Magheramorne Estate Wedding Videographer
This wedding venue is not only stunning, but increasingly popular thanks to it’s takeover by new owners in 2019, who totally re-vamped the venue. If you’re recently engaged and planning your big day then be sure to give this venue a visit in person.
Located along the Causeway Coast Route, near Larne, Magheramorne Estate has historic roots that dates back to its 19th Century Country House roots and is a wedding venue that allows you and your guests to step into timeless beauty.
It is an exclusive hire venue, with a one-wedding-per-day policy that they enforce very strictly. Whilst the estate itself has public walking paths and right of way through the 40 acres of mature woodland, visitors will see a clearly marked sign just as they turn through the tall gates from Shore Road (A2 Coast Road) up the winding path and past the large pond – stating that a private function is in place.
Wedding Video at Magheramorne Estate
The mature gardens are the perfect setting for a drinks reception, with hidden paths and hedges containing water features that provide a great backdrop for your wedding photos and video – perfect for capturing relaxed, intimate moments without distraction.
The Country House is located along the North Coast of Northern Ireland, just a 30 minute drive from Belfast, going through the historic town of Carrickfergus. It’s a great countryside wedding spot that doesn’t stray too far from the city. Wedding guests can even get the train to Magheramorne Halt which is just a short taxi ride from the venue.
The nearby Magheramorne Quarry was used as a film location for the Game Of Thrones, hosting the famous Castle Black and Hardhome, and the wall!
Civil Wedding Ceremonies at Magheramorne House
One of the most prominent features of Magheramorne House is that it is licensed for civil ceremonies. You can get married legally with a humanist or religious officiant (celebrant), hosting from 10 to 200 guests on the lawn, in the Orangery or in their dedicated ceremony room. The glass roofed orangery gets filled with natural light and means that I don’t need to change my video camera settings as they can reflect the natural skin tones when I’m filming in SLOG3 on my Sony bodies. I won’t need to increase the ISO above drastic ranges when I’m composing my shots so I don’t have to worry about a ‘noisy’ image.
The Orangery
The orangery has neutral tones, stone flooring and trailing plants – which is definitely worthy of your pinterest board for wedding planning! The soft lights and symmetry means I can compose lovely shots of you during the ring exchanges and first kiss – which I usually film from down the aisle. The space also doesn’t have harsh shadows, nor does it echo your vows through the large space which is perfect for when I’m capturing audio. I tend to plug in my Zoom F6 audio recorder directly to the celebrant’s PA system so that I can record vows, love stories and any readings or prayers in 32bit float – this means that when I’m editing your ceremony on davinci resolve (my chosen video editor over adobe’s premier pro), that I can bring up the audio levels if someone like the father of the bride doesn’t quite project his voice across the ceremony space.
The second room for your ceremony is the Drawing Room.
This is for smaller numbers of guests. This room has a classic Georgian feel with high ceilings, period decor and historical features that give it a elegant and sophisticated feel. This space is ideal for winter weddings or when the Northern Irish weather isn’t on your side as a backup to getting married outside. Candles and open fireplaces add a rich and cosy warmth to your video footage.
The bridal suite in the house is absolutely stunning, and a great place to start your day with hair, makeup and the rest of your bridal preparations with your bridesmaids and mother of the bride to be. I often get the father of the bride to stand at the bottom of the stairs and put a sony TX650 onto his suit jacket for a first look - I always find that the audio aspect to videography is equally as important as capturing the visuals.
Golden hour portraits and sparkler exits can be done in the well kept gardens, with the greenhouse featuring heavily in their photography and videography portfolio.
The house is also family-run, with professional waiting staff for those crucial meal times and service. Lots of couples mention who well cared for they were for their big day – that the venue took care of not only them as a husband and wife, but also their bridesmaids, best man and guests of honour.
