Olly & Jordan are one of those couples who just sparkle, they completely lit the place up, you could feel their love and light beaming onto everyone there and I am so honoured to have been chosen to capture their wedding at Bourton Hall in Rugby.
We Started off in the little cottage to the side for Jordan and her bridal party’s hair and make-up. We had the incredibly talented Kate Richardson on hair; and the equally talented Unveiled Glam on make-up duty!
After making sure the boys were out of sight, we moved to the stunning Lady Bourton suite in the main venue. Jordan looked absolutely stunning in her lace gown and I just love their choice of flowers expertly designed by Isabel’s Flower Studio! We had an emotional reveal to her bridesmaids followed by an even more emotional reveal to her dad!
We moved over to Olly and his nine (yes, nine!) groomsmen in the opposite wing of Bourton Hall. The energy was up in that room and everyone seemed so excited for the day ahead! The guy’s suits were by Skopes and I just love how well they tie in with Olly and Jordan’s wedding theme!
“We chose natural/sage green to reflect our love for the natural world and the great outdoors!”
Their ceremony was extremely emotional, with both Olly and Jordan fighting back tears for most of it! It was beautiful, and went absolutely perfectly.
We chose to get the newlywed’s portraits first as we didn’t like how dark and grey the sky was beginning to look! We got as many as we could outside before rushing indoors to take advantage of Bourton Hall’s simply stunning architecture.
It began to rain in Rugby, but we managed to get a few family photos outdoors before the rain came down on us (boo!) Fortunately Bourton Hall has a vast number of beautiful staircases to choose from, so we managed to finish off Olly & Jordan’s family photo list!
The newlyweds entered the Bourton Hall wedding breakfast suite and were greeted like absolute rockstars! I couldn’t even tell you how long the cheering went on for, I really hope Olly & Jordan know just how much love was in that room that day! I think the speeches covered the entire spectrum of emotions! Between Olly, Olly’s Dad, Jordan’s Dad and best man Danny; there were jokes, tears, embarrassment, fission and unrequited sentiment. They all absolutely nailed it, and (I probably shouldn’t say this… buuut…) I’ve never heard such a well written groom’s speech!
Did you know it’s a German wedding tradition to saw a log in half together during your wedding reception? Because I didn’t! I learned from Olly’s dad and step-mum that it’s meant to symbolise all of the ingredients for a successful marriage; teamwork, determination, patience and not being afraid to ask for help if you need it! Pretty cool huh?!
Olly & Jordan had a one-tier cake surrounded by matching cupcakes! Everyone watched and cheered from the staircase and balconies above.
And to cap off a completely epic wedding day, Olly & Jordan had a first dance like I have never seen before! Everyone scattered confetti from the balcony above as they danced, and the photos of Jordan when her face lit up are some of my favourite first dance photos ever! They danced to Mica Millar – Heaven Knows which is a song I’ve never heard played at a wedding before. The newlyweds were simply beautiful to watch, and Olly later told me that this song has a special meaning to him, which I thought made it even better!
Their story
Tell us all about your ‘the beginning!’
“We met in our childhood village through mutual friends, and our first of many dates was in the Saracens Head, the best local pub with the best grub!”
When and where did you get engaged?
“I proposed at Malham Cove, Skipton in 2022.”
What are you most looking forward to on the day?
Olly: “Seeing my beautiful wife walk down the aisle and enjoying the smiles and laughter shared between all the people we love most in our lives as we celebrate our big day.”
Jordan: “I really look forward to spending the day just absorbing the love from everyone towards us both and no doubt I’ll getting extremely emotional throughout the day.”
What are your top tips for other nearly-weds?
“If you’re planning your own wedding, I highly recommend doing plenty of research and compiling a to do list based on your venue, style of wedding and personal requirements.
Introduce a system where you can tick things off as they’re done, and prioritise things in chronological order of when they need to be completed. It takes the stress away from decided what to do each week/month leading up to the wedding.
The most important things to secure early on in the planning process are things like the photographer, videographer, hair/makeup stylists etc as the best of the best can quickly become booked up for several months if not years ahead of time! This is essential to make sure that you secure the quality of vendors that you wish to have for your big day.
Most of all, enjoy the process! It’s easy to become stressed and see the whole thing as a series of difficult tasks to bring about, but take it from me, you can do it and it can be enjoyable.
Most important this to remember is the 6 P’s…
Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance!”
Why choose a Bourton Hall Wedding?
“A striking 18th Century Italian Renaissance-style Country Mansion – Set in 15 acres of picturesque gardens & woodland, with extensive picturesque views and its very own Italianate Former-Catholic Chapel, Bourton Hall is the perfect exclusive-use wedding venue for all your wedding day dreams to come true.
Bourton Hall is a beautiful wedding venue nestled in rolling countryside of Warwickshire, near Rugby. A stunning country mansion, built in the style of an Italian Villa in the 18th century; this exclusive use wedding venue exudes a beautiful balance of style, grandeur & homeliness.
The Italianate Former Catholic Chapel, complete with marble panelled walls & ornate wood and gold leaf ceiling, really is the perfect backdrop for you to say ‘I do’. Alternatively, you can opt for a more intimate & classical ceremony in the Italian Room. On sunnier days opt for an outside ceremony under the Portico, with your very own country house as a backdrop.”
“Following the ceremony, guests can either enjoy their welcome drinks on the terrace while enjoying a game of croquet, or in the main hall, complete with a period grand staircase & ornate ceilings. While the guests are enjoying a tipple, the grounds await with fantastic photo opportunities galore, including extensive views across rolling countryside to the Draycote Water beyond.
For the reception, dine up to 120 guests in style in the grand Banqueting Hall endowed with period features, ornate ceilings and striking views across the valley, then party the night away in the Draycote Bar & Disco.
Choosing Bourton Hall Wedding Venue for your wedding day will grant you access to our all-inclusive wedding packages that include exclusive use of the house and grounds and your own dedicated Personal Wedding Manager to help plan and run your big day. Find out more about this stunning Rugby wedding venue and arrange a viewing appointment with a member of our friendly team.”
