Jess and Alex’s Bourton Hall Wedding - Bourton Hall Wedding Photographer
Jess and Alex opted to have both photography and videography for their wedding, something most couples tend to do these days. Having photographed over 50 weddings at Bourton Hall, I obviously know the venue really well, and Jess had promised me a wedding full of high energy. She wanted my style of photography there to capture it all.
The morning started in the cottage, and as promised, it was super lively, with Jess and all her bridal tribe getting ready together. To Alex’s credit, he and his groomsmen matched the energy perfectly. There was no rushing around to get ready, just some nice chilled moments, clinking beers, chatting and enjoying everything that was happening with the ladies, apart from the makeup, obviously.
In fact, the boys probably had even more energy, as they would randomly burst into song, I’d been promised that singing would be a big part of the day, and they even had karaoke planned for the last hour of the night. Based on how lively the singing was at 10 am, I had a feeling the late night karaoke was going to be crazy.
While the lads sank their beers, with some very fine whisky soon to follow in honour of Alex’s dad, the ladies were being a little more civilised, enjoying morning champagne and giggles.
During the morning, you obviously get the chance to chat to everyone, and Jess had already earned herself some serious brownie points with me. The day after her wedding, she was going with Alex to watch Wolves, Now that’s commitment from a newly married bride. I think she’d already worked out that if she wanted to keep Alex happy, football was going to be part of married life.
Mike the Dog Joins the Wedding
As the couple were getting ready, the third member of the family arrived. Mike the dog, As with all pets, he was getting all the attention, but he had an important job to do later. Mike was going to walk the rings down the aisle, something I always love seeing at weddings. It’s such a lovely way to include the family pet in the ceremony and make them part of the occasion.
The Ceremony at Bourton Hall
As the guests were called into the ceremony room, there was a real buzz in the air. Jess and Alex had so many lovely friends there, which made for some brilliant stories and anecdotes later in the day.
One of the really lovely moments came as Jess walked down the aisle. Alex was singing the song quietly to himself, and the smiles on both their faces as they saw each other were beautiful. That happiness continued throughout the ceremony, with plenty of laughs and smiles along the way. It was one of those ceremonies that felt genuinely full of joy, with everyone completely caught up in the moment.
Wedding Photos in the Gardens
After the ceremony, it was off to the gardens, where Jess and Alex had a few photos together with Mike before he headed home . It was a lovely chance for them to take a breather, enjoy a few moments together as newlyweds, and capture some natural couple portraits around the beautiful grounds of Bourton Hall.
Before mingling with the guests and enjoying the lovely summers weather. the singing had already started again, In fact, some songs were being belted out before we’d even made it to the wedding breakfast. If this was anything to go by, I knew the evening celebrations were going to be something special.
The Wedding Breakfast and Speeches
It was soon time for the wedding breakfast and speeches, and Jess and Alex made their entrance to loud cheers and plenty of napkin waving, If anyone thought the energy of the day might start to settle, they were very much mistaken.
All three speeches were lovely, with no tears but plenty of laughter. It was clear just how much love and friendship surrounded Jess and Alex, and the laughter continued as everyone enjoyed the stories and memories shared.
A Stunning Sunset and an Epic Evening
As the speeches finished, the sun came out, and we were treated to a stunning rainbow and sunset. It was the perfect opportunity to grab some beautiful photos of Jess and Alex before the evening celebrations began. You couldn't have asked for better timing.
The evening kicked off with the typical Bourton Hall first dance, and they really have nailed how they do these, The first dance was followed by a sax player, who was guaranteed to get the dance floor filled.
With the atmosphere building and everyone ready to celebrate, it was a truly epic way to end an incredible day. From the singing first thing in the morning to the packed dance floor in the evening, Jess and Alex’s wedding at Bourton Hall had everything I love about wedding photography: loads of energy, genuine moments, laughter and a couple who were completely up for enjoying every second.
