South Farm in Royston, Hertfordshire is the perfect venue for... that 'home away from home' feeling!


The second you step foot into South Farm you feel your whole body relax. It’s like finally making it to your hotel after you’ve negotiated a busy M25 on the Friday evening of a bank holiday. There is some sort of magic energy here that just soothes you and feels a bit like a special bubble tucked away from real life.


I’m a wedding photographer and I’m on a mission to show you some of the best venues in the UK but crucially I want to help you work out if this venue is perfect for you. Because your wedding is not the same as someone else’s. When I was looking for my own wedding venue I was always frantically googling looking for useful pictures and genuine reviews that weren’t venue sponsored, so I’ve compiled that for you here. And you get the unique perspective of a wedding photographer that will probably go on about how dreamy natural light is one too many times.


So let’s jump into South Farm and find out the good, the bad and the ugly (spoiler alert - there’s no bad and no ugly. Sorry to disappoint).


Firstly, shout out to all the staff at South Farm (particularly Hayley). I was welcomed with open arms to this glorious venue that feels like a working farm (because it is one) but without all the mud and the bad smells. This place has been landscaped and nurtured by a team of talented and devoted gardeners and you really can tell. The variety of flora and fauna, perfectly curated beds, multiple ponds, a literally babbling brook, a meadow and a fully functional kitchen garden, South Farm is worth a visit just to go and enjoy the nature. (As an RHS member and a huge anthophile - someone who loves flowers - I had an epic morning exploring and checking out all the different garden rooms that South Farm offers).


But my biggest takeaway from South Farm was two things:


One: The team are on a sustainability mission.


  • The team run a kitchen garden and grow food from seed to supply their chefs with garden fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs for you to eat on your wedding day. You literally don’t get food fresher than that.
  • South Farm provide you with their own homegrown confetti which they grow, harvest and dry petals for your big day.
  • Their large and well designed gardens are havens for local wildlife.
  • The vintage milk floats that the team use for servicing have been modified to be electric and non polluting.
  • There are electric vehicle charging points in the car park (which, trust me, for a venue on the outskirts of town is a rarity!)


Two: You feel like a member of the family the second you step through the iconic blue door.


It’s impossible to go to South Farm and not feel nurtured, supported and included. The excitement about working at such a magical place is palpable among everyone there and their hospitality is second to none. I visited just to see the space, was taken on a big tour of the ground and then left to sit in the sunshine on the terrace with a cup of coffee and a brownie in the most delightful china set! It’s as if I was an old friend visiting and I had known Hayley for years!


And you got that all over the venue. From the gardeners to the barmen, to the owner. They were all truly remarkable and friendly people.


Also something else to know is that South Barn is always exclusive hire, so you’ll have the space to yourself always. It really does make a difference to the relaxed feel of a wedding.

Now let’s get down to the details of the individual spaces. I like to chat this through in chronological order of your wedding day so you can really get a feel for it.


Arrival:


Iconic. Blue. Door. No I will never get over the front of the main house at South Barn. It’s literally the wedding venue equivalent of the cottage from the movie ‘The Holiday’ but whilst also giving Wes Anderson. The artistic possibilities are endless.


Prep:


At South Barn they have the Coach House Suite split over two floors with two lounge type chill out zones, a getting ready zone, a kitchenette and a seperate space to sleep. It’s spacious, has got plenty of spaces to do hair and make up but my favourite part of this space is the peekaboo window on the top floor of the room. Not only is it floor to ceiling and fills the space with dreamy natural light, it allows you to sneak a cheeky look at your guests arriving on the terrace and gives you a view of the gardens. So much fun!


There are also multiple other rooms on sight including some super fun Romany Wagons if you have lots of guests wanting to stay the night!


