Captivating Wedding Photography at Ettington Park Hotel 2022

During September of 2022, I captured Laura & Mark’s wedding at the Ettington Park Hotel, located in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire.

Wow, what a venue, the Ettington Park Hotel is a photographer’s dream. Admittedly I hadn’t even heard of this venue beforehand, but when the couple booked me, I instantly had a good look online and was very impressed. There are so many wedding venues in the UK, so it is pretty rare for me to shoot at the same venue more than once. I would love to return here again one day though. In fact I love the venue that much I have even created a venue page for the ‘Ettington Park Hotel‘

So myself and Laura already had a bit of history before she asked me to be part of her day. I met Laura at ‘The Granary at Fawsley‘. We met during a styled shoot, which another photographer I know had arranged. Laura was the makeup artist on the day (She is a very talented lady, make sure to check her work by tapping here) and we kind of hit it off from there. I did not know at the time I would be capturing her special day, but she must have liked my work, and as they say, the rest is history.

Before the big day, I arranged a chat with Laura and Mark to discuss their day in detail. They were an incredibly warm, fun-loving couple, and clearly up for having as much fun as possible with their loved ones. They booked me, as they liked my style and approach. I am a photographer that will leave the couple alone for 95% of the day, capturing it in the most natural way possible. which is exactly what the couple wanted.

On the wedding day itself, I was only booked for half a day, meaning that I wouldn’t start until an hour before the ceremony would begin. ( I would love to return again to capture bridal prep, as the rooms at this venue are very grand!) I arrived way before I should have done (As I always do) to have another good look around, speak to staff, and get my bearings. I would like to give a huge shout-out to the staff at Ettington park, as they were incredible, ensuring that the couple and all of the guests were well looked after. Something totally unexpected did happen on the day (Which I won’t get into) and the staff were not one bit flustered and sorted the situation in a very professional, timely manner.

After having a nosey around, and getting some drone shots of the venue, I met up with Mark outside the entrance. He looked very sharp in his suit and was clearly ready for the day ahead. Some grooms can get a little nervous before the ceremony, but Mark looked very relaxed. He had hired a car for the big day and pulled up in a red muscle car (it looked epic) which we of course had to use to our advantage. Before we knew it guests were turning up, all smiles, and we all headed to the Orangery.

The Ettington Park Hotel has a number of options when it comes to where the ceremony can take place. Laura and Mark wished to hold their ceremony outdoors at the Orangery. The Orangery is an outstanding space to hold a wedding, it certainly has that wow factor about it all. Laura looked absolutely stunning in her wedding dress and was smiling from ear to ear. Everyone looked so happy for the couple, and the ceremony as a whole was very moving. Before they knew it they said their ‘I Do’s’ and were officially ‘Mr & Mrs’

Once the ceremony had finished, I left Laura & Mark to it while all of the guests congratulated them both. Everywhere I looked people were having a good time, the lawn games were in full swing, and guests were enjoying a well-deserved glass of champagne and appetisers.

We took advantage of the well-kept grounds, capturing all of the group formals there, as well as a few couple portraits. The orangery and Norman church make perfect backdrop for creative portraits, which I knew I wanted to take advantage of. As I had already scoped the venue out, I knew exactly what I wanted to achieve, which made the experience a lot smoother for the couple. I only ever like to take couples away for ten to twenty minutes, as I believe that whats more important, is the couple spending as much time with their friends and family as possible. I would like to thank Laura & Mark for putting their trust in my vision.

Once we were finished outside, we all headed into the ‘Great drawing room’ where the wedding breakfast, speeches, and evening reception would take place. This is such an elegant room, in the heart of the venue.

The speeches were very emotional, with tears, laughter, and every emotion being felt. The rest of the day went by so fast, as it always does, and there were so many lovely moments that I feel honoured to have captured. The children were especially fun to capture, as they had such a great sense of humour, and were pulling all sorts of funny faces at me.

I would like to wish both Laura & Mark a lifetime of happiness together. I would also like to thank you both, as well as all of the guests for making me feel so welcome throughout the day.