Hazel Gap Barn Wedding Venue Nottingham Photography
Beautiful Hazel Gap Barn Wedding Photographs
Hazel Gap Barn Wedding Photography Mansfield
Stunning Nottingham Wedding Venue - Relaxed Photography
Hazel Gap is a beautiful traditional red brick barn located in the heart of Sherwood Forest (home of Robin Hood!) and sits surrounded by stunning countryside. It is one of my absolute favourite wedding venues to photograph at with so many original features tastefully modernised to provide a stunning ceremony barn, courtyard and wedding breakfast room.
I have put this page together to give you lots of information and photographs of Hazel Gap Barn as well as some of my thoughts on how to get stunning wedding pictures when I have photographed at this amazing location!
As an experienced Nottingham wedding photographer I get to photograph at many wonderful venues and Hazel Gap Barn is absolutely one of the very best, as soon as you see it from the road, its long drive way, perfect lawns and twin red brick towers just grab your attention.
All about Hazel Gap Barn
Hazel Gap Barn was originally a traditional old barn located in the heart of the Welbeck Estate and a farm house with a court yard in the centre. Most of the original buildings still remains as it was but has been beautifully restored by Cripps & Co and tastefully integrated with a new solid oak structure wedding breakfast room and bar area.
It’s worth mentioning at this point, from a wedding photographers perspective, both the new buildings are a dream come true… big floor to ceiling windows with natural light flooding in makes for beautiful wedding breakfast and speeches photographs.
Wedding Photography Ideas at Hazel Gap Barn
There are so many locations for beautiful wedding photography you really are spoilt for choice. The ceremony barn always looks absolutely incredible with it wall to ceiling candle lights. It such a romantic setting, the orange glow of candle light and the gorgeous big oak beams.
Stunning bridesmaids and best man wedding party photograph
During the ceremony the lighting in the barn can be very challenging for photographers. It’s important to choose a wedding photographer who is experienced and has the right equipment to deliver beautifully lit pictures of the most important part of your day.
Mother of the bride walking down the aisle at Hazel Gap Barn
Each end of the barn sits in almost darkness whilst the centre area is flooded with daylight from the two arched doors. As an experienced Nottingham wedding photographer I have the technical expertise and have invested in professional lighting equipment and low light cameras to ensure that you receive perfectly lit images as you say your vows and take your first kiss.
Emotional bridal party at Hazel Gap Barn
Getting Married at Hazel Gap Barn Nottingham
The lighting I use is discreet and flattering, my aim is for your family and friends to remain focussed on you… no one wants to have camera flashes in their face throughout the ceremony as it’s distracting and creates harsh unflattering images.
Just Married Hazel Gap Barn Wedding Photography
Stunning indoor barn Wedding Party Photography
The grounds of the barn are enormous, the front driveway, surrounding lawns, the rear garden with its lines of trees and right at the back some lovely woodland walks.
The lined tree area lights up at night and makes for gorgeous pictures what ever the weather!
Beautiful rain winter wedding photography at night Hazel Gap Barn
Whilst everyone is out in the courtyard catching up it lovely to spend five minutes grabbing some lovely couple portraits in the barn, it such a cosy romantic setting with the candle light backdrop and with my natural relaxed style the pictures really convey the connection between you both, no awkward posing just lots of laughs and gorgeous photographs.
Hazel Gap Barn Ceremony Room beautiful photography
Hazel Gap Barn Sparkler Photography on Wedding Day
First kiss at hazel Gap Barn
Raining in the courtyard bride and veil at Hazel Gap Barn
The epic front view of Hazel Gap Barn
The first thing you see as you pull off the road to Sherwood Forest and onto the long driveway of Hazel Gap Barn is the front face of the building, two gorgeous red brick barn towers with their original arches and a stunning courtyard in the centre. Its an amazing vista, flanked by woodland either side it makes for the perfect backdrop for epic wedding photographs day or night.
Mansfield Wedding Venue
Hazel Gap Barn Group Photo
Exploring the courtyard
When you get married at Hazel Gap you get the whole site for your private use and after your ceremony you can be announced into the courtyard for your friends and family to shower you both with confetti.
You can then relax, enjoy the food and catchup with all your guests. The whole team at Cripps & Co go out of their way to ensure everything goes perfectly, from your wedding co-ordinator to the bar staff and kitchen team nothing is ever too much trouble. The courtyard has lots of seating, the original farmhouse fountain, fire pits and a wood burning stove where your canapés and other food is prepared.
Its the perfect spot to relax and let the excitement of your wedding ceremony sink in.
Courtyard for Summer Wedding
Hazel Gap Barn Fire Pits burning
Food and drink at Hazel Gap Barn
The food at Hazel Gap, and I speak from experience haha, is incredible. All prepared on site and served piping hot… if you choose stone baked pizza’s they even fire up the log burning stove and hand craft them outdoors.
Canapés food and drink at Hazel Gap Barn
Even the canapés are five star, it’s so difficult when photographing everyone relaxing after the ceremony to not hide the cameras in a bush and pretend to be a guest to sneak a sausage or two!
What if it rains on my Hazel Gap Wedding Day!
If you hire a great wedding photographer for your Hazel Gap barn wedding then there’s absolutely no need to worry. If you are planning a late autumn or winter wedding the chances increase a little but a rainy windy wedding day becomes an opportunity to get out the weather sealed camera kit and create some truly beautiful and unique wedding photographs.
So, if you do pull back the curtains on your big day to find it’s throwing it down don’t stress!
The creative off camera flash comes out along with the strobes and an umbrella or two and between us we will create beautiful and dramatic ‘wow’ shots of the two of you both inside and outside of the venue.
I set up all the required lighting without you and then fire some test shots of myself (as per the Mary Poppins impersonation below!) to check everything looks as I hope. That way you are outdoors for as little time as possible, I just walk you into the shot, take it and then you can get back to the party!
Rain forecast on wedding day
Romantic relaxed photography on wedding day at Hazel Gap Barn
Hazel Gap Barn Night Time Photography
Importantly I also bring along lots of additional lighting for indoor group shots when the forecast looks wet.
The great thing about Hazel Gap is there are so many options indoors for gorgeous candid photographs and using my professional lighting setup its possible to take beautiful flattering indoor formal group photographs like the one below inside which was taken in almost complete darkness at 9pm!
First Dance and Party into the Night!
As the light fades away the big red brick barn transforms into an amazing dance hall with the candle lit walls and a disco ball or two for your first dance together followed by the evening party!
Kind Words
Mat photographed our wedding at Hazel Gap Barn and we have ended up with the most amazing photos that we are so happy with!
He captured every part of the day in a beautiful way and what really impressed us was his ability to capture really special natural shots without us even noticing that he was there!
We would not hesitate to recommend Mat to anyone else.
Thank you so much!
Mike & Abby
Finding your way to Gap Barn
Previous Hazel Gap Weddings
Alice & Daniel
Hazel Gap Wedding Gallery
Want to know more?
If you are looking for a relaxed, professional wedding photographer to capture your incredible Hazel Gap Barn wedding I would absolutely love to hear all about your plans.
You can find my full wedding gallery here with lots of examples of my work from recent real weddings
If you like what you see an want to know more, get in touch and we can catch up!
