Saronsberg is an incredible place for a wedding. It’s nestled in the Tulbagh valley, surrounded by open spaces with a mountain backdrop, an art gallery, a recently renovated cellar and some beautiful vineyards. I was lucky enough to be part of a photography team that captured a wedding here in March and I want to share the four reasons I think this venue is incredible.

1. Cottages for getting ready

Having the bride and groom get ready nearby is a win for everyone, not just the photographers. It means no stress over travelling to another venue, no need for an extra car and a little extra time for dressing. Saronsberg has several cottages on site that make for a perfect overnight solution for yourself and your loved ones. Furthermore, each building is furnished comfortably and has beautiful light for dramatic getting-ready images making it a museum of interest.

2. The art gallery next to the wedding ceremony on Saronsberg estate

Never underestimate having an interesting location for your couple photos. Saronsberg’s art gallery is the perfect example of a unique space and it allows for images that set your wedding apart. This space offers so much for artistic photography – the art pieces make interesting elements for composition, the open and light space is a dream and having the bride and groom in the room made them look like collected items themselves. Plus, being only a few steps away from the ceremony location makes sneaking across to this spot is easy and will not distract you from enjoying your day with your loved ones.

3. The afternoon light in Tulbagh

Something not a lot of people know is the quality of sunlight changes depending on where you are in the world. There’s no shortage of factors at play: the time of day and year, the composition of the surrounding soil, the amount of wind in the atmosphere and so on. The particular combination of these factors in Tulbagh in summer makes it one of my favourite places to shoot. It creates a soft and warm haziness to the light in the valley. Combine this with the tall trees at Saronsberg to take the edge off the direct brightness and you’ve got the perfect lighting situation for photography.

4. The garden space for candid photos

Your best friends and family in one beautiful place celebrating you, that’s something your photographer should take seriously. Saronsberg’s garden space makes for a well-shaded, open space perfect for catching candid photos of guests. It’s where they hold their ceremony as well as host any afternoon drinks and canapés. There’s enough room for people to not feel intimidated by the camera, so I could sneak around and catch otherwise unseen moments you will treasure forever.

These are the reasons I enjoyed shooting a wedding at Saronsberg. Below are my favourite images from this beautiful day. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me – I’d love to chat.