Wedding Photographer Celtic Manor Resort, Newport
The Hunter Lodges at Celtic Manor Resort are perfect for small wedding ceremonies. They have fantastic views across the Welsh countryside, as seen in the background here.
A Perfect Venue for Your South Wales Wedding
The Celtic Manor Resort is a multi-award winning wedding venue in Newport near Cardiff.
Sited in 2000 acres of stunning Usk Valley parkland, this beautiful venue would be an excellent location for any civil marriage wedding day, from the smallest to the most elaborate and expensive.
Located just off Junction 24 of the M4, it means you can travel from London in only 90 minutes.
The nearest train station is Newport, with Cardiff and Bristol Airports just 45 minutes away.
It is as suitable for short day weddings as it is full days. So, there is something for everyone.
Black and white photography can look equally as stunning as colour. So I edit in a mixture of both.
Are You Planning Your Wedding at Celtic Manor Resort?I photograph discretely and unobtrusively to capture all the very best moments, leaving you to enjoy your day. With me as your wedding photographer, your memories will be in safe hands, so please get in touch any time to discuss. |
Outside the Via Julia Suite, the couple takes a moment before their guests join them.
There are many venues at Celtic Manor Resort (listed below), which can cater for any size of wedding day of up to 800 guests. Each venue is unique and distinct, from the ornate 19th century Manor House with its period features to the newest addition on the site, the Hunter Lodges. A real photographer’s dream!
Being a 5-star resort, the service and attention afforded to the Bride and Groom are second to none. The venue staff leave nothing to chance, and they treat every couple like royalty in this fantastic wedding venue.
My photography is all about images such as this: It shows what it means for the bride to have her elderly grandmother attend the wedding. The emotion in Rebecca’s face is clear to see.
Wedding Photography at Celtic Manor Resort
Panoramic views offer the opportunity for some wedding portraits seldom matched. The views stretch for miles around, even into England across the Severn estuary from specific vantage points.
The venue also welcomes LGBT/gay weddings, and I am pleased to provide photography for them.
I am a natural reportage photographer, and the vast space Celtic Manor provides to play with makes for some great wedding photography portraits. I have photographed weddings at Celtic Manor Resort several times and always find new backdrops and photo opportunities.
A Bentley is available to the couple on request to chauffeur them around the estate for their desired wedding photographs. Staff are friendly and helpful and actively encourage and help the wedding photographer.
The Celtic Manor Resort provides the complete wedding day package: Your wedding day can start with the preparations. Here, I photographed the hairstylist adding the finishing touches to a bridesmaid’s hair.
View My Prices>> Newport & South Wales Wedding Photography Prices
I took this during COVID restrictions. The masked bridal party walk through the reception area of Celtic Manor’s main hotel complex.
Read More>> Having a Last-Minute Wedding? Find Out How to Make the Most of Your Day
Outside the Celtic Manor Golf Club, the bride is escorted to the Via Julia Suite by her father.
Celtic Manor Resort Wedding Photographers
Rules for wedding photographers in the venues and grounds of Celtic Manor Resort are very much governed by the registrars of the Newport City Council. I’m happy to report that they are very amenable and photographer friendly. However, I always recommend letting them know that you’re hiring a photographer and that your wedding photos are important to you.
The staff at Celtic Manor Resort are equally as helpful and happy to see to your every need and requirement. Every time I’ve attended, they’ve always let me know who I should ask if I need help with anything and are instrumental in seeing that the wedding day goes without a hitch – whether you’re there for just 2 hours or the entire day!
The bride and her father arrive for her wedding ceremony. I’m told that the blossom tree display was there for a recent Wedding Fair, so it may not be there on your day.
This shot of a father walking the bride down the aisle taken in one of the Hunter Lodges shows the interior and wedding layout well.
The Newport registrar was great, as she moved aside to let me shoot the bride’s emotional message to the groom from the best vantage point at the front.
