Davenport House Shropshire’s Top Country House Wedding Venue.
As Wedding Venues go, Davenport House has it all.
Want to see more options of Wedding Venues that Shropshire has to offer? Check out my “Top Shropshire Wedding Venues” post
Davenport House, quite simply put, is a Wedding Photographer’s paradise. Located in Worfield. Davenport House offers an incredible 360 degrees of stunning Shropshire scenery. A remarkable Grade I listed Country House, steeped in history, and jaw-dropping decor, this is as much a wedding venue as it is a home and this home can be yours for the day. There is something incredibly romantic about the notion of owning such a grand country house, complete with sweeping driveway, set amongst fields as far as the eye can see. Not sure I’d want the heating bill however! As venues go though, this one’s going to make you the envy of all your guests, wishing that they found it first!
Whether you choose to get ready in the spacious Bridal Cottage or the elegant Bridal suite itself, you won’t be left disappointed. Although, personal preference, the Bridal Suite offers some incredible lighting for your photos.
Davenport House consists of many, many rooms, but those that you will become very familiar with are:
The Saloon
The Grand Hall
Nikki’s Bar and
The Dining Room
Of course, on a bright sunny day, you’re probably going to be spending most of your time outside amongst the incredible grounds that Davenport House has to offer.
Can you get married at Davenport House?
Davenport House is fully licensed for Wedding ceremonies.
Where is Davenport House?
Davenport House, Worfield, Bridgnorth WV15 5LE
Photographs at Davenport House
As I eluded to earlier, it’s a Wedding Photographers dream, whichever direction you look there is nothing distasteful in sight. For photographs inside the building the extremely tall and characteristic windows make for some incredible natural light pouring in, in the evening time. Catch the sun just right and you can see it go down over the back and beyond from the bottom of the beautiful garden.
Then there’s the front of the house. How did we get this far without discussing the iconic and stunning front you and your guests will see on their arrival. The front of the house makes for the perfect spot for your group photos, this is because all year round in the late afternoon, the front stairs will always remain in shade, meaning no one’s squinting in the photos and you get the most beautiful light coming in.
Every visit I make to Davenport House I discover something new and something different. The owners are continually looking at how to make their home a better venue for your Wedding. Providing you with a service and a day that you’re sure never to forget.
Davenport House – A Wedding Photographers Perspective.
Choosing your wedding venue can be a difficult task and even when you’ve set your eye on the venue of your choice, what you see and what a Wedding Photographer sees can be 2 different things.
Some venues present their own challenges and whilst as a Wedding Photographer it is key to know what these challenges are and how to overcome them. It’s always worth considering what it’s like to see a wedding venue from a wedding photographers’ eyes.
That’s exactly what I’m going to explain here.
Davenport House is arguably my favourite wedding venue. It’s not one of my favourites, it probably is my favourite and that’s not just something that happened by chance. There are several key things that make Davenport House a Wedding photographers dream… at least, from my perspective.
In this blog post I’m going to break down the key standout features to me that should put Davenport House on the top of your wedding venue list. If you don’t do anything else, at least make sure you pay the place a visit.
I’m going to break the blog down into several topics:
Location
Function
Grounds
Team
Favourite features
Sunset options
Weather choices
Davenport House Location:
Davenport House is located in the gorgeous setting and surroundings of Shropshire, perhaps I’m bias, having lived in Shropshire for most of my life, but give me a country view and stunning landscape over a cityscape any day. That’s not to say I don’t love a good cityscape, I just know which I favour.
This is where Davenport House shines from the get-go, let’s consider how easy it is to access. Using Sat Nav will take you directly there and whilst there’s a couple of country roads to navigate, there’s nothing of concern regarding getting stuck. It’s a relatively straightforward drive with (as of writing) no real bad potholes of blind corners to navigate. That doesn’t mean you can put your foot to the floor, but it does mean if you’re not a confident driver, you’re not going to be on edge before you’ve even arrived.
But when you do get there, you’re treated to a beautiful sweeping driveway up to the house itself. If you’re lucky you’re going to see Pheasants and Cows… and trees… and hills… and you’re going to get that great feeling that you’re a million miles away from everyone. Then, then you come round the corner, and you’re greeted by the house itself.
If this site alone doesn’t give you a sense of giddiness, or make your heart skip a beat, then I’ll be honest, you’re probably going to be hard pushed to find a stately home country house that does the job.
I can remember the first Wedding I photographed here and that very feeling I got as I drove towards the house. There was something special about the place and I wasn’t even getting married. Had I known about this place when I got married, things probably would have been different.
As you drive up to the house, the car park is to the right and here’s another little detail that I love about Davenport House, the parking isn’t in front of the house… I’d urge your guests please not to park there, your photographer (me!) will thank you later for this and your photographs will look that much cleaner. Anyway, the car park, it’s set in a little field off to the right but due to the nature of the tree’s, bushes, and shrubbery, it hides the cars very well. So, if you’re worried that your car or your guests cars might well look out of place at a grand venue like Davenport House, you really don’t need to worry.
You’ll also notice from the moment you switch off your engine and get out of the car, just how quiet of a place it is. You’re going to particularly notice this is if you’re from the city itself. It’s something that a lot of people in Shropshire forget about and dare I say it, take it for granted. It’s only when you visit a big city or a crowded town that you realise just how peaceful and serene a place like Davenport House can be.
