I can remember shooting two weddings here only a week apart and they couldn’t have been more different from one another. Almost like they were shot in different places, but with great proximity to Windermere and its own launch both had one thing in common, a boat cruise. Not every hotel in the Lake District has its own launch and often the jetties as some hotels are reserved for smaller boats. Boats the size of Miss Cumbria and Miss Lakeland can moor up here, so your guests can enjoy a Lake cruise as part of your wedding day. Photographing this is also a privilege and great experience.

The grounds are generous at the Cragwood and the land covered by them swoops out onto a peninsula, located on the eastern shore of Lake Windermere. Wedding photography here can be challenging due to the terrain, but rewarding at the same time. The boat house is amazing… Photographing in there is almost as amazing as outside at the lake shore and I even had the privilege of photographing a bride and groom in there prior to its refurbishment. Back then it was run down with exposed oak beams and very cool.

So what is there to look for when photographing at the Cragwood? Depending on the layout of the wedding, there are some amazing gardens with Northern views to the side of the house and some amazing slate pillars on the opposite side of the venue. A fountain is tucked away behind these which leads to a path where the outdoor ceremonies are held. All of these locations are great for photography and exploring the wider grounds can only add to what is always a really incredible portfolio.

When photographing in the Lake District I am always on the look out for something a bit different and the Cragwood seems to offer me this everytime I photograph there. The hotel has the flexibility to allow me to have the distance to capture guests unawares and the grounds to make dramatic and stunning portraits of brides and grooms, all within a moment of each other. It is an open space and an enclosed woodland all at the same time. Perfect for weddings… Perfect for photographers and an amazing location to boot.

Please enquire below if you are getting married at the Cragwood and I will get back to you asap with my availability.