Emma & Josh | Southwood Hall Autumn Wedding Photography

March 4, 2022 Dominic Whiten

When they contacted me, I jumped at the chance to photograph Emma & Josh’s Southwood Hall wedding. This gorgeous luxury barn wedding venue situated in the Norfolk countryside is a real favourite with Norfolk wedding photographers and I was looking forward to the opportunity to visit. Emma and Josh chose the perfect venue for their autumn wedding.

On the day I found Emma in the Cartwood Lodge guest accommodation, in the capable hands of Amanda Steed who she’d chosen for her hair and make-up. Also in attendance were Emma’s bridal party including six, yes six, very well-behaved flower girls who had the cutest outfits.

Emma looked amazing in a beautiful Wendy Makin gown from Suffolk bridal boutique, Lavender and Jude. With three-quarter length sleeves, a cowl back and an elegant a-line skirt, it gave Emma a great silhouette. The dress was teamed with a small veil and a pair of white, high-top Nike trainers, a detail that was so Emma! Josh looked smart in a blue check three-piece-suit with brown tie and brogue shoes. The perfect look for an autumn barn wedding.

Creative Southwood Hall wedding photographer

Emma and Josh’s wedding was full of wonderfully personal touches, like the bunting painstakingly made by Emma’s mum, the fantastically coordinated flower girl and page boy outfits (complete with wands and Vans) and personalised acrylic names provided for every guest as a keepsake. The arts and crafts styling of the wedding bought a perfect warmth to the venue, adding to the cosy atmosphere of the barn.

The wedding ceremony was held in Southwood Hall’s handsome Grade II listed, thatched Coronation Barn. The barn has lovely exposed brickwork and wooden beams and large ceiling to floor windows that flood the space with natural light. The wedding ceremony was filled with emotion, including readings given by both Emma and Josh’s mums. Following was a drinks reception and I took my chance to quickly whisk Emma and Josh away for a few portraits in the grounds of Southwood Hall.

Storytelling wedding photography at Southwood Hall

Heading back inside we joined Emma and Josh’s guests at their wedding breakfast. The Coronation Barn looked amazing dressed for the reception - special mention to the team at Fox & Fern for the beautiful flowers. Guests enjoyed a sumptuous meal from a bespoke menu created by Emma and Josh working with the talented in-house chefs at Southwood Hall.

As the evening celebrations started, I borrowed Emma and Josh for a few moments to capture a portrait image of them in a pretty backlit pergola in the garden. It was worth the effort as it created one of my favourite images of the day and makes a great finish to their album.

My final image was one I took on my way back to my car - a shot of Southwood Hall all lit up with Emma, Josh and their family and friends all partying inside. The perfect image to close the story of their gorgeous wedding day.

A very personal, family friendly wedding at a beautiful Norfolk wedding venue. Congratulations to Emma and Josh for getting married and creating such a wonderful day for yourselves and your family and friends to remember. I’ll leave the last words to Emma and Josh. Here’s what they had to say about working with me

“Thank you for being the best photographer ever! We couldn’t have asked for anyone better. You reassured us throughout the day and were such a calming influence. The photos are all absolutely amazing. We 100% without doubt would recommend you to anyone in need of a wedding photographer!”