Bronwyn & Mark’s Eden Barn Wedding | Cumbria Wedding Photographer
Eden Barn Wedding Photography in Cumbria
I’ve been having the most amazing wedding season, and Bronwyn and Mark’s wedding at Eden Barn was definitely one of the highlights.
They were such a lovely, fun couple and their wedding had pretty much everything you could want from a brilliant Cumbria wedding — a beautiful venue, loads of personality, plenty of laughter, clay pigeon shooting and, for a good part of the day, absolutely torrential rain.
And somehow, looking through the photographs, you’d barely know it was raining.
This was also my first opportunity to photograph a wedding at Eden Barn, and having now experienced it properly, I can completely understand why it's become such a popular wedding venue in Cumbria.
You can also explore more of my wedding photography across the Lake District, from lakeside venues to weddings tucked away in the fells.
A Wedding at Eden Barn, Kirkby Stephen
Bronwyn and Mark actually started their wedding day at Kirkby Stephen Parish Church, before heading across to Eden Barn for the rest of the celebrations.
Eden Barn is tucked away in the Upper Eden Valley near Kirkby Stephen, surrounded by countryside and set within around 100 acres. The venue itself is a beautifully restored 200-year-old Westmorland stone barn, with exposed stone walls, a vaulted ceiling, limestone floors and plenty of character.
It's a brilliant setting for wedding photography because there is so much variety. You have the barn itself, the surrounding grounds, countryside views, outdoor areas and plenty of little places to escape to for photographs of the two of you without disappearing from your guests for half the day.
The venue also sits in a particularly good part of the country for anyone planning a wedding in Cumbria, with the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and Pennines all close by.
Clay Pigeon Shooting & A Lot of Rain
Then there was the clay pigeon shooting.
I've photographed a lot of weddings over the years, but this was definitely a first for me. It was such a good addition to the day and fitted Bronwyn and Mark perfectly — something a little different that gave everyone another excuse to get involved and have some fun.
And then came the rain.
A good 60% of the day seemed to involve torrential rain, but honestly, that's one of the things I love about wedding photography. You can't control the weather, so there's no point letting it dictate the photographs.
Instead, we worked with it.
The rain created some brilliant atmosphere, and with the different areas around Eden Barn there were plenty of opportunities to keep photographing everything happening without the day grinding to a halt.
Looking at the finished photographs, you really wouldn't know just how wet it was for so much of the day.
Natural Eden Barn Wedding Photography
My approach to wedding photography is relaxed and documentary-led. I don't want your wedding day to feel like a photoshoot, and I certainly don't want to spend hours dragging you away from your friends and family.
I'll always make time for some photographs of the two of you, particularly when you've got a venue and landscape like Eden Barn around you, but most of the day is about photographing what's actually happening.
The reactions, the laughs, the ridiculous moments, the people you invited, the atmosphere and all the little things you probably didn't notice at the time.
That's what makes the photographs feel like your wedding.
Bronwyn and Mark's day had so many of those moments, which made it an absolute pleasure to photograph.
Eden Barn Wedding Photographer
Having photographed my first wedding at Eden Barn, I can definitely see why it's become such a sought-after wedding venue in Cumbria.
The combination of the historic stone barn, countryside setting, views across the Eden Valley and the relaxed feel of the venue makes it a fantastic place for a wedding. The fact that you have such a large area around the barn to explore also gives you plenty of options for wedding photographs.
It's also a venue that suits my style really well. There is no need to manufacture photographs when the surroundings, the people and the atmosphere already give you everything you need.
If you're getting married at Eden Barn in Kirkby Stephen, or you're looking for a Cumbria wedding photographer for a wedding anywhere across the Eden Valley, Lake District or surrounding areas, I'd love to hear from you.
Bronwyn and Mark's wedding was my first at Eden Barn — and after this one, I'm definitely looking forward to returning.
