Olly & Jordan’s Bourton Hall wedding had one of those atmospheres you feel before you even properly see it. The kind where every room buzzes with excitement, every speech lands, and every guest looks genuinely thrilled to be there.

Between the emotional ceremony, botanical styling, confetti-covered first dance and a wedding party large enough to start its own football league, this Warwickshire wedding was an absolute beauty from start to finish.

The beginning
The Meeting
Olly and Jordan met through mutual friends in their childhood village, and their first of many dates happened at The Saracens Head, which they described as “the best local pub with the best grub!”
Honestly, strong start to a relationship.

The Engagement
Olly proposed at Malham Cove in Skipton back in 2022. If you’ve ever been, you’ll know it’s one of those places that already feels cinematic before you add a proposal into the mix.

Wedding Planning
Olly & Jordan had some genuinely brilliant advice for couples planning their own wedding:
A philosophy I suspect several wedding coordinators would happily embroider onto a cushion!
For more tips and tricks, take a look at my Wedding Planning inspiration posts. Or if you're at the very beginning of your wedding planning journey, my Ultimate Wedding Guide has helped so many of my clients plan their special days.
Wedding at Bourton Hall
Getting Ready Moments
Meet Olly
One of the really lovely things about this wedding was that both preparations happened on-site at Bourton Hall, which made the whole morning feel relaxed and seamless. While Jordan and the girls got ready over in the Gatekeeper’s Cottage and The Lady Bourton Honeymoon Suite, my assistant photographer David headed over to Olly and the guys in The Lord Bourton suite, in the opposite wing of the manor house.

And when I say “the guys”, I mean nine groomsmen.
Nine.
The energy in that room was brilliant from the second we walked in. Pints appeared almost immediately after someone uttered the sacred wedding morning phrase: “The bar is open.” Jackets were being adjusted, cufflinks fastened, ties straightened in mirrors, and everyone seemed genuinely excited for Olly.

The sage and earthy green colour palette tied everything together beautifully throughout the day, especially the suits from Skopes. Olly’s patterned waistcoat paired with the warm rust tie worked ridiculously well against Bourton Hall’s dark wood interiors and soft neutral rooms.




There was a proper “big family celebration” feeling to the entire morning, which ended up carrying right through the rest of the wedding day too.

If you've seen any of my previous Real Wedding Stories, you'll know I always start with the guys first because they get ready a lot quicker (sorry girls, it's true!) and it's much easier for them to take their jacket off again and relax if they want to!
Meet Jordan
Jordan spent the morning getting ready with her bridesmaids and family over in the Gatekeeper’s Cottage before moving into the main bridal suite at Bourton Hall.

The whole morning felt calm, happy and genuinely emotional in all the best ways. There was breakfast being picked at between hair appointments, bouquets arriving, dresses steaming in corners, and that slow build-up of excitement as everything suddenly starts feeling very real.




Kate Richardson handled hair styling while Unveiled Glam worked their magic on make-up, and honestly, the whole bridal look suited Jordan perfectly. Elegant without feeling overdone. Soft, timeless, and completely in keeping with the botanical feel of the day.


Jordan’s bouquet was packed with warm peach roses, eucalyptus and dried textures from Isabel’s Flower Studio, which worked beautifully against the sage green bridesmaid dresses and Bourton Hall’s neutral interiors.


One of my favourite moments from the morning was Jordan’s bridal reveal with her bridesmaids and parents. We lined everyone up facing away while we got Jordan into position behind them, and the second they turned around the room completely melted. There were tears immediately. Even before the ceremony started, the emotions were already dialled up to eleven.





The Ceremony
Olly & Jordan were married in Bourton Hall’s Italian Room, and it suited the atmosphere of their ceremony perfectly.

The room itself already feels romantic with the huge windows and soft natural light, but once the floral ceremony arches were in place it looked incredible.




Their ceremony was deeply emotional from start to finish. Both of them spent most of it trying very hard not to cry, which of course only made everyone else emotional too. There’s always something really powerful about a couple who are completely present with each other during the ceremony, and these two absolutely were.


The moment Jordan walked down the aisle, you could physically see Olly trying to hold himself together. Spoiler: he barely managed it. And to be fair? Neither did several guests.



Cocktail Hour
After a few quiet moments together following the ceremony, Olly & Jordan made their confetti exit through a tunnel of guests armed with dried flower petals, and it was absolute chaos in the best possible way.

The rain started threatening us shortly afterwards, but everyone rolled with it beautifully. Guests gathered indoors with drinks, live piano music floated through the hallways, and the atmosphere somehow became even cosier once everyone tucked inside Bourton Hall together.

One of the things I loved most about this wedding was how naturally social it felt. People weren’t hiding at tables checking phones or drifting off in little cliques. Everyone seemed genuinely invested in celebrating these two.






Olly and Jordan said they chose natural sage greens throughout the wedding because of their shared love for nature and the outdoors, and the styling tied into Bourton Hall’s interiors perfectly.
Family Photos
We managed to sneak a handful of family photos outdoors before the Warwickshire weather decided it had other plans.
Fortunately, Bourton Hall has one major advantage when rain appears: the inside is absolutely packed with gorgeous photo locations. Huge staircases, dark wood panelling, dramatic balconies, elegant mirrors… it’s basically a wedding photographer’s playground.

