Hogarths Stone Manor Wedding Photographer
Documentary wedding photography and creative night portraits at Hogarths Stone Manor, near Kidderminster. Natural moments through the day, show-stopping portraits after dark.
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Who should photograph your Hogarths Stone Manor wedding? I'm Paul Hickey of Once in a Lifetime Photography, a recommended supplier at the venue. I've photographed more than 20 weddings at Hogarths Stone Manor, in sunshine, steady rain and everything between. I know where the light falls at 2pm, where to go when the weather turns, and which corners work after dark.
I'm a Worcestershire wedding photographer with more than 150 weddings behind me. My coverage blends unobtrusive documentary wedding photography with creative night portraits lit with off-camera flash. I'm a multiple Wedisson Award winner and a Flashmasters Gold Award recipient.
Hogarths Stone Manor at a glance
Where: Stone, near Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 4PJ
Grounds: 27 acres of landscaped gardens and woodland
Outdoor ceremonies: in front of the Tudor-style Pump Rooms, or in the woodland ceremony areas
Indoor ceremonies: the Drawing Room (up to 130) or The Drey (up to 80)
Reception: the Garden Room, up to 200, with its own bar, patio and private walled garden
On site: guest rooms and The Loft Treatment Rooms
Venue figures are from Hogarths Stone Manor's website. For a fuller look at the venue itself, read my honest review of Hogarths Stone Manor as a wedding venue.
Hogarths Stone Manor wedding photos
Where I photograph your day at Hogarths Stone Manor
The grounds give you a different backdrop for every part of the day. These are the places I use most, and why.
The Pump Rooms
The Pump Rooms were once an outdoor swimming pool. It's been filled in and paved, so guests now sit under two open canopies either side of the aisle. You marry facing the old black-and-white pump house. It's a sheltered, enclosed space, so I can work from the back and sides without stepping into your guests' view. In bright sun I watch the canopy shade closely, so faces stay evenly lit.
The walled garden
The private walled garden runs alongside the Garden Room. It's where drinks and lawn games usually happen after the ceremony. That makes it ideal for candid photographs of your guests, and for a few quiet couple portraits away from the crowd.
The main lawn
The open lawn in front of the manor is where I take large group photographs and, if you'd like them, coloured smoke portraits. A long white bench sits between two red-leaved trees at its edge. It's become one of my favourite spots for an evening portrait.
The Garden Room
The Garden Room is set apart from the main hotel, with its own bar and a patio facing the gardens. Its picture windows look over the gardens and give good natural light for speeches. After dark, the balcony and patio give me a place to set up lights without interrupting the party.
The front of the manor
The Tudor-style frontage and its arched brick doorway come alive at dusk. With one flash behind you, the doorway frames you against the lit timbers. It only takes a few minutes away from the party.
The Pump Rooms
The Walled Garden
The Lawn
The Hare Trail
If it rains at your Hogarths wedding
Rain changes the plan, not the photographs. When Jess and Brian married on 30 August, rain set in early and stayed all afternoon. Their 2pm ceremony moved into the Drawing Room, where the florist built an arch indoors. Groups and portraits moved into the long corridors, where window light gave softer, more intimate images than sunshine would have.
If the forecast looks uncertain, we agree a wet-weather plan with the venue's coordinator a week before. You won't need to think about it on the day. See how Jess and Brian's rainy wedding unfolded.
How your Hogarths Stone Manor wedding day is photographed
With my Signature package I arrive three hours before your ceremony and stay until an hour after your first dance. Here's how a typical 2pm Hogarths ceremony runs.
11am, preparations: details, the dress and the quiet moments in your room before the day starts.
2pm, ceremony: at the Pump Rooms, Drawing Room or Drey. I photograph your vows and your guests' reactions from the back and sides.
2:30pm, confetti and drinks: candid photographs of your guests in the walled garden while you celebrate.
3pm, group photographs: family groups on the lawn from a list we agree beforehand, done in 20 to 30 minutes.
3:30pm, couple portraits: 20 relaxed minutes around the grounds, no stiff posing.
4pm onwards, wedding breakfast: speeches in the Garden Room and the reactions around each table.
Evening, first dance and night portraits: 15 to 20 minutes of creative portraits, then the dance floor.
The wedding day photography timeline guide has more detail if you're planning your own schedule. Every timeline is agreed with you and the venue's coordinator before the day.
Documentary coverage through your Hogarths day
Most of your photographs are taken without you noticing. I work quietly from the edges of the room, so your guests act naturally and nobody is pulled away for long. You get the full story of the day, not just the posed highlights.
That means the nerves before the ceremony, the reactions during the speeches and the moments between friends you didn't see. Read more about my documentary wedding photography.
Creative night portraits at Hogarths Stone Manor
Night portraits are the part of the day I'm best known for. After the first dance I take you outside for 15 to 20 minutes. Using off-camera flash, coloured gels, smoke, bubbles or a champagne spray, we make two or three portraits that look nothing like your daytime photographs.
The front doorway, the lawn and the woodland edge all work after dark. On a clear night, Liam and Shaun stood back to back on the lawn spraying champagne into the sky. Lesley and Liam booked me for their evening only, from 7pm to 11pm, purely for this kind of work. See more in my creative wedding photography portfolio.
