Prior Park Wedding - Siobhan & Mike

Siobhan and Mike’s Prior Park Wedding was sublime. If you’re looking for a wedding venue in Bath that combines breathtaking views, elegant architecture, and a relaxed atmosphere, Prior Park is hard to beat. This incredible venue, set within the grounds of Prior Park College, offers an unparalleled view down the valley towards the National Trust’s Prior Park Landscape Garden, designed by Capability Brown. Throw in perfect June weather, an incredibly thoughtful and wonderful couple, and a day packed with unique, personal touches, and you’ve got the recipe for a truly unforgettable Prior Park Wedding.

My day started with Mike and his Best Men at The Boston Tea Party in Bath for a pre-wedding breakfast – a relaxed and easygoing way to begin the celebrations. Meanwhile, Siobhan got ready in a stunning town house on Great Pulteney Street, a beautiful Georgian setting that felt quintessentially Bath.

The wedding ceremony took place on Prior Park’s Palladian Portico, which offers one of the most spectacular backdrops for saying your vows. Josie Lamb’s humanist approach made the moment deeply personal – I particularly loved the beautiful handfasting at the very centre of the ceremony.

A huge highlight for me was the ceremony music. Thomas J Wilman played guitar and sang, and I have to say, he was absolutely phenomenal. It’s rare to find a wedding musician who strays from the usual playlist, but Tom’s performance – including a stunning rendition of a Xavier Rudd track which I love – was hands down one of the best pieces of ceremony music I’ve ever seen at a wedding. We had a couple of chat’s during the day and alongside being an amazing musician, Tom is just the loveliest bloke. If you’re looking for a truly outstanding acoustic performer I cannot recommend him highly enough.

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed drinks on the lawn, taking in the incredible views over Bath. As if one talented musician wasn’t enough, Best Man Ben pulled out a saxophone and added to the atmosphere. Siobhan & Mike are the sort of people that radiate good vibes and their whole wedding pulsed with that positivity. It was a proper pleasure to hang out with them.

Dinner and speeches took place in the Academy Hall, where the toasts were heartfelt, the food was fantastic, and in an abrupt moment of unscriptable comedy, one of the ushers’ chairs collapsed mid-speech – a perfectly timed bit of slapstick that had everyone in stitches. Look out for the sequence below!

As the evening rolled in, Siobhan and Mike and I wandered down to the Palladian Bridge in the National Trust gardens for some relaxed portraits. It’s always a treat to photograph at this location, especially as the light softens towards sunset. I particularly love the shots we got as we ambled down the grassy valley from Prior Park above. After half an hour or so one of their guests kindly picked us up to save us the lung-busting return climb. After a cocktail hour on the steps in the last of the evening light, it was time to hit the dancefloor. Keep an eye out for Siobhan’s Dad throwing spectacular shapes!

Beyond the beautiful setting, what made this Prior Park Wedding so special was the people. I loved shooting for Siobhan & Mike. Documenting fantastic people as they celebrate aWholeLottaLove™️ never gets old. I also loved the fact that their wedding reflected their focus on ethical choices – something that was subtly woven through every aspect of their day. Finally, they have an awesome crowd, so many memorable characters and many people I will remember for years to come.

Lastly, a huge thank you to James at Prior Park, who runs weddings there with warmth and professionalism. It’s no exaggeration to say that Prior Park is fast becoming one of my absolute favourite wedding venues. If you’re planning a Prior Park Wedding, look me up, I’d love to visit again soon.

Siobhan & Mike, you absolute legends – thanks for having me!