Davenport House Function:
Let’s be honest, as beautiful as a wedding venue may be and that obviously includes Davenport House, without function, it’s going to be a poor choice regardless of how nice the place looks and here, Davenport House doesn’t let us down.
Whether you choose to both get ready at Davenport House in the morning or if you decide that one of you will get ready elsewhere, Davenport House has your sorted.
With a Bridal cottage off to the right, this makes a nice place to get ready. It has all the features and amenities that you could want. A Bathroom, a Kitchen, a Bedroom, plenty of open space downstairs with enough mirrors for your bridal party and on top of this, you’re out of sight so if you want to get ready here without your guests seeing you then that’s not going to be a problem.
If I were to point out one minor point to take note of, it would be that the lighting in the bridal cottage isn’t the greatest, with the positioning of the mirrors being to the wall adjacent to the windows, it does mean that you’re limited by the amount of natural light that you get for when you’re having your hair and/or makeup done. It’s an easy fix, with most make up artists and hair stylists being able to position you in front of the window, to allow for that lovely natural light to flow through, not only creating some fantastic getting ready images but also allowing a better colour accuracy for your makeup and no, I’m not afraid to ask to move into this spot. Whilst some makeup artists would like to work in front of the mirror, I’m always sure to ask for some photographs in front of the window, even if it is just a few ‘mock’ photos. For the sake of a couple of mins time, you’ll absolutely thank me for it.
On that note, Wedding photographers aren’t being awkward if they ask you to move, yes, most can absolutely get the best out of a given situation but if there’s a way just to clean things up and get the 100% best out of a scene there and then, they’d be foolish not to jump at the opportunity, right?!
But, the getting ready doesn’t stop there. Opposite the Bridal cottage is another cottage on the left side of the house where typically the Groom may get ready. Whilst this has less windows and typical ‘resources’ for hair and make-up, it does have some beautiful window light both upstairs and downstairs. Most of the time you’ll find me here drawing the curtains a little bit to allow just a little bit of light to come through making for some more dramatic imagery of the guys. Light can be a little more dramatic for the guys, giving a more defined, dark and moody type of look.
Then there is the Bridal suite.
My advice, if you can, have the final touch-up’s here and get in your dress here also. With it being a part of (inside) the actual house and upstairs, it does mean that your guests (And your other half) aren’t going to see you at all. It’s also a stunning room, with beautiful décor and lighting… Honestly, it’s one of those rooms that just make the job that much easier. But it also allows for my signature images to really shine. Those warm tones combined with a play of a light and shadow that really help set the story and romance of the day. Oh, and, you’d look absolutely stunning.
With most weddings, what’s going to happen is that you may find you start off in the Bridal cottage and move over to the Bridal suite around 11am for those final touches and getting ready. Concerned that you might accidentally be seen by your other half? You don’t’ need to be, this is where the Davenport House wedding team really shine and step in. I’ll talk more about that later, but for now, let’s continue on with the ceremony room.
The Ceremony Room, also known as The Grand Hall, is the first room you come into as you enter the stunning wooden double doors into Davenport House and it’s called “Grand” for a reason.
This is going to be the first room, the first impressions you get from viewing the House, it’s also going to be your guests first glimpse and it does not disappoint. Full of character and presence, it’s one of those rooms that you can walk into and feel a million dollars. Off to the right is the sweeping grand staircase leading to the bedrooms upstairs and to the right is Nikki’s bar. This is probably where most of your guests are going to be heading as the night draws on. The great news? That Grand Hall that you’re stood in becomes the dancefloor for the night, so you’re talking only a few steps from Dance Floor to Bar… guaranteed to keep your guests around the dance floor and not disappearing for the night.
Below the staircase are 2 unisex toilets. I’m not going to talk to much about toilets, after all, there’s only a certain amount you can say, and it’d be a little weird if I got really excited about it. What I will say though is that they are incredibly clean and packed with soap, handwash, and mini towels… Yes, no more awkward hand dryers or ‘blue roll’ that just tears awkwardly and some how leaves your hands more wet than when you initially washed them.
Continue walking through the Grand Hall and you’re greeted by the Saloon. This room is one of my favourites, its character, it’s cosiness... and yes, I’ll say it again, the light! This is the room where you’ll find all the ‘serious’ catch-up conversations going on. When the dancefloor is in full swing, it’s a great place to just find your guests unwinding and relaxing. Catching up with old friends and family and putting the world to rights. As a couple getting married here, the likelihood of you being in this room for long is little, you’ll pass through here, stopping for conversation, you may get a few mins to just sit down and catch up, but honestly, your guests will love you for this room. It’s a great room for those older guests that just don’t want to (or can’t) party hard on the dance floor all night but it’s so close, that you’re not alienating anyone from your wedding. It’s just a win-win all round.
What about your Wedding Breakfast? In a room just off to the right of the Grand Hall and accessible via the Saloon, is yet another grand room for your wedding breakfast, where portraits adorn the walls and tall windows are fixed onto the outside walls, this room is stunning. The oak floorboards really set this room off alongside it’s fireplace. Whether you choose to have a horseshoe configuration, an “E” or you opt for round tables, this room will have your guests gazing around in awe. Room can be a little tight if your guests are moving around a lot but thankfully, that isn’t typically the case.
