The Greyhound, Finchampstead Wedding Photographer
Wedding Photography at The Greyhound, Finchampstead, Hampshire - September 2026
There’s something particularly lovely about photographing a wedding for someone who has been behind the camera themselves. Chris is a former wedding photographer, so I’ll admit there was an extra little layer of nerves going into this one. You want to get it right, especially when you know the person you're photographing understands the work that goes into creating a wedding gallery.
Thankfully, I needn't have worried. Chris and Virginia absolutely loved their photos, and their wedding at The Greyhound in Finchampstead was such a brilliant mix of genuine moments, beautiful light, a few editorial portraits and plenty of time spent with the people they love.
Their day was relaxed, personal and full of the kind of moments I love photographing.
From storm chasing in America to a wedding in Hampshire
Chris and Virginia's story is a little different from most. They met while storm chasing in America. Virginia had booked a storm-chasing experience, Chris was driving the car, and somewhere along the way, the two of them met.
Sharing an interest like that is a pretty good place to start a relationship. From there, they found themselves in a long-distance relationship before Virginia eventually moved to the UK to be with Chris full time.
Earlier in the year, they had officially tied the knot at an intimate registry office wedding. But this celebration at The Greyhound was the chance to bring together their friends and family for a ceremony, a proper party, speeches, dancing and all the things that make a wedding day feel like a wedding day.
Some of their guests had travelled all the way from America, which made having everyone together even more special.
And I think that's an important part of their story. While the legal marriage had already happened, this was the celebration that Chris and Virginia really wanted to share with the people they love.
Getting ready together in Farnborough
Virginia got ready at home in Farnborough with her bridesmaids, who were all getting ready together. I joined them for bridal prep, photographing the little details, makeup, shoes and the dress before helping Virginia into her gown.
Her dress was a beautiful, full-length white gown with a dramatic train, a sweetheart neckline, a slit up one leg and buttons running down the back. She wore her hair in a loose fishtail braid, with little diamond pins scattered throughout.
The styling was classic but with a really lovely pop of colour. Virginia and her bridesmaids carried white roses, while the bridesmaids wore electric blue dresses. Chris and his groomsmen carried that same colour through with electric blue bow ties.
Once Virginia was dressed, we had a really relaxed reveal with her bridesmaids. No big production, just the excitement of everyone seeing her ready and enjoying that moment together.
Then it was time to head to The Greyhound in a taxi, where Chris and the groomsmen were waiting.
An intimate outdoor ceremony at The Greyhound
The Greyhound in Finchampstead is a pub that already meant something to Chris and Virginia. They had visited for food, enjoyed spending time there and had apparently joked with someone at the pub about how lovely it would be to get married there before being told they could!
There's something so much more personal about getting married somewhere that you already know and enjoy, rather than choosing a venue simply because it looks good in a brochure. The Greyhound was somewhere that was already part of their lives, and it became the setting for a day they could share with their favourite people.
Their ceremony took place in the garden, under a wooden gazebo. It was the first outdoor wedding ceremony that The Greyhound had hosted, which made it a lovely milestone for the pub, too.
Virginia walked in to Chris Brown's 'Forever' and had a little boogie, her page boy and a groomsman threw blue flowers before her which was fun!
A wedding ceremony doesn't have to be legally binding
One of the things I particularly loved about Chris and Virginia's wedding was that their ceremony didn't need to be legally official.
They had already completed the legal part of getting married earlier in the year, which meant this ceremony could be entirely about them and the people they wanted to share it with.
A friend led the ceremony, and Chris and Virginia had the freedom to decide what they wanted to say, how they wanted the ceremony to feel and which elements were important to them. They exchanged rings, shared a first kiss and had the opportunity to say private vows in a way that felt personal.
You don't have to follow a traditional legal ceremony format to have a wedding that feels meaningful.
For them, this was the day that felt like their wedding. They were surrounded by their friends and family, some of whom had travelled from America, and they could celebrate their marriage in the way they had imagined.
The Greyhound's new library room
Following the ceremony, we moved into the group photographs. We kept things fairly streamlined, focusing on the essential family photographs, a big group photo and then some time for Chris and Virginia together.
The Greyhound has also recently had a refurb, including a room that was previously a shop and has now been transformed into a really lovely, trendy library-style space.
It's a brilliant addition to the pub, and we made use of it for some fun, posed bridal party photographs. The room gave us a different backdrop from the garden and was also somewhere we could use later for some of the couples' portraits.
I love a wedding venue that gives you options. Having a mixture of outdoor space, characterful interiors and somewhere with a bit of personality means you can create a gallery that feels varied without needing to travel between multiple locations.
Relaxed documentary photographs and a little editorial direction
Chris and Virginia were really keen on having lots of candid, documentary-style photographs. They wanted to enjoy the day, spend time with their guests and have their photographs reflect what actually happened. And that's great because that's very much how I love to work.
A lot of the day was spent photographing the real moments as they unfolded.
But I also wanted to make sure we created a few photographs of Chris and Virginia that felt a little more considered.
The trick is making sure the portraits don't take over the day. You don't need an hour away from your guests to create beautiful photographs together. Sometimes a short amount of time, a little direction and the right light is all you need.
And Chris and Virginia were brilliant in front of the camera.
Speeches, skylight light and a beautiful first dance
The speeches took place in the lower room at The Greyhound, where there's a beautiful skylight in the centre of the room.
It let's in so much light from above, creating a really lovely atmosphere and some brilliant opportunities for photographs. There's something about light coming from a skylight that can make a room feel completely different, especially when the rest of the space falls into slightly darker tones.
After the speeches, everyone had time to eat, catch up and enjoy the reception. There was plenty of mingling before the cake cutting and dancing began.
The cake itself was simple and beautiful, decorated with white roses to tie in with the flowers carried by Virginia and her bridesmaids. The tables were decorated with blue hydrangeas, bringing in another little touch of colour that worked so well with the electric blue bridesmaid dresses.
Planning a wedding at The Greyhound in Finchampstead?
If you're considering getting married at The Greyhound, or somewhere similar that already means something to you, I'd love to hear about your plans.
My approach to wedding photography is a mixture of documentary storytelling and gentle editorial direction. I'll photograph the day as it unfolds, while making space for a few beautiful portraits that you can treasure for years to come.
You don't need to spend hours away from your guests, and you don't need to know how to pose. I'll help you feel comfortable, read the room and make sure you have photographs that feel like you.
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