Lion Quays Wedding Photography | Georgina & Michael

After video chatting with her and Michael I was really excited when they asked me to capture their Lion Quays wedding day for them. The euphoria of this moment never really runs dry and I was excited once again looking forward to their Lion Quays Resort wedding in Oswestry. Somewhere I’d actually not been to before.

I always find a couple are a great indication of their guests and this has never been more true than at Georgina and Michael’s Lion Quays wedding where all of their guests were just as awesome as themselves. I had so much fun just chatting with their friends and family all day and as per usual I caught some fantastic photographs as a result of having had these conversations.

After the wedding buffet, yeah that’s right buffet which was an awesome alternative to the more traditional 3 course set up, had finished a few guests went back to their rooms for 5. Georgina was in need of a cup of tea and a chill for 5 also but before this could happen I sold the idea of a few more photographs to her and Michael. With the sun at a captivating angle we were able to wander Lion Quays and capture some much more dramatic work which I love.

My First Wedding at Lion Quays

Oswestry is not my usual stomping ground but I love this part of the world and having close family in Montgomeryshire means I’m always in need of a good Welsh border wedding. I often venture further afield to photograph weddings and I don’t charge for the pleasure. I find it incredibly exciting actually and really relish the opportunity to shoot within a new space and a new wedding adventure.

My style of wedding photography is built on a great relationship with my couples. All of my weddings are different and unique; even if I was to shoot again at the same venue as Lion Quays. The time on your wedding day is really important to me as I’m sure it is for you too. So if I can help it I don’t really want you to miss a thing and would love you to remember as much as possible. This caring and relaxed approach to my wedding photography is the reason why so many couples recommend me. They always say it feels like a friend is taking their photographs and not a photographer.

3 Experiences in 1 at Lion Quays

Gliding straight over the English to Wales border in Oswestry you’d be forgiven for not noticing Lions Quay Resort shrouded in beautiful Shropshire Countryside. At the turn of the millennium, the current owners of Lions Quay came across the site which they now occupy. It housed the Lion Inn Pub which had been left derelict over the years. Looking over the current use the team at Lion Quays had the vision to turn this disused site into three amazing experiences all under one resort. They wanted to build a luxury hotel, a restaurant and a spa all under the same resort and thus Lion Quays Resort was born.

Opening their doors in August 2003 the resort started off by just opening their restaurant offering first. They then went on to open their luxurious hotel in December 2004. It was four years later when the final piece of the puzzle was installed. The luxury leisure club with a spa and gym opened its doors in November 2008. This trio of incredible experiences completed the original vision for the site giving guests a luxurious and friendly atmosphere where they could relax in the tranquility of the Shropshire countryside.

Situated directly on the Llangollen Canal this waterside resort is based directly upon a UNESCO world heritage site. The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site was formally announced in 2006 which covers 11 miles from the Llangollen Canal to the Horseshoe Falls. It was then finally listed on the prestigious list on the 27th of June 2009.

Your Big Day at the Waterside

Your wedding day at Lion Quays can start directly on-site with a stay in an individually styled hotel suite where you can chat and relax whilst pampering yourself in a luxurious setting. With the expansive hotel, all of your guests can stay over at Lion Quays the night before.

When the time comes you’ll meet your fiancé/fiancee for your wedding service downstairs just off of the Waterside Restaurant. With a large capacity capability of 60-300 Lion Quays can cater for small intimate days or invite every friend of the family under the sun and pack the place out. For your service, you can marry in front of 100 of your guests in The Conservatory which is glass-fronted overlooking the Llangollen Canal. Alternatively, you can split or use the whole Lion Suite to suit your requirements and marry directly next to the gorgeous Walled Gardens with up to 300 of your nearest and dearest. Whatever the room you’ll be littered in gorgeous light through large windows whilst you say your “I do’s” and exchange your rings. You could trade it all in though and get married outdoors beneath The Birdcage within the walled garden which can sit around 100 of your guests.

The multitude of spaces really does offer the greatest selection for each moment on your wedding day. When it comes to serving your reception drinks your wedding guests can relax in the walled gardens under canopies or out in the gorgeous Shropshire sun. Should the weather become difficult you can have your drinks reception indoors in The Conservatory, The Lion Suite, or the large bar area.

The Lion Suite can then be opened up for your wedding breakfast giving you a large space to host the rest of your reception at Lion Quays. With such a large space you barely ever have to think about the logistics at this great Oswestry wedding venue as space just comes in an abundance.

The whole resort has a lovely blank canvas feel to it which doesn’t overpower your wedding day at all allowing you to put your own spin on the look and feel of your day with your own ideas or enabling them through a wedding decorator and a florist.

The perfect space within the Lion Suite allows your guests to enjoy the dance floor whilst allowing others to escape outside into the Walled Gardens or to even escape it all for a moment on the canal pathway.

Guests are then welcomed to roll off of the dance floor and into their luxurious Hypnos beds in the main hotel just a short walk from the Waterside Suite.

Although Lion Quays is a large resort it’s easy to feel like your in your own private exclusive wedding wing as the facilities used are for wedding guest use only.

Photographing a Wedding at Lion Quays

Photographing amongst such a purpose-built resort is incredible and helps me so much when I’m photographing a Lion Quays wedding. The glass frame in The Conservatory gives the most gorgeous soft nautral light throughout your wedding service allowing me to focus on documenting moments throughout the service instead of messing with camera settings.

The blank canvas luxury feel of the whole Lion Quays resort also means there’s a direct focus on what happens within the wedding photographs I capture on my brides and/or grooms big day.

The Walled Garden and the canal-side location provide such an abundance of creative opportunities to make unique photographs especially when it comes to my relaxed couple portraits. With the vast range of foliage and the possibility of a barge just passing by, there’s always something to shoot at Lion Quays. If this isn’t enough we can always go for a walk through the rest of the resort and enjoy the lake or the various features throughout Lion Quays.

The events team at Lion Quays make wedding days so simple. It’s great fun to photograph around all of the big moments like the cake cutting and the first dance as they just happen so well with the dedicated team behind the scenes pulling the strings. One of the many reasons why I just love being a Lion Quays wedding photographer.

Lion Quays Resort Wedding Photography