The Haybarn, Herefordshire, Wedding Photographer

Some wedding venues impress you the moment you see them, while others slowly reveal themselves as the day unfolds – and somehow, The Haybarn, Herefordshire manages to do both!

As the name suggests, The Haybarn is largely a barn setting, with a wonderfully rustic and warm feeling to it, and is ideal for a smaller or medium sized wedding. It’s set lower than the hedgerow-flanked road you take to reach it, so as I turned my car onto the top of the drive, I was greeted by the sight of open green spaces and beautiful red-brick buildings. The venue is hidden in the landscape, but it just sort of… appears in front of you, and it’s quite a powerful first impression!

As I continued down the drive past the orchards, I stopped next to The Haybarn’s semi-outdoor wedding space, The Cartshed, which is where Anna and Alex would be holding their ceremony today. Attached to The Haybarn itself is the wedding accommodation (although they also offer glamping options, which they took advantage of the night before!) which is where they were both getting ready. Alex came out to greet me, and took me upstairs to see his wife-to-be.

Traditionally, couples will avoid seeing each other before the wedding like the plague, but not this pair! Anna and Alex are one of the most chilled-out and loveliest couples I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, and they wanted a relaxed and stress-free wedding very much on their terms, surrounded by their closest family and friends.

For their entire preparation coverage, besides myself and the happy couple, there was Anna’s hair and make-up artist, Naomi… and that was it! It was so refreshingly relaxed, with plenty of time for me to get shots of both of them along with some of the finer details of their morning – and it wasn’t long before we were all ready for the main event.

The Cartshed is a wonderful ceremony space – it’s a rustic red-brick structure, but is fully open on two sides – so you get loads of light, but you’re not fully at the mercy of the elements… which was a blessing today! Overall the weather was beautiful, but a few light showers did break through the sunshine (we even got treated to a rainbow at one point!). Each one was very brief though, and it certainly didn’t dampen the spirits of anyone at the wedding. After their ceremony, it was time for some family shots, before I took Anna and Alex for a little wander to get some couple’s portraits.

Remember when I said at the beginning that some venues reveal themselves as the day unfolds? Well, this is where the Haybarn comes out to play too! There are so many opportunities here for portraits, from the Orchards and the river, to the open fields and the hillsides. One thing that I was immediately drawn to however, was the farmhouse. While not technically part of the wedding venue as such (it’s lived in by the family that own The Haybarn I believe, but don’t quote me on that…), it’s a gorgeous building that makes a beautiful backdrop.

With the first round of portraits done (including paying a visit to Blossom and Albert, the resident donkeys!), it was time to go into the Haybarn itself for food and speeches. The use and flow of space is something that this venue does very well, and this was no exception. It has a rustic yet warm and cosy feeling, but somehow feels bigger than it is, and was perfect for today’s intimate wedding of just over thirty people. Afterwards it was time to cut the cake, then I took Anna & Alex back outside briefly to take advantage of the sun being lower in the sky, and the gorgeous lighting that comes with it!

To follow the theme of the day, the evening was easy-going, with everyone just hanging out, enjoying each other’s company, and sitting around the firepit. It wasn’t long before my time with them was due to end… but there were a couple of shots that I really wanted to get for them, so I stayed later until it was just dark enough to capture the photographs I had in mind – and I bloody love them!

If you’ve read this far – well done! I had such a great time capturing this wedding. Anna and Alex were so easy to be around, and are both genuinely such lovely people, as were all of their family and friends. The Haybarn is a beautiful family run wedding venue,with a great team of friendly and helpful people at the helm to make your day run perfectly. It is ideally suited for couples looking for an intimate venue oozing with warmth and rustic charm, combined with open spaces for you to just wander around and enjoy the scenery, and I can’t wait to go back!