Functionally, Davenport House gives you everything that you need and can easily accommodate a good size wedding. If you’re evening numbers are 150+ you may begin to find things a little squeeze, especially if everyone if indoors. However, if you aim for a summer wedding and can make use of the outdoors, this number will be perfectly fine. The only arguable draw back is just having 2 toilets. That said, if your guests are staying the night, they can always make use of their ensuites if the need arises.
Davenport House Grounds:
Arguably the first thing you see and notice about Davenport House are the grounds and what makes your first impressions continues and you make your way to the back of the house. With a perfect view of the Shropshire rolling hills and landscape and well-kept Gardens, Davenport House makes for some fantastic photo opportunities both in front of and to the back of the house. Side note: Group formals are best done at the front of the house; this is because this area is not only covered but it creates an amazing area of shade to help keep you cool even on the hottest of days. As a Wedding Photographer the neutral-coloured stone front also helps reflect some beautiful natural light into the front of the house giving you and all your guests that wonderful glow for your photographs.
Honestly, there are 360-degree views at Davenport House and regardless of which way the camera is pointed it will always capture a nice clean background. With the sun setting over to the right of the house, it makes for some incredible evening glow for you and your guests, and it even provides the opportunity for some amazing golden hour photos and with the right timing some silhouettes… even if you end up being indoors at the time.
If it rains on your wedding day then fear not, there are many photo opportunities within the house itself that won’t disappoint. The Grand Hall is cleaned out post ceremony so can always be used for any group formals that you may be wanting and when it comes to the couple portraits the whole house can be explored and utilised. Every room provides a photo opportunity, that can incorporate the window light, the décor and after dark, a little bit of off camera flash can make all the magic.
Davenport House Team:
This is the true testament of a great wedding venue. You can find the most stunning place in the World to get married but if the Team that run the ship are terrible, you’re going to have a horrible experience that you’re never going to get the chance to re-do.
Thankfully, Davenport House has this in hand… and some!
The Team there are simply incredible, they’re behind the scenes, out of sight, but ALWAYS there when you need them on the day. I’ve heard nothing but compliments on the wedding planners on the lead up to and on the day itself and after experiencing many weddings there, I can honestly say they know exactly how to run a wedding day.
But here’s the absolute kicker…
They do this many times a year, some would say they could do this with their eyes closed. However, you never get the sense of that, you never get a sense that they’re fed up, or that it’s the same day in day out. They treat every wedding couple like gold. As if it were the only wedding, they were a part of. The only wedding that matters and honestly, that makes a world of difference.
Charlie is an absolute god send when it comes to wedding planners and it’s a guarantee that the day will run without issue when Charlie’s around.
Then there’s Lizzie, the captain of the ship if you like, Lizzie is the owner of Davenport house and nothing is ever too much of an ask for her. She’s more than happy to get stuck in, make herself seen and more importantly give you and your guests a very warm welcome into Davenport House.
Davenport House My Favourite Features:
So, what are my personal favourite features of Davenport House? Where do I think it stands out the most.
Firstly it has to be that having your Wedding Day at Davenport House feels like owning your own National Trust property for the day. If you have the desire to feel grand on your wedding day? (Who doesn’t right?!) Then Davenport House will check all the boxes. This is down to probably my single favourite feature and that is the character.
It doesn’t matter when you are, outside or inside, or what room you are in, there is always elements of character to be seen. Character that dates to when Davenport House was built. The character and charm that really transports you into a different world for your Wedding Day. Hopefully you only get married once, you’re only going to get to experience this feeling once and Davenport House just oozes that feeling. The front porch as spoken about earlier makes a great place for photographs, the near perfect symmetry of the building and dead centre front doors provides that warm fuzzy feeling inside.
All the couples who I’ve photographed at Davenport House felt the same thing, they absolutely fell in love with the place from the moment they saw it.
There are not many wedding venues like Davenport House… Thankfully. It’s unique, it’s charming, it’s run by a great team, and you’re guaranteed to have a great time.
Davenport House Golden Hour and Sunset Options:
This wouldn’t be a Photographers blog if we didn’t touch on Sunset and thankfully, due to the 360 views, you’re guaranteed to find a spot for those sunset, golden hour photographs all year round.
Because of it’s location, because it’s isolated there isn’t much in the way to block the stunning view of sunset and it also allows for some great portraits inside the house as the sun pierces through the windows above the stairs, bouncing of the surrounding walls, it makes for some really, truly, romantic portraits.
Yes, in an ideal world the sun would set directly behind the house, but due to the fact the Earth rotates and moves that would involve placing the house on a Lazy Susan and I just don’t think we’re quite there yet. Who knows, maybe rotating houses will be something of the future, but for now, we’ll more than make do with what we’re given.
