Pembroke Lodge Wedding Photography by Liam Smith. “We are looking for a venue with the best views around, surrounded by parkland, with wild deer running around. We also love Georgian Mansions and! We love Wisteria draped all over the front of the building, you know, in that quintessentially English cottage garden kind of way”. Oh snap, I’ve got the perfect place…
Hello again, folks! It’s Liam Smith, coming at you with another chapter from my life as a wedding photographer. Today, we’re exploring the captivating beauty of Pembroke Lodge as a wedding venue, and what it’s like to be a Pembroke Lodge wedding photographer.
Wedding Photography at Pembroke Lodge
Nestled within the Royal Richmond Park in London, Pembroke Lodge is nothing short of enchanting. As a wedding photographer, I’ve been privileged to capture the love stories of countless couples at this historic Georgian mansion. And let me tell you, the charm of this place never ceases to amaze me.
With its stunning architecture, beautifully landscaped gardens, and breath-taking views of the Thames Valley to the west, Pembroke Lodge provides an exquisite backdrop for wedding photography. There’s a certain elegance and tranquillity to this place that I love.
Right, less rambling, here’s some things that are worth you knowing.
The sun stays on the courtyard (is it a courtyard?) all day and when it sets the entire building is bathed in the most romantic orange glow. Not only that but it means you have a huge window of opportunity for couple portraits, either take some during the cocktail hour, or wait until in-between courses and head out during sunset. What does that look like Liam, you paint such glorious pictures with words but sometimes we need images! Ok, ok, calm down, I’ve got a picture here look:
Apparently it’s the Thames Valley and Surrey you’re looking out on, I’m no Geographer so i’ll take their word for that one.
Pembroke Lodge is the only licensed venue within Richmond Park don’t you know, so if you want to get married in your park, this is your only option. They have been running events, parties and weddings for over fifty years, so you’re in safe hands.
Where’s the ceremony held?
Good question. You can of course get married somewhere else and have Pembroke Lodge as your reception venue, or, you have the choice of two lovely suites to stage your celebrations. Your choices are the Russel suite and the Belvedere suite. Belvedere being an excellent name for your first born…daughter, twist! Or maybe a very regal dog, like an Irish wolfhound. Although I’d probably call it Hank.
Pembroke Lodge Wedding Photography
Here’s something they will never tell you in the brochure. The floor to ceiling windows that allow access into the ceremony and wedding breakfast room open from the bottom. Why is this important? Because, when your friends get drunk, someone will crawl underneath it, and that’s really funny.
Wedding photography is all about capturing moments, real moments, not staging or interfering. It’s the difference between photographs of you that you recognise and simply running through a pose sheet, I want to capture you, who you are as individuals. Everyone loves differently, some people are really affectionate, others are much more reserved, putting you in poses that are uncomfortable for you will just end up looking exactly that – uncomfortable. You do you, and I’ll photograph that, because that’s real and real is awesome.
Pembroke Lodge – Richmond Wedding Venue
What else is rad about Richmond Park? There’s genuine incentive for your guests to arrive early to walk around the grounds and see the Deer. Having access to an abundance of green space and wildlife so close to central is pretty cool. If you live in the city and want to pay homage to the city in which you live, but also don’t want a city wedding, Pembroke Lodge is definitely worth a visit. Country home vibes but stones throw from town.
HEADS UP: The front of the house looks amazing when the Wisteria is in bloom. BUT it only typically blooms once per year in late spring, May/June time. It’s really easy to forget that because when you see it, it looks incredible, and then you may think ‘hey, let’s get married in August’, but by then, the purple flowers will have gone. Yes I have one in my own garden, I love gardening these days.
ANOTHER HEADS UP: last time I was at Pembroke Lodge, they had a sound limiter. What’s that you say? It’s a device equipped with a microphone the monitors the sound levels, if it gets too loud, then it shuts off the electricity. I’m guessing this is to do with environmental health laws, the surrounding area which is residential, and maybe disturbance of wildlife. If you are wanting to rave it up, this may impose on your disco plans.
Getting Married at Pembroke Lodge, in Richmond Park? Let’s get a brew, the milky bars are on me.
Want to see more of my wedding photography in surrey? Check out my wedding photography at Kew Gardens
