I recently had the pleasure of photographing Karina and Sam’s incredible wedding at Parklands Quendon Hall, one of my absolute favourite wedding venues in Essex. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Parklands Quendon Hall many times over my career, and every time I return, I’m reminded why couples fall in love with it. The grand Georgian mansion, surrounded by beautiful parkland and landscaped gardens, offers an elegant and romantic backdrop for wedding photography all year round.
A Lovely Family Connection
When Karina and Sam first got in touch about their wedding, I had no idea that there was already a lovely connection between us. It wasn’t until we met for their engagement shoot that I realised I had actually photographed Sam’s brother Matt’s 18th birthday many years ago at Western Dance Centre in Hadleigh — back in the days of my nightclub photography era!
When they got engaged, Sam had very kindly remembered me from all those years ago and got back in touch to book. It was so nice to see the family again after so long, and to now be capturing such a huge milestone in their lives. Both families were honestly incredible — so warm, kind, and welcoming from the very start. It made the whole experience even more special.
The Perfect Wedding Day
From the moment I arrived at Parklands, I could tell it was going to be an amazing day. The house looked stunning as always, with its sweeping driveway and perfectly kept grounds. The bridal suite was full of excitement as Karina and her bridesmaids got ready, surrounded by laughter and happy nerves.
Despite a few spots of rain throughout the day, spirits were high, and the weather certainly didn’t spoil a thing. In fact, Parklands is one of those venues that looks just as beautiful inside as it does outside. The large windows, elegant décor and soft natural light make it perfect for photos, whatever the weather.
Their ceremony was full of emotion and joy — the kind of atmosphere that makes my job so rewarding. You could really feel the love in the room as Karina walked down the aisle, and there were plenty of happy tears from both families. After the ceremony, we headed outside for confetti and group photos, making the most of the gorgeous surroundings that Parklands Quendon Hall is known for.
A Magical Golden Hour at Parklands
One of my favourite parts of any wedding day is the golden hour — that beautiful time in the evening when the sun starts to dip and the light turns soft and warm. We were lucky enough to get a stunning golden hour that evening, and I took Karina and Sam out into the gardens for some portraits.
Parklands Quendon Hall really comes alive at that time of day — the way the light filters through the trees is just magical. It’s a chance for couples to take a quiet moment together after all the excitement of the day, and it always produces some of my favourite images. Karina and Sam were naturals in front of the camera, and those sunset photos ended up being some of my absolute favourites from their gallery.
A Beautiful Handmade Album to Treasure
Karina and Sam chose one of my packages that includes a handmade wedding album, which I think is such a wonderful way to preserve their memories. While digital galleries are great for sharing with family and friends, there’s something timeless about having your wedding story told through beautifully printed photographs. It’s something you can hold, display, and one day show your children — a true keepsake that lasts a lifetime.
The album design process is always one of my favourite stages after a wedding. It’s lovely to relive the day with my couples as we select their favourite moments together, from getting ready right through to the dance floor celebrations.
A Wedding Full of Heart
Looking back through the images from Karina and Sam’s day, it’s almost impossible to choose favourites — there were just so many special moments. From the fun morning preparations, to the heartfelt speeches and lively evening party, it was a day filled with emotion and energy.
I’m so grateful to Karina and Sam for choosing me to photograph their wedding at Parklands Quendon Hall. It’s always such a privilege to be trusted with capturing a couple’s most important memories, and this one will definitely stay with me for a long time.
A beautiful review
Gary is an absolutely fantastic wedding photographer and we could not recommend him highly enough! He’s a truly brilliant photographer and a lovely person to have involved in your wedding- he made us (and our guests) feel so comfortable on the day and got some fantastic photos.
He genuinely cared about getting the most amazing pictures at every moment, always considering the best angles, the best lighting and making sure our outfits and hair were always immaculate to get a great photo.
Gary also went above and beyond when editing our photos to make sure they were absolutely perfect- we had loads of wind on our wedding day so our hair was going everywhere but Gary’s editing was absolutely fantastic and we could barely tell with a lot of them that well had lots of wind!
Gary’s dedication to his work truly showed with the final photos we got and we couldn’t be happier!!!Karina Fogg