Davenport House An All Weather Venue:
Let’s be honest, everyone hopes for sunshine on their wedding day, at the least we all hope it will be a dry day and if it is Davenport House and its grounds are all yours for the taking. But if it does rain, if it is cold, then don’t fret, because what Davenport offers on the inside will still leave you with some beautiful photographs and memories. Sure, it’s not the biggest of venue’s so if you’re planning on holding a wedding with a lot of guests in the wintertime, Davenport House may seem like a gamble. It offers an intermate space. A place for holding conversations with family and friends. A place where memories are made and time with loved ones is cherished.
You’re not going to be rattling around in the venue, it’s not going to make you and your guests feel lost like a lot of bigger venues can. Having the right amount of space for the number of guests can always be a balancing act. Too many guests and it’ll feel crowded, warm, and stuffy. Too little guests and you may well feel a little lost, but I truly think Davenport House could cope with that. Because of its layout, because of it’s design, I don’t think it’s possible to have too little a number. So, if you’re wanting a small intermate wedding and you’re worried that such a Grand Venue may be too much, have a look for yourself, take a wonder around and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Davenport House – The Stable Cottage
The Stable Cottage at Davenport House in Shropshire is where all the magic starts. Typically, you will arrive the night before and this is where you will be staying. Just off to the left of Davenport House itself, tucked away and remaining true to the House itself, is the Stable Cottage.
Because it’s just off the house it also means that if there’s a wedding the day after yours then the next day’s wedding stars that arrive won’t interrupt your day and will remain out of sight and likewise, when you arrive you won’t interfere with a wedding should it be taking place.
Inside the Stable Cottage at Davenport House
Inside the cottage is equipped with everything you could need to kick start your Wedding Day.
There are 3 wall hung mirrors with nearby plugs for any hair/makeup electrical accessories that you or your hair stylist / make-up artist may require. The lights above the mirrors are a little warm and can be a little harsh on your skin, so if possible I’d always recommend trying to position yourself by the window to allow for the lovely natural light to poor through, or have a few staged by the windows, should your make-up artist or hair stylist require access to the mirrors.
It's also worth considering that as the light is of a warm temperature, if your makeup artist is bringing in additional light, to try get ensure that they have an adjustable colour temperature to them, so that they can match as closely as possible. From a photographer’s perspective, mixed lighting can be quite unflattering to deal with but also, this is why window light is better especially when it comes to applying your make-up. You’re going to want this done with as much natural light as possible to ensure that when you step outside, it looks exactly as expected. The last thing you want to find out is your skin tone is not the tone you were expecting, and the make-up artist has already gone home.
The Stable Cottage is equipped with a kitchen with everything you would expect, a sink, cutlery, glasses, etc, so it’s stocked with everything you will need… Other than the food. It has a nice wooden table and chairs with enough seats for you to all sit round whilst you tuck into some morning croissants/pastries or even cereal. Although to be honest, you’ll probably feel on the go from the moment you wake up so you may not get the chance to all sit down together.
The Stable Cottage has car parking directly outside so your wedding suppliers are able to park within a very short walking distance to the cottage itself. This is ideal for your make-up artist and hair stylist, with nothing to lug up any stairs.
The decor in the cottage is very in fitting with the building itself, retaining that rustic charm and true to character.
Wedding Photography inside the Stable Cottage
If I was to be nit-picky about the cottage, it would be with the layout of the room. The windows and the mirror positioning in relation to these isn’t the greatest. That said, there isn’t really much that can be done, and it’s definitely function over aesthetics. But, as I mentioned previously, a few staged shots or a quick ask can help this.
You’ll probably spend a good few hours in the morning in the Stable Cottage. Eventually making your way over into Davenport House itself at around 11am. Although this does depend on what time your ceremony is and what time your partner is due to arrive. The team at Davenport House are fantastic at arranging and moving things over into the house so that you aren’t seen by your partner.
I can’t comment on the beds in the Stable Cottage as I’ve never stayed over myself but I’ve not heard a bad thing about them and being honest, the night before your wedding is probably the one night where regardless of where you are sleeping, you won’t get much sleep anyway.
There are a couple of options when it comes to what you can do with the Stable Cottage. You have the option that one of you stays over the night before in the Cottage whilst the other stays over in one of the Cottages opposite. Or perhaps chooses to get ready in the Cottage opposite. Of course, once you have moved over to the main house itself, the Stable Cottage is free so it’s entirely possible that one of you may wish to arrive later and get ready there also. There is no right or wrong option here, but Davenport House gives you the flexibility of doing so.
There’s a nice little garden area outside the front of the Cottage (which as you look at it, is to the side of the building which means it is well and truly hidden from the main House and any guests. It’s ideal, especially if you want to break out for a little bit of fresh air or perhaps you vape/smoke (obviously due to legislation in the UK, there is no smoking/vaping in any of the buildings) and you can do so without worry.
Children can be entertained in multiple ways in the Stable Cottage, there is a TV and plenty of seating and due to the layout of the floorplan, they will always be insight.
The Davenport House team will regularly pop-over with updates for you, be that the Grand Hall is set up for your ceremony, the flowers have arrived, or wedding cake is here… and everything in between. Always ensuring that you have everything you need/want.
Davenport House – The Grand Hall
The Grand Hall at Davenport House in Shropshire is where the magic happens. This is the room where your ceremony will be conducted should you choose to get married at Davenport House. Yes, they are a fully licenced Wedding venue to hold your Wedding Ceremony.