And again, the first kiss with socially distanced guests in the background. I usually ask the couple to take their time to allow for some good images.
Signing the Wedding Schedule
In 2021, the Marriage Register went online, so now the couple signs a schedule, with their wedding certificate posted to their address after the day. Register Offices now have the autonomy to decide whether or not to allow photography of the signing. Sadly, Newport City Council has decided to keep this part of proceedings low-key and prevent photography. However, they still allow posed shots after the actual signing.
Rebecca and Chris were naturals in front of the camera and didn’t mind posing for some shots at all.
Celtic Manor Resort Wedding Photography – Venues
Celtic Manor Golf Club:
The largest clubhouse on-site includes three venues for your wedding, seating between 80-180 people: The Augusta Suite, The Chairman’s Marquee and the Via Julia Suite.
Twenty Ten Clubhouse:
Golf fans may be interested in knowing that the clubhouse was built for the 2010 Ryder Cup. There are two rooms, each holding 60-120 reception guests: Rafters and The Samuel Ryder Suite.
The Resort Hotel:
Three other wedding venues include the massive and opulent Caernarfon Ballroom, holding 800 guests. The Rooftop Garden has spectacular views across the Severn estuary and can seat 130 wedding guests. Meanwhile, the Beaumaris Suite is located in the Convention Centre and can seat up to 120 guests.
The Manor House:
A gorgeous 19th-century manor house rich with classic features such as wood panelling, fireplaces and stained glass. The venue includes two wedding venues: Hedleys is ideal for a smaller wedding with between 30 and 50 guests. Whilst the Manor Suite will cater for 60-110 guests.
The Hunter Lodges:
The most secluded of Celtic Manor’s venues is also the smallest. For up to 40 guests, the Hunter’s Lodges offer spectacular views across the Welsh countryside for those smaller and more intimate weddings. Some couples hire two adjacent lodges and use one for the bridal preparations.
A brief touch can say more than words as the groom’s mum reaches out to give him a congratulatory pat on the arm.
Your guests follow you out, and it’s a lovely time for your congratulations. Here, the bride’s father gives her a heartfelt hug under a beautiful blossom arrangement.
There is much more information about all the Celtic Manor Resort wedding photography venues in their Brochure.
Two hugs for the price of one: It’s lovely to photograph both halves of the couple greeting their guests. Here they are, each hugging a bridesmaid. Their little boy watching in the middle makes this wedding image even more special.
The Confetti Sequence at Celtic Manor Resort
The venue encourages the use of biodegradable confetti for a lovely photographic sequence after your ceremony. I usually orchestrate this soon after you’ve had a chance to meet and greet your friends and family outside.
You’ll go back inside the venue building whilst I arrange everyone into an aisle for you to pass through. I instruct everyone to throw the confetti high and over you as you pass by.
There’s more info about this on my Ultimate Photographic Guide to Wedding Confetti & Congratulations page.
Confetti is allowed at Celtic Manor (biodegradable preferably). Traditionally, I organise this sequence as soon after your ceremony as possible.
I took this confetti shower outside one of the Hunter Lodges. I always photograph a whole sequence of these dramatic shots.
Wedding Bookings at Celtic Manor Resort
Useful to Know When Booking Your Wedding:
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- Newport City Council conducts all civil marriages at Celtic Manor. You can ‘Save the Date‘ with the register office as far in advance as you like.
- Enquire by calling the venue on 01633 410 252 or emailing weddings@celtic-manor.com.
- You can book a private tour by filling out an online form here: Celtic Manor Wedding Enquiry Form.
- A range of wedding packages is available to suit most budgets – the venue website is a wealth of information, so spend time to look around.
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Before this photo with their son, I took some more staged images of the couple on their own.
Posed Couple and Group Photos
The opportunity for amazing couples and group shots at Celtic Manor is enormous. With vast grounds and countless stunning and diverse backdrops to choose from, the trick is knowing where to start.
