Are you looking for a South Farm Wedding Photographer who knows and loves the venue?
One of the best things about being a South Farm Wedding Photographer is finding new and exciting photo opportunities every time I attend a wedding there.
South Farm comes very high up on the list of my favourite venues to shoot at . I realised very early on in my Photography career, that there was something unique and special about this rustic venue in the wonderfully named village of Shingay-Cum-Wendy.
I was fortunate enough to work at South Farm for one of my first full wedding shoots back in 2017 – I was instantly spellbound. I instinctively sensed there was something that set it apart from other wedding venues I’d shot. From a photographer’s perspective, I was captivated by the way there light fell at different times throughout the day, as well as the beautiful mix of textures and the pastel colours of the buildings contrasting with the greenery of the surrounding gardens.
It was during my first bride and groom portrait session, as I looked through my camera’s viewfinder, composing the couple in the frame, as they embraced in front of South Farm’s iconic farmhouse, that I felt that I was now actually a real wedding photographer!
I’d seen so many pictures on blogs, features and social media posts that it almost felt as though South Farm was a famous institution (in our industry it very much is).
A SELECTION OF WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN AT SOUTH FARM BY AWARD WINNER DAMIEN VICKERS
Below is a short gallery from weddings I have photographed at South Farm. These images are some of my favourite ever captured as a photographer. Please take a look though and if you are getting married in the area then please get in touch.
My style of photography is to combine natural, elegant and timeless imagery. For the vast majority of the day, I’ll simply leave you to enjoy everything as it unfolds naturally, while I document it all with creative, skilfully composed, candid photos. I typically take some time out to take both couple and group photographs that are unique to you and your guests, but you can be absolutely assured, these photo sessions are each no longer than 15-20 minutes max, I want ensure that couples and their guests enjoy the celebrations entirely, without constant interruptions from the photographer.
If you would like to see a recent wedding, then you can see Nicki and Jake’s photography at south farm here:
Are you getting married and looking for a SOUTH FARM wedding photographer? I would love to be considered!
I offer NO travel costs for weddings at South Farm or anywhere in the UK
Couple review from a South Farm Wedding in August 2025
“Damien was just so easy to work with. We are terrible at taking photos and tend to look incredibly awkward in any that do exist! We had a pre-wedding shoot, which despite my nerves as we tread the cobbled Cambridge streets in the ‘golden hour’, was a great experience.
It meant that on the day, we’d already built a rapport with Damien and it was one less thing to worry about. I don’t know how he managed to be everywhere on the day!
One of the best things about getting our photos back was seeing all the moments we’d missed, being the centre of attention. He had captured so many wonderful candid shots of our friends and loved ones. He was both easy-going and relaxed with us, but also assertive and clear when getting the group shots. His experience shone through as we asked many questions in the run up to the day – all of which he answered with care and provided options or recommendations. “
South Farm is such a special venue
If you’re looking for a rustic wedding venue that has it all then look no further than South Farm.
It is a picture perfect, multi-award winning venue, including winner of the 2023 Wedding Industry Awards for the UK’s Best Barn Wedding Venue.
Set in 20 acres of Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire countryside, South Farm pride’s itself on it’s eco-friendly credentials.
With its roots dating back to the 17th Century as a working farm it became a venue for weddings back in 2003.
Featuring a combination of elements that make up a fantastic venue, one of the standout factors is the professionalism and friendliness of the staff. The team run an incredibly tight ship at South Farm but the smoothness and efficiency of an event here is never at the expense of a warm smile, a friendly chat and a helping hand.
One of my favourite things about South Farm is how it combines rustic charm with super modern and stylish functionality. The venue’s superb catering and charming, elegant accommodation choices offer both newlyweds and their guests the opportunity to completely chill out and enjoy the beautiful Hertfordshire surroundings, all while knowing that the excellent team at South Farm have everything under their super professional control.
Here are a few of the reasons why South Farm is a great place to be a wedding photographer:-
Countryside Surroundings: The farm is surrounded by rolling countryside and beautiful gardens, which offer a variety of backdrops for photos. From lush greenery to pretty flower-filled areas, the outdoor spaces provide ample opportunity for natural, timeless shots and are a great place to capture stunning “golden hour” moments.