In fact it is one of 2 places you can get married as you do have the option available to get married outside on the back lawn (weather permitting). Although if you choose to hold your Wedding at Davenport House, I imagine it’s because the appeal of the Grand Hall is what pulled you in.
This is the first room you see as you open the huge wooden double doors into the house itself. It’s like the central Hub to Davenport House. It’s the first room your guests will see and off from this room is the Saloon, the Wedding Breakfast Room, Nikki’s Bar and the Staircase leading upstairs. At night time it also doubles up and functions as your Dancefloor. So a lot of what goes on in your wedding day will revolve around The Grand Hall.
Danvenport House Ceremony:
There are 2 setups possible for this room. That depending on your choice and number of guests you can opt for.
(There’s a 3rd possibility that I wish Davenport House would do, but to be honest, the logistics in that make it a little more difficult, which is why I suspect they don’t – I’ll take about that a little more later).
With either of the setup’s for the Grand Hall that Davenport House offer, typically the bride/groom that will be walking down the aisle, will have the grand gesture of walking down the stairs, in either configuration there is a brief moment where you can be seen by your partner waiting at the end of the aisle. This always makes for a great opportunity for that first look. It’s a very moment that just provides enough opportunity for that sneak peek.
Walking up the aisle itself, you’ll be glad to know there is always enough width to walk freely and without any restrictions on the floor. The only caveat to this would be if you were to place candles directly up the aisle, but that applies with every venue and honestly, if you choose to do this then either stick them in some lovely lanterns (which is much better for safety) or make sure that your garment isn’t draping on the floor too much. The last thing that you want is to be walking up the aisle like the human torch. Or like “The girl on Fire” from The Hunger Games, admittedly and something to note, her dress (albeit fictional) was designed for this purpose. There is a high chance that yours won’t be.
When you’re both at the top, there’s plenty of space to stand with each other, including room for the registrar.
Davenport House - The Two Ceremony Setup Options
Option 1 is where you walk from the stairs, towards the front doors and make a 90 degree right turn up the aisle towards the saloon. From a Photography perspective this is the better option. Firstly, with the saloon doors open it allows for more light to pour in, almost creating a spotlight effect on you both. Secondly, it gives your Photographer (and/or Videographer) the freedom to stand back a little bit more. I use this to tuck myself away a little more, providing a more candid feel to the ceremony itself and it draws a lot less attention away from someone standing a few feet away with a camera pressed to their face.
You can see in the images below what I mean when I say this.
The second option is where you walk towards the fireplace.
I can understand the reasoning for this, it gives you a focal point to walk towards. However, I feel I need to mention that from a Photographers perspective this option isn’t favourable.
Room here can be quite narrow, specifically if there is decoration on the mantle. It’s also way more limiting in where the Photographer can stand, often, the registrar will pin the Photographer to one place as moving from side to side just isn’t an option here.
The final important thing to note is that 9/10 Photographers will pin themselves on the left hand side (typically the Grooms side), if they’re forced to stay in one spot, this is the number one choice.
What that means at Davenport House however is that it creates a very backlit scene and the partner on the right (typically the brides side) will have their face in shadow. Now there are many ways around this and honestly, it just might not bother you that much, but below you’ll see a side-by-side comparison of the 2 setup’s so that you can judge for yourself.
I’ve always said that as a Wedding Photographer, it’s not my day. It’s your way and ultimately your choice, but if you look at the images below and can see a difference, then please understand this is the reason for explaining this.
If I can do anything to give you better photographs then I absolutely will. I’d be foolish not to mention this in all honesty. It’s my job.
Davenport House – The Third (The Photographers) choice.
The Third option is something that I’ve never seen, it’s just something that from a Photographers point of view makes sense. That is, to have option 1 flipped. So that you would walk down from the Saloon towards the front doors.
Now aesthetically and logically this doesn’t really work, especially if you want the grand reveal of walking down the staircase, as you’d have to come down, then go through to the wedding breakfast room, around the back and eventually through the Saloon and down the aisle. It’s a logistical nightmare and probably the reason that it wouldn’t work.
However, the reason for this way round is purely based on the light. The light flowing in through the windows and front doors is far greater than any light in Davenport House. Whilst I can’t show the setup that I’m referring to (it’s never been done). I can show you what I mean.
If you look here at the photographs of couples coming back down the aisle, you can clearly see how well lit everyone is. Nobody is in too much shadow and the couple are lit beautifully.
So If you are getting married at Davenport House and you feel bold enough to suggest it, I’d love to be there!
The Grand Hall at night.
As I mentioned earlier, The Grand Hall at Davenport House is also where the Dancefloor will be for your evening guests. So whether you choose to have a DJ or host a Band, there will be ample room for your guests to Dance the night away.
Davenport House also do a nice little thing whereby, about 15 mins before your evening guests are due to arrive, they take you upstairs. This is so you have 15 or so mins together and then you are announced into the room. There is no greater feeling than walking down those beautiful stairs to the roaring sound cand clapping of your guests as you then make your way over to the centre of the room to cut the cake and go into your First Dance. If you want to give your evening guests a lasting first impression then this is most definitely it.
Davenport House - The Saloon
The Saloon room at Davenport House is arguably my favourite room. This is honestly down to the mixture of décor and light that flows into the room.