Ceremony:


Now South Farm actually have 5 different spaces you can have your ceremony and what is great is that if you opt for an outdoor option, they will have a reserve indoor space saved for in case you forget to bury a sausage and the weather doesn’t play ball. My favourite spaces are the lawn near the lake. Think gorgeous English cottage garden vibes on a beautiful sunny day. But also the indoor, wisteria covered, Old Dairy, which is a charming naturally lit room with wonderful skylights set into tudor beams which is a feat of architectural genius. It gives both a barn and a conservatory feel at once!

For your smaller, more intimate weddings, in the main house there also is the drawing room which gives off a perfect artistic & bookish vibe. If you have ever dreamt of getting married in a library you have found your perfect location!

Outdoor patio seating area with wrought iron furniture against a historic cottage covered in climbing vines.
A charming yellow country house with a landscaped garden patio and outdoor dining furniture on a sunny day.
Dramatic shadows cast geometric patterns across terracotta floor tiles in sunlight.
Sunlit garden room with wooden beams features a comfortable white cushioned seating area and glass coffee table.
Rustic interior space with exposed wooden beams, terracotta flooring, and potted palm plants near wooden furniture.
Hanging purple wisteria blooms drape elegantly over a wooden pergola in a sunlit garden path.
Rustic wooden barns with wagon wheels leaning against dark weathered walls on a gravel courtyard under blue sky.
Country manor house with yellow exterior and gravel driveway framed by golden autumn leaves in foreground.
Built-in cream cabinetry with wood countertop and framed artwork display in cozy dining room interior.
Cozy attic living room with gray sofa, modern coffee tables, and floral wallpaper accent wall in neutral tones.
A cozy attic bedroom with a blue bed, floral wallpaper, exposed wooden beams, and sunlight streaming through a window.
Luxurious marble bathroom with soaking tub, gold walls, framed artwork and hotel amenities displayed on tub ledge.
Cozy living room interior with gray sofas, decorative pillows, and polka dot wallpaper lit by ambient lamp lighting.

Drinks reception:


That terrace lives in my head rent free. It is an absolute suntrap just waiting for bubbles to be consumed. But the wet weather spaces are just as dreamy. Can you imagine the cinematic glory of rain streaming down the windows whilst you’re all cosy inside with your favourite people? South Farm just has good options and that is something about a wedding venue that cannot be underestimated. (Side note: I once shot a wedding that had no wet weather contingency and the wedding ended up going ahead 3 hours later once every guest had drank all the beer and performed a rain dance to stop the raindrops falling thick and fast out the sky. Trust me, you need that back up inside space and you need it to be a dreamy one).


Group shots:


I think I can safely say there are no bad angles of South Farm. Well I couldn’t find any, any way… If you want a watery background, or the gorgeous blue doors or a woodland vibe - they are all options. And you don’t even have to make Nana walk that far. For a venue that feels like it has so many different zones, it doesn’t sprawl for miles. Everything is right there for you within reach and not a 40 mile hike away.


Portraits:


I mean you could go wild at South Farm with photos. There is a glorious circular walk that takes you from the babbling brook, through the wildflower meadow, to a woodland dell and into the symmetrical kitchen garden. You’ve also got the house, the wagons and the driveway as good options too including the traditionally decorated drawing room. Literally spoilt for choice. I can envision cool, editorial portraits with a fun artistic edge or just the natural, candid shots of you enjoying the glorious space. With all the charm of South Farm it’s just impossible not to get wonderfully personal portraits of you both. But one of the most exciting parts is in every section of the garden, there are frames, doorways and hedges with literal windows providing some of the most exciting framing to your photographs. (That’s just a fancy way of saying South Farm is a photographers playground).


Food:


So I’ve already told you about their farm to table food situation (which is a dream) and they include catering in their packages so if getting lots of individual vendors involved is stressing you out then that’s all sorted for you (win!). But the food is served in the Tudor barn which is a fairy light clad, grade II listed barn that has so much glorious history. It has a dreamy candlelit vibe the one thing to note is there isn’t tonnes of natural light so be prepared for cameras to flash during speeches. (Hot take: who says speeches need to be after dinner? Want naturally lit, candid, ninja style documentary photography where no one notices the camera? Do your speeches on the terrace during your drinks reception. Everyone standing around the speaker can make for dreamy photos).


