Morden Hall Wedding Venue

Morden Hall wedding venue has been a staple of our seasons since the beginning of our journey as wedding videographers. We know it’s rooms, grounds and what to do in any weather situation like the back of our hands. There’s simply nothing we haven’t experienced whilst filming at Morden Hall. This includes seeing a photographer set her dress on fire during the ceremony and having to help put it out without disturbing the proceedings. We’ve shot weddings here through Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter- all with their unique plus points and advantages.

 

 

The Venue

With stunning grounds, pathways, and the exterior of the building looking so clean and polished there’s great scope for your wedding videography. The lines of the trees, shrubs and pathways create complimenting lines and symmetry to give cinematic shots. The white metal bridge, which is private, makes for fantastic portraits in video and in stills. The birds and nature really coming into play to create a sense of calm around the venue. With a moat runnung round it’s grounds think reflections of you and your partner in the water. Light beams filter through the tall trees that surround the venue to give it privacy and a look of Southern Europe in video footage. Additionally there is the option to put a drone in the air for aerial shots so you have all the components of a great wedding film.

 

 

Logistics

At it’s core Morden Hall wedding venue is run by an efficient, experienced internal team who handle any and every query a couple could have on the build up to their wedding day. With catering supplied in house by Galloping Gourmet and their recommended suppliers, of which we are grateful to be a part of,  working together numerous times in the past, the days go by without a hitch. The chance of a logistics nightmare happening at Morden Hall are near non existant.

For a London wedding venue one of the most underrated features from a logistics point of view is the large on site car park, well hidden from where the wedding day itself takes place. The car parking is secured and gated with only guests and wedding cars and coaches able to access. Couples can have their wedding cars waiting for them at the iron gate, which is normally decorated with a flower arch and welcome sign, without having to consider parking issues so often the case at London wedding venues.

 

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Top 5 considerations when shooting video specifically at Morden Hall:

1. Where is the ceremony being held- upstairs or downstairs? Upstairs has a shorter aisle and so filming the couple infront of large bright windows, creates a decision around the exposure of the shot. If your videographer is using any auto or non professional settings your partner and you could be lost in darkness or a silhouette. Videographers need to understand their gear fully to correctly gauge this type of shot. If the wedding ceremony is downstairs there is contrasting light colours between the side lamps and main room lighting, an experienced eye will notice this and change their settings accordingly, if they don’t you may look like you got married on Mars with an unflattering yellow orange fake tanned skin look to you both.
2. How will the tables be laid out for the meal in the main room? If the tables are parallel with the room you need a long lens to stay discreet whilst filming them and not block guest views. If the tables are circular, or not parallel you can use a shorter lens to achieve the same effect.
3. How to record the audio from the speeches. The PA system at Morden Hall wedding venue doesn’t currently allow for a feed to be taken directly to a sound recorder. It’s important you’re able to discreetly place microphones with the speakers, hiding them from the photographers shots yet still capturing crisp quality sound.
4. How to film the final moments upstairs with one half of the couple, which can often be the most emotive shots in a film, yet make it to the ceremony before they do. There are a couple of slightly hidden staircases and a lift in Morden most people overlook, when you know they exist it can be a great way to move through the venue seamlessly and quicker than behind a flow of wedding guests.
5. The building itself is very well lit up at night in the courtyard, it’s often really quiet after dark here too. This can be a great spot to get extra special couple portrait shots in through the use of cinematic techniques the contrast in light, windows, shadows and exposures allow.

 

We headed to the Morden Hall wedding suppliers meetup at the venue in January, I took the opportunity to shoot a quick run through of the venue with commentary on my iphone which shows the rooms and the flow of the venue alongside ideas for the most flattering filming spots.