Erika & Ashley
A summer wedding on the water near Stone, in soft blues and navy, with a ceremony under the fairy lights and portraits among the narrowboats.
- Venue
- The Boat House, Aston Marina
- Location
- Near Stone, Staffordshire
- Season
- Summer
- Style
- Waterside, dusty blue and navy
A waterside wedding in the middle of Staffordshire
Aston Marina sits beside the Trent & Mersey Canal, just outside the market town of Stone. The Boat House is its wedding venue: a bright, modern building with glazed doors along two sides, so the marina, the boats and the fields beyond are part of the room all day.
Erika and Ashley went with dusty blue and navy, from the bridesmaids’ dresses and the chair sashes to blue hydrangeas in the bouquets and Ashley’s pale blue tie. Inside, the ceremony room was strung with hundreds of fairy lights, with the marina framed in the window behind them.
The sky couldn’t quite decide what it was doing, which gave us everything: soft light under the willow after the ceremony, big moody clouds over the footbridge, and then a proper golden hour among the narrowboats before the saxophone got everyone dancing.
Getting ready at The Boat House
The morning started quietly at the marina, narrowboats moored up under a big summer sky. Erika got ready in the bridal room at The Boat House, with its arched mirrors and floral wallpaper, while the bridesmaids’ blue dresses waited on their named hangers. Ashley and the groomsmen, in navy suits, gathered outside before heading in to greet their guests.
Fairy lights, blue hydrangeas and marina views
The ceremony room was dressed with navy and blue sashes on cross-back chairs, white flowers down the aisle and fairy lights overhead, with the bi-fold doors looking straight out over the marina. A wedding post box, a “where in the world are you sitting” table plan and blue and white flowers on every table finished it off.
Under the fairy lights
Ashley waited at the front, laughing with his guests until the doors opened. Erika walked in on her dad’s arm, and the two of them couldn’t stop smiling through the vows and the rings. Then the register, a walk back down the aisle and a shower of confetti from everyone outside.
Under the willow
Straight after the ceremony we slipped off to the willow tree by the water. The light under the branches is soft and green, and it’s the perfect place for a few quiet minutes together before the drinks reception. A walk back up the path to The Boat House rounded it off.
Narrowboats, a footbridge and a summer sunset
Later in the evening we headed out onto the marina itself. The towpath, the colourful narrowboats and the church spire in the distance make it a lovely place to wander, and the footbridge gave us a big sky full of clouds. Then the sun broke through low over the water, and we got the silhouettes and golden haze that make summer weddings here so special.
Speeches, cake and a saxophone
The speeches had the whole room laughing, helped by a few well-chosen photos of Ashley. Then the cake, a first dance with a spin and a dip, and a saxophonist playing over the DJ who kept the dancefloor full until the end of the night.
Getting married at Aston Marina?
A few things worth knowing, and some photos to consider when you’re planning your day at The Boat House.
Visit The Boat House at Aston Marina- Where it is
- On the Lichfield Road just south of Stone, beside the Trent & Mersey Canal, and easy to reach from junctions 14 and 13 of the M6. About 35 minutes from Lichfield.
- The building
- A purpose-built, exclusive-use wedding venue with glazed bi-fold doors on two sides opening onto a veranda, so the marina is in view from the room.
- The spaces
- An indoor ceremony room with marina views, an outdoor ceremony option at the garden gazebo, landscaped grounds by the water and its own licensed bar.
- Good to know
- Check the latest ceremony options, timings and guest numbers directly with the venue.
Photos worth planning for at The Boat House at Aston Marina
The willow tree
Just a short walk from The Boat House, it gives soft, even light even on a bright day. Ideal for a few quiet minutes straight after the ceremony.
The towpath and narrowboats
The colourful boats and the church spire in the distance are what make Aston Marina photos look like nowhere else. Leave 20 minutes in the evening to wander along it.
The footbridge
A little climb gets you above the marina with a huge sky behind you. Brilliant on a cloudy day too.
Golden hour by the water
In summer the sun sets late and low over the marina. Ask your coordinator to time the evening so you can slip out for ten minutes once it starts to glow.
The ceremony room window
Hang your dress in the big window at the end of the aisle while you get ready. The light is beautiful and it makes a lovely photo before the guests arrive.
The people who made the day
- Photography
- Rob, RE7 Photography
Planning your own wedding?
Tell me your date, your venue and a little about your plans, and I’ll let you know if I’m free.
No pressure. No obligation. Just a friendly conversation.