South Farm Wedding Photographer
Gareth Jones

One of my all-time favourite wedding venues is South Farm. 

Nestled in the small village of Shingay-cum-Wendy, South Farm stands proud amongst the surrounding rolling fields of the countryside.  Every time I have the pleasure of working at South Farm it brings back so many amazing memories.  Once I see that iconic blue door which leads to the Drawing Room I am taken back to all the wonderful couples I have photographed at South Farm.  The other reason that South Farm is so special for me, is that I too got married there.  Back In 2014 I married Lauren in the Old Dairy at South Farm and had the most amazing wedding day.  When I photographed my first wedding at South Farm after I had my own wedding there, it was quite a surreal occasion.  Being behind the camera rather than in front on a wedding day is what I prefer and I know that a lot of Brides and Grooms also feel the same.  Being photographed for a day is not something you do very often.  A wedding day of course has many elements and moments which help to distract and carry you through the day and this really helps.  South Farm has lots of little pockets of interest that help me as a photographer find the perfect backdrop to a wedding. 

You can read more of my backstory and how I got into photography here.

42 Wedding Photographs From
South Farm by Gareth Jones

I have put together this blog in order to show you some of my favourite wedding photography taken at a very special wedding venue.  If you want to see more of my wedding work, you can view my wedding portfolio for more wedding venues.

Bride and groom holding each other in front of large barn door at a farm wedding venue
Bride and Groom stood amongst orange dahlia flowers at South Farm wedding venue
Exterior of South Farm Wedding venue main building with blue window and door frames
Bride and groom walking along gravel driveway holding hands in the afternoon
Bride coming down stairs of bridal suite the morning of her wedding day wearing a long lace detailed wedding dress.
confetti being thrown over newly wed couple outside farm house
South Farm famous blue door in the summer with roses
two pigs with noses in food sniffing
broach being pinned onto brides lace wedding dress
mother of the bride overcome with emotion seeing the bride for the first time
bride and groom laughing at the farm animals at South Farm Hertfordshire
groom wearing tweed suite with button hole flower smiling widely
bride and groom holding hands walking in a summer meadow
bride holding dress up off gravel driveway at South Farm Hertfordshire
Bride and bridesmaids laughing in the bridal suite holding their bouquets
wedding guest sat on wall watching family having fun
back of bride wearing vintage lace dress at South Farm Hertfordshire
newly married couple stood in front of old red barn door cuddling and smiling with bouquet
Bride looking in the mirror at her wedding dress in bridal suite wearing veil
wedding veil in a bridal suite
Bride and groom holding hands on far side of lake at South Farm Hertfordshire
Bride putting wedding ring onto groom's finger in Tudor Barn at South Farm Hertfordshire
Wedding dress hanging up amongst greenery and summer colours at a farm wedding venue
exchanging of vows at South Farm Hertfordshire inside Summer House
Red roses growing up the wall of a farm building in the summer.
Rooster walking around South Farm wedding venue Hertfordshire
wedding guests sat on chairs outside waiting for ceremony to begin.
circular floral decorations in Tudor Barn wedding venue. Orange and white flowers.
Bride walking holding grooms hand through wedding venue gardens.
Table flowers at wedding venue
Outdoor wedding ceremony at South Farm inside the Summer House in the Summer.
bride and mother walking together having a moment of reflection after wedding ceremony.
bride emotionally walking down aisle with father holding bouquet.
First dance at Hertfordshire wedding venue underneath fairy lights.
The Sam Lewis Band drum kit
Man drinking pint of beer on dance floor at wedding party.
Bridesmaid dancing the night away at a wedding at South Farm
The Sam Lewis Band playing at South Farm with a Fender Telecaster

South Farm, The Perfect Wedding Venue

Why would I describe South Farm as the perfect wedding venue?  Because it has it all both in locations and photography spots as well as the relaxed nature of the staff and surrounding environment. 

Once I arrive at South Farm ready to photograph a wedding, the first thing I do is take a look around.  Whilst the team at South Farm is well-versed in putting on a wedding, each and every one is different.  So I like to walk around the various buildings to see what wedding elements my couple has put together.  The first place I will visit is the Tudor Barn as this is likely where the wedding breakfast and party will happen.  One of the first suppliers I usually meet is the florist.  Often setting up their amazing wedding flowers in the Tudor Barn ready for the wedding breakfast tables or even the wedding ceremony if you are having it indoors.  There are some amazingly talented wedding suppliers who too will have worked at South Farm in the past.  They will know how to get the most out of South Farm's rustic charm and what colours and styles go well with your wedding plans. 

