There is something incredibly special about a spring wedding at Stanlake Park. The vineyard begins to wake up, the days become lighter and the surrounding Berkshire countryside creates such a beautiful setting for a relaxed wedding celebration.

Alice and Dan married at Stanlake Park on 21st March, surrounded by their closest family and friends. Their day was full of warmth, laughter and thoughtful family moments, with a relaxed drinks reception in the courtyard, photographs among the vines and a lively evening celebration in the Coach Barn.

As a Stanlake Park wedding photographer, it is always a pleasure to return to this beautiful venue. Every part of the day can take place within its characterful surroundings, giving couples plenty of time to enjoy their wedding without feeling as though they are constantly moving from one location to another.

A Spring Wedding at Stanlake Park

Located near Twyford in Berkshire, Stanlake Park is a wonderful choice for couples looking for a wedding venue that feels both elegant and relaxed.
The vineyard is, of course, one of its most distinctive features. It provides a beautiful and instantly recognisable backdrop for wedding photographs, while the courtyard offers a welcoming space for drinks, confetti and time with guests.
The venue also changes beautifully throughout the day. The spaces that feel intimate and romantic during the ceremony become filled with energy and celebration later in the evening. For Alice and Dan, the venue allowed their day to flow naturally from the ceremony into the courtyard drinks reception, before everyone moved into the Coach Barn for the wedding breakfast, speeches and evening celebrations.

A Relaxed Ceremony Surrounded by Family

Alice and Dan’s ceremony began at 1pm, with their guests gathered together ready to watch them become husband and wife.
Their wedding party included Alice’s sister Kirsty, maid of honour Sophie, flower girl Darcy, best man Harry and groomsmen Elliott, Elliott and George.
Family was clearly an important part of their day. Alice and Dan made time for photographs with their parents, siblings and grandparents, alongside relaxed pictures with the full bridal party and groomsmen.
These photographs may feel formal in the moment, but they often become some of the most treasured images from a wedding day. They bring together the people who have played such an important part in the couple’s lives and create a lasting record of everyone being together.

Confetti in the Courtyard

After the ceremony, Alice and Dan headed into the loft for a few quiet moments together before joining their guests for the drinks reception.
Confetti in the Stanlake Park courtyard was the perfect way to begin the celebrations. The courtyard works brilliantly for this moment because guests can gather closely around the couple, creating plenty of colour, movement and joyful expressions.
Confetti photographs are always wonderfully unpredictable. There is usually a mixture of huge smiles, closed eyes, laughter and a surprising amount of confetti finding its way into hair and clothing!
Once the confetti had settled, we photographed the whole wedding party together before moving into the family groups.

Wedding Portraits in the Stanlake Park Vineyard

The vineyard and courtyard were Alice and Dan’s favourite locations for their wedding portraits, and it is easy to understand why.
Couple photographs do not need to take a large amount of time or pull you away from your guests for hours. A short walk around the venue gives you a chance to take a breath, spend a little time together and enjoy the fact that you have just got married.
Stanlake Park offers plenty of variety within a relatively small area. The vineyard creates a beautiful sense of space, while the courtyard and venue buildings provide texture, character and sheltered alternatives.
We planned Alice and Dan’s main portrait session while their guests were being called through for dinner. This is a particularly useful time for photographs because guests are already moving between parts of the venue, meaning the couple does not feel as though they are missing the drinks reception.
With sunset expected shortly after 6pm, there was also an opportunity to keep an eye on the changing evening light and step outside again if the conditions were right.

Speeches, Dinner and Celebrations in the Coach Barn

The wedding party moved into the Coach Barn for the wedding breakfast, with speeches from Alice’s father, Dan and best man Harry.
Speeches are always one of our favourite parts of a wedding to photograph. They bring together so many different emotions: anticipation, laughter, pride, embarrassment and often a few tears.

While the person speaking naturally becomes part of the story, some of the best photographs are often the reactions around the room. Parents exchange glances, friends laugh at familiar stories and the couple experience the moment together.
As photographers, we work quietly around the room so that we can capture both the speech and the people responding to it. These connections are what make every wedding completely unique. The venue may provide the backdrop, but it is the relationships, reactions and little interactions between people that tell the real story of the day.

Evening Celebrations at Stanlake Park

As evening guests arrived, the atmosphere moved from the relaxed wedding breakfast into the party.
Alice and Dan cut their wedding cake before taking to the dance floor for their first dance, with Sphere Entertainments providing the evening entertainment.

The Coach Barn works beautifully for evening celebrations. After hosting the wedding breakfast earlier in the day, it becomes a warm and lively space for dancing, music and catching up with friends.

The first dance is often one of the last structured moments of the wedding day. Once the music starts and guests join the couple on the dance floor, the evening naturally becomes much more spontaneous.

These are the photographs filled with movement, laughter and personality: exactly the kind of moments that bring the full wedding gallery to life.

Why We Love Photographing Weddings at Stanlake Park

Stanlake Park is a venue that gives couples variety without making the day feel complicated.

Some of our favourite features include:
• The vineyard, which creates an unmistakable setting for relaxed couple portraits.
• The courtyard, which is ideal for drinks receptions, confetti and group photographs.
• The Coach Barn, which moves seamlessly from the wedding breakfast into the evening celebrations.
• The range of photography locations within a short walk, allowing couples to spend more time with their guests.
• The relaxed countryside atmosphere, despite being conveniently located near Reading and Twyford.

It is particularly lovely for couples who want character, natural surroundings and a wedding day that can flow easily from one part of the celebration to the next.

Tips for Planning Your Stanlake Park Wedding

Allow time for vineyard portraits
You do not need a long portrait session, but it is worth setting aside approximately 15 to 20 minutes for photographs around the vineyard and courtyard. This gives you variety without taking you away from your guests for too long.

Plan your confetti moment
The courtyard is a brilliant space for confetti. Ask your wedding party or toastmaster to help distribute the confetti and organise guests before you walk through.

Consider the evening light
The vineyard can look particularly beautiful later in the day. Depending on the season and weather, it may be worth stepping outside for another five minutes around sunset.

Keep group photographs focused
Alice and Dan chose the family combinations that mattered most to them. Preparing a list before the day means these photographs can be completed efficiently, allowing everyone to return to the drinks reception.

Alice and Dan’s Wedding Suppliers

Alice and Dan worked with a wonderful group of suppliers to bring their Stanlake Park wedding together:

Venue: Stanlake Park 


Wedding coordination and catering: Lauren and the Fingers & Forks team

Toastmaster: Tony Gilbert

Hair: By Viki

Makeup: LRC Hair

Florist: Serenlilly

Wedding cake: Celebration Cakes by Catherine Scott

Evening entertainment: Sphere Entertainments

Stationery: Harper Rose

Nails: Gels by Goda

Planning a Wedding at Stanlake Park?

Alice and Dan’s wedding was a wonderful example of everything that makes Stanlake Park so special: beautiful surroundings, a relaxed flow to the day and plenty of opportunities to spend meaningful time with family and friends.

We’re Stephanie and Steve from Summers Photography, a husband-and-wife photography team capturing relaxed, colourful and joy-filled weddings across Berkshire, Hampshire and the South East.

If you are planning your own celebration and looking for a Stanlake Park wedding photographer who will capture the genuine moments, family connections and atmosphere of your day, we would love to hear about your plans.

Get in touch through our website or email info@summers-photography.co.uk to check availability for your wedding date. Visit more of our blogs here https://berkshireweddingphotographers.co.uk/blog/ and send a contact form with your wedding details here https://berkshireweddingphotographers.co.uk/contact