Merrydale Manor Wedding Photography

I photographed the very first wedding at Merrydale Manor in 2017, the summer the venue opened, when nobody quite knew yet how the day would flow around the estate. Since then I’ve been back for more weddings, each one completely different, and I still look forward to that drive down the tree-lined avenue.

If you’ve booked Merrydale Manor, or you’re close to it, and you’d like a photographer who knows the venue but won’t spend your day telling you where to stand, you’re in the right place. I’m Thomas, a relaxed documentary wedding photographer based in Stockport, and my job is to capture your day as it happens, so you can get on with enjoying it.

Why couples choose Merrydale Manor

Most couples I’ve met at Merrydale were looking for the same thing: a manor house feel without it being stuffy or old-fashioned, and everything in one place. You get ready, say your vows, eat, dance and sleep on the same estate, with nobody else’s wedding in sight.

There’s also a bit of history under the modern finish. The bar in the Merrydale Suite was converted from the estate’s old polo stables, and you’ll spot the horse theme all around the grounds, from the artwork in the Makeup Room to the polo player statue by the gates. For one of my couples, a lifelong horse rider, that sealed the deal.

The Makeup Suite and Dressing Room

If you book the Manor House, one side usually gets ready here. The Makeup Suite has six hair and make-up stations and a lounge for the bridal party, and the dressing room has full-length mirrors and plenty of natural light, which makes life easy for everyone, including me. It’s worth knowing that both are only available if you take the Manor House.

The Makeup Room

Next to the Honeymoon Suite in the courtyard, the Makeup Room has four hair and make-up stations and opens from 11am. If you’re not booking the Manor House, this is where the morning happens. If you are, it’s a handy spot for touch-ups, as it stays open through the day and evening.

The Cave

While one side gets ready, the other usually heads to The Cave, a games room at the back of the car park with pool, table football, a TV, a vintage Space Invaders machine and a stocked drinks fridge. It’s open from 11am until the ceremony, and it tends to turn getting dressed into a tournament. I split my morning between the two, so both sides of the story get told.

Civil ceremonies at Merrydale Manor

The Ceremony Room has oak beams, limestone floors and big windows looking out towards the lake and fountain, with room for up to 200 guests. Your suppliers can get in from 9am to dress it, and I’ve seen it with a classic white aisle, with ceiling drapes and chandeliers, and with a mirrored aisle lined with candles and flowers. It changes character completely depending on what you bring to it.

Cheshire East registrars offer ceremonies at 12pm, 2pm and 4pm, and you book your slot with them directly. If the weather’s on your side, you can also say your vows outside.

Drinks reception and the Garden Bar

After the ceremony, the Garden Bar is ready for your first drink as a married couple, and guests spill out onto the lawns and terrace from there. If the weather turns, the bar in the Merrydale Suite is close by. Garden games on the lawn are always a hit, especially with the kids.

Wedding breakfast in the Merrydale Suite

The Merrydale Suite seats up to 200 for the meal and speeches. There’s a large feature chandelier above the top table and big windows onto the gardens and the lake. It’s a room that takes on the style of whoever’s dressing it, as these two weddings show.

Evening celebrations

Once the sun goes down, the coloured lighting comes on and the Suite turns into a party room for up to 220 guests. There’s a stage for your band, and the bar stays open until 12.30am, or later if a late licence is arranged.

How I photograph a Merrydale Manor wedding

I work in a relaxed, documentary way. Most of your day I’m in the background, catching the reactions, the laughs and the in-between moments you’ll only know about when you see the photos.

For your couple portraits, we’ll take a short break together, usually during the drinks reception, and wander the grounds for around 15 to 20 minutes. There’s no posing marathon, and I won’t send you to stand in front of a list of set backdrops. We’ll go where the light and the mood take us, which means your photos look like your day, not the last couple’s.

What if it rains at Merrydale Manor?

Merrydale copes well with rain, as everything is close together. At one of my weddings there, it poured all morning. By the time we went outside, the rain had left huge puddles across the paths, and some of my favourite portraits from that day are reflections of the couple in the water.

Merrydale Manor then and now

I photographed the opening wedding in 2017, and it’s been interesting to watch the venue grow since. The Merrydale Suite has kept its layout, with its chandeliers, clear chairs and arched windows, but the Ceremony Room has since had its windows replaced with much bigger ones, which brings far more natural light and views of the parkland into your vows. The core of the estate, with the long drive, the brick courtyard buildings and the lawns, feels the same as it did on that first day.

Tips from couples who got married at Merrydale Manor

• Book your registrar as soon as you have your date. Cheshire East offers 12pm, 2pm and 4pm ceremonies, and you book your slot with them directly, not through the venue.
• Slow down on the aisle. It’s 20 metres long, and one of my brides told me afterwards that her only regret was rushing down it. It’s worth taking in.
• Chase your suppliers in the final week. Don’t wait to be told the suits are ready. A quick call saves a lot of stress.
• Keep the group photo list short. Merrydale can host up to 200 guests, and a focused list keeps everyone at the drinks rather than waiting on the lawn. The venue’s toastmaster can help round people up.
• Think about sunset timing. In autumn and winter the light goes early, so if you’d like a few portraits outdoors, plan them for straight after the ceremony.

Get in touch

Full day wedding photography at Merrydale Manor from £1,500. If you have any questions or want to check your date, I’d love to hear from you.

Latest weddings at Merrydale Manor

Keep an eye on my blog for more real weddings at Merrydale Manor.

• 
  An Emerald Green Wedding at Merrydale Manor: Evie and Wayne
  Merrydale Manor is a venue I keep coming back to. I photographed the very first wedding there when it opened its doors, returned for Shamane and Brett’s Afro-Caribbean wedding, and last October I was back again for Evie and Wayne’s […]
• 
  Afro-Caribbean Wedding at Merrydale Manor
  I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to go back to Merrydale Manor for Shamane and Brett’s family-orientated and vibrant wedding. A few years ago, I was there to photograph the first wedding when the Merrydale Manor’s doors opened […]

Frequently asked questions about wedding photography at Merrydale Manor