My Dream Wedding at Morden Hall: With Photography by Blue Lily Weddings

Overseeing our blog for almost three years now, I have the privilege of writing about (and indulging in) the joy of weddings on a day-to-day basis, which includes shining a spotlight on countless Bridebook venues, suppliers and ‘real weddings’, all of which are unique and magical in their own way. But none have felt quite so special to me personally as my own at the dreamy Morden Hall, captured by the wonderful Marek Troszczynski from Blue Lily Weddings.

My now-husband, Joseph, and I tied the knot on 28th June 2025, and I haven’t stopped smiling since! So, I write this very much still riding the wedding high, just back from our honeymoon, wrapped up in the newlywed bubble. What follows is thus part work and part passion project.

The Dreamiest Wedding Venue

When it comes to choosing your wedding venue, there are plenty of considerations to make, and different couples will naturally prioritise different things. For us, there were several non-negotiables: the ceremony needed to be in a very specific cathedral in London (St George’s Cathedral, Southwark), because we wanted a very specific priest to marry us (who happened to be a family friend of Joseph’s, having officiated at all of the family’s major life events). This meant that our reception venue, too, needed to be in or very near to London. Secondly, we wanted a venue with beautiful gardens and water features. Finally, we wanted somewhere within budget offering exclusive use, a venue that could be completely ours for the day. 

This gave us a fairly narrow radius, which actually streamlined the venue-hunting process a lot. Using Bridebook’s handy map and filters, only a few venues met our requirements, and our favourite was Morden Hall. Surrounded by glorious sweeping National Trust parkland and private gardens bordered by the tranquil River Wandle, the gorgeous white Georgian country house felt miles from anywhere, let alone the capital. Our fabulous wedding coordinator, Marta Díaz Anes, puts it nicely: “Our couples’ first comments are always that Morden Hall is a hidden gem in London. It’s easy to commute to and from, but the outdoor space makes you feel like you’re in the countryside.” Plus, it’s a venue that exclusively specialises in weddings, so each room is perfectly conceived to flow into the next as your wedding day unfolds. 

Our Incredible Wedding Photographer

As with the venue, there are various things to consider when choosing your wedding photographer: packages, budget, aesthetic, location, your rapport with the photographer as an individual (they’ll be following you around all day, after all, so it’s a good idea to schedule an intro call with them before booking), and whether they’ve worked at your venue before (this isn’t necessary experience, but can be advantageous, as they’ll be more familiar with the venue’s best spots, and where, when and how the light falls).  

Marek from Blue Lily Weddings ticked all of our boxes. I first came across his work on Bridebook years ago, before I actually met my husband, believe it or not (we met and married within two years!), when I was shortlisting standout photography to feature in our articles. I instantly fell in love with the way he balances breathtaking, artfully framed compositions with more candid, documentary-style shots that truly capture the emotions and spirit of the day. I think you’ll agree that his work, interspersed throughout this piece, speaks for itself. When, having booked Morden Hall, I saw Marek pop up on one of the venue’s Instagram posts, and realised he was local, available and knew the venue, it felt like the stars had aligned, and that was that!

The Prep 

My wedding day began in Morden Hall’s Cherry Suite – a luxurious, light-filled dressing room brimming with classy decor. My bridesmaids and I were treated to a pampering session by Tina and Saffron from Beauty Infinity, who honestly worked wonders! We took a picnic lunch with us, as the ceremony wasn’t until 3pm, and it was so joyful relaxing and soaking it all in. 

During a gap in my own beauty prep, my gorgeous flower girl (and now, officially, niece!) and I delighted in having Morden Hall’s peaceful landscaped gardens all to ourselves. We greeted the venue’s resident geese, and collected feathers to display in the grass. It was a joyful, calming moment, almost ritualistic… and a lovely grounding way to start the day. This ties in with the advice of our wedding coordinator, Marta, to “plan in advance and not leave every decision until the last minute,” so you can enjoy some relaxing moments just before and on the day itself.  

Following my hair and makeup preparations, I was helped into my wedding dress, a lovely bespoke gown by Sassi Holford with big puffy sleeves, and fixed my veil. The father-daughter first look that followed was a highlight of the morning, one full of emotion. After a few special shots with my dad, and with my bridesmaids, we were ready to leave for the ceremony. 

Meanwhile, Marta and the team worked diligently behind the scenes to get everything ready for the reception, artfully arranging and adorning the tables. They were joined by Nicola from Flowers by Eve, one of the venue’s recommended florists, whose gorgeous arrangements were like something out of a fairytale, the highlight being the sweeping floral cascade down Morden Hall’s magnificent staircase (at the end of the wedding, all my girl friends each took a little piece of it home with them, making their own keepsake bouquets). 

The Ceremony

My wedding went by in a blur, as all those in the know had said it would. It was a whirlwind… magical and surreal at times, full of love and laughter. Walking down the aisle, clutching my dad’s arm, my heart was fluttering and my breathing came quickly. I felt all eyes on me and wasn’t quite sure where to look, until my own eyes found Joseph’s, and I felt a surge of excitement and wonder.