Real weddings at Hogarths Stone Manor
Every one of these is a different couple, season and plan. Read the full stories to see how the venue looks across a whole day.
Liam and Shaun: a July outdoor ceremony at the Pump Rooms in blue and white, blue smoke on the lawn and a champagne spray after dark.
Laura and Steve: a sunny late-May ceremony at the Pump Rooms, with a drone view of the ceremony space taken that morning.
Jess and Brian: rain all afternoon, a Drawing Room ceremony and portraits in the corridors.
Sam and George: a church ceremony at St Cassian's, Chaddesley Corbett, then smoke and champagne portraits back at Hogarths.
Lesley and Liam: evening-only coverage, with a custom guest portrait box set up on the Garden Room balcony.
Laura and Darran: a 3pm Pump Rooms ceremony, teal smoke with the bridesmaids and their son as page boy.
Emma and Reece: soft light on a cloudy day, a Pump Rooms ceremony and groups in the walled garden.
Andy and Laura: an August wedding using the Garden Room and the grounds from morning to night.
What Hogarths Stone Manor couples say
Three couples who married at Hogarths Stone Manor, in their own words.
"Paul and his team captured every part and detail of our special day and went above and beyond anything we expected.
The pictures are amazing, and all the creative extras they included made them even better. If you're looking for a wedding photographer at Stone Manor, we 1000% recommend Paul—you'll be over the moon with the results!"
Stuart & Tracey
Summer wedding at Hogarths Stone Manor
"Paul used lighting and shadows to take beautiful photos that are pure art. They stand out from any other photos I've ever seen at a wedding, but he also captured the classic storytelling of the day.
From morning preparations to late evening portraits, he worked tirelessly to create nearly 1,000 stunning images. His online gallery made it easy to share memories with family and filter photos by different parts of our day.”
Katie & Rob
Summer wedding at Hogarths Stone Manor
"They put in so much enthusiasm and adapted their style to suit us, capturing candid moments and some artistic one-off photos—their creative night-time shots after the first dance was fantastic.
Throughout the day, they helped us spend precious moments together while creating beautiful portraits - something so many people advised us to do. The online gallery platform makes sharing our memories with guests easy."
Laura & Phillip
Spring wedding at Hogarths Stone Manor
What's included in your Hogarths coverage
Coverage from three hours before your ceremony to an hour after your first dance
700+ edited images, including your creative night portraits
A private online gallery with unlimited downloads, plus a slideshow
A planning call to agree your timeline, group list and wet-weather plan
Your photographs within 8 weeks
An optional second photographer for £300
How booking works
Tell me your date and I'll check availability. A 10% deposit secures it, and payment plans are available on every package. Nearer the day we plan your timeline together, so you know exactly what happens when.
More Hogarths Stone Manor weddings
Frequently asked questions
Is Paul Hickey a recommended supplier at Hogarths Stone Manor?
Yes. Once in a Lifetime Photography is a recommended supplier at Hogarths Stone Manor, and I've photographed more than 20 weddings there.
How much does a wedding photographer cost at Hogarths Stone Manor?
My full-day coverage starts at £1,395. The Complete Wedding Collection, with an album, is £1,795. Photography and film bundles start at £2,190.
Where can we get married at Hogarths Stone Manor?
Outdoors at the Pump Rooms or in the woodland, or indoors in the Drawing Room or The Drey. The Drawing Room holds up to 130 and The Drey up to 80, according to the venue.
What happens to our photos if it rains?
The ceremony moves indoors and the portraits move into the corridors. Window light there gives soft, flattering photographs. Jess and Brian's wedding is a good example of a rainy day at the venue.
When are the night portraits taken, and how long do they take?
Straight after your first dance, for 15 to 20 minutes. You're back with your guests before the party gets going.
Do you offer wedding videography at Hogarths Stone Manor?
Yes. Film can be added to any photography package, and booking both together saves £300 to £500. One team plans both from a single brief.
How soon will we receive our photographs?
Within 8 weeks, in an online gallery you can share with family and download in full.
Wedding photography prices for Hogarths Stone Manor
Full-day wedding photography at Hogarths Stone Manor starts at £1,395. Both packages below cover your whole day, from three hours before the ceremony to an hour after your first dance.
Signature Wedding Photography, £1,395: full-day coverage, creative night portraits, 700+ edited images, online gallery and slideshow.
Complete Wedding Collection, £1,795: everything in Signature, plus a 30-page album in a gift box.
Photography and film together, from £2,190: Signature photography with a Highlights film, saving £300. Larger bundles save up to £500.
A second photographer can be added for £300. A 10% deposit secures your date, and payment plans are available. Full details are on my wedding photography packages page.
Book your Hogarths Stone Manor wedding photographer
I'm Paul Hickey of Once in a Lifetime Photography. If you're getting married at Hogarths Stone Manor, I'd love to hear about your plans. Tell me your date and I'll check availability and reply with full details.
Email: paul@onceinalifetimephotography.co.uk
Phone: 01905 900911
Venue: Hogarths Stone Manor, Stone, Kidderminster DY10 4PJ (hogarths.co.uk/stone-manor)
I also cover weddings across Kidderminster and the rest of Worcestershire.