A lot of photographers are going to shy away from this room. The truth is, rooms like this (venues like this) are great places for us “Dark and Moody” style Photographers, although personally I’m not a fan of that term. It’s more a play on light and shadow. That said…
It's yet another room in Davenport House that is decorated beautifully, it has 3 insanely comfortable sofa’s all position around a glass coffee table in front of the fireplace. It’s the place where I consider most of the conversations to happen. When everyone’s partying away on the Dancefloor at night, the Saloon is where people go to take a break, chillout and just chat. The best thing about this is that it’s adjacent to the Dancefloor, which means even if your guests aren’t the type to party the night away on their feet, they won’t be too far away from you.
Sure, the music does flood its way into the room so it’s not what I would call a quite space, but you’re still able to hold conversations quite fine.
In terms of Décor, think warm tones. With warm coloured sofas and walls with accents of gold and green, the Saloon really does feel like a homely room. Despite its really tall ceilings. It someone how carry’s a very grand but homely feel to it.
The Saloon is also where your Wedding cake (Should you choose to have one) will be hosted for the day and then later moved into the Grand Hall just prior to the First Dance.
If I was going to stereotype about the Saloon, I would say this is the room you’re going to find your Grandparents in. They can sit down in comfort and never be too far from anyone during the day. Especially as the room serves as a walk through to the Bar/Toilets/Dancefloor/upstairs and of course, out into the Back Garden’s. This means that they’re always going to be able to catch you at some point in the day. They’ll feel right in the middle of it all and yet, somehow, in a lovely chilled out space.
This is also the room that your Wedding Photographer / Suppliers will eat in. Perhaps this is why I love it so much. I’ve got some fantastic fond memories of being in this room. Oh… The Food…. Ahhhhh… Davenport House food is one of the best I’ve had the honour of trying. One of my particular favourite stand out meals was a Vegan meal…. I’m actually a meat eater myself, but the couple weren’t, but boyyyyyy that meal was good!
The Room has evolved a little in the time that I’ve been there, the sofas have been switched out and whilst initially I was a little shocked. I think it was a better decision.
I guess this is the point about the Décor at Davenport House. Lizzie, the owner, has a real great eye for it all. It’s all in fitting with each other, with the character of the house and above all, none of it feels cheap (because it’s not). There’s nothing about the Saloon room that suggests that corners were cut and that again is another testament to Davenport House.
If you’re going to spend that kind of money hiring out Davenport House for the day then that’s exactly what you want.
I almost forgot the 2 stand out high back chairs…. Now these things are Grand! You can feel like an absolute King/Queen sitting in these and again, nothing looks out of place.
The great thing about the Saloon is that simply everywhere you look there is a photo opportunity. There is something to photograph. Well, that is if you like details like me and it doesn’t matter how many times I visit it, or how many photographs I’ve taken in the room, there are always ways to do things differently. The way the light hits throughout the different times of day and year.
and that’s not even with people inside.
Fill the room full of people and it’s simply magical.
If it’s not clear to see by now The Saloon at Davenport House is probably one of my favourite rooms.
… My days! I forgot to mention the floors…. Those wooden floors…
Davenport House – Nikki’s Bar
Nikki’s Bar is where you’re going to find all your refreshments and truth be told, the place to find your guests if they go missing.
Nikki’s Bar is named so because of the sad passing of one of the wedding planners who used to work at Davenport House. I was fortunate enough to briefly meet Nikki and she was a wholesome soul. The tribute made by the owners naming the bar after Nikki is incredibly heart-warming. It’s also what makes the Davenport House team like a family.
As for the bar itself, in the evening’s it’s typically always manned by at least 2 people, which means that waiting times aren’t long. It’s fully stocked and has several options ‘on tap’.
Of course, my favourite part of the bar, as a wedding photographer, is that they have water freely available in a jug. Simply grab a glass, fill up your cup and off you go. Often the water has lemon or cucumber slices added to it to give it that extra refreshing zing that’s needed on a Wedding Day.
and yes, even as a guest, bride or groom you absolutely should stay hydrated throughout your day. There is zero shame in drinking water on your day and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.
I’ve had couples drink water all the way through until the start of the party. I’ve also had couples who haven’t drunk a single drop of alcohol because they wanted to remember and cherish every single moment.
Sure, a wedding is a party, but you don’t need alcohol to have a party.
The décor in the bar is very much in touch with the rest of the house, with the addition of a neon sign reading, “Nikki’s”.
The bar is situated with very easy access, as soon as you walk through the entrance, look left and it’s immediately in front of you.
This means that when your evening guests arrive they can easily find it. It also means that it’s right next to the Dance Floor and trust me, as a photographer I can’t tell you how key this is.
This is because it keeps your guests very contained, now, I don’t want you thinking that I want you to treat your guests as a herd of cats, but, it does make the place feel more homely and it keeps you all in one place which means interactions are far greater.
I’ve been to venues where it felt like the bar was on the other side of the venue and this can present quite a disruption to the flow of you day.
Now, I feel like I do need to mention that as per all wedding venue’s, drink prices can seem a little pricey. Davenport House prices are competitive for the area and certainly much cheaper than if you’re located down south in areas of London.