Party:


Now this is a really cool feature that I have never seen before. Literal. Disco. Room. Right on the side of the Tudor Barn is the horse barn with a suspended glass floor, a disco ball, all the party lights and a whole unique VIBE. Honestly, it’s like a little rave room that holds one hell of a party. Get a DJ or a band involved and live your best wedding life. Just look at the pictures!

A small rocky stream flows through lush green vegetation and garden plants on a sunny day.
A wooden walkway through a dark tunnel opens to a sunlit garden path beyond.
Delicate white Queen Anne's Lace wildflowers bloom among green stems in a sunlit summer meadow.
A rustic wooden gazebo sits beside a tranquil pond surrounded by lush green gardens and weeping willow trees.
A winding garden path bordered by lush green shrubs and ornamental grasses leads through a peaceful landscape.
A rustic metal garden arbor leads to a wooden bench through a lush green pathway with blooming flowers and trees.
A curved grassy path winds through a garden with green hedges and trees on a sunny summer day.
A tranquil pond with lily pads surrounded by willows and lush greenery on a sunny day.
A green garden archway formed by meticulously trimmed hedges creates a natural tunnel leading to a sunlit path.
An arched garden entrance framed by green foliage reveals a sunny patio with outdoor furniture.
A grassy garden path winds between flowering trees and bushes under a bright blue spring sky.
Sunlit woodland path through green trees with tall grass and wildflowers in a tranquil summer forest.
A vibrant red and white ruffled tulip flower in full bloom against a blurred garden background.
Outdoor patio garden with red roses, umbrellas, and seating arrangements against a bright blue summer sky.
White allium flowers bloom against a dark blurred background in a garden setting.
Sun illuminates rows of young plants growing in a garden plot with rich dark soil.
Elegant garden path lined with lush greenery, terracotta planters and colorful flowers on a sunny day.
Elegant barn wedding venue with draped fabric ceiling, wooden beams, and round tables set for reception.
Elegant wedding reception venue with white draped ceiling, wooden beams, and tables set for dinner.
Interior view of a rustic timber-framed room with wooden beams and a geometric patterned floor.

So the main stuff to know:


South Farm is big on sustainability, you can have a fully eco wedding and the team are dedicated to this mission. It’s a really lovely approach to what can be a really wasteful industry.

The team treat you like a family member from the first day they meet you, they walk you through everything step by step and help you curate your own unique wedding - your way - with a series of pick n’ mix options to give you the perfect celebration. It’s less overwhelming and headache free.


You have exclusive hire regardless of your choice of ceremony/drinks/eating space and so you can have that relaxed feel for you and all your guests.


There are so many spaces to get great photos, the gardens are worth a visit regardless of whether you are scoping it out for a wedding or not and please can I live here?


What’s the vibe?


Intimate and homely, South Farm is like getting married at a home away from home. It’s perfect for a unique and exciting wedding whether that’s a large ceremony or something super small, either way this venue just feels right if you want that typically english, cottage feel with friendly looking barns and not huge intimidating or ‘grand’ spaces. It feels elegant and elevated but also somewhere that doesn’t make you feel the need to pretend to be someone that you are not.


Lastly, there are literal piglets on the farm. I’m not kidding. Real life baby animals. I cannot believe I almost forgot to mention that!


The photos and videos in this review are wonderful but it’s the vibe that you only get from a visit to South Farm that will let you truly decide if this is the perfect venue for you. I would recommend getting a tour and falling in love with the place.


Then, once you’ve nailed down your date and booked South Farm for your wedding, get in touch with me! The next thing on your list is photographer/videographer (oh hey!). I offer photo and video packages and I would love to shoot your big day at South Farm.


Enquire with me and I’ll make sure your date is free in my diary and send you over my brochure.


Happy wedding planning!

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