So we quickly relocated indoors and carried on with the family photos there instead. And honestly? The staircase photographs ended up looking incredible.

With such a large wedding party and extended family setup, having everyone so upbeat and cooperative made a massive difference. Shout-out as well to the designated photo wranglers for helping gather people together quickly, because herding wedding guests sometimes feels suspiciously close to competitive sheepdog trials.


Wedding Breakfast
The wedding breakfast room reveal at Bourton Hall is always lovely, but this one felt especially warm and inviting.
The sage green styling, floral centrepieces and soft candlelight worked beautifully with the gold chairs and chandeliers in the reception suite. Everything felt elegant without feeling overly formal or stiff.

Then came the newlywed entrance.
And wow.
The cheering when Olly & Jordan walked into the room genuinely went on forever. It was one of those moments where you suddenly realise just how loved a couple are by the people around them.




The speeches covered pretty much every possible emotion too. Between Olly, both fathers and best man Danny, there were tears, roasting, emotional moments, hysterical moments, and one genuinely excellent groom’s speech which absolutely deserves recognition.
Jordan spent several moments wiping away tears while laughing at the same time, which honestly sums up a brilliant wedding speech lineup.






Olly (bless him) even looked dead at my camera and thanked me personally for all of my support leading up to the wedding. It was even hard for me to keep the tears back!
Newlywed Photoshoot
As soon as the rain eased off slightly, we headed outside for Olly & Jordan’s newlywed portraits.

One of the reasons I love photographing at Bourton Hall is how quickly the venue adapts to weather changes. If sunshine appears, the grounds are beautiful. If rain appears, the architecture indoors completely saves the day.




So we worked fast outdoors first before moving inside to take advantage of the grand staircases and dramatic wood-panelled spaces. The overhead staircase portrait ended up being one of my favourites from the day. There’s something really cinematic about the contrast between Jordan’s delicate lace dress and the rich dark wood surrounding them.

Despite the weather interruptions, these two were completely relaxed together. No awkwardness, no forced posing, just enjoying having a few quiet moments alone in the middle of an otherwise very loud and exciting day.
Though we did have to go back outside to get the one photo Olly really wanted... A photo of himself cleaning the alloys of his beloved car with Jordan's wedding dress! She allowed it of course, she was a great sport!


Also, today was the day I learned all about a German wedding tradition involving sawing a log in half together. It's meant to symbolise teamwork, patience, determination and asking for help when needed. How awesome is that?
Fair play really, it's a great metaphor for marriage!


Cake cut
Their cake setup looked gorgeous against Bourton Hall’s dark staircase backdrop, surrounded by cupcakes, florals and warm lighting.

The styling throughout the whole reception felt very “them”. Relaxed, welcoming and quietly elegant without trying too hard.
And thankfully, nobody lost a finger during the cake cutting. Always a bonus.



First dance
Olly & Jordan’s first dance was genuinely unforgettable.
As they danced beneath the staircase to Heaven Knows by Mica Millar, guests stood above them on the balcony scattering confetti down over the dancefloor. The second the petals started falling, Jordan’s face completely lit up.

Those photographs are still some of my favourite first dance images I’ve ever taken.
The whole thing felt cinematic without losing the intimacy of the moment. Everyone else disappeared for a minute and it became very obvious that these two were completely wrapped up in each other.
Olly later told me the song held special meaning for him too, which somehow made the whole moment hit even harder.


Reception
The energy throughout the evening never dipped once.
Guests crowded the staircase balconies to watch the first dance, confetti covered literally everything by the end of it, and the atmosphere stayed loud, emotional and busy right through.

It was less of a dancefloor reception, and more people being outside socialising and making full use of the grounds. You could tell this wasn’t one of those weddings where people politely attend because they feel obligated to.
These people adored Olly & Jordan. And that kind of energy changes everything.




(And sorry to this lady, but I couldn't bring myself to not include this photo!)

Wedding Photography at Bourton Hall
As a wedding photographer, I get to work at some incredible venues, and Bourton Hall genuinely stands out for how versatile it is photographically.
The manor house itself is packed with character. Grand staircases, huge windows, elegant ceremony rooms, dark wood interiors, beautifully maintained architecture… every direction gives you another gorgeous backdrop to work with.

It’s also one of those venues that handles bad weather brilliantly. Rain barely becomes a problem because there are still so many indoor portrait locations available without ever feeling repetitive.
The staff were fantastic throughout the day too, and the whole venue flowed really smoothly from morning preparations right through to the evening reception.
If you’re planning a Bourton Hall wedding and want a venue that feels elegant, atmospheric and genuinely versatile for photography, it’s an absolute gem.

Olly & Jordan’s wedding was one of those days that reminded me exactly why I love this job. Big emotions, loud laughter, emotional speeches, brilliant people and a couple who were completely, unapologetically themselves from start to finish.
I hope this gave you a little glimpse into what a wedding at Bourton Hall can feel like, especially if you’re currently planning your own Warwickshire wedding. If you’re still searching for your photographer, you can explore my Wedding Photography page here.



