Brooksby Hall Wedding Photographer & Videographer

A 16th-century manor house on a large estate near Melton Mowbray

Brooksby Hall is at Brooksby, between Leicester and Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire (LE14 2LJ). Wedding directories describe it as a 16th-century manor house on an estate of several hundred acres, with a licence for civil ceremonies, a church on the estate and dining and reception rooms for large parties. We have not been able to check these details against a current official page, so ask the venue to confirm them.

We photographed Wana and Mercy's wedding here on 29 June 2019, and theirs is the day in this guide: a ceremony hall full of guests on their feet, a kiss in front of a wall of ivy, portraits on the courtyard in front of the hall, and a first dance in a beamed room under fairy lights. Our Leicester guide shows more weddings in the county.

This wedding was in June 2019, so ask the venue what has changed since, which rooms it now uses for ceremonies and receptions, and what its current packages and capacities are.

01 / The spaces / From directory listings

A courtyard, formal gardens and rooms for large parties

Directory listings describe a hall and estate that suit larger weddings, with civil ceremonies licensed on site and a church close by. The photographs on this page show a ceremony hall with rows of chairs, a courtyard in front of the stone hall, a path through lawns and borders, and a beamed reception room strung with fairy lights.

Rooms, capacities and prices vary between listings, so ask the venue for its current wedding information, which rooms are licensed on your date and how late the evening can run.

02 / June 2019 / Wana and Mercy

Wana and Mercy: an aisle of applause, an ivy wall and a first dance under the lights

Wana and Mercy married on 29 June 2019. He wore a navy suit with a soft pink tie and a pale buttonhole, and she a white gown with cap sleeves, a lace bodice, a long veil and a bouquet of pink and white roses. In the photograph at the top of this page they kiss in front of a wall of ivy, her veil lifting a little in the light.

After the ceremony they walked back down the aisle between guests on their feet, applauding and filming, with the groom lifting the train of her gown. Outside, on the stone courtyard, they pressed their foreheads together in front of the tall white windows of the hall, then stood alone in a wide black-and-white frame with the whole front of the building behind them.

A walk through the gardens in the sun, hand in hand along a gravel path between lawns and trees, gave them a quiet moment before the reception. Inside, the long top table was laid with white chair covers tied with pink sashes, candles and a sequinned runner.

At the cake, the groom took a bite from his wife's fingers, and later the two of them danced their first dance under strings of fairy lights beneath the beams, with guests watching from the tables behind.

Planning your photographs at Brooksby Hall

Questions to put to the venue, and how we would plan around the answers:

1. A large, joyful ceremony: Wana and Mercy's guests stood and applauded as they left the hall. Ask how the ceremony room is arranged for your numbers, where we can stand without blocking the aisle and whether guests may film.
2. Courtyard portraits: The stone front and tall windows made a strong backdrop at any distance. Ask when the courtyard is free of cars and deliveries, and plan portraits for the quietest part of the afternoon.
3. Gardens and shade: On a bright June day the lawns and paths were lovely but the sun was high. Agree a shaded spot for family groups and keep portraits for the softer light later on.
4. The top table and details: Candles, sashes and a sequinned runner all look best before the room fills. Ask when the room will be set so we can photograph the details before guests arrive.
5. Group photographs: We make as many as you wish, usually around 15, which take about 20 minutes. Choose a spot with room for everyone and a sheltered fallback, and ask someone who knows both families to gather people.
6. First dance and evening: Fairy lights and a beamed ceiling work well for a first dance. Ask what the room allows for lighting and music so we can plan the evening around it.

One team for the photographs and the film

Cam and Beth have photographed and filmed over 400 weddings together, so a manor house with a ceremony hall, a courtyard and a beamed reception room is planned once: one timetable, one list of questions for the venue and one shared portrait walk for photographs and film.

The photo and video team package carries a £120 deposit and a £400 saving over booking photography and videography separately. We are based near Cardiff, and travel across England and Wales is included in standard full-day packages. When the drive is over two hours we always stay in a hotel the night before and cover it.

Questions about a Brooksby Hall wedding