Wedding photography, Elvetham Hotel, Hampshire
Elvetham Hotel
What an unforgettable celebration! Lauren and Matthew’s wedding at the magnificent Elvetham Hotel was the very definition of elegance and old-Hollywood glamour. Their guests arrived looking like true movie stars from the golden era of the 1940s, setting the tone for a day filled with timeless style and sophistication.
The atmosphere was magical from the moment the celebrations began:
✨ champagne flowing
✨ live swing music filling the air
✨ laughter echoing through the historic rooms
✨ hearts full of joy
It was one of those weddings where everything felt cinematic — the setting, the style, the people, and the love shared by Lauren and Matthew.
Lauren and Matthew — here’s to a breathtaking wedding and an even more beautiful life together!
May your marriage be filled with joy, adventure, laughter, and countless moments as unforgettable as your wedding day.
Advice for Future Brides: Creating Your Perfect Day
When it comes to planning your wedding, the best advice I can offer is this: remember that it is your day — no one else’s. It’s so easy for plans to snowball. Before you realise it, your guest list has grown by 40 extra people just to keep everyone else happy… but you’re the one paying for the extra meals, favours, chairs, and drinks!
Weddings aren’t what they used to be in our grandparents’ generation — when you got married in the local church and then walked down to the pub or social club where an extra guest didn’t change much. Today, every addition adds up.
Take your time with decisions.
Don’t commit to anything — or pay for anything — until you are 100% sure it’s exactly what you want. Look around, compare options, and don’t be afraid to be creative. I bought my pageboys’ suits and plenty of other bits from eBay!
At the end of the day, the most important thing is that your wedding reflects you and feels true to what you love.
Decorations & Wedding Theme: Creating 1940s Hollywood Magic
I always knew I wanted a beautiful historic wedding venue — somewhere with character, elegance, and a story of its own. A place that didn’t need layers of decoration to feel special. The moment we stepped into The Elvetham, we knew instantly: this was the one. The atmosphere was incredible, the architecture breathtaking, and the staff were warm, friendly, and so genuinely helpful. It had that rare combination of grandeur and comfort — the perfect backdrop for our day.
But even with the venue sorted, I still felt like something was missing. I hadn’t quite figured out what I truly wanted the wedding to feel like… until Mat and I went to the Royal Tournament at Earls Court. There was a huge American 1940s band playing, and as soon as I heard the music, everything clicked.
That was it — the 1940s Hollywood glamour theme.
Mat wasn’t immediately convinced (we’d already made a few plans!), but he trusted me — and in the end, he absolutely loved it. I grew up listening to swing, jazz, and rock ’n’ roll, so incorporating that era into our celebration felt completely natural. The music, the style, the atmosphere… it all meant so much to me. Once we chose the theme, everything started falling effortlessly into place.
The Elvetham’s historic charm, the swing band, the vintage touches, the classic Hollywood elegance — together, they created a wedding day that felt timeless, glamorous, and completely “us.”
What Was the Hardest Part to Organise?
For us, the two trickiest things to organise were definitely the guest list and the seating plan — those delicate decisions that somehow seem to take on a life of their own!
Because we had a themed wedding with a strict 1940s dress code, there was an extra layer of planning involved. I wanted everyone to fully embrace the theme, so I included photos of the clothing styles for both men and women with every invitation, and made it clear that the dress code was strict. A few guests thought it was a bold ask, but I honestly believe that on the most important day of your life, the people who love you should be happy to make that extra effort. And in the end, everyone looked incredible — it brought the whole theme to life.
We also took on a lot of the décor ourselves. We made:
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the chair decorations
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the table numbers
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the ring pillow
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the seating plan
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and even the centrepieces
I’ll admit, I questioned that decision when I found myself two days before the wedding, standing in a freezing cold garage, assembling centrepieces with numb fingers! It was hard not having a florist there on the morning of the wedding, making sure everything was set up perfectly — I couldn’t fully relax knowing it was all down to us.
But looking back, I’m so glad we did it. Everything came together beautifully, and it felt so personal and unique. No one else in the world will ever have décor exactly like ours, and that makes all the effort completely worth it.
Important Factors to Consider When Hiring Your Wedding Photographer
When it comes to choosing your wedding photographer, the most important factor is communication. Your photographer needs to truly understand what you want, what you love, and what makes you feel comfortable. I was quite nervous in front of the camera at first, but our engagement shoot with Kristina changed everything. She guided us through what worked, what didn’t, and made us feel completely at ease — something I’m so grateful for.
It’s also essential that you genuinely like your photographer and build a relationship with them. They’ll be with you throughout your entire wedding day, capturing intimate moments and interacting with your closest family and friends, so feeling relaxed around them is key.
For Mat and me, we knew we wanted Imaginarium the moment we found them. There were lots of talented photographers out there, but Kristina and Diego had something special — a style with a subtle commercial edge that really stood out to us. It gave their work that extra spark, and we instantly connected with their creativity and personality.
Choosing the right photographer isn’t just about beautiful pictures; it’s about trust, connection, and feeling confident that they’ll capture your wedding exactly the way you’ve envisioned it.
Our Stylish Wedding Seating Plan
When we started thinking about our stationery, favours, and all the little decorative elements, I thought back to the weddings I’d attended and what truly stood out. Two details always caught my eye: chair covers and seating plans. Chair covers, no matter the wedding, tend to make everything look the same — so we skipped them entirely and added delicate little hearts to the back of each chair instead. It felt more personal, more “us.”
The seating plan, however, was something I really wanted to elevate. They’re usually just a flimsy piece of card on an easel, and they rarely have that wow factor. Because our wedding theme leaned toward glamorous, classy 1940s Hollywood with a hint of Art Deco, I wanted something that felt bold, elegant, and unforgettable.
The idea came to me completely unexpectedly — we were out shopping when I spotted a beautiful mirror hanging on the wall. Within seconds, the vision appeared: an oversized mirrored seating plan that sparkled, made a statement, and tied perfectly into our theme. Of course, that meant Mat had to build a custom easel big enough to hold it (an extra cost and plenty of extra work!), but it was worth every minute.
To match the look, we also bought photo frames, glossed them ourselves, and had mirrors cut to size to create the table numbers. It was a bit of a labour of love, but it completed the whole glamorous look beautifully.
It turned out exactly how we imagined — unique, stylish, and full of personality.
How Long Did It Take to Plan the Wedding?
Our wedding took around 18 months to plan, and looking back, every moment was worth it. I’ll admit — I’m quite stubborn and definitely a perfectionist, so I kept most of the planning on my own shoulders. The only real help I accepted was from Mat and my mum, Sara, who were both amazing throughout the whole process.
My bridesmaids offered to help many times, but because I had such a clear vision of what I wanted, they didn’t have the chance to get involved as much as they hoped. I even ended up planning my own hen night at Café de Paris in London — which turned out to be unforgettable!
It was a long journey, but shaping every detail myself made the whole day feel incredibly personal.
Wedding photography in Hampshire at Elvetham Hotel