Cheryl & Josh's Wedding at Hogarths Stone Manor
Cheryl and Josh married on a sunny day in late August at Hogarths Stone Manor in Worcestershire. They asked for natural photographs with as little fuss as possible, apart from the family groups. That suited me well. I'm Paul Hickey of Once in a Lifetime Photography, and I've photographed more than 20 weddings here as a recommended Hogarths Stone Manor wedding photographer.
They met at work and were friends long before they were a couple. Josh proposed on a beach in Spain while Cheryl was pregnant with their daughter. In their questionnaire they said they love laughing together and winding each other up. That set the tone for the whole day: children everywhere, games on the lawn and very little standing still.
Arriving Early and Getting Ready
I arrived early, with the sun already on the front of the house. Before anyone needed me, I photographed the entrance, the signage and the grounds behind the hotel. I also flew the drone for aerial views of the Tudor-style frontage and gardens. These quiet first frames give a gallery its sense of place.
Bridal preparations were busy in the way family mornings always are. A young child was at the centre of most of it, weaving between dresses, shoes and flowers. I kept my distance and let the room carry on around me. Documentary wedding photography works best when nobody feels they have to stop for the camera.
Outside, one of the flower girls started dancing on the grass with nobody watching. I took a few frames from across the garden. Moments like that only reach the gallery if the photographer is already there.
The Details Cheryl and Josh Chose
The styling ran on a light sky blue, with floral centrepieces and candles on the tables. The flowers and table décor came from The Wedding House. Their personality showed most in the smaller touches. There were custom-labelled green and pink shots, a sweet cart and a doughnut wall.
There was also a memorial chair for loved ones who couldn't be there. I photographed it quietly, before guests came into the room. Details like this belong in the story, but they need a lighter touch than a doughnut wall.
A Ceremony in the Drawing Room
Despite the sunshine, Cheryl and Josh chose an indoor ceremony in the Drawing Room. It's a characterful room with dark timber beams overhead. Windows run along one side, so the light is far from even. The window side is bright, while the opposite side falls noticeably darker.
That difference shapes how I work in the room. I watch exposure closely and choose positions where faces catch the window light rather than lose it. The page boys, flower girls and bridesmaids came in first. That gave me a few seconds to settle my settings before Cheryl walked in.
The ceremony was also recorded on two fixed cameras at different angles to the aisle. The finished film cuts between the two views, so the whole ceremony is there from start to finish. Cheryl had told me how much a record of the ceremony mattered, something to share with the children when they're older. Fixed cameras also meant nothing extra moving around the room during the vows.
Garden Games, a Bouncy Castle and a Retro Arcade
After the ceremony, guests spilled into the sunshine outside the downstairs bar. Cheryl and Josh had given everyone plenty to do. There was giant Connect Four, Jenga, noughts and crosses, hook-a-duck and a bouncy castle. A mobile retro-gaming unit ran Pac-Man, Space Invaders and Mortal Kombat.
For candid wedding photography, this is a gift. Guests forget about the camera when they're three moves from losing at Connect Four. Children ran between the games all afternoon, and the reactions came without any prompting from me. Inside, a soft-play area on the Garden Room balcony kept the youngest guests busy too.
Group Photographs and Relaxed Couple Portraits
We used the walled garden for the group photographs and confetti. Cheryl and Josh had listed ten group combinations in advance, so the groups were quick and organised. The walls give a contained, tidy backdrop and keep everyone in one place.
Their couple portraits were mostly unposed. I asked them to walk, hold hands and talk to each other, then stepped back. With two people who enjoy winding each other up, the expressions take care of themselves. Later we added a few frames on a bench and on the lawn in front of the hotel.
Speeches and the Wedding Breakfast
The wedding breakfast and speeches were in the Garden Room. They were straightforward and warm, with plenty of smiles around the tables. I photographed each speaker, but I watch the listeners just as closely. Cheryl and Josh's reactions often say more than the speech itself.
Smoke and Low Sunlight at the Far End of the Grounds
After the meal, I took the bridal party outside for smoke-bomb photographs. I headed for the far end of the grounds, where sunlight was filtering through the trees onto a path. The grasses either side had dried in the summer heat.
Once the first plumes cleared, some smoke stayed hanging between the trees. The low sun lit that haze from behind, softening the background and separating the bridal party from it. Those frames are among my favourites from the day. They came from reading the light on the day, not from a plan made weeks earlier.
Creative Wedding Photography After Dark
In the evening I lit the cake with off-camera flash before Cheryl and Josh cut it. The first dance followed, then a busy dance floor. Children waved illuminated batons, adding points of colour to the darker frames.
While some blue remained in the sky, I took the couple outside for front-lit and backlit portraits. Then came two ideas built from the day's own entertainment. I placed Cheryl and Josh beyond the giant Connect Four and lit both the grid and the couple with flash. Against the dark sky, the game becomes a frame within the frame.
