s full of greenery, and if you know where to look, there are some beautiful locations for pre, post or wedding day shoots.
Flaxbourne Gardens
Milton keynes has ruins you say? Rubbish! Well I kid you not, Flaxbourne gardens is a hidden gem on the edge of Milton Keynes, certainly worth a look if you’re in line for an alternative sort of wedding venue
A genuine mansion on the outskirts of town, wysteria in the summer drapes all over the courtyard entrance and offers a stunning backdrop for your couple and group photographs