The Lion Inn Wedding Photographer & Videographer

An inn and an Art Deco events centre in Boreham

The Lion Inn is on Main Road in Boreham, near Chelmsford in Essex (CM3 3JA). Weddings are held at the Lion House, a purpose-built events centre next to the inn. The venue describes it as Art Deco in style with plenty of natural light, a glass wall that opens onto a private garden, and its own entrance, kitchen and bar. The inn has 23 rooms.

We photographed and filmed Alexa and Dave's wedding here on 19 September 2021. Their day is told in photographs, and the highlight film plays further down the page. Our Essex guide shows other weddings in the county, and here we stay with the venue and the couple. What we say about the buildings comes from the venue's own website, and what we say about the pictures comes from looking at them.

For current venue details, explore The Lion Inn. This wedding was in September, so ask the venue how the garden and the light change in other seasons.

01 / The spaces / From the venue's own description

A glass-walled events centre, a private garden and an inn next door

The venue says it has two licensed ceremony spaces, one for up to 30 guests and one for up to 150, without saying which room is which. Its Lion House page describes a licensed wedding venue with a smaller room called The Den, an Art Deco bar for drinks, and a private garden that is lit at night.

It describes the Grande Hall as suiting 60 to 150 guests, designed for up to 120 for the ceremony and wedding breakfast and up to 150 for the evening. Its own pages give both 150 and 120 for the ceremony, so ask for the limit in writing. It also lists a private dining room for 20 to 40 guests, with minimum numbers, and a conservatory for 50 to 60.

The front of the Lion House on the evening of Alexa and Dave's wedding: the name sits above the entrance, a chalkboard stands beside the door and guests gather on the step.

02 / September 2021 / Alexa and Dave

Alexa and Dave: a kiss in the aisle, confetti outside, sunset portraits and a first dance in front of everyone

Alexa and Dave married on 19 September 2021, and the Lion House sign in one of the photographs below places the day here. The photograph at the top of this page comes from their sunset portraits: Dave in a navy waistcoat and Alexa in a veil, foreheads together, the low sun glowing between them and a bouquet of white flowers in front. The highlight film plays further down the page.

Indoors, Dave and Alexa kiss in the aisle in front of their seated guests, framed pictures on the wall behind and round pendant lights overhead.

Then they walk back down the aisle in front of a leafy green arch and tall windows, Alexa laughing with one arm raised, the guests clapping on both sides. Outside, they walk hand in hand past their guests as confetti falls, Alexa laughing with her bouquet, Dave smiling beside her, a brick wall behind.

Later the light turns to gold. In black and white, Dave kisses Alexa on the forehead beside the trees and a clipped hedge. In the next photograph her veil is drawn over the two of them, his hand on her cheek, the last of the sunset soft behind.

The first dance happens with guests standing all around them, many holding up phones. Alexa and Dave hold each other close and laugh, warm pendant lights above.

03 / Staying at The Lion Inn / From the venue's own description

23 rooms at the inn and a honeymoon suite

The venue lists 23 individually styled boutique rooms at the inn, says 21 can be reserved at a preferential rate for the wedding night, and mentions a honeymoon suite and discounted rates for wedding guests. Check-in is from 3.00pm and check-out is at 11.00am. Ask which rooms come with your date and where the rest of your guests would stay.

For the film and photographs, ask which room you can use for getting ready and when it opens, so we can plan the morning around where each of you is.

Planning your film and photographs at The Lion Inn

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

1. Ceremony place: In their photographs and film the ceremony, the confetti and the evening all appear to happen around the Lion House, so there is no journey to plan for. If yours is split between places, tell us the route and the timings so we can plan the day around the move.
2. Timing: The venue's wedding page does not give a finishing time. It does describe twilight weddings, with a ceremony at 5pm or later, drinks and less formal food, and a DJ or band needed for the evening. Ask for the timings of your date in writing and tell us once you have agreed them.
3. Sunset portraits: Alexa and Dave's portraits were taken in warm evening light beside a hedge with fields beyond. Ask the venue which parts of the garden and grounds are open to you, and talk to us about timing portraits near sunset for your date.
4. Confetti: The venue says confetti is allowed and asks for biodegradable confetti. Agree where it can be thrown, and we will plan the picture around it.
5. Rain: Agree an indoor or sheltered option with the venue when you confirm the order of the day, and we settle it together on the day.
6. Group photographs: We do as many as you like and typically recommend around 15, which usually take about 20 minutes. Ask a groomsman or bridesmaid who knows everyone to round people up.
7. Getting ready: If you and your partner are in different places, we move between you together, splitting our time as a team. Groom preparation typically takes about 15 minutes.

One team for the photographs and the film

Cam and Beth have photographed and filmed over 400 weddings together, so an inn with its own events centre and a garden to hand is familiar territory. You get one conversation about the timetable, one set of questions for the venue and one plan for the sunset portraits.

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 The Lion Inn wedding