Owlpen Manor

Wedding of Aimee and Jake

May 2023 • Cotswolds

As I set off to make my way to this wedding at Owlpen Manor in the Cotswolds for the first time, I didn’t know that I was about to cover one of my favourite weddings of the year!

As I pulled into the narrow country lane that leads the way, the Manor and it’s grounds were hidden from from view by the surrounding woodland. I parked up and made my way down the slope towards the venue, and… oh. My. God. I don’t know if there’s such a thing as a ‘perfect’ venue, but this comes pretty damn close! I absolutely adore historical locations (I used to volunteer as a photographer with the National Trust to get my fix!), so this place ticks all my boxes.

The manor itself is a gorgeous Tudor house, surrounded by beautifully kept formal gardens, woodland walks, lakes, a mill, and it’s very own church! It is the home of Sir Nicholas and Lady Mander and their family. Their son Hugo runs the wedding business alongside an amazing team of people, and it literally has everything you could ask for. There is also an old Cyder Barn, so it’s here that I met up with Aimee.

Aimee and her bridal party were in the upper barn, where they had stayed the night before. Jake had also stayed the night previously, but completely separate over in the mill house. There are several accommodation options here at Owlpen, so it’s great being able to have the entire wedding party in one place, but without the risk of them bumping into each other! The girls all seemed calm but excited, so I soon set about capturing the preparations and details for the day ahead.

With Aimee ready, it was time to meet with Jake and wait for everyone to arrive and be seated before the ceremony began. They had opted for an outdoor ceremony, and the weather was gorgeous – it was a particularly sunny day with barely a cloud in the sky. If anything, it was maybe a little too sunny though, as several people (myself included!) lamented not being lathered in sun-cream! It wasn’t long though before Aimee arrived, and after one of the most relaxed and joyous ceremonies I have ever attended (their registrar was simply amazing), they were soon pronounced husband and wife.

With the ceremony complete, it was time for the festivities to begin! While everyone enjoyed the drinks reception, I took Aimee and Jake away to capture some portraits around the grounds. After that, it was back in time for the wedding breakfast and speeches. Aimee’s father, who is a talented musician, also performed a song that he had written especially for the occasion!

After the cutting of the cake, and before their first dance as husband and wife, I took them briefly back outside for another portrait session to take advantage of the setting sun before it disappeared over the horizon. I absolutely love capturing photographs during the golden hour, but it’s something that is unfortunately never guaranteed in our climate, so I grab the opportunity with both hands whenever I can!

Before my day was through, I took Aimee and Jake over to the church for a photograph under the archway, and then made my farewells. It was so much fun capturing their day – they were such an amazing couple, and I came away with a gorgeous gallery of images for them. Owlpen Manor is hands-down one of the best Cotswolds wedding venues out there, with a fantastic team at the helm, and I can’t wait to go back!