Michelle & Duncan – East Mersea Hall

Michelle and Duncan planned a beautiful and personal wedding day at East Mersea Hall in Essex.  It was a warm and sunny day in June 2025 and they booked both Emma and Ross to capture it in full.

The venue was the perfect location as Mersea Island is a place which is very special to Michelle and Duncan, and they spend a lot of time there.  As it happens, we also love the island and try to enjoy days out there whenever we get the chance.

Nestled in a very private and secluded setting, East Mersea Hall is still a relatively new venue, having been open just a few years now.  But it has everything a bride and groom could want – picturesque grounds, a beautiful lake, and the wow factor as guests arrive to enjoy the day.  It’s already proven itself to be a popular wedding venue in Essex, and has a number of awards recognising the reasons why.

We set off early in the morning, making sure we avoided high-tide and could get across the causeway onto Mersea Island.  Emma photographed Michelle and the bridal party getting ready in the charming bridal cottage at East Mersea Hall, and Ross headed nearby to meet up with Duncan.  One of the key benefits of having two photographers is that we really can capture everything – and be in more than one place at a time! When looking back at the photographs couples can see what each other was doing in the morning before the ceremony.

As you’d expect, it typically takes a bit longer for brides to get ready in the morning with hair and make-up, compared to the groom. As it was a nice clear day without rain or wind, it meant Ross was able to head to the East Mersea Hall ahead of Duncan, and get some aerial drone shots of the venue and its grounds before guests started arriving.

But that’s when the day really started – guests began arriving and the countdown to the ceremony was on! One of the great features of East Mersea Hall is that there are several locations where you can choose to hold the ceremony. Michelle and Duncan opted to share their vows in the summer sun, with guests seated in the walled garden – also watched on by their two cockapoos, Barkley and Misty.

Music plays a big part in Michelle’s life and that really came across on the day. Friends played instruments and sang for the ceremony, and once they had ‘tied the knot’, Michelle sang to Duncan in a truly personal and heartfelt moment.

Most posed group shots were taken after the ceremony whilst guests enjoyed reception drinks on the patio and lawn overlooking the lake. Not only does this provide a scenic backdrop for group photos, but it also means that friends and family aren’t having to move too far for the photos – which is always preferred.  As well as reception drinks and canapes, everyone was getting involved with the lawn games and making the most of a delicious ice-cream cart in the afternoon heat.

After the large group photo, whilst everyone made their way into the Pavilion Barn ready for the speeches and wedding breakfast, we took the newlyweds for a casual walk around the grounds for 15 mins to get those gorgeous portrait photos of just the couple. This was also a great chance for Michelle and Duncan to share a few minutes alone and let the fact they were now married sink in!

The speeches were truly emotional and had many of the guests in tears and laughter, sometimes both at the same time. This was followed by a tasty BBQ and chance for everyone to enjoy the reception, catch up and recount stories about the couple.  As the sun started to fall in the sky and the light softened, Michelle and Duncan took the chance to take the venue’s small row boat out onto the lake. We loved this… and it made for some fun and unique photo opportunities. Ross flew the drone above the lake a took some images that you just can’t get with a camera from the ground – whilst Emma captured the couples’ laughter from the decking around the lake.

As it got darker, everyone headed back into the Pavilion for the cutting of the cake and first dance – and that’s when the party really started. The couple’s love of music was shared by their guests and there was rarely a moment when the dancefloor wasn’t full.  It was a great atmosphere and an honour to be invited to be a part of Michelle and Duncan’s special day.  But that wasn’t the end… around 10pm, before we were getting ready to finish up for the day, there was a surprise for all the guests.  We headed outside to look across the lake as a beautiful firework display lit up the sky. A perfect end to reflect upon a beautiful day.

We would photograph weddings like this every day if we could. The couple were great, their friends and family created a wonderful atmosphere, and East Mersea Hall provided the perfect location to host the day.  If you would like to know more about us or wedding photography at East Mersea Hall please do get in touch.