In early September 2022 I was invited to do James and Laura’s Redhouse Barn wedding photography in nearby Bromsgrove.

Who doesn’t love a barn wedding?

Over the last few years, I’ve had the privilege of photographing many weddings across the West Midlands, visiting manor houses, historic halls, libraries, golf courses and numerous renovated barns.

Set amongst the rolling Worcestershire countryside, Redhouse is a stunning wedding venue with five acres to explore and a cluster of renovated redbrick and timber barns that are nearly two hundred years old! Everyone is made to feel at home by the passionate family-run team, and I know many wedding photographers at Redhouse Barn have said the same.

So, onto the wedding day!

I first joined Laura, her family and friends in the Bridal Changing Room along with the awesome team from Louise Marie Make Up.

The Changing Room is a striking and relaxing space – perfect for wedding morning preparations, enjoying time with family and friends and of course indulging in a morning feast! Laura and co. were treated to a delicious champagne breakfast and fresh pastries from the Redhouse kitchen (run by the award winning Morgans Catering). The Minstrels’ Gallery just outside offers a great view over the wedding breakfast area in the Timber Barn.

With hair and make-up in full swing and glasses of bubbly on the go, it was a real delight to photograph everyone’s smiles in anticipation for the big day ahead.

After a joyful and teary bridal reveal, I headed on over to Erdington Abbey in Birmingham to photograph the Church interior before the groom and guests began to arrive. Great stone archways, a sweeping red carpet, elevated timber ceiling and a stained-glass window – this Grade II listed building was an incredible setting for James and Laura’s wedding ceremony.

They both looked wonderful together, all beaming smiles and brimming with happiness throughout the service and the signing of the register. Forgoing the traditional confetti shower, I instead photographed James and Laura in the grounds of the Church, and took a couple of family portraits too.

Then it was back to being a wedding photographer at Redhouse Barn for an interval of sparkling beverages serenaded by an acoustic band.

After a huge group photograph and traditional portrait sessions, we slipped away from the celebrations for a private newlywed photoshoot. With a pleasant choice of courtyards, water features and gardens just on the brink of autumn, it’s clear why outdoor wedding photography at Redhouse Barn is particularly popular with couples.

Of all the locations within the grounds, the koi pond is my favourite.

Inside the barn, the Redhouse team had been busy preparing the wedding breakfast. James and Laura had opted for rustic, minimalist decor: engraved wood slice name places, boughs of lush foliage, fairy lights and candle-lit tables. And there was plenty of Pinot Noir and Peroni to go round too.

One of the loveliest personal touches I photographed on James and Laura’s wedding day was the photo display spanning several generations of both family’s weddings. In one of the frames was written the words: because of their love stories, we have ours.

As the daylight began to give way to late afternoon the time for speeches arrived, and the barn was filled with laughter and chatter of fond memories.

Following the wedding breakfast, James, Laura and their guests were able to relax and unwind in the private rear courtyard. With late summer in full bloom, the air was still generously warm and the string lights hung about the perimeter transformed the courtyard into a cosy space. There was also table tennis and giant Connect4 to play too!

One of the highlights of being a wedding photographer at Redhouse Barn is undoubtedly the dancefloor. When we re-entered the main barn for the evening entertainment, the guests gathered round to watch the cutting of the three-tier cake before James and Laura took to the dancefloor. The newlyweds looked truly magical as they performed their first dance, illuminated by fairy lights and the glow of ethereal, overhead lighting effects.

Taking spontaneous and candid photos is something I love to do, and the state-of-the-art lighting set-up in the barn made my time doing wedding photography at Redhouse Barn all the more enjoyable. The evening entertainment was notched up to a whole new level with live music, a haze machine and an interactive LED light-up dancefloor! It’s an insanely cool space, and James and Laura knew exactly how to get the party started, rocking out to the rhythm of electric guitars and drums.

Being a wedding photographer at Redhouse Barn is definitely a memorable experience, and I hope I’ll have the opportunity to return to this venue again sometime in the future.

Thank you, James and Laura, for inviting me to do your wedding photography at Redhouse Barn. It was a truly fantastic day and I wish you both all the very best and happiness for the future. Cheers!