Stoke Rochford Hall wedding photography

Susie and James had their wedding at Stoke Rochford Hall which is an incredible country house wedding venue near Grantham in Lincolnshire. It’s set in acres of countryside, so expect serenity from the moment you arrive! Even just the drive into the estate is an experience. You follow a winding lane, feel like you’re in another world as you go over a picturesque humpback bridge, and pass ancient oak trees, a waterfall, and fields of sheep. And eventually, after a peaceful drive through the estate, you spot the imposing mansion straight ahead, drive through a pair of stately wrought iron gates, and ahh … bliss!

Susie and James had a civil wedding ceremony in the orangery, followed by drinks & canapes on the lawn, and dinner in the library. They both got ready there, too. So with no travel or logistics to think about, they had a truly relaxing day. And that’s a great wedding right there. But Susie and James picked Stoke Rochford Hall for one particular reason … It’s a (very!) dog-friendly wedding venue. So stick with me if you’re a dog person and want photos!

Dogs are family & weddings are family occasions

Anyone who has seen me when there’s a dog around will know exactly how much I loved this wedding!

I knew James and Susie’s 16-week-old puppy Benny Bear (a bear-coat Shar Pei) would be there. In fact, Susie had me at “Are you okay with a dog around?” in her first email to me!

But imagine my delight when their guests started to arrive – with their pupsters! I didn’t know who to fuss first!

It was lovely to see humans and furry companions take their seats together for the ceremony, enjoy the gardens during the drinks reception, and snore under the tables during dinner. Correction: humans only did two of those things. The best bit? When the guests cheered and clapped as James & Susie were pronounced husband & wife – and the dogs joined in and excitedly barked the house down!

Hats off to Stoke Rochford Hall for being so dog-friendly.

Favourite moments

James and Susie planned an intimate day with their closest family and best friends. They made sure everyone felt welcome and had a ball (including me which was really nice).

As always, the speeches were a highlight. And I was blown away by James’ “come on down” style speech to thank everyone who’d helped make the day so special. That was a genius twist and set a fun and lively tone for the party to follow.

Another best bit was when James gave Susie a (very sparkly!) wedding gift during his speech. Her reaction was a picture – literally; see below!

And of course, cake

This masterpiece is by Choccywoccydoodah. James and Susie asked the Choccy team to create something that incorporated their pets (two dogs & two lovebirds) and that fitted in with their wedding decor. So a chocolatey candelabra creation (that you could actually light!) it was. Utterly fabulous.

Are you planning a Stoke Rochford Hall wedding?

Want some natural and relaxed wedding photos to remember the day? I might know someone who can help! Make yourself at home and have a good look around my site. And if you like what you see, I’d love to hear from you.