The second was the bouncy castle. Cheryl and Josh bounced on it in the dark while two AD200 flashes lit the scene. Without that light, the castle would have been a black shape. With it, the photographs show the evening as it felt: a couple not taking themselves too seriously. This is the side of my work I call creative night portraits.
Sunset Portraits by the Red-Leaved Trees
My favourite discovery came in a part of the grounds I already knew well. Two red-leaved trees grow so close that their foliage seems to merge. On this visit, a large white garden bench had been moved in front of them. With the sun setting behind, it made a ready-made portrait setting.
I set up a softbox with a studio flash and invited guests over in couples and small groups. The flash lit faces from the front while the sunset backlit the leaves. It gave Cheryl and Josh portraits of the people who mattered to them, not only of themselves.
Why Hogarths Stone Manor Works So Well for Wedding Photography
The venue sits in 27 acres of landscaped grounds, and that space shows in a gallery. In one day at Hogarths Stone Manor I used the walled garden, the lawns, a tree-lined path and the front of the hotel without repeating a backdrop. There's always somewhere quieter to take a couple for ten minutes.
The Drawing Room holds up to 130 guests, according to the venue. Its beams give indoor ceremonies real character, but the one-sided window light needs managing. If you choose it, ask your photographer how they handle uneven light.
The grounds also reward an evening session. Low sun through the trees suits atmospheric portraits, and the lawns leave room for flash after dark. As a recommended supplier at Hogarths Stone Manor, I also look for what has changed since my last visit. A moved bench gave me a new sunset composition this time. Arrangements change, so I never promise a specific spot before the day.
You can see prices, timings and more real weddings on my Hogarths Stone Manor wedding photographer page.
Planning a Wedding at Hogarths Stone Manor? A Few Things Worth Knowing
Plan around the Drawing Room light. Expect bright light on the window side and darker conditions opposite. Talk to your photographer about where they'll stand, so faces stay well lit during the vows.
Give the drinks reception something to do. Cheryl and Josh's garden games, bouncy castle and arcade kept guests busy for hours. Activities like these produce relaxed photographs without any posing, but check with the venue what you can set up.
Send your group list early. Cheryl and Josh listed ten combinations before the day. That let us work through the walled garden quickly and get back to the party.
Leave time near sunset. The best light of the day came late in the evening. Build ten to fifteen minutes around sunset into your wedding day timeline, and check the sunset time for your date.
Confirm smoke, drone and confetti rules. I don't publish venue policies I haven't confirmed myself. Ask the wedding team about each one when you book, and tell your photographer what they say.
Think about recording the ceremony. A full ceremony recording can mean more years later than it does on the day. If that matters to you, ask about the Ceremony Film add-on.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hogarths Stone Manor Weddings
Can you have an indoor ceremony at Hogarths Stone Manor?
Yes. Cheryl and Josh married in the Drawing Room, which the venue says holds up to 130 guests. It has dark timber beams and windows along one side. The venue also offers outdoor ceremonies at the Pump Rooms and in woodland areas.
Where are group photographs taken at Hogarths Stone Manor?
The walled garden works well for group photographs and confetti. It keeps everyone in one place with a tidy backdrop. Send your photographer a group list in advance so the session runs quickly.
Is Hogarths Stone Manor good for night photography?
Yes. The lawns and grounds leave plenty of room for off-camera flash portraits after dark. At this wedding I photographed the couple through a lit Connect Four frame and on a bouncy castle lit by two flashes.
How many guests can Hogarths Stone Manor hold?
According to the venue, the Garden Room holds up to 200, the Drawing Room up to 130 and The Drey up to 80. Seated wedding breakfast numbers depend on your layout, so confirm them with the wedding team.
Can we have natural wedding photos without lots of posing?
Yes. Most of Cheryl and Josh's portraits came from walking, talking and holding hands. I give light direction for position and light, then step back. Family groups are the one organised part of the day.
How much does a wedding photographer cost at Hogarths Stone Manor?
Once in a Lifetime Photography's Signature Wedding Photography package is £1,395 for 2027 weddings. It includes 700+ edited images and an online gallery. Full details are on my wedding photography packages page.
Planning Your Own Wedding at Hogarths Stone Manor?
Cheryl and Josh's wedding was relaxed, family-centred and full of play, from the arcade to the bouncy castle at night. Thank you both for having me. If you're planning a wedding at Hogarths Stone Manor, or elsewhere in Worcestershire, I'd like to hear about it.
I'm Paul Hickey, a multiple Wedisson Award winner and Flashmasters Gold Award recipient. Once in a Lifetime Photography covers Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Warwickshire, Shropshire and the West Midlands.