What if you have dreamed of that big countryside wedding all your life, but your crew are all born and bred Londoners that get the sweats when they can’t citymapper their closest tube? Enter Micklefield Hall.


It literally has everything that those huge country houses miles out into the English countryside have but within a 10 minute cab ride of the metropolitan line. I’m not kidding, you can literally see the Shard on the horizon behind the sweeping fields and vast green spaces. It really is a dreamy place to get hitched.


But let’s not jump too far ahead.


I’m a wedding photographer on a mission to find you your perfect wedding venue and I’m touring London, Hertfordshire and beyond to bring you the no holds barred write ups of some really exciting wedding venues (from a photography perspective of course).

The first thing that really makes Micklefield Hall stand out is that it is a family run venue.


Multiple generations of the family literally live on site and as you talk to them you can see that they genuinely care about making it the best that it can be. That’s particularly evident by the excitement around the new rose walk which is just starting to create the tunnel shape and grow around the framework that has been created. I can imagine that next season the smell of that perfume is going to be absolutely gorgeous in a spot already perfect for taking couple’s portraits or even setting up an intimate ceremony.


That was another thing that was exciting about what Tom and Annabel were saying as they showed me around; they don’t dictate to a couple when, where and how to do their ceremony. Planning a wedding at Micklefield hall is a collaboration and they are excited when a couple comes up with a new idea to make their day their own.


A curved stone pond with a small gazebo structure at one end sits in a tranquil garden setting.
A garden archway covered in blooming white flowers with purple flowers lining the stone pathway below.
Tall cypress trees and hedges line a garden path with purple flowers blooming along the border.
A peaceful garden path leads to a decorative fountain surrounded by lush hedges and a white bench under overhanging trees.
White metal garden gazebo surrounded by orange red hot poker flowers and hedges in a sunny English country garden.
Interior of a rustic barn or hall with exposed wooden beams and hardwood floors illuminated by warm lighting.
A peaceful garden courtyard with a stone fountain surrounded by tall trees and blooming purple lavender flowers.
Four blue wooden doors set in red brick walls with climbing vines and plants growing on rustic building exterior.
A panoramic view of a grassy meadow with wildflowers under puffy white clouds in a bright blue summer sky.

I find the best way to truly understand a wedding venue when reading about it online is to walk through the day. So let me describe it to you: 


Prep:


There is a full on getting ready room at Micklefield featuring properly lit mirrors, multiple hairdressing stations, a full kitchen and shower room with access from 8am on the morning of your wedding. (Trust me, that is not available at all venues). It’s spacious, it’s bright and it’s perfect for multiple people getting into full glam.


For your partner (or you!) there is a relaxed loft space in the great barn to put those finishing touches on or plenty of outdoor space to enjoy a relaxed drink and greet your guests.


Guest Arrival:


Picture this: Vintage London buses running shuttles to and from the station as your family and friends arrive on your wedding day. The bus pulls up down the long and elegant drive way and stops to let your guests off, through a barn archway and straight onto an Italian style terrace before being escorted to the ceremony area. Vibe right?


In fact, I was treated to Micklefield Hall on a rather glorious summer day in June and it was giving full on Italian vibes. From the hedges separating each outdoor room and creating romantic little nooks, to the upright trees that line the rose walk, to the gorgeous statues forming divine focal points, if Italy was what you were going for without having to faff about with a plane, then Micklefield Hall is your venue.


The ceremony:


There are so many options. Let’s start with the showstopper:


The Temple. Sitting on the edge of a pond is an experience that only a handful of venues in the country can give you. There is nothing quite like getting married by the water. Your friends and family sit either side and look up at your ceremony with tears in their eyes as they sit out in the open air to enjoy your special moment. It is also one spectacular aisle as you emerge through the flowers at the top of the staircase. What a moment to remember forever. This set up can host up to 200 guests.


But that is not the only place you can say ‘I do’. From the lawns, to the Rose Walk, there are wet weather options too. The great barn can give you a truly cosy, slightly Tudor feel to your ceremony, or the brand new orangery is a modern, conservatory style space that can host a smaller ceremony or still give a light and summery feel to a soggy drinks reception. A huge upgrade from the marquee that sat there a couple of seasons ago. It’s going to be game changing for weddings at Micklefield and it truly adds to the luxury and elegance of the venue.

