Lartington Hall Wedding Photographer, near Barnard Castle
Relaxed, documentary photographs at Lartington Hall from a photographer who's worked there. A Grade II* listed hall with a chapel, a statue-lined terrace walk, topiary, a green tree tunnel and gardens made for a ceremony outside.
Close to 400 weddings since 2016 · North East Wedding Photographer of the Year 2022 · 70+ five-star Google reviews
Now booking 2026, 2027 and 2028.
Lartington Hall in one minute: a Grade II* listed country house on Lartington Lane, Barnard Castle (DL12 9BW), in a registered park and garden in Teesdale. You can marry in the chapel, in the drawing room for a small ceremony, or outdoors on the lawns. The venue's packages start "FROM £8,550 for 60 guests", and it offers two-day weddings. It's run by the team behind Newton Hall, Le Petit Chateau, Runa Farm and The Croft. I've photographed a wedding at Lartington Hall, with a colourful mandap ceremony in the gardens. My full-day collections start at £1,695, and £100 holds your date.
Getting married at Lartington Hall
A Lartington Hall wedding has real history behind it, and you feel it as you walk up the gravel drive between the hedges. The hall sits just outside Barnard Castle, in Teesdale, and it's surrounded by formal gardens and parkland.
The venue says the building dates back to the 15th century. Historic England, which keeps the official list, is more precise. It lists the hall at Grade II\*, the higher grade, and notes the porch is dated 1635. The chapel and west wing are late 18th century. The ballroom was added around 1836, possibly by the architect Ignatius Bonomi, and the porte-cochère (the covered entrance for carriages) between 1861 and 1865, by Hansom. The park and garden are registered at Grade II as well, which explains why the grounds are so good for photographs.
Today it's a wedding venue run by the team behind Newton Hall, Le Petit Chateau, Runa Farm and The Croft. The venue's listing describes a grand chapel with high ornate ceilings and stained glass, a drawing room for smaller ceremonies, and a ballroom with tall columns, a chandelier and a marble fireplace. There are outdoor ceremonies on the lawns, too.
Packages, in the venue's words, start "FROM £8,550 for 60 guests", and two-day weddings are an option, with ideas like a barbecue on the patio or a games night in the billiard room.
I've photographed a wedding at Lartington Hall, a garden ceremony under a white floral mandap, with family walking the bride up the drive and a terrace walk full of statues for the portraits. I'm based in Guisborough and cover County Durham and Teesdale regularly, so there's no travel fee.
Who it suits: couples who want a historic house with gardens to match, a garden ceremony with a solid indoor plan, and the option of a two-day celebration.
Less of a fit if: you want a modern blank-canvas space, or a photographer who spends hours on posed portraits. I mostly stay out of the way and photograph what actually happens.
Capacities, prices and packages change, so check current details with the venue directly.
Chapel, drawing room or the lawns?
Lartington Hall gives you three very different places to marry, and each changes how the day feels.
The chapel
Published guides give about 80 seated plus around 10 on the balcony; ask the venue
High ornate ceilings and stained glass (venue listing); renovated in 2024, according to published guides
The drawing room
Ask the venue
For small ceremonies (venue listing)
The lawns
Ask the venue
Outdoor ceremonies in the gardens (venue listing)
The chapel. The venue's listing describes a grand chapel with high ornate ceilings and stained glass, and published guides say it was renovated for 2024 and is used for non-religious ceremonies. The wedding I photographed here had its ceremony in the gardens, so I'm going on the venue's description of the chapel rather than my own pictures. Wherever you marry, I photograph from the back and the side, find my spots before guests arrive and don't move around during the vows.
The drawing room. For a small wedding, the drawing room is a lovely, intimate choice. At the wedding I photographed, the bride's mum sat quietly there for a while during the day, and the photograph of her shows how gentle the light in that room is. Window light in a room like this makes for soft, natural photographs, and every face fits in the frame.
The lawns. This is where the wedding I photographed took place, under a white floral mandap with guests seated below the stone steps. An outdoor ceremony here is colourful, open and full of light. Afterwards, the couple walked back through cheering guests. That's the moment I'm waiting for at any ceremony.
Ceremony times. Published guides say couples are offered two ceremony slots, 12:30pm or 2pm, with registrars from Darlington, the same office that covers Runa Farm. Confirm the slots for your date with the venue and book your registrar early.
The weather call. If you're marrying outside, agree with the venue in advance when the decision is made and where you'll move to if it rains. The chapel and the house are right there, so it's an easy switch, but everyone's calmer when they know the plan.
The best photo spots at Lartington Hall
The registered gardens are the reason Lartington photographs so well. There's a lot of variety within a short walk, so twenty minutes of portraits goes a long way and you're back with your guests quickly.
The terrace walk and statues
The statue-lined terrace walk is the signature spot here. It gives you a long, elegant line to walk along and the statues as a frame. It's great for walking photos where you can just chat and forget I'm there.
The topiary
The clipped topiary in the formal gardens gives you shape and colour, especially when the borders are in flower. The photograph here has yellow flowers all round.
