West Horsley Place is a new wedding venue in Surrey and I am so happy I got a little sneak peek at it a couple of weeks ago. I attended a wedding networking event held at West Horsley Place. Granted, networking events are not my favourite way to spend an evening but a couple of friends were going and I couldn’t resist when I found out where it was. Weirdly, I spent a lot of my childhood around West Horsley Place which was formerly home to the Duchess of Roxburghe. My Dad rented one of the barns on the land and ran his recycling business from there. As kids we would love it when we could go to “The Barn” to visit my Dad at work. We’d try and feed the sheep in the fields and run around while my Dad tried to work and bug him until he let us sit in the fork lift truck.

Later on in my teen years we actually rented one of the farm houses off of The Duchess while my parents built an extension on their house. We were only there for about a year but that summer was amazing!! Having so much grounds to play around in was the best! We probably should of stuck to our little garden but when you’re a teenager and you’ve got a bike you’re gonna go exploring aren’t you!

After the Duchess passed away in 2014 West Horsely Place was left to Bamber Gascoigne. However being elderly himself and knowing that the house needed some maintenance the house went to The Mary Roxburghe Trust. The charity is now responsible for taking care of West Horsley Place and keeping up with restoration work. So far the venue has been host to a film, a tv show, a few weddings and operas. It’s such a beautiful venue and area that it’s totally perfect for a new Surrey wedding venue.

The thing that I absolutely love about West Horsley Place as a wedding venue, and I think it really sets it apart, is the fact that if you choose to have your wedding at West Horsley Place all the money you spend on the venue goes straight back into the house for restoration work. How amazing is that, knowing that you’ve made a difference to a grade I listed building.

The house has the most amazing feel to it and so much character. It really doesn’t feel or look like any other wedding venue I’ve been to. They are planning to take around only 20 weddings a year which just makes it such an exclusive wedding venue.

There’s so much that makes this venue so special, from the grand staircase to the paintings on the walls. I love the lights coming out of the paintings. Little things like the texture of the flooring, and the rustic paint. These things are a photographers dream that create perfect backdrops for images. I can imagine using the floor as a backdrop to photograph wedding stationery or the Brides shoes. The rustic looking doors with the chipped wood would be perfect for Bride and groom portraits or as a place to pop the bouquet for a photo.

The grounds are beautiful and I know they have much more planned for West Horsley Place but knowing how amazing it is already is just so exciting! The main garden is surrounded by a beautifully rustic wall, which again is the perfect backdrop for photos. There are some really cute little hidden gems in the garden. I love the wooden gates dotted around.

Aside from the fact I loved being here and imagining weddings at West Horsley Place, it was also really nice to be around other wedding industry folk. I had some really nice chats with people and it was lovely to see the suppliers that helped make the event so special including Inside Outside Marquees, Rhubard catering, Ace Bar Events, Planning Redefined, Wedhead and Emma Soulsby Flowers. Here are a few quick shots I took on the night but it would be an absolute pleasure to return here soon for a wedding!

If you’re looking to have your wedding at West Horsley Place and are searching for a wedding photographer I’d love to hear from you about your plans for the day.