The above is my favourite photograph of Wollaton Hall taken by myself.

Wollaton Hall and Deer Park is a spectacular Elizabethan mansion and park set in the heart of Nottingham. Wollaton Hall was built between 1580 and 1588 for Sir Francis Willoughby and is believed to be designed by the Elizabethan architect Robert Smythson. It was built with the intention of impressing Queen Elizabeth I (which didn’t work as she never visited Nottingham). It is a truly stunning venue and Wollaton Hall Weddings can arrange a civil ceremony or civil partnership, you could even use the Hall as a reception venue. The staff at the Hall are amazing people who show a heartfelt love for this iconic Nottingham landmark.

Most Nottingham people hold this place very close to their heart and it gave me great pleasure when I was selected as one of Wollaton Halls preferred Nottingham wedding photographers. I have been given prime position in their brand new glossy wedding brochure. To mark this occasion I was allowed all access to the Hall with my camera and a small team of creatives to shoot an editorial bridal session. I grabbed this with both hands as I had complete access to rooms that I and many other Nottingham people have never seen before.

Wayne Manor and Batman

In 2011 the Hall was featured as the latest Wayne Manor in the Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises. Scenes were filmed both inside and outside Wollaton Hall which looked amazing in the final film. The Hall asked if I could produce a Batman-inspired wedding image for use in the brochure. This was quite a challenge for me as I had an image of Delboy and Rodney running away from the hall. I did my best to put these images to one side and thought that the best link for me would be some bats. So the image below was born.

We really stopped the traffic in Wollaton Hall at times and even had some visitors joining in the photography fun.

Below is one of the rooms used for Batman: The Dark Knight Rises, where it is covered in sheets. The only thing they changed in the room was the fireplace as Warner Brothers brought in there own.

It’s such a brilliant opportunity for any bride and groom to get some amazing photographs on their special day at Wollaton Hall, just check out the shot taken on the roof below.

I’m really looking forward to working closely with Wollaton Hall weddings.  I’m sure I will be photographing some fantastic weddings at one of Nottingham’s premier wedding venues. The shoot was a fantastic opportunity and experience, one I would love to repeat sometime soon.

A big thank-you to everybody involved.

Bridal Wear Design: http://www.roserobinsonbridal.co.uk

Wedding Cake Company: Star Bakery

Photography by me 🙂 Read more here

& of course, I wouldn’t want to forget the lovely models involved Chloe, Abi and Danielle.

…and most of all, I really need to thank all the staff at Wollaton Hall for making this such a special day for everyone involved.