I’ll never forget speaking with a few Londoners at a Wedding who were incredibly excited about the prices.
I guess it’s all relative.
Davenport House - The Bridal Suite
The Bridal Suite at Davenport House Shropshire is perhaps the most spectacular Bridal Suite there is and here’s why.
Firstly, the most important part is that it actually consists of 3 rooms that are adjacent to each other. The first room is the bedroom, the second is a seating area and the third is the ensuite. I was trying to think a way that makes that not sound like a waiting room, but I can’t find the words. You’ll have to see the images and take my word for it, it’s definitely not a waiting room.
The Bridal Suite is where you’re going to typically finish getting ready in from about 10:30/11:00 onwards and you’re going to love it.
It’s spacious enough for all your bridal party, there’s plenty of light that comes in through the giant windows and it’s incredibly homely. There are sockets in the right place that sit next to the mirror. The mirror itself is right in-between the 2 windows so the light that comes through is usually perfect coming in from either side. Which also means, BONUS, there’s no need for your makeup artists to set up any additional lighting.
The Bridal Suite at Davenport House is a very neutral room in terms of it’s decor and wall colour, from a photography perceptive this is ideal. This helps for nice clean backgrounds and it also means that when the light come sin through the windows and bounces around the room it doesn’t pick up a colour cast, in fact, if anything it warms up the light slightly which gives you that glowy skin look. Who design’t want to look glowy on their wedding day?
There’s also the perfect spot to hang your dress or your garments, tucked away I the corner so that they don’t get knocked or potentially any grubby hand s over them and the Davenport House team will help you carry this over from the Stable Cottage when it’s time to move over. If the room is vacant they may even allow you to hang it in the room first thing in the morning. That way it’s definitely out of sight, ideal if your Bridal party hasn’t seen it yet.
This is also the room that you’ll spend time in just before the evening guests arrive. Davenport House team will escort you upstairs and out of the way, about 10-15 mins before your grand entrance. This actually makes a great opportunity to grab some couple portraits, especially if your day has been a whirlwind and you haven’t had the opportunity yet.
I’;d highly encourage every couple to have some portraits done. I get it, maybe you don’t like having your photograph taken, but at the very least, you’ve gone through all that effort… hair, make-up, beautiful dress/suit. You’re not going to get this opportunity again, so you really might as well make the most of it.
Besides if you’ve booked the right wedding photographer, this will be a breeze… AND you’re going to have some incredible moments and imagery to look back on.
Here are my top 5 tips for maximising the Bridal Suite for your photography
Get in this room at the earliest opportunity. Not only is this going to give you better photographs from the get go it’s also going to allow you to relax a lot earlier on. Without the worry of ensuring that everything is where you want it. Now, I’ve said it before the Team at Davenport House are fantastic and anything and everything you need bringing over, will be, but for those of you who like to know everything is all good to go, get over as early as possible.
Whether you’re having all your make-up and hair done here or whether it’s just going to be the final touch ups. Position yourself in front of the windows. It doesn’t matter which one, just ensure that you place a chair in front of the window. There is zero reason why in this room your MUA or hair stylist won’t do this anyway, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry, right?
Hang your dress in the corner. Really, there’s only one spot for it, but make sure you take it and your veil out of the bag and hung nicely. Consider having a nice hanger if you haven’t thought about that already and it’s also ideal to place any necklaces, shoes, earrings, or any other details nearby. Your photographer may choose to photograph these as they are. I prefer to photograph what I call “details in motion” but regardless, it also ensures that you know exactly where everything is and you’re not running around trying to find a little box that contains your earrings because you threw it in one of the bags. Bonus tip: get one of the Bridal party to sort this out.
If you’re having someone help you into your dress, then make sure they are fully dressed and ready before you. This is so that when it coms to taking those photographs of the dress being done up, they simply look much better.
You don’t want this on your day, so you can absolutely task this off to someone. Make sure that the room is tidy and clutter free. Use the en-suite for bags if you have to, but in such an elegant room, the las thing you want is clutter in your photographs. This includes, PJ’s, bags, phones, bluetooth speakers. I’m not saying you can’t use any of this, just try to find somewhere neat and tidy for them all if you do have to have them out.
Davenport House - The Front
Outside the front of Davenport House
The front of Davenport House is the first thing you’re going to see and once you’ve picked your jaw up off the floor you’ll start to the a look around.
That is of of course once you’ve made your way up the winding driveway. You see, Davenport House is offset from the road and planted right in the middle of some beautiful Shropshire landscape and views.
You may notice on your drive up that you’ll see pheasants and plenty of them. Then, the next animal you may notice, if you’re lucky neigh are the cows that reside in the field directly opposite the from of the house. Don’t worry they are fenced off and there is a cattle grid to stop them from getting onto the property itself. Thought sometimes the cows do like to make a friendly appearance and will even come close the fence to say hi.Even if the cows aren’t there, the view is beautiful
Formal Photographs
The front of the house is the best spot to have your formal photographs taken. It’s ideal for 2 reasons, the first is that cat most points throughout the year and the time of day in the afternoon, the sun is actually on the other side of the house, which means underneath the porch on the front is the perfect area to stand for formals on a hot day. You’re not going to be squinting either so your formals are going to look great.
