As a recommended preferred professional, I've photographed over 300 weddings at HollyHedge Estate.
Located in New Hope, Holly Hedge has incredible rustic charm and unsurpassed natural beauty and is an absolute favorite venue of mine.
The old barn never ceases to amaze me with all its great photo spots and magnificent light. The doorway and window of the back of the barn can be photographically interesting, as are the green doors on each side.
The natural light of the large windows in the old barn is AMAZING. By starting with the bridal portraits inside I can perfect the portrait and photograph the wedding gown before the bride ventures out into nature for outdoor photographs or the first look. The vast majority of my couples do a first look, and this lets them utilize all this venue has to offer in a more relaxed way.
The balcony inside can be decorated in so many styles. I’ve seen roses hanging upside down so when guests look up they’re surrounded by beautiful blooms for a stunning visual effect. During the holidays, grapevine garland, curly willow and branches with votive candles dangling provide such a warm, inviting ambience for your ceremony.
There are other great spots as well, utilizing such things as boulders, walls, fairy lights, the outdoor bar area built using reclaimed lumber, a pergola area - just so many places for incredible wedding day photos.
The brick courtyard, with its ornate antique iron gates, the beautiful fountain depicting the Three Graces and the historic stone barn, offers several picturesque photo backgrounds any time of year. So although different in each season, it’s beautiful in each season.
Brides have their florist decorate the courtyard fountain in their wedding colors. It’s a stunning focal point on the courtyard.
The stone barn has huge windows that let in amazing light and are a photographer’s dream. You may have seen more than a few of those photos in my portfolio. I’ve taken many gorgeous bridal portraits in that window light.
The barn also features a stone fireplace and a second-floor balcony. Indoor ceremonies take place in front of this fireplace, and it’s also a great spot for family formals.
I’ve come to know this venue in every season and every weather scenario. I know the great spots for light and location in every season (and time of day!). Yet even though I know the special spots of this venue so intimately, I always approach every wedding as new and unique. Because it is. My goal is to tell your story.
There are many different ways to photograph here. At certain times of day, the sun filters through the trees for magical morning light. A secret to photographing at HollyHedge: If I have the fountain turned off I can create an image of the bride and groom with their reflection in the water. How pronounced the reflection is depends on the light and time of year. Some of my fall reflection photos are so vivid. If you happen to tour or book HollyHedge and are in their sales office, you can see one of my reflection prints hanging on the wall.
There is also a rustic bridge that couples and wedding parties like to use, as well as a gazebo whose top is wonderfully covered in moss. I love that moss! And do you know about the ferns? From June until about August, there is a beautiful wash of naturalized ferns that appear and that’s a visually luscious spot for your wedding photographs. I’ve noticed that every year these ferns become more plentiful! This spot is just on the other side of their naturalized pond and also on the way to the very special Hobbit House. Ah, the Hobbit House! Some of my favorite photos are taken at this romantic little gem in the woods. In the fall the sun sets just behind this adorable cottage, and you can see some of those pictures I’ve taken here.
There’s a creek that flows near the front woods that borders the meadow, an area where ceremonies can be held or bridal portraits taken underneath the tall trees.
Behind the Inn is a seldom-used area with a huge fallen tree. There are also tall grasses, perfect for having the couple walking through or embracing. Some wonderful pictorial photographs can be made in the area behind the inn and also beyond the parking lot, in an area known as “The Field.” Every August, yellow wildflowers populate the back fields. White Queen Anne’s Lace flourishes throughout the summer. And in November, the pampas grass makes for a vivid fall landscape. Field settings are popular as I think a lot of couples are looking for organic moments in nature. My unposed-looking photos and these outdoor areas at HollyHedge are perfect combinations for the type of wedding photographs my couples love.
The courtyard is extremely popular for ceremonies.
Clients have a choice of which direction to hold their ceremony in the courtyard, and I’ve seen all four directions used. The two most popular are with guests facing the old barn or facing the stone alcove, which is in the direction of the reception barn.
Ceremonies inside the stone barn are lovely and intimate, especially by candlelight. The focal point is the large utterly gorgeous original stone fireplace. There is also upstairs seating for guests. I’ve seen the groom and groomsmen enter either by coming down these stairs or from the back of the barn beside the fireplace. Inside or outside, is a wonderful place to be married.
Sometimes ceremonies are in the meadow in front of the inn. What a grand entrance when the bride has her processional down that long walkway!
