Cheslyn House and Gardens in Watford, Hertfordshire, is the perfect intimate wedding venue for couples looking to tie the knot in nature.


Nestled in a back road opposite the Cassiobury estate, Cheslyn House and Gardens feels like a secret that the people in the know definitely keep to themselves and I am going to tell you why they feel the need to gatekeep it.


I am a wedding photographer on a mission to make wedding planning less overwhelming by showing you useful pictures and videos of venues in Hertfordshire and beyond. Because when I was planning my wedding (as an incredibly visual person) I just wanted to see photos to truly understand things and despite copious Googling, a lot of the time, the info I need was just not there. Feel free to drop me a line at any point with any questions you might have, I’m here to help!


Now about Cheslyn House and Gardens: 


Firstly, Cheslyn feels truly loved. The gardens have been nurtured and curated by lovers of flowers and fauna and, for the botanically interested, the gardens are a mecca of glorious swathes of flowers from cottage garden style, exotics and a full woodland. As you wander down each pathway it leads to more and more outdoor rooms, each with an entirely different personality, and can have you lost in the calm and quiet of it all. It truly is quite difficult to believe that this venue is just over a mile away from the hustle and bustle of the Watford shopping centre!

The magic of Cheslyn is the ‘surrounded by nature’ feeling. In every outdoor room, lawn and pathway, the planting is designed to give you one big natural hug and although there are spacious feeling parts of the outdoor rooms, it’s the discovery of a secret gate or path that leads on to another beautiful space that really gives Cheslyn it’s magic.

Now if you’re planning a huge knees up with all the bells and whistles then Cheslyn is not your wedding venue.


The ceremony room is a gorgeous, Tudor style room with a big bay window that lets glorious natural light flood the room and the gorgeous wooden floors give the space a luxe feel. But only a handful of your nearest and dearest would be able to witness your marriage as the beautiful little ceremony room seats a maximum of 20 people.


You can hire Cheslyn House and Gardens for a 1.5 hour wedding slot. Ceremonies are available Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at the following times: 10.30am, midday, 1.30pm, 3pm and 4.30pm.

Something to bear in mind is that it is not exclusive hire and the gardens are open to the public. But a great benefit of this is you can go and see the outdoor space for yourself without an appointment, it’s perfect for a dog walk, a ramble with your nan or take the kids and a thermos of coffee and get a feel for the space yourself!

A bright ceremony room with rows of Chiavari chairs and a large bay window overlooking a garden.
Elegant bay window dining area with hardwood floors, wooden chairs, and a white tablecloth in natural sunlight.
Stone pathway leading to a brick house entrance with lush garden borders and black metal handrails.
Pink and white flowering plants bloom along a garden path with lush green foliage in the background.
A winding garden path lined with lush yellow and green foliage leads to a brick house on a sunny day.
Close-up of a purple Allium flower head with spiky star-shaped blooms against a blurred garden background.
A warm sunbeam falls across a white tablecloth beside an elegant floral arrangement of white roses in natural light.
Brick wall and garden path leading to red brick houses through lush green foliage.
A charming red brick house with bay windows and lush garden landscaping features a curved glass conservatory entrance.
White roses in a silver vase displayed on a white tablecloth with Chiavari chairs in the background.
A curved garden path meanders through lush greenery and flowering plants in a peaceful botanical setting.

So how would a wedding ceremony at Cheslyn work?


Arrival:


Your time slot starts half an hour before your ceremony, so your guests can arrive, take a wander around the lawn and enjoy the seasonal flowers. You and your partner can arrive separately if you would like to, and the Watford registrars can facilitate separate interviews so you can have your big first look down the aisle! Alternatively for a more informal affair we could do a first look together in the gardens before your ceremony. (Ask me more about first looks!)


Ceremony:


This would be a civil ceremony usually around 30 minutes, you can have readings, poems, songs and personalised vows to really customise it to be perfect for you.


Confetti:


Unfortunately all confetti is not permitted, however bubbles are a wonderful alternative (I would recommend those little bubble machines to really get the bubbles going and these go down very well with younger guests!) and can look truly beautiful for those celebratory pictures. You also won’t spend ages picking confetti out of your hair so that’s a big win too!


Group photos:


The lawn outside the house is the perfect place for group pictures, there are lots of spots to take them in, dependent on how sunny it decides to be, and you don’t have to walk far to get there which is perfect for any mobility issues. We don’t need Nana vaulting over a flower bed any time soon!


Portraits:


Now this is where Cheslyn really shines. There are infinite outdoor garden rooms depending on what your preferred vibe is from rose garden, to the pond, through the bamboo or to the woodland. There are so many intimate spaces to take truly private and exciting portraits of you just after you get married.


Now let’s party:


Once you’re officially hitched the world is your oyster to go and celebrate! Often smaller weddings opt for a gorgeous restaurant, pub or even a garden party to really make those wedding day memories. (The Grove has multiple glorious restaurants and can make for a perfect post-nuptial meal!)

Elegant bay window room with wooden chairs arranged in rows and herringbone hardwood flooring.
A winding stone pathway through a lush English cottage garden with colorful flowers and diverse foliage.
Yellow wildflowers with a bee collecting pollen bloom against a blurred green garden background.
Scenic view of a lush green garden lawn with blooming flower bushes and mature trees under a partly cloudy summer sky.
A rustic brick house with tall evergreen trees and lush gardens surrounds the property on a sunny day.
Stone pathway curves alongside a tranquil garden pond bordered by verdant plants and trees.
Stone pathway leads through a lush garden with a decorative sundial and water feature in the foreground.
A winding dirt path curves through lush green foliage and overhanging tree branches in a garden setting.
Shaded garden path winding through tall bamboo groves in a peaceful garden setting.
Delicate blue and white wildflowers bloom together in a soft, dreamy garden setting.
Winding grass path through a cottage garden with vibrant yellow flowers and mixed perennial borders.
Garden art stands among colorful roses and greenery with a red brick house in the background.
A romantic garden path lined with pink roses and flowering shrubs leads through an enchanted green space.
A winding garden path surrounded by lush green plants and yellow flowers leads through a tranquil outdoor space.
Blue cornflowers sway in a gentle breeze against a blurred green garden background, creating a natural bokeh effect.
Rustic log stepping stones create a winding path through a lush green forest garden with overhanging tree branches.
A winding dirt path leads through a lush green garden with flowering plants and trees creating a natural tunnel effect.
A well-maintained garden landscape with green lawn, flowering beds and a red brick house surrounded by mature trees.
A winding garden path leads through lush greenery to a wooden archway surrounded by blooming flowers and tall trees.
A winding garden path lined with blooming pink and white hollyhock flowers surrounded by lush green foliage.

How to book Cheslyn House and Gardens:


For more information or to make a booking for Cheslyn House and Gardens, call the registrars on 0300 123 4045 or email watford.registrars@hertfordshire.gov.uk


Once you’ve got your venue secured:


That’s where I come in! I would love to capture your gorgeous micro wedding at Cheslyn House and Gardens. So once you’ve secured your date, drop me an enquiry and let’s save your date to get those dreamy wedding photos! I offer photo only or combined highlight video packages (just me, solo!) if you want to capture all of those memories static and moving too!


Happy wedding planning!

Elegant brick building with glass conservatory and manicured garden terrace featuring outdoor seating and landscaped grounds.