I’m Simon Fazackarley, a Sussex-based documentary wedding photographer with extensive experience at Nymans.
Nymans
There’s a very particular moment at Nymans.
It usually happens just after five o’clock. The gates close. The last members of the public drift out. The gardens go quiet.
And suddenly it feels like the whole place belongs to you.
I’ve been a recommended photographer at Nymans since 2012. They only host a small number of weddings each year, so having photographed many weddings there over the years has given me a deep familiarity with how the day works. The same coordinator has been there throughout, and that continuity makes a difference. There’s trust. I’m not micromanaged. I’m given space to work.
Nymans is not about spectacle. It’s about gardens, light and timing.
How Weddings Work at Nymans
Ceremonies take place at the Loggia at the bottom of the gardens. It’s set within a sunken space that’s often filled with wildflowers. The backdrop changes with the seasons. Spring feels fresh and delicate and full of nice life, Late summer is fuller of colour, Autumn has warmth and texture.
Most ceremonies begin later in the afternoon, usually around 3pm. That timing is deliberate. The gardens are still open to the public until 5pm, so drinks follow the ceremony while the last visitors wander through. Then the gates close.
From that point onwards, the estate feels private.
That shift changes everything. Group photographs and couple portraits happen without onlookers. You can walk through the rose garden, down flower lined avenues, past the ruins of the house, and not see another person.
One of my favourite memories there was slipping out with a couple during a short pause in the meal. We wandered down through the flower-lined paths into what was then a wildflower rose garden. It was still. Quiet. Just the two of them and the light. Those are the moments Nymans gives you.
Nowhere else comes close.
In recent years, the addition of a barn-style reception space with its own courtyard has allowed couples to remain onsite for the evening. Previously, many left for a separate reception venue. Now the flow feels contained. Ceremony at the Loggia. Drinks in the gardens. Dinner and speeches in the barn. Dancing as the evening settles in.
The courtyard in summer is particularly beautiful. Soft light. Mobile bars. Street food setups. It works well for relaxed evenings.
Real weddings at Nymans
THING TO CONSIDER AT Nymans
The Feel of a Nymans Wedding
Couples who choose Nymans tend to be drawn to the outdoors.
Some are keen gardeners. I’ve photographed weddings there for garden designers and couples who genuinely understand planting and seasonal change. Others simply love the idea of getting married somewhere they can return to year after year. It’s open to the public most days. You can revisit it for an anniversary walk.
I once crossed paths with a couple whose wedding I had photographed there years before while I was visiting with my daughter. That felt fitting. Nymans is the sort of place that stays in your life.
The tone is usually relaxed and romantic. Guests move between spaces. Shoes come off on the grass. There’s a softness to the day. Even when couples lean more into design and details, the gardens tend to take the lead visually.
It suits people who feel comfortable outdoors.
Light, Space and Working within a National Trust Property
Because it’s a National Trust property, there are processes. Contracts and disclaimers. They are selective about who they allow to work there. That consistency protects the space.
Public access until 5pm means you need to think carefully about timing. I tend to keep early group photographs minimal and allow the main portraits to happen once the gates close. After that, the estate is yours.
The gardens offer extraordinary variety. The ruins of the house provide drama and texture. The rose gardens and bamboo areas create intimacy. The tree-lined drive with views over the South Downs changes completely as the sun lowers.
The new reception barn is more contained. It has a lower ceiling and tighter space, so the day always feels strongest when it leans into the outdoors. That said, it’s reassuring to have cover and structure if the weather turns.
Technically, Nymans is less about battling darkness and more about reading natural light. Different areas peak at different times of day. Knowing when to use which part of the garden is everything.
My approach at Nymans
Nymans rewards a gentle approach.
There is no need to force anything. The gardens do the work. My role is to observe how couples move within them.
Because ceremonies start later, coverage is usually slightly shorter. Preparations often begin around midday. By 8pm or 9pm the day has naturally settled. It suits couples who want something beautiful and meaningful without stretching the celebration late into the night.
I keep group photographs efficient and natural. Portraits are usually woven into the flow of the afternoon or taken once the public have left. I don’t drag couples away for long. At Nymans, wandering is enough.
The aim is always the same. Let you enjoy the space. Let the gardens breathe. Capture it honestly.
Planning a wedding at Nymans
If you’re planning a wedding at Nymans and are drawn to its gardens, its quiet corners and the idea of having the estate to yourselves as the evening begins, I would be glad to talk.
As a Wedding Photographer in Sussex – I photograph weddings all across county, but Nymans holds a particular kind of charm. It suits couples who value nature, atmosphere and time together more than spectacle.
If that sounds like you, feel free to get in touch.
We’ll keep it simple.