- Location
- Surrey, United Kingdom
- Season
- Early summer
- Setting
- Village church & country house
- Highlights
- Hilltop golden hour
Maddy and Ben were married in the Surrey countryside on one of those early-summer English days when the hills go on forever and the light never quite seems to fade.
Surrey is less than an hour from London, but it feels like another world: the North Downs, flint-walled villages, country houses at the end of long gravel drives and churches older than most countries. It was a joy to photograph a wedding here — the landscape does half the work for you.
An English country morning
Preparations happened in an old house with tall sash windows that poured soft daylight across the room. Maddy’s dress hung in the window while her bridesmaids pinned buttonholes for the groomsmen — wildflowers, thistle and a little rosemary, all from a local grower. Ben, meanwhile, was taking a very calm walk around the garden, which apparently is how he deals with nerves.
Vows in the village
The ceremony was in the village church, with bells ringing as they walked out into a confetti tunnel of family and friends. From there, everyone strolled across the fields to the reception — a short walk that turned into one of our favourite parts of the day, guests chatting in little groups, kids racing ahead through the long grass.
English summer evenings are long. Sunset was after nine, which meant golden hour arrived right as the speeches finished.
Up on the hill
Late in the evening we walked up the hill behind the venue. The whole valley was glowing and the two of them just stood there for a while, taking it in. We barely said a word — we didn’t need to. Then back down for the first dance, a ceilidh band and a very competitive round of the Gay Gordons.
Thinking about a wedding in Surrey or the UK?
- Use the long evenings. In June, sunset in southern England is around 9:20pm. Leave room in the timeline for a golden-hour walk after dinner.
- Plan for showers. English weather changes quickly. Umbrellas in neutral colours look great in photos — and the light after rain is often the best of the day.
- Church timings matter. Many village churches have set ceremony slots and rules about photography during the service. Ask early and share them with your photographer.
- Travelling from the US? Allow time for the UK legal requirements, or hold the legal ceremony at home and celebrate in England. We can help you plan either way — see destination weddings.
Maddy and Ben — thank you for having us. Wherever in the world your wedding is happening, we would love to hear from you.