Modern building exterior with glass doors, brick accents, and concrete steps leading to a raised patio area under blue sky.
Modern attic room with bar seating, mint green furniture, and hardwood floors in a minimalist design.
A serene garden pathway framed by flowering arches with white blossoms and purple flowers along the stone walkway.
Rows of vibrant purple lavender flowers bloom along a stone pathway in a lush garden setting.
Traditional barn-style country house with manicured topiary gardens and lawn under a bright blue summer sky.
Red brick building exterior with white columns and lush green foliage surrounding the entrance.
Metal garden archway covered in climbing plants with purple flowers blooming along a stone pathway in a sunny garden.
Wooden cafe tables and chairs scattered on a grassy lawn overlooking scenic countryside views on a sunny summer day.
Stylish loft space featuring bar stools, green sofa, and wooden flooring under skylight windows.
A tranquil curved pond surrounded by trees and greenery in a peaceful garden setting on a sunny day.
White water lily flower with yellow center blooming among green lily pads in dark pond water.
Large empty dance studio with brick fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows, and wooden coat stands.
A stone-lined garden path leads through lush greenery and flowering plants to a distant viewpoint.
Vibrant orange Red Hot Poker flowers (Kniphofia) bloom among green foliage under a blue summer sky with soft clouds.
Stone pathway leading through a natural garden archway with trees and shrubs framing the view.
A stone paved outdoor patio terrace with white metal garden furniture and hedges in a sunny garden setting.
Metal gazebo structures stand in a garden with orange torch-like flowers blooming in the foreground.
Modern cream-colored house exterior with glass doors, gravel pathway and vibrant purple flowering garden border.
Four arched openings in a brick wall with wooden doors leading to a grassy area on a sunny day.
Covered walkway of dark gray building with stone foundation and pink flowers blooming in foreground.

Drinks reception:


Again the team at Micklefield Hall are so flexible and also have some great add ons to really inject some personality into your post ceremony celebrations! From bubbly bars, pimms, spritz and whisky stations the team really have thought about how to make your wedding planning as stress free as possible. You can bring in music to suit your vibe, sip your favourite tipple, greet your guests and get those group photos sorted during this time with so many options for your family photos.


Portraits:


Typically I would take you for your portraits just before you get called in for dinner in order to make sure you have some time to actually enjoy your day. Because Micklefield Hall feels so vast but is all incredibly compact and walkable there are so many locations to take epic photos that you don’t have to jump on a golf buggy and spend time travelling for! In front of the main house gives you grand, regal portraits, amongst the flowers or down the rose walk gives you softer and more romantic pictures, or head back to the pond for a truly Italian feel. You’ll see from the photos on this post the different secret garden rooms and gorgeous frames you can just imagine yourselves in.


Dinner:


A sit down meal in the Great Barn is the best way to have your wedding breakfast and it certainly kicks off your nuptials in style! There’s plenty of space, and a double height ceiling makes the room feel even grander. It’s also a great space to have your speeches, any performances or special surprises on your wedding day! It is worth noting that there isn’t a lot of natural light in the Great Barn (give me a second to jump on my photography high horse for a second!). It gives your meal a really lovely, candlelit, romantic feel which is great for eating! You may need to prepare for flashes from the photographer during your speeches, or having a really warm, candlelit feel to your photos. This can work really well especially for those huge hugs afterwards! Alternatively you could consider having your speeches on the terrace outside! Who says they need to be after dinner?


Party:


Now this is where the Great Barn is a vibe. There’s a nice big dancefloor, fairy lights from floor to ceiling and a whole stage perfect for live music. The bar has a glass wall so you can nab your drinks and still see the party and the space comes alive as you party the night away. The music switches off at 11.30pm and there is optional accommodation on site too!


Things to note:


Micklefield only offers the venue out on exclusive hire so you have all the outdoor spaces and rooms to yourselves making your wedding truly feel like an intimate affair no matter how many guests you invite.


So what’s the vibe at Micklefield Hall?


It’s a venue that really cares about each couple that book to get married there. From treating guests to a food and wine tasting to knowing each couple by name and helping to craft their day for them, Micklefield Hall feels like a beautiful and very special venue that is difficult to believe is quite so close to the city.


It’s perfect for your day if you want plenty of varied outdoor spaces that doesn’t feel too big or intimidating. You can get married next to water, have a wet weather back up and have multiple options at every stage of your day. It really is the perfect UK wedding venue. (And it has a very Italian vibe, which I think is always a good thing).


The photos and videos give you a flavour of Micklefield Hall but if this reads as the kind of place you are looking for then get in touch with the team at info@micklefieldhall.com and book in for a tour. It really is worth looking and seeing if you fall as head over heels in love with it as I did!


Then, once you’ve nailed down your date and booked Micklefield Hall for your wedding you’ll have to start thinking about a photographer/videographer. Luckily I know a really good one… Check out this video I made for Bobbie and Charlie at their Micklefield Hall wedding!


Fill out my contact form with your date and your venue and I can send you over my brochure with my photo and video packages!


Good luck with your wedding planning!

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