The Fennes – A Truly Elegant Essex Wedding Venue Close to Our Hearts

Helen & Noel
Sep 26, 2025
3 min read

Bride and groom with their doggie ring bearer at The Fennes

Tucked away just outside Braintree, The Fennes is one of those wedding venues that seems to quietly steal your heart. Grand yet inviting, elegant without being intimidating, it’s a place that feels both timeless and deeply personal. And for us, it holds a little extra magic because it's right on our doorstep. If it weren’t for our gear on a wedding day, we could walk there (and have done, many times, usually accompanied by friends and their very muddy dogs !).

A Stately Home with a Warm Welcome

The Fennes wedding venue is a beautiful Georgian manor house set in 100 acres of stunning countryside. The moment you arrive, it’s clear this isn’t just another country house venue, it’s something special. There’s an effortless charm in its sweeping driveway, the sash windows, and the way the light filters into the elegant reception rooms. It has all the grandeur you’d expect from an historic home, but with a warmth that makes everyone feel instantly at ease.

From an intimate ceremony in the Drawing Room to a celebration under the twinkling lights of the silk-lined Pavilion, there are endless possibilities here. And whether it’s winter or summer, rain or shine, there’s always a beautiful backdrop, both inside and out for relaxed, authentic photographs.

The Fennes Wedding Photography - An Absolute Dream (and Not Just Because It’s Local)

We’re spoiled for choice when photographing weddings at The Fennes. The golden hour light over the lake, the sweeping lawns, the romantic bridge, and the tree lined paths are perfect for couples who want natural portraits without too much posing or fuss.

Inside, the house offers rich textures, soft light, and those classic features that give your images a timeless feel. It’s a space that lends itself to documentary-style storytelling, quietly capturing moments as they unfold.

And being so close to home ? It just adds to the sense of familiarity and comfort we feel every time we work there. We know where the best light falls, when the sun sets over the fields, and the quiet corners where you can take a breather together away from the buzz.

The Fennes Wedding Venue Team – Calm, Kind, and Always on It

We’ve worked alongside the team at The Fennes many times, and they’re exactly the kind of people you want around on your wedding day, calm, kind, and endlessly helpful. Everything runs smoothly without feeling rushed, and you’ll always be greeted with a smile (and often a glass of something fizzy).

It’s that sense of care that makes such a difference, not just to couples, but to suppliers too. It means we can focus on what we do best, capturing the little glances, the belly laughs, the tears, and the in-between moments that make your day uniquely yours.

A Venue That Feels Like Home

For us, The Fennes wedding venue is more than just a place we work at, it’s part of our wider community. We’ve wandered its surrounding fields with friends and dogs, watched the seasons change across its gardens, and always look forward to the next wedding there like we’re visiting an old friend.

If you’re looking for an Essex wedding venue that combines elegance with ease, and history with heart, we honestly can’t recommend The Fennes enough. And if you choose it for your day, we’d be honoured to join you there and tell your story in a way that feels relaxed, genuine, and beautifully ‘you’.