We’ve been looking at some of our favourite locations for wedding videos in Cornwall and Devon – today it’s Shilstone House, which is definitely of the most attractive venues in North Cornwall, with a beautiful area both outside and in. We filmed Fred and Matilda’s wedding there last year, and can’t wait to go back!
Advantages for wedding video – Stunning Location
Shilstone is a stunning location. Set in the Cornish countryside, it is surrounded on all sides by green fields and rolling hills. It looks amazing from the air, and every bit as good from the ground. There a two main locations within the venue – the house itself, which is used for reception drinks (and group photos) and the permanent marquee, which is where speeches and the evening reception happens.
Advantages for wedding video – Drinks and Group Photos
Using the main house as a kind of welcome centre, guests can access the entire downstairs floor (the upstairs is closed and accessible only to the owners). Every room is large and grand, and you can directly access some of the outside space. There’s an initial lawn, right next to the building, and this is where most the mingling happens before being called in for food.
It’s a really good location for wedding video – being so wide and open, we can move freely and film with a long lens and not be obtrusive to anybody. And immediately next to this space, there’s a lower field, which runs down hill to a lake. This also looks lovely, as the background is so far away it looks lovely out of focus.
Group photos can take place in a couple of places, depending on the location the sun. The lake and field backdrop is nice, but if it’s too sunny you can move to the front of the house – and it works surprisingly well no matter what the size of the group! Things change for the whole group shot though, in the case of Fred and Matilda, there were more than 150 guests! If this is the case, the photo worked best to the back of the main house, next to the marquee. The photographer and I were able to get an elevated position, and look down at the whole group. (The photographer actually had to borrow our camera and wider lens!).
Advantages for wedding video – Couples
There are lots of options for couples photos. For Fred and Matilda, we didn’t have long, as they’d already done some couples photos at a different location – we only had about 20 minutes at Shilstone! Fortunately, everything is really close to each other, so we could get a lot done in a short time.
Going outside the main house was the first location, and we could stop at different distances for a different kind of style. Then a short walk and you get to a field – which has both open space and some lovely trees. If we’d had more time, the plan was to come back out during golden hour and get some filming done down at the lake as well! (Alas, maybe next time!)
Advantages for wedding video – Speeches and Reception
Shilstone has the most technologically advanced marquee we’ve ever filmed in! Not that you’d be able to see it (someone had to point it out to us!) – the whole thing was designed by a sound engineer! As a space, it’s generally lovely. The flowers and decoration make it look amazing – and the small area out the front of the marquee (complete with mini fountains) is great for a drink (or smoke, if preferred).
For speeches, there is the choice of a speaker and mic system, and without any obstructions (rare for a marquee space this large) all the guests will be able to see the speaker. After food, it’s a quick turnaround for evening reception!
This is because the owners live in the main house, and would never be able to sleep otherwise! But it does have an impact for people in the marquee – the sound of music from a DJ or band is tightly projected into the dance floor; if you’re not on the dance floor, the volume drops MASSIVELY. Honestly, it’s amazing. So this is great for guests who want to enjoy a drink and a chat without wanting tinnitus!
