It’s no secret that Ghyll Barn is one of my absolute favourite wedding venues in Cumbria so when Chris said I could organise a styled shoot there and left me with full creative control, I was in my absolute element. Having shot Lucy and James’ Ghyll Barn wedding in the height of summer I wanted to create a really cosy, Cumbrian winter barn wedding that was modern and stylish but blended perfectly with Chris’ sustainable, repurposed interior.

The forecast was for snow, at which point I got realllllly excited but the snow didn’t make it to Cumbria, it was just bitterly cold (to the point where Chris and I definitely nearly lost fingers to frost bite the day before as we forages around the farm for greenery and leaves for Daisy from Rocke ‘n’ Roses to use in her installations!) so it really felt like a deep winter day in Cumbria on the day!

dream team of cumbrian wedding suppliers

It was such a joy to pull some of my very favourite wedding suppliers together for this shoot, and I feel very lucky to have met such brilliant people over the last couple of years since moving here and to be able to call them my friends. We have so many incredibly talented suppliers across Cumbria and the Lake District, so please do take take to check them out – the full supplier links are at the bottom of this post!

Winter Wedding Inspo

What started as “think Narnia, but less wardrobes” morphed into a modern, stylish and edgy vibe which I hope serves to be great wedding planning inspiration for couples who want to embrace the joy and sparkle of a winter wedding but think a little outside of the box too; Kelly from Wren Cake Design proving that weddings cakes don’t need to be white; you don’t need to carry a traditional bouquet, celebrant led ceremonies are a predicted trend for 2025 (and having seen her at work twice this year I know that Juliet’s ceremonies are just gorgeous!) and two different weddings day looks are totally achievable, both in terms of hair and make up and outfit changes.

There is no harm in combining bold statements with timeless touches; black tie always looks the part at a winter wedding and jewellery that you can wear from years to come, not just on your wedding day are great investments. Textures and carefully considered colour choices based around a loose pallet rather than trying to match everything precisely can be really effective and relieve a lot of stress; I really loved Tiphanie from Willow & Figg’s bows around the candle sticks to print extra colour to the table scape and Julie from Lune Valley Crockery Hire’s amber glass wear really elevated the final table scape, not to mention of course that the colour shifting inks in Claire’s stationery added to the sparkle and the colours looked different every time you glanced at the seating plan! And for those who appreciate even the tiniest of touches, it’s absolutely possible to choose a confetti mix that brings your colours together; no stone left unturned!

I’m often asked what I think makes great evening food at weddings and in my opinion, pizza is never a bad call (and Super8 Pizza’s New York style pizza is the bomb!) because there’s something for everyone and if you’re worried about making a mess… well, there’s a practical answer to that! Tanya from Day Dreamer Creative Studio provided us with “You Got a Pizza My Heart” bibs which are just perfect for keeping pizza sauce off your outfits!

WHAT A DAY! If you’re planning a Cumbrian winter barn wedding and this imagery resonates with you, I’d love to chat more more.

Cumbria wedding suppliers

Concept/Photography Hannah Hall Photography

Venue Ghyll barn

Styling Willow & Fig in The Lakes

Crockery/Glasswear Lune Valley Crockery Hire

Florist Rocke ‘n’ Roses

Makeup Megan Hartley

Hair Amanda Jones

Cake Wren Cake Design

Celebrant Juliet Golding

Dresses & Accessories Julia Tasker Bridal Couture

Suit Arnisons Penrith

Jewellery Juni Jewellery

Calligraphy & Stationery By Moon & Tide

Pizza Super8 Pizza

Pizza Bibs Daydreamer Creative Studio

Confetti Your Confetti (use YCHANNAHHALL for 15% off orders)

Model Couple Katie & Isaac

This styled shoot was featured on The English Wedding Blog – thanks for having us!