I admit that posed shots aren’t really what my photography is all about, but I recognise their importance to most couples, so I am happy to provide them. However, I try to limit them to around 15 minutes.
I try soon after the confetti and before your guests have started drinking. It’s easier to gain everyone’s attention that way.
The best time for your couple portraits is after the group shots at the start of the drink’s reception. Then you’ll feel more inclined to want some peace and quiet and to be photographed alone.
Ask about Celtic Manor’s Bentley hire to take you around the site. Unfortunately, they only have one, so you might be restricted to whatever time it is free.
Pretty as a picture: The bride poses with her bridesmaids.
A natural wedding portrait showing the stunning scenery around Celtic Manor Resort and one of the golf courses in the background.
Celtic Manor Resort – A Potted History:
- C1860: Coldra House (now known as The Manor House) was built and occupied by Thomas Powell Jr, a coal and iron trade magnate.
- 1940: The house is given to the local health authority and reopened as the Lydia Beynon Maternity Hospital, named after the former owner’s mother.
- 1975: The hospital closes and lies empty for several years.
- 1980: Celtic Inns Ltd. buys the manor house and obtains planning permission to convert to a hotel. It’s the brainchild of chairman Sir Terry Matthews.
- 1982: The 17 bedroom Celtic Manor Hotel opens. Over the years, it has expanded and now has 70 bedrooms.
- 1983-1987: The hotel wins Egon Ronay’s Best Hotel in Wales award every year.
- 1995: The Celtic Manor Golf Club opens with the resort’s first golf course.
- 1999: A new 330 bedrooms hotel, the Resort Hotel opens with a convention centre and a second championship golf course.
- 2010: The venue hosts the Ryder Cup. It is the biggest sports event ever to be held in Wales.
- 2014: The Celtic Manor Resort plays host to the NATO Summit. It’s the largest gathering of world leaders ever to have assembled in the UK. Barack Obama is in attendance and is the only serving US president to have visited Wales. I’d have loved to have been a photographer at that event!
There’s so much space outside for emotive congratulatory shots after the ceremony.
Celtic Manor Resort Weddings – FAQs
Q. WHY GET MARRIED AT CELTIC MANOR RESORT?
A. Celtic Manor Resort is in the perfect location, just outside Newport. It has easy access for guests coming from South Wales and England. The venue caters to all marriages from very small to lavish weddings with 800 guests. It has numerous functions rooms to suit all tastes.
The landscape is beautiful, and there is lots of potential for some stunning wedding photography.
Q. HOW LONG BEFORE OUR WEDDING CEREMONY CAN WE GAIN ACCESS TO THE ROOM FOR PHOTOGRAPHY?
A. This often depends on the day and how busy the venue is. But if you do wish to arrive early, do speak with your venue contact to discuss. They try to go the extra mile to accommodate any requests you have. For example, if you have arranged for a floral display, you will have plenty of time to get this set up.
Q. IS PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED OF OUR WEDDING CEREMONY AND VOWS?
A. Newport City Council conducts the ceremonies at the Celtic Manor Resort. They are accommodating and relaxed about photography, the only stipulation being that the signing is not photographed. However, your photographer will be allowed to move around to get the best shots.
Q. IS CONFETTI ALLOWED AFTERWARDS FOR A NICE SEQUENCE OF PHOTOS?
A. Yes, biodegradable confetti is allowed at all the wedding venues. As well as traditional confetti, bubbles are a popular alternative too!
Q. WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO MOVE AROUND THE SITE FOR OUR COUPLE’S PORTRAITS?
A. Celtic Manor provides their own Bentley and chauffeur to drive you and your photographer around to show off the best sports for your wedding portraits. Of course, the Bentley needs to be booked in advance to ensure it’s free. There are also golf buggies that are generally available.
This portrait of the bride and groom shows the scenery and the Twenty Ten Clubhouse in the background.
