Wedding Photography in the Marquee at Ridgeway, Caerphilly
The Marquee at Ridgeway is light, bright and airy – perfect for taking a great set of wedding photographs.
The Marquee at Ridgeway Golf Club is a wedding venue located on the south side of the beautiful Caerphilly Mountain, on the A469 between Caerphilly and Cardiff.
The venue caters for small to medium-sized weddings and is happy for anyone on any budget to contact them to discuss booking their wedding ceremony and reception. The views across the Vale of Glamorgan and Severn estuary are quite simply stunning.
Unusually, the golf club and driving range is a not for profit social enterprise to make the game more accessible to the whole Community. The venue has received funding from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and is undergoing a refurbishment programme.
The groom poses with his daughter outside the Ridgeway Golf Course Clubhouse before the ceremony.
The clubhouse is available for drinks both before and after the wedding ceremony in the Marquee.
Wedding Bookings at the Marquee at Ridgeway
Useful to Know When Booking Your Wedding:
- There are 25% discounts for weekday wedding bookings with 20% off on Sundays.
- You may arrange a venue viewing by contacting the venue on 029 2088 6794, emailing bill@ridgewaygolf.org or using their website form.
- The Marquee can cater to 100 guests for a sit-down reception and 120 for the evening entertainment.
- You must book your registrars first from Caerphilly Register Office at Penallta House, Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly to ensure availability on your chosen date.
- The Ridgeway’s Gold Wedding Package includes all table and chairs dressing but the ceremony costs extra (details below).
This wide overview shot of the groom waiting before the ceremony gives a good sense of the space for both the wedding and evening reception.
The Marquee for Your Ceremony and Wedding Breakfast
Inside, the Marquee is deceptively spacious with room for 100 guests for both your ceremony and reception.
There is good natural light from one side, and the ivory pleated linings are perfect to bounce light off where needed. As well as weddings, the venue caters for any event including anniversaries, birthdays and christenings. As well as the clubhouse, there is a bar at the back of the Marquee for the guests to use during the reception. The venue provides their resident DJ for entertainment until midnight.
In the summer, weddings can be held in the outside area by the Marquee.
Shot from a different viewpoint – the front to the back with the DJ station and doorway through to the bar on the right.
Build Your Own>> Bespoke Wedding Photography Package
The groom was looking suitable nervous as his guests file in for the wedding ceremony.
Marquee at Ridgeway and Your Wedding Photographer
The Ridgeway is one venue that appreciates the importance of your wedding photos. The function staff make me feel very welcome and well-informed throughout the day. As part of the package, the Ridgeway even provides the use of 2 golf buggies for an hour so that the couple, their photographer and a few key guests can travel around the grounds for portraits.
The Ridgeway also provides a car to pick up the bride from her preparations venue. Here the bride Kelly arrives in the car park outside the clubhouse.
Also Consider>> Your Wedding at DeCourceys Manor.
Bridesmaids walking in through the back of the Marquee at the beginning of the wedding ceremony
I like to photograph events from lots of different angles. Here, some bridesmaids are walking down the aisle towards the waiting groom.
Finally, the bride makes her entrance with her father. The first thing they pass as they walk into the Marquee is the bar, which will be open later for the reception.
I love to capture the different expressions throughout the day, and the bride’s here is one of pure joy…
Wedding day affection as the groom greets the bride at the ‘altar’.
The Caerphilly registrars are very easy-going and happy for the photographer to move around, enabling me to take lots of photos from different angles.
Some men say they never cry – until their wedding when many are overcome with emotion.
I love the eye contact from the bride in this one. I try to exercise discretion during the ceremony, but when they do notice me, a good connection is photographic gold.
Marquee at Ridgeway Gold Wedding Package
The wedding package as offered by the Ridgeway on their website:
- The package is for 50 guests in the day and 100 for the evening entertainment.
- Additional guests are £49/head.
- A 25% discount applies for weekday weddings with 20% off on Sundays.
- Setup of the ceremony is £300 extra.
- A car included to pick up the bride from home.
- 2 golf buggies included for an hour for your wedding photographs in the grounds.
- Bucks Fizz provided on arrival and Prosecco for your toasts.
- Includes a 3-course meal.
- The Marquee is fully dressed with your choice of a colour scheme.
- Various extras such as mailbox for cards, sweet trolley and magic photo mirror come with the package.
- A finger buffet put on in the evening for all guests.
And now their eyes are only for each other for the all-important Exchange of rings.
Some couples wear their heart on their sleeves and don’t mind displaying their excitement as they are finally legally married.
The pleated lining of the marquee is an ideal and distraction-free backdrop for their first kiss.
Caerphilly Register Signing Rules
As with many counties and boroughs, Caerphilly Register Office does not allow photography of the signing of the register. They cite data protection as the reason for this, although conversely, it is a public document. However, the registrars are keen to set up a ‘dummy’ register for some posed shots instead.
There is more on my take about Wedding Register Photography if you click on that link.
The signing is also a good time for some impromptu portraits of close family. Often the couple have their witnesses pose with them, but in this case, it was some young members of the family.
A lovely one of father and daughter – again good eye-contact with the camera makes it very special.
The Marquee’s wedding aisle at Ridgeway isn’t hugely long, but there’s an excellent chance to photograph a nice sequence as the newly-weds leave.
The happy couple exit back through the bar to the clubhouse or outside for their posed photographs.
Read More>> My Wedding Photography FAQ’s
The bride and a group of her family organise themselves for a posed wedding photo. I shoot throughout this time to take some good interactions and capture the atmosphere.
The area where outdoors weddings take place in fine weather: It’s excellent for some posed shots using natural light.
The same area but shot the other way with the Marquee in the background.
A scene from inside the clubhouse: Children always add good energy to weddings, and I like to include them in the photos as much as I can.
Marquee at Ridgeway FAQ’s
Q. WHY GET MARRIED AT THE MARQUEE AT RIDGEWAY GOLF CLUB?
A. If the location on Caerphilly Mountain with its views wasn’t enough, the staff and events team are attentive and very keen for you to have the best day. A lot is included in the package too, and you’ll be sure to have the perfect wedding day.
Q. IS PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED OF OUR WEDDING CEREMONY AND VOWS?
A. Of course – at the discretion of the registrars. Caerphilly Register Office has the most relaxed views on wedding photography that I know.
Q. DOES THE RIDGEWAY ALLOW CONFETTI AFTERWARDS FOR A NICE SEQUENCE OF PHOTOS?
A. No, unfortunately, the venue does not allow the use of confetti on the grounds. Bubbles are a popular and effective alternative.
Q. WHAT IS THE LIGHT LIKE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY INSIDE THE VENUE?
A. As a marquee, it is light and bright with a little fill flash needed at times. The clubhouse is darker and does need artificial light. I use bounce flash for this.
And finally: There’s always one – or in this case three or four!
Ridgeway Golf Club, Driving Range and Function Venue,
Thornhill Road,
Caerphilly,
CF83 1LY.