The tree tunnel
The green tree tunnel is a lovely surprise at Lartington. Stand at the end of it and the trees frame you completely, with soft, even light even on a bright day.
The gravel drive and hedges
The drive between the hedges is lovely for arrivals and for family walking together, as in the photograph here, and later for a quiet portrait of the two of you.
The long stone path
The long stone path through the gardens gives you depth and a simple, classic composition. It works for couple portraits and for a solo portrait of either of you.
The chequered hall floor and window bays
Inside, the chequered floor in the hall and the deep window bays give you rich, characterful portraits in soft natural light, whatever the weather.
The chapel
Ceremony
Yes
Chequered hall floor and window bays
Bridal portraits, getting ready
Yes
The drawing room
Small ceremonies, quiet portraits
Yes
The terrace walk and statues
Walking portraits
No
The topiary
Couple portraits
No
The tree tunnel
Couple portraits
Light rain only
The gravel drive
Arrivals, family
No
The long stone path
Portraits
No
Garden and Asian weddings at Lartington
The wedding I photographed here was an Asian wedding with the ceremony under a mandap in the gardens, and Lartington suited it beautifully. The bride wore a red and gold lehenga, which looked stunning on the chequered hall floor. The groom wore a cream and red sherwani for his portraits on the garden path. Flower garlands made a beautiful close portrait by a window, and the ceremony rituals had the guests laughing together.
What matters most at an Asian wedding is knowing when to be close and when to step back, and knowing which family members need to be in which photographs. I'll ask you for the key moments and the family list in advance, with names next to each group, so nothing important is missed and nobody's left waiting.
If you're planning a mandap, talk to the venue about where it can go and the wet-weather plan for it. If your celebrations run over more than one day, tell me what's happening and when, and I'll let you know what I can cover and what it would cost.
A wedding-day timeline that works at Lartington Hall
This is a shape, not a rule. Published guides give two ceremony slots, 12:30pm and 2pm; confirm yours with the venue.
10:30
12:00
I arrive for getting ready
12:00
1:30
Guests gather
12:30
2:00
Ceremony, 20–40 minutes
1:10
2:40
Confetti and drinks in the gardens
1:30
3:00
Group photos, about 15 minutes
1:45
3:15
Couple portraits: terrace walk, topiary, tree tunnel, about 20 minutes
3:00
4:30
Wedding breakfast and speeches (I step back during the meal)
Evening
Evening
Cake, first dance and the party
Which slot? The 12:30pm slot gives you a long afternoon in the gardens and is the better choice in autumn and winter. The 2pm slot gives a more relaxed morning and suits summer, when the evening light lasts.
Seasons and weather. Spring brings blossom and fresh green to the gardens. Summer is the best time for an outdoor ceremony and long evenings on the terrace walk. In autumn the parkland turns and the light goes golden early; my autumn wedding guide has the sunset times. In winter it's dark by about 4pm, so take the 12:30pm slot, do portraits straight after the ceremony and let the hall's rooms do the rest.
What I'm doing during the day
In the morning I photograph getting ready and the details. Through the drinks reception I'm mostly unseen, photographing people being themselves. After the portraits you're back with your guests. During the meal I step back, then I'm ready for the speeches, the cake and the first dance.
If it rains
Lartington Hall has plenty of characterful indoor space for a wet day. The venue's listing describes a chapel with high ornate ceilings and stained glass, and a ballroom with tall columns, a chandelier and a marble fireplace. The chequered hall floor and the window bays give you beautiful portraits in soft light as the photographs on this page show. The dining room, where guests sat down for the wedding breakfast at the wedding I photographed, is a warm, busy room for speeches and candid photographs once everyone's seated, so a wet day doesn't mean a dull one.
If you've planned a garden ceremony, agree the wet-weather plan with the venue well in advance. On the day, bring a couple of clear umbrellas, keep the family photo list short, and leave the rest to me. The tree tunnel gives a little shelter in light rain, and Teesdale weather often passes through, so we'll nip out to the terrace walk the moment it brightens.
Rooms, two-day weddings and the night before
The venue's Hitched listing describes 12 boutique bedrooms, 16 courtyard rooms and a five-bedroom cottage. Published guides also mention the Stable Cottage for the night before. Check current numbers and what's included for your date with the venue.
Two-day weddings are one of the things Lartington does differently. The venue suggests exploring the grounds, an alfresco barbecue on the patio and a games night in the billiard room. If you're planning more than one day, tell me what's happening and when, and I'll let you know what I can cover and what it would cost.
Getting ready at Lartington is a treat for photographs. The big windows give soft light, and the rooms have character. The photograph here is a bride reflected in a round mirror on the morning of the wedding, and even the youngest guests had a turn in the make-up chair. Choose the room with the biggest window and keep one corner clear, and the getting-ready photographs will look lovely.
