Getting married at Southdowns Manor
A Beautiful Autumn Wedding at Southdowns Manor – Amy & Dylan
Southdowns Manor sits on the edge of the South Downs National Park, right on the Hampshire–West Sussex border. Originally a two-storey country house built in the late 19th century, it was transformed just over a decade ago into a local popular wedding venue. Today, it offers exclusive use, 14 guest bedrooms, and a warm “home from home” feel that couples love.
A lovely local venue
As a local wedding photographer, I really enjoy photographing at Southdowns Manor. The venue is designed with weddings in mind. It has a spacious indoor ceremony room, a purpose-built confetti space, and a beautiful wooden gazebo for outdoor ceremonies. The gardens are perfect for group photos and relaxed couple portraits, with views stretching across farmland and rolling South Downs.
Working with two cameras, a mix of lenses and off-camera flash, ensures I can document every moment naturally and unobtrusively. My approach means couples often see details in their gallery they missed on the day itself.
Amy & Dylan’s Autumn Wedding at Southdowns Manor
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Amy and Dylan chose the perfect October day for their Autumn wedding at Southdowns Manor. With rich seasonal colours everywhere, I documented their celebration from final preparations through to evening portraits.
I was thrilled when Amy and Dylan asked me to photograph their day. Although the forecast looked a little uncertain, the weather stayed on our side. I arrived as the final bridal preparations were underway and set up an emotional first-look moment with Amy, her dad, and then her bridesmaids.
While Amy chatted with the registrar, I nipped downstairs to capture Dylan greeting guests. Soon after, everyone made their way into the ceremony room. Amy’s bridesmaids walked down the aisle ahead of her, and when she appeared on her dad’s arm, the room filled with happy tears – she looked incredible.
After the ceremony and the signing of the register, the celebrations began. Becki, Southdowns Manor’s wonderful wedding coordinator, greeted the newlyweds with a drink and a toast.
Celebrating in Full Autumn Colour
The October sunshine meant most of the reception took place outside. I photographed the family formals while guests enjoyed the warm afternoon, then whisked Amy and Dylan away for some relaxed couple portraits. After that, everyone gathered for a big group photo in front of the manor and then on to a full-on confetti moment before heading inside for speeches and the wedding breakfast.
The speeches brought belly laughs, tears, and one unforgettable surprise – a gender reveal by the groom that took everyone completely off guard. I secretly filmed it for them, and the reactions were priceless.
After a very entertaining cake cutting and a lovely first dance, we stepped outside once more for some creative off-camera flash portraits to end the night.
A Review That Made My Day
Receiving this wonderful 5-star Google review from Amy and Dylan was the perfect end to their wedding story:
“Anna photographed our wedding on a grey October day, and did a fantastic job!
The support in the run up to the day, the planning that went into getting all the photos we wanted in a tight time frame, and the quality of photos was incredible!
“Both my husband and I mentioned that we could tell Anna had a genuine love for the work she does!
“Thank you again Anna, you really did make our day and genuinely did go above and beyond our expectations!”
Amy & Dylan Thorpe
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