The ceremony was beautiful, and as personal as could be, with our priest delivering the most heartfelt and thoughtful homily, balanced with subtle humour that had everyone smiling (and sometimes laughing out loud!). Joseph and I joyfully left the cathedral for Morden Hall in a classic Daimler, while our guests were picked up in vintage London buses.

Drinks & Canapés 

Our reception at Morden Hall opened with our guests being ushered through the elegant Willow Suite to drinks and nibbles outside on the manicured lawn, with refreshing summery cocktails and divine Indian-style canapés (featuring little veg samosas, onion bhajis, fish pakoras, and chicken hariyali tikka). At this time Marek, and our videography duo, the lovely Alexandra and Robert from Land of Wonder, swept Joseph and me off for a private couple’s shoot, after which our wedding breakfast followed shortly afterwards. 

I should probably add, before I forget, that Morden Hall does also have a lovely indoor bar area, the Yew Bar, complete with plush sofas and pretty period features, which also functions as a peaceful spot where you and your guests may retreat for a moment of calm. Joseph and I honestly spent very little time here ourselves, as neither of us drink, so the drinks weren’t hugely important to us… but will of course be important to many couples and their guests!

The Catering

Morden Hall prides itself on its partnered caterers; from casual and laid-back to five-course fine dining and spectacular evening food, everything they create is of the highest standard and can be tailored to suit your needs and tastes. Our wedding breakfast was no exception, and we opted for Indian cuisine by Laguna, served family-style (like a mini buffet per table – would recommend if you like help-yourself-buffet-vibes, but also want the formality of sit-down service). The food itself was a triumph: beautiful aromatic curries, tandoori chicken, fragrant jeera rice, warm naan and roti, and a trio of sweet desserts to finish. I must admit that, at this point, I was feeling a little anxious about the speech I was yet to deliver, and slightly wish I’d savoured it all more!

We wined and dined in Morden Hall’s breathtaking Mulberry Room, possibly the jewel in the crown of this beautiful country house, accommodating up to 150 guests (we had approximately 105 ourselves). With its high vaulted ceiling, sash windows overlooking the lawns, sculptural silver lighting and pastel colours, it’s got instant wow factor. You can choose either round tables (as we did), or long banquet-style ones (for Hogwarts vibes). This room was the perfect setting not just for food and celebration, but also for delivering wedding speeches. Our four speeches were equal parts funny and emotional (father of the bride, best man, groom, bride). Unbeknownst to me at the time, as I was focusing solely on delivering my words from memory without fumbling them, mine had most of the room in tears!

Cake Cutting

Before, however, the dessert and speeches, was an interlude for the cake cutting in Morden Hall’s Oak Room (aka the ‘Cake Room’). Our cake was a magnificent four-tier showstopper complete with soft buttercream and gold leaf, each layer a different flavour (lemon drizzle, banoffee, carrot, and black cherry and dark chocolate). It was the creation of Sonata from Gorgeous Cakes by Sonata, and not just an edible masterpiece – beautiful to behold and a delight to taste – but particularly special as it incorporated a baby gender reveal (we are in fact expecting our first child – a boy! – in October!). The reactions of our guests were priceless.

The sweeping bay windows framing the cake display area in the gorgeous Oak Room made for the perfect dramatic backdrop throughout all of this. Following the cake cutting, it became a lovely space for guests to drink and relax as the evening went on. 

Bouquet Toss, First Dance & Ceilidh Band

With the festivities in full swing, we all returned to the Willow Suite, where Joseph and I took to the dancefloor for our first dance as a married couple after an amusing attempt at a bouquet toss (amusing because on my first throw, I accidentally hit the ceiling light, and on my second attempt, it wasn’t exactly caught but fell at my sister’s feet). But anyway, we danced to Johnny Cash and June Carter’s If I Were a Carpenter, an apt and very personal choice for us (given our mutual love of country music, and the lyrics “I’d marry you anyway, I’d have your baby”). 

Our ceremony, as I’ve explained, was off-site, but for non-religious weddings, there’s also the convenient option to have your ceremony in this elegant space, which sits right in the heart of the house, and can accommodate up to 120 guests. You can make your dramatic entrance from the staircase and tie the knot against a backdrop of period features, park views and a grand fireplace. For us, though, the Willow Suite was a dancefloor first and foremost, and our first dance flowed into a lively ceilidh with our guests, brought to us by the super Licence to Ceilidh. 

A Dream Come True

The evening wound down with lots more music and dancing and was, both then and looking back now, a dream come true. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect venue or lovelier suppliers, and I genuinely feel so blessed to have got to experience such a special celebration. A huge thank you to Marta and Marek especially for making it so magical!

If you’re interested in booking our venue and photographer for your own wedding, check out Morden Hall’s Bridebook profile, and that of Blue Lily Weddings. You can also find details of all our incredible wedding suppliers below. Happy planning!

Our Suppliers

• Wedding venue @mordenhallweddings
• Wedding photographer @bluelilyweddings
• Makeup @katies.beautyinfinity @tinapun_mua @saffronjacobsmakeup
• Shoes @paradox_london
• Rings @michaelplattjewellery
• Suit @nealandpalmer
• Flowers @flowersbyeve
• Band @licencetoceilidh
• Cake @gorgeouscakesbysonata
• Catering @laguna_uk
• Video @landofwonder.weddings

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Happy Planning!