Wirral Wedding Portrait House Hoylake

Looking for a small -mid sized intimate wedding venue, then the award winning Portrait House in Hoylake makes an ideal choice.  It was formerly a photographs studio, hence it name. It  can seat up to 70 in its New York style dinning booth – something that little bit different to usual layouts – and has a separate bar area adjacent.  The staff are friendly  and will go out of their way to accommodate your requirements for your wedding function.  The menu for the restaurant looks really good too with its fusion of contemporary and  classic cuisine. Wirral Wedding photographers, Pixsmiths Creative Photography recently covered the wedding reception of John and Margaret here and were impressed with how lovely the room was set out and how inviting it was – blog post to folllow when they are back from honeymoon! For now a couple of pics of the Portrait House.

Pixsmiths are happy to cover small or large weddings, whether for a few hours or  all day coverage – so don’t hesitate to contact us if you are interested.

The Year Ahead

Well the New Year has been a busy period for Pixsmiths Creative Photography with enquiries and bookings.  We are so pleased to have so many weddings at such differing venues planned for 2011.

Soughton Hall

We have weddings at Wirral’s onlys Historic Castle in Leasowe , Wirral’s premier venue of Hillbark  Hotel.  We always enjoy registry wedddings at Wallasey Town Hall – such a grand building and the steps leading down to the waterfront make for a great setting.  We have venues out in Wales too,  Llwynegrin Hall – a former country house is now  the registry office in Mold will be the first of of our weddings this year follwed by a reception at St David’s Park Hotel – which is having a great make over and branding as a Village Hotel.  We have  weddings and a blessing to cover at  local wirral churches – one with a reception at the contemporary cafe at Woodside Ferry Terminal – a Grade II listed building with wonderful views over the Mersey to be enjoyed  from its balcony and decking.  Pixsmiths will also be at a North Wales venue  favourite with celebs – Rossett Hall and the stunning elegant hotel of Soughton Hall in Flintshire.  With more consultations booked in Februrary we hope there will be more exciting news to tell.  All our couples are special to us, whether we are with them for just a few hours or the whole day – we take the same care and attention to detail for each one. We thank you all so muc for choosing Pixsmiths for your wedding day photography and we are really looking forward to sharing and capturing the fun and joy of your day.  2011 is going to be a fab year.

Hilbark Hotel, Frankby

Wallasey Town Hall

Spring time St Bridgets

Cherry Blossom

Seems like November is the time to book Spring weddings, judging by the phone calls we have had recently!  If you are having a spring wedding now is the time to book, don’t leave it til after Christmas, your date may have gone. Now St Bridget’s is our local Church and just a short stroll from home. Its a beautiful Church and in spring time when the blossom is out its especially pretty and pink!  Makes for beatiful photographs amongst the trees. We would love to do a wedding here in the spring and seeing as its on our doorstep and we have a few dates left we are happy to offer a discount for weddings taking place here – just ask us for details.

Sandon Hall Wedding Venue

Next wedding coming up is at Sandon Hal in Staffordshire.   We had the opportunity to visit this ancestral home of the Earls of Harrowby at the weekend when the the weather was clear and bright  A beautiful stately house, the drive up through  fields with grazing cattle and pheasants running all over the place like roadrunners was delightfull, especially with the golden autumn colours.  Hope it stays that way for our bridal couple!  Whatever the weather, there are features a plenty inside for the photographs. Plenty of long windows let the light in and afford grand views out to the extensive gardens. Wooden staircase and arches lead into a room suitable for about 85 -100 guests. Small parties can be accommodated in a more intimate dining room. Upstairs are period dressed rooms , loved the pheasant wallpaper, obviously a feature for the estate, and a balcony is available for overhead shots, ideal for those group pictures. Weddings ceremonies can take place in the estate church if resident in the area, whilst civil ceremonies take place in the library, a beautiful room looking out onto the gardens. The library can also be used for indoor photos after a ceremony too if weather is inclement. Always helpful to have a plan B!. An ornate conservatory with bar area provides a perfect place for drinks afterwards and for some cool bridal shots. Our thanks to Jon Guard the manager for showing us around this gorgeous stately home, can hardly wait to be back and taking the wedding shoot here.

On the way out we spoke to a couple who were visiting venues for their daughter who was currently in Australia – hope these pictures taken will give an understanding of how beautiful this venue is which somehow mixes grandeur with cosiness.