Versatile Locations: Whether seeking intimate, tranquil moments or a big group shot, the venue offers a wide range of settings. The greenhouse, orchard, lake, and gardens each provide a unique vibe, perfect as a photographer, to capture a variety of moods and settings throughout the day. For some of the key moments like confetti shots or a big group picture, the team at South Farm are always on hand to assist and ensure that everyone is where they need to be with minimum impact of the proceedings.
Natural Light: South Farm makes great use of natural light, which is perfect for creating soft, flattering photos. The abundance of windows, especially in the ceremony spaces, ensures that even indoor shots feel fresh and airy without the need for any intrusive flash, especially important during the ceremony and vows.
Privacy & Seclusion: South Farm offers a degree of privacy that allows couples to capture authentic, emotional moments without distractions from the outside world. My approach to wedding photography is to capture authentic moments in a documentary style, this privacy helps ensure everyone can truly relax on the day and be themselves. The seclusion of the venue also makes it feel like an exclusive, intimate experience, which translates well in photos.
Rustic Elegance: The combination of rustic charm with more elegant touches make the venue a favourite for couples wanting a balance of chilled and sophisticated in their photos. One of the reasons the venue is so popular with photographers is this juxtaposition. The mix of natural elements and stylish décor makes for visually striking and memorable frames and allow for a combination of candid moments and editorial style portraiture.
Professional Support: The staff at South Farm are experienced and often work with the best wedding photographers, ensuring everything runs smoothly on the day, which is crucial for getting the best shots and allows us to work continuously rather that co-ordinating the event. This means maximising the opportunity to capture all the important wedding day moments both big, and small.
Overall, it’s the perfect blend of nature, architecture, and atmosphere that makes South Farm such a great choice for wedding photography.
IF YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED AT SOUTH FARM AND LOOKING FOR A PHOTOGRAPHER – I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU CONTACT ME
FEATURES AND PHOTO LOCATIONS AT SOUTH FARM
Tucked away in the beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside, South Farm offers an idyllic and private setting for weddings. Guests enjoy exclusive use of the estate, creating a relaxed and informal atmosphere while experiencing top-tier dining. South Farm boasts a variety of unique spaces and accommodations, from comfortable bedrooms to a charming collection of Romany caravans and showman wagons. Camping is even an option for those who prefer it. Adding to the venue’s charm are the resident rare breed animals, including piglets, chickens, ducks, turkeys, and peacocks, who freely roam the grounds.
Ceremony and Reception Spaces:
* The Summer House: This unique, seven-sided oak-framed structure appears to float above the Lily Pond. Enhanced by lighting (somewhat rich for us photographers) and acoustics, it provides a truly magical setting for wedding ceremonies, with guests looking on from across the water, a really unique setting.
* The Farmhouse: Furnished in classic country house style with fine art, the farmhouse offers two options. The Drawing Room is licensed for smaller ceremonies of up to 35 guests and can also be used for arrival presentations or drinks receptions for up to 55. I describe how I set up a family portrait in this room later on in this post.
* The Old Dairy, a charming building ideal as a backup for garden weddings or for post-wedding breakfasts and coffee, can accommodate 100 guests for wedding ceremonies and is licensed for 150 in a party-style arrangement.
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* The Tudor Barn: Dating back to the 16th century, this grand space forms the heart of South Farm’s entertaining areas. It provides an impressive backdrop for wedding ceremonies, formal dining for 146 guests, and can host up to 200 for a party.
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* The Horse Barn: This beautifully converted space, once home to eight Shire horses, is now a highly flexible venue. It features a dedicated dance floor with a partially glazed, suspended floor and dramatic underlighting. The Horse Barn offers another stunning option for celebrations.
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY AT SOUTH FARM
South offers the photographer numerous opportunities to work with great golden hour lighting, the beautifully contrasting pastel shades of the house with the greenery of the gardens and the black cladding of the Tudor barn. At weddings, I typically shoot on 2 Nikon z6ii camera bodies paried with a 35mm and 85mm prime lenses. This camera setup not only allows me to move freely capturing natural moments throughout the day in a documentary style, but it’s also great for couple portraits on the move, I love the bokeh (the blurring effect) that comes with shooting with a large aperture of f1.4 or f1.8 on my 85mm lens for portraiture but I also like to work efficiently, shooting in bursts to capture my couples interacting together with walking or gentle hugs together – nothing forced or overly posed.
