Nestled in the countryside of Hereford, Brinsop Court is a dream wedding venue that I’ve been lucky enough to photograph weddings at several times. I had the immense pleasure of taking Lara and Todd’s beautiful wedding photos last summer, and it left me eagerly anticipating my return visits. Brinsop Court is a perfect blend of traditional character and modern elegance, featuring a period manor house and a new barn that boasts abundant natural light—an ideal setting for a truly magical wedding photos.

I’d like to take you through my approach to photographing a wedding day there in the summer of 2023.

Bridal Prep

I arrived at Brinsop Court bright and early to capture bridal prep in their gorgeous bridal suite. There was a gorgeous breakfast spread on the table and hair and makeup were working through the bridesmaids and bridal looks when I arrived. A perfect time for me to enter as I like to photograph the bride when she’s nearly ready to go. This is when she feels and looks her best. In the meantime, Lara had kindly placed a box of her and Todd’s special items ready for me to photograph as a beautiful wedding flatlay. I then headed over the Brinsop Court’s courtyard to photograph Todd and his groomsmen with some natural, candid portraits.

Before changing into her wedding dress, Lara and her sister had some wedding pyjama photos on the bed before she stepped into her gorgeous dress ready for her father of the bride and bridal party reveals.

Ceremony

Most of my Brinsop Court weddings, the ceremony photos had been outside on the lawn but Lara & Todd really liked the character and grandeur of the Library so it had been styled beautifully ready for their ceremony. The couple did personalised vows, which I photographed from the front whilst my second photographer got an alternative perspective from the back which showed the beauty of the space. Then, as they walked down the aisle as husband and wife, Lara & Todd surprised everyone with an incredible dip kiss which looked incredible in their wedding photos. Below you can see how amazing it is when you book a second photographer as the couple now get to have their first kiss photo from two perspectives!

Family Portraits

One of the highlights of the day was Lara’s amazing planning of the family portraits photos. She had followed the suggestions within my couple’s guide which I send to all my couples, to a tee. She recognized the value of efficiency and allocated just the right amount of time for these essential photos. The result? A relaxed atmosphere that allowed her and Todd to enjoy more quality moments with their loved ones during cocktail hour. I decided the lake at Brinsop Court was a perfect spot for family portraits as the groups were small enough that everyone fit perfectly!

Couple portraits

I always suggest to my wedding couples that have a generous wedding timeline where there’s a good 2-3 hours between ceremony and wedding breakfast will help to pace the day well. Allowing you time to have your family portraits and couple portraits but also enjoy time with your guests too. Lara had done exactly this, so after their family portraits were finished, in record time of 10 minutes, the couple were able to enjoy their couple portraits and leisurely potter about the venue so we could get lots of different angles, backdrops and poses to give them lots of options to choose from for their wedding album. We were done after 20 minutes and then the couple still had a good 90 minutes to play lawn games and catch up with guests.

Wedding Reception

The wedding reception happened at Brinsop Court’s new knot barn which opened a couple of years ago. It’s such a beautiful space overlooking a beautiful grass field and landscaped grounds. The seating outside was perfect for summer and indoors there was lots of great natural light. The couple conducted their speeches first, always a good idea as then you have clean tables in your speech wedding photos (top tip), which were full of emotion and I did nearly cry when the couple thanked me as their photographer. It’s never expected but always makes me gush when it does!

Golden Hour Portraits

Having met Lara and Todd during their engagement shoot at Lickey Hills a year prior, I already knew that they would shine during their couple portraits. The golden hour added a touch of enchantment to these photos. We snuck out for 5 minutes whilst the guests were finishing up their teas and coffees and oh my goodness the light was just perfection. Looking at the back of my camera, Lara & Todd could see why I was raving about why golden hour portraits can make some of the best wedding photos if you get the chance. Making use of the light, we also took some fun bridal party wedding portraits too, I played some music on my speaker and Lara and her friends just had an amazing time dancing back and forth at sunset.

Brinsop Court Wedding Photographer

Lara and Todd’s wedding at Brinsop Court was nothing short of spectacular. It was a celebration of love, friendship, and authenticity, set against the backdrop of a venue that perfectly captured the essence of their story. As I look forward to returning to Brinsop Court in the coming year, I’m filled with excitement and gratitude for the privilege of capturing more beautiful moments like Lara and Todd’s wedding.

Are you planning to get married at Brinsop Court? Perhaps you’re considering another Hereford wedding venue? I love photographing amazing love stories and building beautiful relationships with my couples so we can create amazing wedding photos like the above. I’m so lucky to live near Herefordshire, and have access to the gorgeous venues there, so if you’re looking for a Hereford wedding photographer, head over to my contact page to check my availability or ask any questions. Interested in packages? Find those on my info page or if you want to see more of my work you can look through more of my portfolio.

Suppliers

Dress – Proposals of Witney @proposalsofwitney

MakeUp Artist – Indulge Beauty – Sam Higgins @indulgebeautyandmakeup

Hair – Hilary Read @hilaryread_hairstylist_wigs

Band – The Velvet Notes – @thevelvetnotes

Venue decorator – Oak and Opal Weddings – Lucy Nott @oakandopalweddings