What couples say
"Aaron was absolutely perfect from start to finish! He made everything so easy and was so down to earth. It was so comforting having a photographer who was always on our wave length and knew exactly what we wanted." Caitlin and Mike
"Would highly recommend this guy for wedding photography. He put us at ease throughout our day and he handled my crazy bridesmaids perfectly." Hayley and Mark
Packages
Willow: £2,295
Photography, film and the full album. Full-day documentary photography, a 3–5 minute wedding film with real audio, a pre-wedding shoot, and a large 45×30cm handmade album. A garden ceremony, the rituals and the cheering walk out with real sound are exactly what the film is for.
Oak: £1,695 · Most couples choose this one
Full-day documentary photography, a pre-wedding shoot and a 30×30cm handmade album. The pre-wedding shoot means that by the day itself I'm someone you've already met rather than a stranger with a camera.
Digital: £1,295
Half-day coverage, delivered digitally. I arrive 45 minutes before the ceremony and stay until after your first dance. No album and no pre-wedding shoot, but the same careful editing and the same style of photographs.
Having a small wedding or eloping? Up to 5 hours of coverage starts from £895, which suits a drawing room ceremony nicely.
Every collection includes 500+ edited photographs, a private online gallery, sneak peeks within 24 hours, twenty-minute couple portraits, family group photographs, planning calls whenever you need them, drone where conditions allow, and travel throughout North Yorkshire and the North East, which covers Barnard Castle.
£100 holds your date. That's because I only photograph one wedding a day, so once your date is held it's yours and I turn other couples away. The balance is due a month before the wedding.
Questions couples ask about Lartington Hall
How much does a wedding photographer at Lartington Hall cost?
My full-day collections are Willow at £2,295 (photography, a 3–5 minute film, a pre-wedding shoot and a 45×30cm album) and Oak at £1,695 (photography, a pre-wedding shoot and a 30×30cm album). Digital is half-day coverage at £1,295, from 45 minutes before the ceremony until after the first dance. Small weddings start from £895, and a £100 booking fee holds your date.
Have you photographed at Lartington Hall?
Yes, I've photographed a wedding at Lartington Hall, with a mandap ceremony in the gardens, so I know the terrace walk, the topiary, the tree tunnel and the hall's rooms.
What times can we get married at Lartington Hall?
Published guides say there are two ceremony slots, 12:30pm and 2pm, with registrars from Darlington. Confirm the slots for your date with the venue and book your registrar early.
How many guests does the chapel at Lartington Hall hold?
Published guides give about 80 seated in the chapel plus around 10 on the balcony, but listings vary. Ask the venue for the current chapel, meal and evening numbers for your date.
Can we get married outdoors at Lartington Hall?
Yes. The venue's listing describes outdoor ceremonies on the lawns, and I've photographed a garden ceremony there under a mandap. Agree the wet-weather plan with the venue in advance.
What happens with photos at Lartington Hall if it rains?
The chapel, the ballroom, the chequered hall floor and the window bays all photograph beautifully in the rain. The tree tunnel gives a little shelter in a light shower, and we nip out to the terrace walk when it brightens.
Where are the best photo spots at Lartington Hall?
The statue-lined terrace walk, the clipped topiary, the green tree tunnel, the gravel drive between the hedges, the long stone path, and inside, the chequered hall floor and the window bays.
How old is Lartington Hall?
Historic England lists the hall at Grade II\* and notes the porch is dated 1635. The chapel and west wing are late 18th century, and the ballroom was added around 1836. The park and garden are registered at Grade II.
How many bedrooms does Lartington Hall have?
The venue's Hitched listing describes 12 boutique bedrooms, 16 courtyard rooms and a five-bedroom cottage. Check current numbers and what's included for your date with the venue.
Can we have a two-day wedding at Lartington Hall?
Yes, the venue offers two-day weddings, with ideas like a barbecue on the patio or a games night in the billiard room. Tell me what's planned for each day and I'll let you know what I can cover and what it would cost.
Where is Lartington Hall?
Lartington Hall is on Lartington Lane, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 9BW, in Teesdale. It's just outside Barnard Castle, and the nearby town is handy for guests staying off site.
How long do the couple photos take at Lartington Hall?
About twenty minutes for couple portraits and fifteen for family groups. The terrace walk, topiary and tree tunnel are close together, so you're back with your guests quickly.
More Apartment Group and Teesdale guides: Runa Farm · Planning a Runa Farm wedding · The Croft Hotel · Middleton Lodge · All my venue guides
Getting married at Lartington Hall?
Tell me your date and that you're at Lartington Hall, and add a line about your plans, chapel or garden. I'll tell you whether I'm free, and I'll tell you honestly whether I'm the right fit. I only take one wedding a day, so the sooner you ask, the sooner I can hold your date.
You'll typically hear back within the hour to let you know if I'm free.
Now booking 2026, 2027 and 2028.
aaronjeffelsphotography@gmail.com · Guisborough, TS14 8PB
Aaron Jeffels is a documentary wedding photographer and filmmaker based in Guisborough, covering North Yorkshire, County Durham and the North East. He has photographed close to 400 weddings since 2016, including one at Lartington Hall, was named North East Wedding Photographer of the Year 2022, and has 70+ five-star Google reviews.