Sandon Hall

Library, set up for ceremony

Sandon Hall, Conservatory

Wedding at the Saddle Club

Last weekend Pixsmiths were at Prenton, Wirral to take some portfolio pictures for the Saddle Club in Prenton, Wirral a unique wedding venue, being the only place in England where you can marry over the anvil.  Our thanks to Nick a family friend of the Bride and Groom, Karen and Paul, for sharing the photography stage with us, much appreciated.  Thank you too to Karen and Paul for being such a lovely bride and groom, always happy to pose for us.  We wish you all  the happiness now and in the years to come.  The venue was decked out with canopies over the beamed ceiling (its quite a low ceiling too!)  and chairs were beautifully dressed with red sashes to co-ordinate with the bridal party’s colour scheme.For now a sneak preview with a collage and a couple of pictures.

more images available as a slideshow below

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Peckforton Castle – Wedding Venue

Dreaming of a castle wedding for your special day? Peckforton Castle, in the midst of the beautiful Cheshire countryside, makes for a mgnificent backdrop for a special wedding. If you think this grade I listed building looks familiar its because it has been used for Robin Hood and Dr Who. You can enjoy some unique touches to your wedding day too, like having one of their owls fly down the altar with the weddigns rings during the ceremony! Such an amzing sight!

After the ceremony and before the wedding breakfast is served you can arrange fotr the Birds of Prey in flight display, falcons, owls, hawks and eagles.
Its a really informative talk about the birds as they fly between the handlers and various perches, watch out as they will deliberately swoop jus over your head!
Bride party can even hold the birds on the glove too – a really memorable picture of the day. Check out Peckforton’s Castle’s website. Pixsmiths will be delighted to quote for your wedding photography here too!

Falconry at Peckforton Castle, Cheshire

Leasowe Castle

Leasowe Castle is currently proving to be a popular wedding venue – Pixsmiths have just received a booking for October this year for the wedding of Gemma and Sean and have also seen clients for a wedding here in March next year. Leasowe Castle receives excellent reviews for functions and we are looking forward to being here.

Battle staircase

Its a lovely location near to the golf course and coastal promenade which make for a great backdrop. The castle has quite a history, originally built in 1593 by Ferdinando, the 5th Earl of Derby. Its not a majestic castle, so don’t expect a fortress on a hill, surrounded by a moat! Extra towers, wings, turrets and outbuildings have been added over many years, forming its present spread out structure. However there are excellent facilities for weddings with several suites available for wedding breakfasts and gardens surrounding the outside. Plenty of space for photography outdoors, weather permitting. The Star Chamber is used for civil ceremonies and is a beautiful wood panelled cosy room, which can accommodate wedding parties for up to 50 people so ideal for the smaller wedding. The Star chamber, so called as its ceiling is studded with golden stars was originally a dining-room and library. It was fitted out by Sir Edward Cust in 1836 with the original panelling from the Star Chamber in the Old Exchequer Buildings at Westminster. Four old tapestries depicting the four seasons complement the room.Another feature of the hotel is the Battle staircase, so named as there are plate names of famous battles along it. It can be dressed with wedding swags too. Great angles here as the bride makes her way down to make her grand entrance.  Its going to be lovely to shoot a ceremony and wedding breakfast taking place in such a historic beautiful location, we can hardly wait.

Leasowe Castle hads an open day coming up on the 25th August when rooms, including the Star Chamber and the newly furbished Victoria Suite were dressed for weddings. So if you are interested in Leasowe Castle for your wedding venue then come and check it out and if you need a photographer give us a call, we would be delighted to provide a quote for you.

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Hillbark – Wedding Venue

Hillbark is one of Wirral’s leading wedding venues.   It oozes history and charm with lots of features for photographic opportunities – like the Sir Walter Raleigh fireplace and the beautiful stained glass windows. The large mirror and upstairs windows make particulary good compositions.   Then there is the gallery above the hall as the bride makes her entrance, looking down on her beloved awaiting her arrival. The outdoor space has landscaped gardens and a gazebo for outdoor photographic opportunies too.

Originally known as Bidston Court, Hillbark House originally stood near the urban farm in 1891, built for soap manufacturer Robert Hudson. Designed by Edward Oult, who also designed houses in Port Sunlight Village, it was inspired by 16th century Little Moreton Hall in Cheshire. It was moved and re-built at Royden Park between 1921 and 1931.

Pixsmiths really enjoy photgraphing weddings at this fantastic location so if this is your choie of venue please don’t hesitate to let us  quote for your wedding photography.

wedding tables

Grand Hall

wedding breakfast