Cocktail hour typically is in the old barn as well as outside in the courtyard. Stations are set up by the fountain, the perimeters of the courtyard, and also inside the barn. I’ve seen mashed potato stations, pasta and sushi stations, cheese and charcuterie stations, Mediterranean, seafood.
There’s also a second bar located outside called the “Three Seasons Bar” under a covered pavilion made of reclaimed lumber from Bucks County barns.
Receptions are typically held in the new barn and can accommodate up to 200 guests. The back wall is stone, and the ceiling has wooden barn trusses. A beautiful antique bar runs along the opposite side.
HollyHedge offers award-winning cuisine using local ingredients from not only local farms and vendors but from its own on-site organic gardens. The HollyHedge staff works with each couple to customize and create its own wedding day menu. There are also child-friendly menu options, and the chefs are prepared for any allergy or diet restrictions you or your guests may have. They even have their own pastry chef, who can create your amazing wedding cake. Farm tables are also a very popular option. The staff can assist you in renting these long tables.
If you book HollyHedge, your wedding would be the only wedding happening there that day. This beautiful magical place is all yours. Another huge bonus in the wedding industry.
HollyHedge offers a bridal suite for the bride and her attendants to get ready. There’s also a groom’s suite in the main house, and some grooms prefer to get ready in the Honeymoon Suite or other rooms on the property. Many options are offered.
The Inn has 15 rooms available for overnight stays for your guests. For larger weddings, another 24 rooms are available at HollyHedge’s sister inn, the 1740 House, four miles up the road in historic Lumberville. A trolley is provided to shuttle your guests from the 1740 House to the wedding and back at the end of the night.
I’ve photographed some very intimate weddings at HollyHedge, where the reception was held in the old barn. I remember first seeing it set up for a reception, with pin-lights shining on centerpieces, and thinking how perfect and magical it all looked. It has an incredible and even enchanting atmosphere. I’ve photographed receptions of 20 guests, and I’ve even photographed a wedding (held on a weekday) where it was only the bride, groom, the officiant and myself! There can be a minimum depending on the day of the week and time of year.
Besides supporting local growers and farmers by buying locally sourced ingredients, HollyHedge grows a lot of the fruits and vegetables it serves to its guests and also grows its own herbs and flowers. Rainwater is collected in barrels that help irrigate the crops and reduce run-off and erosion. Left-over cooking oil is recycled into bio-diesel fuel.
HollyHedge also has on-site composting for fruit and vegetable scraps as well as coffee grinds and eggshells, and left-over food scraps are saved for a locally-based hog farmer as food for the livestock.
Native grasses and wildflowers flourish on the grounds, and these lush fields are perfect spots for beautiful photos of couples and wedding parties. These native wildflowers also support pollinators and wildlife and help the environment as well as looking beautiful. You’ll see a few goats in the back fields as well. But be careful! The goats love to eat bridal bouquets!
HollyHedge Estate dates back to the late 1700s, when a carpenter named Watson Fell began building the old barn and several other buildings that still stand out of locally quarried field stone and hand-hewn timber. The Fell family lived on the property for about a hundred years, and then it changed hands several times. For years the property was a working farmstead and then it was a private estate. In the 1960’s it became a school for the performing arts. What a great environment for music, theater and art!
The school eventually closed and the property changed hands several times before falling into disrepair. Finally, the Luccaro family purchased HollyHedge Estate in 1994 and has worked tirelessly to preserve and restore the historic buildings and transform the property into the spectacular and unique wedding venue it is today.
When you have your wedding at HollyHedge, it’s your private estate for the day. The staff will work with you to create the wedding you’ve always wanted, and I’ll work with you to create your wedding day timeline, leaving ample time for relaxed portraiture and those wedding day photos you’ll forever treasure.
HollyHedge includes five hours of event time, but this does not include set-up and clean-up times. There is a set-up fee of $5 per person when you have your reception at HollyHedge. Packages range from $140 to $175 per person, and this is seasonal. You can also schedule a two-hour After Party in the old barn. See HollyHedge’s excellent wedding coordinators for more information on pricing and customizing your special day. They are also now offering intimate weddings on the courtyard as well as elopements.
HollyHedge Estate is a rare gem in the wedding business.
HollyHedge is located at 6987 Upper York Rd, New Hope, Pa., 18938, between Peddlers Village and the Delaware River. 215-862-3136
Check out more of my favorite Holly Hedge Estate weddings Here
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