Holme Pierrepont Hall Wedding Photography
On a bright September afternoon, Zoe and Phil’s guests had their drinks in the walled garden at Holme Pierrepont Hall, surrounded by flowers. Their dog was out on the lawn loving all the attention and delicious smells.
I’ve photographed two weddings here: Helen’s a few years back and Zoe and Phil’s more recently. It doesn’t seem to have changed a bit in between, and that’s a compliment. Here’s what I’d want to know if I were getting married there.
Real Holme Pierrepont Hall Weddings
“Dave absolutely blended in with the guests. You would not have known he was there. The sneaky peek photos we have received so far are outstanding. They capture amazing moments which I can’t remember him being there for! A hug, a joke, happy moments.”
Helen
Why I love Holme Pierrepont Hall Weddings so much
It’s a Tudor house just outside Nottingham, and it’s the gardens that make it. The walled courtyard garden is full of flowers, so a drinks reception there needs very little dressing. Your guests stand around in it and it looks like a wedding without anyone trying.
The East Garden is a proper lawn edged with beautifully kept hedges. It’s big enough for everyone to spread out, and it gives you a second place to be once the courtyard has done its job.
The hall only ever holds one wedding at a time, so all the reception rooms, the Courtyard Garden and the East Garden are yours for the day. You won’t pass another wedding party in the corridor.
It’s properly old, too. The hall is the oldest brick building in Nottinghamshire and it’s still lived in by descendants of the Pierreponts, so it’s run as a family business rather than a corporate venue. There’s a carved staircase dating from 1660 that I’m keen to use for couple photos next time, and the Medieval Lodgings still have their timber beams.
Essential information:
Where is Holme Pierrepont Hall?
Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham NG12 2LD, just east of the city.
How many guests can attend a wedding at Holme Pierrepont Hall?
The venue says up to 120 for the seated meal and up to 150 in the evening, with a marquee as an option if you want more. Worth confirming with them directly, as numbers like these tend to move.
Is catering included at Holme Pierrepont Hall?
Per the venue, all catering is by its in-house caterers, AR&Co, so you can’t bring your own. At Zoe and Phil’s wedding the speeches ran longer than planned and the caterers adjusted around them without any fuss. When a change to the seating plan affected the meals, their catering lead sorted it out with Zoe’s sister, and the couple never had to get involved. There’s a cash bar and/or table service, with the bar running until midnight under their standard terms.
Is there parking at Holme Pierrepont Hall?
The venue says there’s free parking in front of the house and outside St Edmund’s Church next door, and overnight parking with permission.
What accommodation is available at Holme Pierrepont Hall?
There are historic bedrooms you can use during the day to get ready in, or to stay overnight: the Victorian Bedroom with its four-poster, the Upper Lodgings bedrooms with their cusped beams, a couple of other rooms, and an Airbnb on the estate. Ask the hall what’s free for your date.
How much does a Holme Pierrepont Hall wedding cost?
Hire is a single fee that changes with the day of the week and the time of year, not with your guest numbers or the rooms you use, because every couple gets exclusive use of all the reception rooms plus the Courtyard and East Gardens. The hall sets its fees well in advance, so ask them for the figure for your date.
Ceremony options:
Holme Pierrepont Hall is licensed for ceremonies inside the house and outdoors. Zoe and Phil married in church in Nottingham and came here for the reception, which works just as well, so I haven’t photographed a ceremony at the hall myself yet.
Inside the house
The Long Gallery, the Ballroom and the Medieval Lodgings are all licensed. The venue gives the Long Gallery up to 120 guests, the Ballroom up to 50, and the Medieval Lodgings, in the oldest part of the house, up to 40. The Long Gallery is also where Zoe and Phil had their meal: around 75 feet long and 20 wide, with family portraits all along the walls.
The Archway and Courtyard Garden
Both are licensed for outdoor ceremonies, per the venue. The courtyard garden is the walled garden full of flowers where Zoe and Phil had their drinks, so if the weather’s kind it’s an easy one to picture.
Confetti
Zoe and Phil had their confetti outside the church, so I haven’t seen it done at the hall yet. Ask the venue what they allow and where they’d like it.
Suppliers from Zoe & Phil's Day
Catering – AR&Co (in-house) | Dress – wed2b
Suits – Moss Bros Hire | Band – Stylus
Ceremony and choir – St Mary’s in the Lace Market | See Zoe & Phil’s full wedding
Top tips from a Holme Pierrepont Hall photographer (aka me!)
– Drinks in the walled garden. It’s the obvious spot and the right one. With that many flowers around, guest photos from the drinks reception look lovely without anything being set up.
– Group photos out front on a sunny day. Bright sun is hard on faces. The big tree at the front of the house gives proper shade, and you still get the hall behind you. That’s where we went at Zoe and Phil’s wedding.
– Use the East Garden. The hedges give a clean, green backdrop, and there’s room for guests (and dogs) to spread out. You’re allowed to walk on the grass.
– Round tables or a top table. The Long Gallery is laid out with round tables for up to 120, with the option of a long top table if you’d rather have one. Worth deciding early, because it changes how the room feels.
Looking for a Holme Pierrepont Hall Wedding photographer?
If you’re getting married at Holme Pierrepont Hall, I’d love to hear about it. As a documentary wedding photographer I work without a shot list. I get in amongst the day from the moment I arrive and photograph it as it happens, so you can spend it with your people rather than posing for me. I photographed Helen’s wedding here a few years back, and Zoe and Phil’s more recently.
Have a look at what’s included and what it costs, or drop me a line and tell me about your day.
Still shortlisting?
I’ve written guides to Wollaton Hall and Rufford Mill as well, and there’s a round-up of wedding venues in and around Nottingham if you want the wider list. You can also see Zoe and Phil’s full wedding here.