Elms Barn Wedding Photographer & Videographer

A 17th-century barn on the Norfolk and Suffolk border

Elms Barn is at Toft Monks, near Beccles (NR34 0EJ), and the venue describes a historic 17th-century barn on the Norfolk and Suffolk border, set in the gardens of a Queen Anne house. Its own pages give the address as Toft Monks, Beccles, Suffolk, and also call it a Norfolk barn.

We photographed and filmed Shantelle and Karl's wedding here on 9 July 2022. Their day is the one in this guide: a ceremony beneath swags of fairy lights in a brick barn, confetti beside a white marquee, and portraits among pink roses.

For current venue details, explore Elms Barn.

01 / July 2022 / Shantelle and Karl

Shantelle and Karl: fairy lights in the barn, confetti and a garden of pink roses

Shantelle and Karl married on 9 July 2022. The photograph at the top of this page is the two of them kissing in front of pink roses with the sun behind them and Shantelle's veil lifting at the edge of the frame. Indoors, a brick barn hung with swags of fairy lights is the setting for the ceremony, and a second photograph shows round tables laid with white linen and tall flowers beneath draped fabric and strings of lights.

Afterwards, Shantelle and Karl walk hand in hand through confetti outside a white marquee as guests smile around them.

The portraits move through a garden. Shantelle in a long lace gown and Karl in a dark suit stand in a pointed doorway in a red-brick garden wall, framed by leaves. They walk hand in hand beneath an arch of roses and greenery along a gravel path, and Shantelle leads Karl by the hand through pink roses and clipped box with her long veil trailing behind her.

02 / The spaces / From the venue's own pages

The barn, the marquee and the gardens

The venue's pages say the barn is licensed for civil ceremonies and marriages for up to 120 guests, with a further 80 guests in the evening. It does not give a separate dining capacity, so ask the venue. A marquee styled to match the barn is connected to it and used for drinks, canapés and evening entertainment, with a patio, boxed bay trees and a pond around it.

The venue says it sits within 20 acres of grounds, and describes gardens that offer plenty of places for photographs. Its Bridal Suite is listed for the bride and her attendants to get ready in. The wedding page also mentions menus led by a head chef using Norfolk and Suffolk produce, and pre-wedding barbecues and farewell brunches.

03 / Staying at Elms Barn / From the venue's own pages

A lodge and cottages for up to 24 guests

The venue says its cottages and lodge sleep up to 24 guests together. It lists Stackyard Lodge, with seven en suite rooms and an open-plan sitting and breakfast room, and Meadow Cottage, with three bedrooms, a kitchen and a sitting room. A partner hotel near Norwich is listed for a further 20 guests. Ask which rooms come with your booking and when you can have them on the morning of the wedding.

Planning your photographs at Elms Barn

A few things worth asking the venue, and how we would plan around the answers:

1. Where the ceremony is: the barn is the venue's licensed ceremony space. Tell us your plan and timings so we can arrange the morning around them.
2. Getting ready: ask when the Bridal Suite is yours on the morning, since that is where the first photographs happen.
3. Group photographs: we do as many as you like and typically recommend around 15, which usually take about 20 minutes. The patio by the marquee and the gardens give you room.
4. Portraits: we usually take a portrait walk of about 15 minutes, with photo and video together. The gardens, the gravel paths and the barn give you very different backdrops. In July, we check sunset and light times for your date in advance and agree the plan with you.
5. Rain: agree an indoor option with the venue when you confirm the order of the day. The barn and the connected marquee are the covered spaces the venue lists.

One team for the photographs and the film

Cam and Beth have photographed and filmed over 400 weddings together, so a historic barn with a marquee, a patio and pink-rose gardens is familiar territory. You get one conversation about the timetable, one set of questions for the venue and one plan for the portrait walk.

The photo and video team package carries a £120 deposit and a £400 saving over booking photography and videography separately. We are based near Cardiff, and travel across England and Wales is included in standard full-day packages. When the drive is over two hours we always stay in a hotel the night before and cover it.

Questions about a Elms Barn wedding