Wilderness Reserve is one of my favourite wedding venues in the UK and it also happens to be very close to where I live, which is a bonus. If you are considering Wilderness Reserve for your wedding, please see below for some of my wedding videos from the venue as well as some information about the beautiful estate.

A video still frame of the beautiful wilderness reserve Manor House sibton park taken from across the lake in autumn

THE VENUE

Nestled in the heart of Suffolk, England, the Wilderness Reserve is a unique and idyllic wedding venue that offers a beautiful fusion of luxury, history, and nature. Spread across 5,000 acres, this picturesque estate provides a tranquil and romantic setting for a wedding that promises to be a memorable experience for couples and their guests.

The Wilderness Reserve is home to several historic cottages and farmhouses, each offering its own unique charm and appeal. The centerpiece of the estate is the Sibton Park, a magnificent Georgian manor house that has been meticulously restored and modernized. With its grand façade, elegant interiors, and panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, Sibton Park offers a truly luxurious backdrop for a wedding ceremony and reception and somewhere I have filmed at multiple times.

The estate also boasts a wide range of other venues, each providing a different setting for various parts of the wedding day. The Walled Garden, with its lush, manicured lawns, vibrant flower beds, and a serene lake, is the perfect spot for an outdoor ceremony or a summer reception. The Cartshed, a beautifully restored barn, provides a rustic yet elegant venue for a wedding reception or evening party. For smaller, more intimate weddings, the Moat Cottage, with its fairy-tale charm and private hot tub, offers a magical setting.

One of the highlights of a Wilderness Reserve wedding is the opportunity to have the entire estate to yourself. The sprawling nature reserve, verdant forests, serene lakes, and private gardens provide endless opportunities for romantic wedding photos. The estate offers not only breathtaking views but also a variety of outdoor activities for guests to enjoy, including boating, swimming, and nature walks.

Catering at the Wilderness Reserve is a gastronomic delight. The estate's culinary team prides itself on creating bespoke menus using locally sourced ingredients, catering to every taste, and dietary requirement. Whether you prefer a grand banquet, a casual barbecue, or a traditional afternoon tea, the team will work closely with you to ensure your wedding menu is as memorable as the day itself.

The estate also offers luxurious accommodation for the wedding party and guests. From the grand rooms of Sibton Park to the cozy cottages scattered across the estate, each room is designed to provide comfort, luxury, and a touch of historic charm.

One of the many things that sets Wilderness Reserve apart is the exceptional service. The dedicated wedding team at the estate works closely with couples to turn their wedding vision into reality. From planning the ceremony to coordinating the day's events, the team's attention to detail ensures that every aspect of the wedding is taken care of.

In essence, a wedding at the Wilderness Reserve is a celebration of love, luxury, and the beauty of nature. It offers an experience where historical charm meets modern luxury, creating a wedding that is as unique and special as the couple itself.

Wilderness Reserve REAL WEDDING - Alistair and Clare

Teaser Film

Alistair and Clare are both YouTube content creators (Alistair as Ali-A is one of the most subscribed YouTubers in the UK) so I knew video would be important to them, so it was flattering to be chosen as their videographer for the day. You can see their longer film on the couples joint YouTube page here.

Their entire wedding took place at Wilderness Reserve utilising the main house, which is always a dream booking as it is a stunning place and gave me plenty of time to take some lovely shots of the venue and surrounding countryside.

I could tell from the moment I arrived, seeing the glass marquee being built outside the house and the spectacular flower arrangements being put together by Larry Walshe’s team in the Orangery (it was like a rainforest!) that this was going to be a breathtaking day.

Both Alistair and Clare got ready in the morning at the venue, allowing a chance for some nice shots with family and friends and when ready Clare descended the flower-adorned staircase with her father to enter the Orangery.

After a very personal ceremony conducted by Alistair’s father, with readings from both mothers, the couple and their guests made their way to the side of the house for drinks and canapés and we had a chance to go for a walk down to the lake and around to the front of the house for couple photos (and also a few with the couples dogs!).

They were then met by cheers and music from the sting quartet as they entered the bespoke glass marquee, also adorned with stunning foliage, for the wedding breakfast before some heartfelt and funny speeches from the couple and their family and friends.

While the couple and their guests enjoyed dinner the orangery was transformed into a stylish party space. The evening kicked off with the couples first dance before a pretty mind-blowing couple of sets from the do-accompanied live band The couple and their guests partied the night away, giving me plenty of opportunity to shoot some great dance footage.

Wilderness Reserve Feature Film

Wilderness Reserve Real Wedding - Danielle and Aran

Both Danielle and Aran got ready in the morning in the main house and the first thing I noticed on arrival was Danielle’s beautiful dress which was beautifully designed. Danielle also had her daughter with her in the morning, making the preparations extra special.

Danielle descended the flower adorned staircase before heading out onto the lawn to meet Aran. It was a very windy, but atmospheric, September day and their wedding ceremony was conducted by a humanist celebrant.

After the very personal ceremony, and a great confetti exit, the couple and their guests made their way to the side of the house for drinks and canapés and we had a chance to go for a walk down to the lake and around to the front of the house for couple photos in the lovely September light (possible the nicest light of the year in the UK).

They were then met by cheers as they entered the Orangery for the wedding breakfast before some heartfelt and funny speeches.

While the couple and their guests had cocktails and were entertained by a roaming live band, the orangery was transformed into a stylish bar. The party then got into full swing with the live band taken centre stage as the couple and their guests danced the night away.

Wedding Videography Approach

My main aim as a wedding videographer is to produce cinematic, yet authentic, mementos of a wedding day. I want them to be stylish, filled with all the emotions of the day while being infused with a classic cinema flair, which I always have in the back of my mind when choosing which lens to use in a certain moment, how to frame a shot, the sounds and music I will use to tell that part of the story and thinking always about the edit.

Danielle and Aran chose a celebrant I already knew and I was certain I would use some of her opening eulogy as the start and end of their film, which I gave a vintage sound to make it feel like a opening voiceover. I also knew the couples daughter and family were very important to them so made sure they were incorporated into the film as much as possible. The wind and changing light and weather throughout the day lent a kinetic energy to their day which I tried to emulate in my music choice for their film, though this changed for the evening, once the orangery was transformed, when I went for a cooler and more stylish track.

Once I have these all story telling elements in place I make sure my films are as cinematic as possible, and what I mean by that is I use every tool and technique at my disposal, from the filming style on the wedding day, to the editing and colour grading techniques afterwards, to create a piece of work that feels like a mini-movie, like a short piece of classic cinema, with a proper beginning middle and end, establishing people, place and story as elegantly as possible, woven together with music I choose carefully for each project.

Most importantly though, I use equipment and a filming style on the day that allows me to capture these moments without leaving a heavy footprint on the day- I use very minimal equipment, similar to a photographer, and avoid stage managing the day in any way because the most important element of making a great film is authentic moments and emotions and the only way to achieve these is allow them to happen naturally, unhindered by over posing/staging and manufacturing the events.