hyde house Wedding photography - Stow-on-the-wold
House
When Emily & Jamie asked me to capture their wedding day here, I was already asking them when they were free for a call before I'd gotten to the end of their email!
I am lucky enough to get to work all over the UK but getting to do wedding photography in the Cotswolds is always such a treat!
There are some wedding venues that stick in your mind as a wedding photographer, and Hyde House is definitely one of mine. It's literally everything you envision when you think, I want to book a Cotswolds wedding. You're surrounded by English countryside, complete with dairy cows looking over (of course), and driving up you're seeing rows of honey-stone houses.
The perfect countryside wedding venue in stow-on-the-wold
A Summer Wedding at Hyde House
What does a wedding morning look like at Hyde House? From bridal prep in the 'bridal loft' to groom prep in 'the library' - let's get into it.
Wedding Preparation
Here's something I love about Hyde House when it comes to wedding prep: both partners have gorgeous spaces to get ready in, no compromise needed.
The Bridal Loft sits above the main reception area and feels bright, calm, and is tucked away from the buzz below. My favourite bit? You can watch your guests arriving without being seen. Photography-wise, the skylights are a total game-changer. Natural light floods the room, so your getting-ready photos feel bright and timeless rather than dark and moody. There are also little pockets of light where your dresses will hang for a wedding photo op, if you'd like one.
The Library, on the other hand, is a completely different vibe. Sage green walls, book-lined shelves, cosy armchairs - it's perfect if you want something a little more intimate. I love photographing final touches by the window here, where the light is soft and flattering but all that gorgeous character stays in shot. The library is also in the main house so you can easily see guests and greet them as they start arriving.
Making it legal at the Grange in Hyde House and the epic confetti photos that come after!
The Ceremony
Indoor or outdoor wedding ceremony?
At Hyde House you get both. The Grange brings a beautiful barn-style feel while staying bright and airy. I like to position myself between the large window and your registrar so you're not backlit, and I can still catch your guests' reactions too. As the ceremony finishes, I love grabbing a wide shot with you silhouetted against that huge window overlooking the countryside.
If you've got a bigger guest list (or you're getting married in summer), I'd nudge you towards the Arbour instead - the outdoor ceremony space. It's cooler, roomier, and gives everyone (including us suppliers!) more space to move. Bonus: it's a brilliant confetti backdrop, and you can head back later for portraits framed by rolling countryside... and maybe a curious dairy cow or two. Can you tell I love the cows here?
Getting those all important candid photos is best placed at this part of the wedding day. Those moments where your guests greet each other, play lawn games and interact. Then, we take 10 minutes to capture those all important family portraits.
Cocktail Hour & Portraits
With the ceremony and confetti part of the wedding day done, I love to follow you and your guests out onto the lawn to capture those first moments when they're greeting you and each other. The photos taken during cocktail hour are often some of my couples' most favourite as it's where I get to capture people as they are. You can also get some really fun moments as guests interact with entertainment, lawn games and just generally have a giggle together!
At Hyde House, the cocktail hour area is super close to where your wedding reception is, so it's super easy for me to move between photographing candid moments, and documenting details before your guests are moved across. At some point during cocktail hour, usually towards the start, we'll pencil in time for group photos. We discuss a list beforehand so it never gets out of control and with the help of a nominated spokesperson from your side, we can work through these super fast so you can get back to mingling!
Am I allowed to say this is one of my favourite parts of a wedding day? I know a lot of couples feel really nervous about their couple portraits but they are that rare part of a wedding day where you just get to be together! Soaking up that 'we just got married' bliss and just getting to love on each other and be surrounded by the wedding venue and styling you've had on your moodboard for years!
I like to keep couple photos informal, focusing much more on the emotion and personality going on. I'll ask you to cuddle up, to walk around, offering the odd prompt here and there but to make the photos yours, I love it when you interpret a prompt in your own way! I have a little boom box to set the mood, so you're not walking about in silence and I'll always have your inspo to hand too (if you send me any) so we can make time for any 'posed' photos you might like to try!