Garden Marquee – the Main Event Space for your wedding dinner and reception
Receptions normally take place in the Garden Marquee (known as the ballroom) – just outside of the main country house. This space gets flooded with natural light, and for winter weddings I bring my Amran 60D lights and mount four of them using light stands. I provide a documentary edit of the speeches and toasts so I like to have my subjects lit. Sometimes I’ll put a microphone to the side of the top table, or rig up a wireless microphone to the main microphone in use for an extra feed. I’ll try and use two studio lights behind the top table (which is always expertly desgned and dressed by the staff to suit your colour scheme). I’ll set these lights to roughly 4000 Kelvin so that they wrap slightly around the subjects head and cause a rim light. Then I’ll positing two front-facing lights and set the Kelvin to roughly 3400K. This gives a nice warm feel and I always make sure it’s not too bright – I'm there to film a wedding, not produce a studio masterpiece fit for the next Cannes Film Festival. I always film speeches in a documentary, candid way, never intervening or directing! I like to have two Sony A7siii cameras in use along with my A74 or whatever my second assistant has with them at the time (often they use the Panasonic GH5 mark 2). This way I’ll use a 135mm F1.4 lens for the main speaker, and a 24-70mm sony G master lens for a wide shot of the top table – this allows me to get perfect reaction shots.
There’s enough space in this room to have your dance floor already set up. This saves moving your guests into the drawing room for drinks whilst the space is turned around. All you need to do is wait for the wedding band or wedding DJ to setup.
On warmer days the courtyard and gardens is where you’ll find most of your guests. I love that wide shot on my 35mm lens with my camera mounted onto the gimbal stabiliser to show you finishing your intimate portrait session and joining your invitees. These spaces allow me to take a fly-on-the-wall approach and I’ll sometimes use my 70-200mm Sony G master lens for beautiful bokeh at F2.8 on my full frame sensor cameras.
Sunsets in the garden add such an elegant quality to the footage of you and your new partner mingling and partying with your nearest and dearest.
What type of brides book Magheramorne House?
If you’re looking for that luxurious, tranquil and formal wedding then this is the place for you. The coastal links and mature woodlands give the victorian house a stunning feel.
The food is exquisite!
The venue provides fine dining wedding breakfasts – for the bride and the groom. The groom can relax in the main reception space (ballroom) before getting into his suit or tuxedo and enjoy multi-course plated meals paired with curated fine wines (provided in partnership with Nicholson Wines). This can also be accompanied by Irish Farmhouse grazing cheese planks that include Cashel Blue, Dubliner Cheddar and Gubeen cheeses.
During your wedding day, canapes and starters are served, along with seasonal soups during your drinks reception.
For main courses Magherarmorne House specialises in modern irish renaissanse cuisine which is crafted by Jane’s Kitchen Wedding Catering, featuring locally sourced seasonal ingredients and dishes such as ‘taste of ulster’ lamb and slow-cooked roast beef that will have guests raving (with some of them calling it the best lamb they’ve ever tasted).
The pudding and dessert bar offers sharing boards and evening bites. Guests can choose from a rotating selection of Eton Mess, Creme brulee and chocolate torte.
5-star quality service and atmosphere.
If you’ve recently been proposed to and want somewhere lovely to wear that new engagement ring, then consider booking into Magherarmorne Estate for a tasting session in the reading room (priced at £150 for two and £75 for each additional guest).
The 35 ensuite double rooms are broken down into two separate buildings, with 19 guests rooms in the main house including the lavish bridal suite which overlooks the gardens, and features a freestanding roll-top bath. The stable or courtyard area holds 16 boutique style double rooms facing the cobbled courtyard.
Not only have I worked as a videographer at Maghermorne House, but I’ve also had the pleasure of attending other events at this venue. I’ve attended some private events and parties here thanks to the establishments private-use facilities, and filmed corporate events for high-end clients. Every now and then the house opens its doors for luxurious and private staycation breaks. Even on mothers day, Magheramorne house opens its doors to host an afternoon tea and lunch event.