South Farm offers everything you would expect from a great venue. The light in the bride and groom prep rooms is great – bright but now overpowering, for more creative shots, the side light from the windows allows for low exposure shots where the light sculpts the subject in a technique similar to a classic Dutch painting.
The Summerhouse is well placed for wide shots to capture the whole scene but also provides access for the all important close ups of the ceremony.
If an indoor ceremony is the desired option then it’s not problem for me as a wedding photographer – The venue makes great use of natural light, which is perfect for creating soft, flattering photos. The abundance of windows, especially in the ceremony spaces, ensures that even indoor shots feel fresh and airy.
As a South Farm Wedding Photographer, It is however, exploring with the newlyweds for couple photos that really gives the greatest chance to get creative. Just a 15 minute stroll around the perimeter of the Farm provides several different backdrops including the courtyard area and the front of the house, a great place to fire off a burst of rapid fire shots, keeping my finger on the shutter as the couple walk and talk together while the picturesque surroundings of the farm fill the frame.
The fabulous gardens offer a couple of archways, a bridge and a view to the back of the house. The fields beyond are where the sun sets in the summer months and this is where those ethereal backlit portraits are captured.
At a recent wedding I had the opportunity to get creative with my camera in 2 very different areas of South Farm. The bride, Heather, was especially very drawn to the aesthetic appeal of the Drawing Room and loved the idea of some family portraits in front of the bookcase with the wedding guest posed in combinations of sitting and standing to create an editorial style family portrait look. To achieve the kind of image we were hoping for, I assembled 2 light stands using photographer’s shoot through white light umbrellas, with off camera flash, the flashguns were attached to the stands and fired using a remote trigger attached to my Nikon camera. This created a lovely soft and diffused light across the room to ensure all the subjects were evenly lit. From the screen on the rear of my mirrorless camera, I could check the composition of my subjects within the frame.
I ensured that, with the bride and groom seated together on the sofa in the middle, I was able to position the other family members around them in combinations of sitting and standing with the standing guests facing slightly in toward each other to create a visually interesting composition with balance and imaginary triangles between the heads of different sections of the group.
One of the other popular locations for wedding photos at South Farm is the entrance driveway. The long gravel drive leads up toward the farmhouse from Fen Road. Symmetrically placed trees adorn each side of the driveway which provides photographers with a perfectly balanced backdrop for capturing couple portraits with symmetry. The trees here are all wrapped individually with fairy lights which not only add to the aesthetic appeal but help light the way far cars arriving at, and leaving the venue.
At Heather and Latir’s winter wedding at South Farm we wanted to create something special that meant even through the sun had set in the afternoon, we could still get out after the wedding breakfast and get a special “nighttime portrait”.
There was some light rain but rather than being deterred, I explained to the couple that this could really enhance the look and add some drama to the image I had in ming and more importantly it would only take one minute to get the shot.
While the guests were enjoying the wedding breakfast, I went out to the driveway and set up a light stand with a Godox V1 Flash and a Magmod moodier and grid attached. The grid would stop the light “spilling” away from where I wanted it. I positioned the light stand in the middle of the driveway and we were good to go.
With the couple ready, I gave the simple instruction for them to get close together facing each other ensuring that the flash a lights stand we behind them. With the bride and groom positioned between me and the flash, I could see that using my 85mm lens to frame the couple from waist height the flash would not be showing in the frame but that I would get the effect I needed. The backlight from the rear flash created a dramatic rim light that not only illuminated the subject from behind but also captures and lights up the tops of rain. I checked the shot in the screen on the rear of my camera and could see that it was what I had hoped for. I then recomposed with the 35mm lens on my other camera body and grabbed another couple of frames, this time incorporating the fairy lights on the trees on either side of the drive.
In summary, South Farm is quite simply one of my favourite 3 venues to work at. Bering a South Farm Wedding Photographer is always a joy for me, it’s also very local, I’m based in Cambridge and my Dad actually lives in Royston just a couple of miles away from South Farm.
If you’d like to see more of my work at other venues please visit my portfolio page or perhaps you’re looking for a wedding venue in Cambridgeshire – you can also see more about some of the other venues I love in my post 10 Wedding Venues in Cambridgeshire You Will Love
