Aubrey Park Hotel, St Albans | Wedding Photographer

Ella Grace

Oct 30

5 min read

Bride and groom twirl at a wedding reception, smiling beside glowing R&S letters and twinkling curtains at Aubrey Park Hotel in St Albans

Rhiannon and Shane's August wedding at Aubrey Park Hotel had everything I love in a wedding: a groom who cried twice before the vows, a bride grinning from ear to ear, and flower that smelt so good that guests couldn't stop mentioning it. I couldn't have scripted it better.

If you're searching for an Aubrey Park Hotel wedding photographer, this is the day I'd want you to see first, along with a few things I'd tell you about the venue if we were chatting over a coffee. This is also the wedding that earned me a place as a recommended wedding photographer at Aubrey Park Hotel, so holds a special place in my heart as a result!

Groom wipes away his tears, while his best man smiles, watching his reaction at Aubrey Park Hotel, St Albans

Shane cried the second he heard the recording of their children. It played just before Rhiannon walked down the aisle, and I don't think anyone in the room had a dry eye. (This is a trend that will never go out of style, by the way. The meaning behind it is far too good.) Then Rhiannon appeared, and he cried all over again. Shane was a wedding photographer's dream, and the photos were beautiful. Rhiannon, like all brides, was thrilled to be married. Walking back up the aisle as a married couple, she waved her bouquet in the air, grinning from ear to ear, she was positively glowing.

Behind all of that was a venue team who made my job easy. Aubrey Park's wedding coordinator, Aimee, was communicative from start to finish, worked alongside me on the day and kept me in the loop at every stage. That sounds like a small thing, but it's the difference between a photographer who's reacting to the day and one who's ready for what's next.

How Rhiannon & Shane Found Me

Rhiannon and Shane booked their engagement shoot and their wedding at the same time, which I love, because it meant there was no "are we a good fit?" pressure. They already knew they liked my work and wanted me as their photographer. The shoot was about three other things.

First, it gave them images to celebrate their engagement. Second, it got them comfortable with me and my camera, so by the wedding day I was a familiar face rather than a stranger with a lens. And third, it showed me which poses they loved most from their gallery, so I could recreate them on the day.

They chose a sunrise shoot at Great Linford Manor Park in Milton Keynes, and as they weren't local, they got up nice and early to come and see me. I love a sunrise shoot. Even at popular spots it's quiet, so there's nobody around to feel self-conscious in front of.

About Aubrey Park Hotel

Aubrey Park sits in Redbourn, just outside St Albans, in Hertfordshire. It's a hotel set in about nine acres of grounds, which means you have rooms on site for your guests, plenty of space, and gardens right there for your portraits. Practical, and a lovely setting to photograph.

The Oak Suite is the main wedding space, and the thing I'd highlight is that it's a separate building from the main hotel. That makes it quiet for your ceremony, and it's a private space, so there's no risk of a stranger wandering in halfway through your vows. The room seats around 150 for the wedding breakfast and up to 200 in the evening.

Your cocktail hour is hosted in the main hotel bar while the Oak Suite is turned around, which works nicely for the day's flow. And the hotel bar backs onto a really good spot for group photos.

Working Across the Venue

Bride and groom kiss beneath a white wrought-iron gazebo, holding a bouquet, surrounded by dense green foliage outdoors at Aubrey park Hotel, St Albans.

Most of my time at Aubrey Park is spent around the pagodas and the gardens next to them, and that's deliberate. The venue has woodland too, but I assume most brides don't want to walk far in heels, so I make the most of the pagoda space and the adjacent gardens. It keeps your couple photos quick and gets you back to your guests sooner. If you'd love woodland photos, just tell me and we'll plan it in.

With Rhiannon and Shane we used the pagodas, went for a walk, and did some twirls. If you've read my homepage you'll know the first thing I ask couples to do is walk. The gardens give you room to do exactly that, and nothing to dodge.

The group photos were quick. We did one whole group shot first, which meant I could send most of the guests inside to the drinks and keep only the people I needed: immediate family, and a few specific friend groups. (Almost every friend group has a name, whether that's "the work group", "the college girls" or something far more ridiculous that only you use. Tell me the names and it makes my job much easier.)

Bride and groom kiss at an indoor wedding altar, framed by tall pink and cream floral columns and beige drapes at Aubrey Park Hotel, St Albans

The Oak Suite hosted the ceremony, speeches, dinner and first dance. Everything except the cocktail hour happened in there, so I got to see the whole day play out in one room. Rhiannon and Shane's flowers were by Maples Flowers, and I genuinely haven't known a room smell of flowers like it. Not just look beautiful, but actually smell of them. I had no idea they'd be quite that fragrant, but I always carry antihistamines so I don't sneeze through a ceremony, so I was ready. Everyone was commenting on how lovely it was to be able to smell the flowers rather than just see them.

Looking for an Aubrey Park Hotel Wedding Photographer?

I'm based in Milton Keynes, but I travel across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and into Hertfordshire for weddings, and Aubrey Park is a lovely one to photograph. If you're planning a wedding at Aubrey Park Hotel and want a photographer who works naturally, keeps the day moving and will happily run to the other side of the grounds for the right shot, I'd love to hear from you.

You can see my wedding packages here, or tell me about your wedding and I'll let you know if I'm free on your date.

Aubrey Park Hotel Wedding Photography: Quick Answers

Are you a recommended supplier at Aubrey Park Hotel? Yes! I am now a recommended wedding photographer at Aubrey Park Hotel, I recently attended their wedding fayre and got to meet some of the other recommended suppliers as well and cannot wait to work with them all! Where is Aubrey Park Hotel?

It's in Redbourn, just outside St Albans in Hertfordshire.

Is the Oak Suite part of the main hotel?

No, it's a separate building, which keeps ceremonies quiet and private. Cocktail hour is hosted in the main hotel bar while the Oak Suite is turned around.

Can you have an outdoor wedding ceremony at Aubrey Park?

The venue lists its gardens as available for ceremonies and receptions. Check the current options with the venue's wedding team.

How many guests can Aubrey Park hold?

The Oak Suite seats around 150 for the wedding breakfast and up to 200 in the evening.

Where do you take portraits at Aubrey Park?

Mainly around the pagodas and the neighbouring gardens, which keeps the walking to a minimum and gets you back to your guests quickly. The venue also has woodland, so if you'd specifically like woodland photographs, tell me when you enquire and we can plan it into your timeline.

How do group photos work at Aubrey Park?

On Rhiannon and Shane's day we did one whole group shot first, then kept only the immediate family and specific friend groups behind, and sent everyone else inside. The hotel bar also backs onto a great spot for group photos, which makes the cocktail hour a natural time to fit them in.

Do you photograph weddings at Aubrey Park Hotel?

Yes. Rhiannon and Shane's wedding is the one featured here, and I'm happy to travel to St Albans and across Hertfordshire.

Do you offer engagement shoots as well as wedding photography?

Yes, and I recommend them. Rhiannon and Shane booked a sunrise engagement shoot alongside my Deluxe package.