Browsholme Hall in Clitheroe: Rachel & Andrew

We’re so lucky in the North West to have plenty of gorgeous wedding venues, and Browsholme Hall in Clitheroe is definitely up there for the perfect event backdrop! I was really excited at being asked to photograph Rachel and Andrew’s wedding here, especially when I saw how beautiful the landscaping and historic building looked; perfect for creativity.

Browsholme Hall is located in the Bowland Forest Low, right in the heart of the picturesque Ribble Valley. It’s an ancient and privately owned Tudor house and is believed to be Lancashire’s oldest surviving family home. Needless to say, it’s an absolutely stunning event destination run by talented professionals, and its authentic restored barn is the perfect venue for stylish weddings!

The Browsholme Hall Setting

As a busy Manchester wedding photographer, I already knew that the wedding team at Browsholme Hall had a great reputation, and I was so excited to see all the original features of the barn when I made my pre-event visit. Oak beams, exposed stone and flagstone floors are such a beautiful backdrop for creative wedding decor, complemented by immaculate and rolling landscaped gardens. I knew I would have plenty of fantastic opportunities for photography on the day.

Manchester Wedding Photographer Challenges!

Of course, what we hadn’t fully banked on, was a mid-June wedding with the heaviest rain imaginable! On the big day we woke up to grey colds, which rapidly progressed into torrential rain!  There was no option but to quickly shelve the original plan for an outdoor ceremony on the Italian steps for an alternative gathering in the barn. 

It was no matter for the wedding organisers though, who smoothed everything along with absolute ease and grace. The barn had been decorated to perfection and it was completely ready to welcome all of the guests, and the wedding team was on hand to guide everyone into place. The fairy lights and flowers were so beautiful and the exposed stone of the barn provided the perfect backdrop to the decor, so nothing was lost from the last-minute switch!

Everyone was able to focus fully on the glowing bride and her groom, and the magic and the emotion of the ceremony really shows in the images. I absolutely love capturing these kinds of stories and feelings in my reportage style of photography, and I take hundreds of shots to create perfect wedding albums. 

The Lake Incident…

After a delicious wedding meal, I managed to get some shots outside with the bride and groom and we captured some stunning portraits. The earlier weather had made the gardens look completely lush, and all the colours were so rich after the rainfall. You can see the level of colour saturation in the finished images, and it’s one of the reasons why rain isn’t necessarily a bad thing for Manchester wedding photography – good wedding photographers will always work around it!

Inspiration then struck and Rachel and Andrew decided to go out on the lake in the rowing boat… a perfect reportage photo series in the making you might think? Unfortunately, it turned out that they’d enjoyed rather too many glasses of fizz…and didn’t know how to use the oars! 

Luckily an enterprising staff member was on hand to guide them back in with the aid of a boat, and of course, I captured everything. Completely off-script moments like these provide a lifetime of memories with the right photography!

The Evening Event

Champagne-fulled boating adventures were followed by a fantastic evening party with wild dancing, great food, laughter and flowing drinks. In the photos you can see the gorgeously brilliant colours, with red and pink lighting and props for everyone to have fun with. It was truly wonderful and the atmosphere and joy of the occasion really shone through in the photos. 

As an experienced Manchester wedding photographer, I always work with flat shoes and extra equipment so I can keep going for as long as the night does. My job is to be as low-key as possible, but constantly capturing every minute of the occasion, for that perfect set of memories. The results are always worth it and I spend plenty of time editing every shot too, so that the full atmosphere and feel of the day is captured fully. 

The Wedding Suppliers

The day was such a success, and supported by some fantastic local suppliers.  I get to work with some fabulous people in the industry who have such a passion for what they do, and it really shows on days such as these. Some of Rachel & Andrew’s suppliers included:

Flower Design Events – Florist

Millie Anson – Makeup

Emilie Sorsky – Hair

Love Bridal – Made with Love for the bride and bridesmaids’ dresses

An absolutely delicious wedding cake from Slatterys!

Book your Manchester Wedding Photography Today

I book up fast for Cheshire and Manchester wedding photography, but I also take bookings well in advance! Please contact me to find out more and to check my calender – if you have a short notice wedding, it’s worth checking just in case I have a cancellation or a free slot. I’ll always do my best to accommodate requests, and I’m more than happy to talk through your dreams for the day, show you my work and provide lots of creative inspiration from my portfolio.

Please get in touch and let’s chat!