Wedding Photography Around The Grounds Of South Farm

My next stop is to see the Bride and Groom getting ready and prepared for the wedding ceremony.

Sometimes this is the first time in a long time that I have seen the Bride. My clients often book me far in advance to make sure they get their wedding date, so it's always a nice moment to reconnect and try to settle some pre-wedding nerves. The bride in the Bridal Suite is situated really close to the rest of South Farm's buildings. This means you are never too far away from family and friends who are there to help you put together your wedding day.

I like to take the wedding dress and photograph it in a position that shows the rustic farm in the background. With the help of a bridesmaid, I will hang it from a rafter or branch and photograph all the intricate details. After all, you will have spent a long time deciding on your wedding dress and you want to look back in years to come and remember those small details.

Wedding guests arrive and get seated and the ceremony can begin. For me, my job in the wedding ceremony is to capture it as it happens without taking centre stage. I like to photograph wedding guests’ reactions and emotions as well as the defining moments from a place which means I am inconspicuous. Wedding ceremonies at South Farm, especially when outside are great as there is loads of room for me to roam and capture those perfect moments. Then we move on to the confetti, group photos and portrait sessions.

Bride wearing lace veil looking back into mirror the morning of the wedding
Four traditional gypsy caravans at wedding venue
bride inspecting her final look in the bridal suite
bride walking down the stairs of bridal suite looking out of the window
bride holding a bouquet wearing a lace veil and lace wedding dress with a small smile. Rows of green trees either side on a gravel driveway
bride walking around the grounds of South Farm looking for the groom
black and white portrait of bride on long gravel driveway with rows of trees

The Rustic And Characterful South Farm Wedding Venue

The driveway leading into South Farm is the perfect start for Bride and Groom portraits.  I want them to feel relaxed when I photograph them and so I keep my direction to a minimum. 

When you look back at your wedding photography at South Farm you want to remember it as a comfortable and relaxed moment so I won't be asking you to pose in a cheesy way or making hearts with your hands, don't worry.

The food they serve at South Farm is always brilliant.  The wedding breakfast is created from local produce often grown on the farm.  I think this is a lovely touch and perfect for those wedding couples who want to keep their wedding day a sustainable one. 

Where I can on a wedding day I like to have a second go at capturing the couple's portraits.  Going for a walk around the grounds of South Farm in the sunset golden hour means I can photograph two completely different but connected sets of portraits.

The grounds behind the Garden Bar and Summer House are lovely to amble through as a newlywed couple.  The long grass creates a natural backdrop for photographs in the golden glow of the countryside. 

After the wedding breakfast things move into the party stage (and my favourite).  The evening guests arrive ready to shower the bride and groom with emotion whilst the wedding band or DJ set up to get the party started.  South Farm is a great venue for any type of wedding entertainment.  One of my favourites is The Sam Lewis Band who always do a great job of getting guests up off their chairs.  Live music at a wedding party doesn't get much better.  Whatever the choice of entertainment, the drinks will be flowing and the wedding guests will be hitting the South Farm dance floor ready for me to photograph them with lights and movement.  I like to get in amongst the dance floor to capture the bride and groom throwing shapes and having the time of their lives.  The more people on the dance floor, the better the photography will be, especially when you look back at some of the dodgy dance moves in years to come.

All in all South Farm as a wedding venue is one of the best.  I know I am biased and love it as it was my own wedding venue but it just has it all.  Rustic surroundings paired with an expert and friendly team.

Are you booked in for a South Farm Wedding?  Are you looking to book a photographer who knows and loves your wedding venue?  Get in touch to see if your wedding date is available and let's talk about your wedding plans and see if we are a good fit.  

For more information on what’s included in my wedding photography package, see my pricing page.

Some of the amazing suppliers who feature in the wedding photographs above are

Sophie Rose Bridal
Lovely Wedding Locks
Make Up By Kayleigh
Feather and Ferns
The Sam Lewis Band
Jip’s Cakes