Getting Married at Bellair House, Exeter Registry Office
If you're thinking about a registry office wedding in Exeter, Bellair House is one of my favourite venues to photograph.
Bellair House sits within the Devon County Hall grounds on Topsham Road and it's a lovely spot for a wedding. It's a Grade II listed building with high ceilings and large sash windows that flood the ceremony room with soft, natural light. Granted the chairs could do with updating but I have ways of minimising how much they feature. Also in the interest of being prepared there are bathrooms within Bellair house (mens downstairs, ladies upstairs).
The sash windows and Georgian frontage of Bellair House
The Ceremony
Bellair House is used as one of Exeter's official register office venues, so your ceremony itself is a legal one, conducted by a registrar rather than a religious officiant. That means the format is fairly simple and short, but no less meaningful for it. You'll have given notice in advance, and on the day itself the registrar guides you through the vows and the signing of the register. There are a few room size options depending on how many guests you have. I have shot weddings with 20+ guests and I even shot a wedding where I was the photographer and witness with just the couple and one other witness.
A quiet moment during the ceremony inside Bellair House
The Grounds
What people don't always expect is just how lovely the grounds are. There's mature parkland surrounding the building, big trees, open lawn, and plenty of quiet corners away from the road, which gives us so much to work with for portraits. Whether you want relaxed, walking shots under the trees or something a little more intimate tucked away from the main lawn, there's a spot for it. It rarely feels like you're photographing at a council building, it feels like a proper country garden.
Under the trees in the grounds at Bellair House
A Suggested Timeline
If Bellair House is your only location for photographs for the day and it makes a wonderful stand-alone one, this is roughly how I'd structure a 2 hour photography package to make the most of it:
- 30 mins before ceremonyArrivals, a few candid shots of guests gathering, and a couple of relaxed portraits of the two of you before the room fills up.
- 30 minsThe ceremony itself, captured quietly from the side so nothing feels staged or interrupted, there are certain times where I'm not allowed to take photos i.e signing the real certificate.
- Remaining timeConfetti and congratulations straight after, followed by group photos and then time just for the two of you around the grounds while everyone else heads off to celebrate. Of course if you'd like a longer session and more photos at a second location you are so welcome to book me for longer!
That last stretch is usually my favourite part of the day, once the ceremony nerves are gone and it's just the two of you, walking the grounds, actually taking it in.
If you're planning a wedding at Bellair House and would like to chat through timings or see more from a real day there, I'd love to hear from you.
Rebecca