Not to be confused with the Grange which is used for wedding ceremonies, the Barn at Hyde House is where your wedding breakfast happens, and it's stunning.
Windows all around mean you're bathed in daylight with views over the gardens and venue frontage - no need for flash photography here until the evening. Cream walls with panelling detail keep things bright without feeling clinical, so whether you want bold, colourful florals or a minimalist all-white theme, this space is your blank canvas. There's also lots of space in the Hyde House Barn so you can really play around with different table layouts, just ensure you allow enough room between tables so we can get those all important guest reactions during speeches.
Here we go - the formalities are finished and it's time for the party! From sparklers at dusk, to epic moves on the dancefloor. Here is an amazing evening reception at Hyde House.
Evening & Dancefloor
As the main wedding celebrations were finishing up, we headed outside for some beautiful golden hour photos on Hyde House's landscaped lawn before we came back for sparklers at dusk followed by cake cut and dancefloor! Once you have all your guests on the dancefloor, you don't really want to pull them off - so we ensured Emily & Jamie got all the photo ops they were looking for ahead of their first dance.
It was such an incredible evening, the food was amazing, and the couple stayed on the floor all night. Top tip - if you want incredible dancefloor photos, stay on the dancefloor! No guests are going to leave you dancing alone but if you leave, they likely will too!
If you're looking for fun, natural style wedding photos for your wedding at Hyde House I'd love to chat to you!
I take on a maximum of 25 weddings a year so I can give every wedding I take my full attention. Whether you're looking for planning advice, timeline support or just someone to bounce ideas off - I will be here for you the whole wedding planning journey!
Your Hyde House Wedding Photographer
"I honestly can't even explain how much we love the photos. They're so perfect and i don't know how to thank you. I will never be able to pick a favourite. The whole experience with your photographing our wedding at hyde house was a complete pleasure."
- Emily & Jamie
Hyde House is nestled in the Cotswolds town of Stow-on-the-Wold, backing onto gorgeous uninterrupted countryside views. It also has lots of on-site accommodation for you and your guests. Hyde House offers exclusive use wedding packages and is perfect for couples who want a barn style wedding but with a modern, luxury edge.
cOTSWOLDS WEDDING VENUE - sTOW-ON-THE-WOLD
Address - Fosseway, stow-on-the-wold, gloucestershire, gl54 1jx
guest count - Up to 150
catering - on site
wedding pricing - between £4,000 - £12,000, dependent on season and date.
Hyde House
At a Glance
The wedding spaces at hyde House
hyde house barn (for wedding reception and dancefloor)
The bridal loft (for bridal prep)
the library (for groom prep)
The grange (wedding ceremony indoor space)
the arbour (outdoor wedding ceremony space)
The terrace & gardens (for cocktail hour and formal portraits)
Before your ceremony at the Grange, ensure there's enough space between the window at the back, and where you'll be standing, so your registrars and content team can easily move around to get the best angles. This is the best place for us to be positioned light wise but if the registrar table is too close to the window, we can be very limited on where we can stand. This spot also ensures you're not backlit in your ceremony photos which you are when we're photographing from the aisle.
Top tip for your wedding ceremony at the grange
I love doing group portraits in front of the Arbour during cocktail hour. Alternatively, in front of the Grange is a great spot for groomsmen photos, or the terrace is prefect for golden hour as the sun sets just behind it. Try to allow 10 minutes in your wedding timeline to nip out for golden hour photos, trust me they're worth it.
Where is a great place for formal wedding photos at Hyde House?
I recommend you allow for 2.5 hours coverage if you'd like details (wedding flat lays and dress photo etc). A great spot to hang your wedding dress at Hyde House is in the corner of the bridal loft where there's a window just above so it's perfectly lit.
How long should we allow for wedding preparation coverage?
Top tips for hyde house weddings