The second point is, if it should rain win your day, there is still a possibility to get the close family formals done here. I’ve done this a couple of times myself. The only slight catch to this is that your photographer is probably going to get wet. But hey, that’s all part of the fun, right!
The other thing to note is the near perfect symmetry that the front of the house offers and we all love a bit of symmetry. Well, actually your brain loves symmetry because it’s predictable and it’s a pattern that we look for.
What more can you say about the front of a house?
Well, other than the views are great, the house itself looks stunning and this is the first thing you’re going to see, combined with the ideal place for your formal photographs? Not much really I guess. The sun sets to the right of the house as you look at it, so you’re not going to get much in regards to golden hour out the front. However, that doesn’t stop most photographers breaking out a little bit of off camera flash for the evenings. The house is beautifully lit up at night and even more so during the festive period. Think warm led lights rather than anything multi-coloured and way over the top.
Your guests are going to get a great impression from the moment that they see the house and the gardens outside the front are always very well kept.
A wheel chair ramp is placed on the stairs leading unto the front door should you require it and is typically also moved out the way (where possible) for when the group photographs take place.
Confetti throw and Sparklers
The confetti throw is typically done out the back. Whilst I think this would be a much better place for it and have done it her on occasion, it’s usually so that the ceremony room can be cleared down whilst all guests make their way out the back.
Sparklers however can be done out the front or back. Now, there are pro’s and cons to both, pushing the “backdrop” aside for a second.
If you choose to do them out the front then you need to be aware that this is where your evening guests are going to be arriving, so try to time it with that. This is particularly worthy of noting in the Autumnal months. The idea for the best sparkler photographs are those that are done just after the sun has set, that way there’s still that little bit of light left.
Of course they can be done at night, but be aware that if you do choose to do the front of the house, it means getting those necessary from the dance floor and in the process of doing so, you’re going to have most of your guests wonder what’s going on and venture outside themselves.
This might seem ok, it might seem like the more the merrier. Sadly, this isn’t the case when it comes to sparklers. It’s even more amplified when it coms to drunken guests and quite dangerous.
My advice for doing sparklers is simple, keep the number down to maybe 10-15 people at most, your don’t need a lot of people waving sparks around and it’ll keep it fun and enjoyable for everyone.
Davenport House - The Stairs
Now who on Earth would write a blog post about the stairs at Davenport House?
Well.. Me.
Here’s why:
The stairs at Davenport House are quite the feature, firstly, they’re incredibly grand. Secondly and more importantly, they’re wide.. which means you can astutely link arms with your partner, you mum, dad, brother, sister, or who ever it is that’s going to walk you down the aisle. It’s going to be the place where your guests get a glimpse of you for the first time (and you evening guests to!)
You’re going to walk up and down these stairs at least 4 or 5 times during the day.
During the day they’re going to be decorated with flowers and candles and towards the evening is where ethereally come alive. Word of warning however, if your dress (should you be wearing one) has a long train, do make sure that as you ascend or descend the stairs that someone is watching your train, specifically when the candles are lit.
True story, I had a bride once who’s train went over one of the candles and got slightly singed.
Fortunately it was towards the end of the evening and it didn’t go up in flames. That would not be something to remember.
Another word of warning about the stairs though and honestly, this applies to all stars in general, specifically if you’re wearing a floor length dress, go easy on them. A bride spoke to me about how petrified she was of slipping on the stairs. Now, I’m a big believer in the law of attraction, call it a coincidence if you will but as the music started and the nerves got the better of her, she made a minor slip as she came down the stairs. Fortunately, her father had a great hold of her and it was out of sight of all the guests, so whilst she took a few seconds to compose herself, absolutely nobody was aware what had happened. I only found out about this as she told me afterwards.
At this point you might be thinking, Rich, you’ve told us these stairs are fantastic and such a great feature but you’re not really selling them to us.
I get it. It might sound like I’m selling them short, the truth is, when it comes to stairs there are up’s and downs….
Oh dear!
Sorry, dad jokes aside, they are a great feature and in particular, for weddings that are towards the Autumn Winter, they absolutely come a live in the evening and this is down to the fact that the sunsets just in view of the upper windows, which means, as it begins to go down you get this absolutely incredible golden ray burst through and what’s better, typically when this happens you’re already upstairs waiting for you evening guests to arrive, so it’s a double bonus!
If you’re lucky enough for this to happen, we’re going to squeeze every ounce out of those rays.
Davenport House - The Dining Room
If there was to be a room that was the heart of Davenport House, then this room would be it.
If you’re a bit of an old romantic like me then there is no better feeling than breaking bread with family and fiends and this is the room to do it in.
There are a couple of layouts that you can opt for with this room in regards to seating arrangements. My personal favourite being with the top table opposite the fireplace and then circular tables for your guests. Why? Well, towards the mid afternoon, when you’re going to start to be seated, the sun genuinely makes it’s way round to the side of the house that is directly opposite the fireplace. So it comes as no surprise that the reason I like this this was is purely based from the light.
I’ve worked in the room with many different configurations and whilst all of them are fine, I think the above way always seems to work best.
For those getting married in the Winter months then it doesn’t specifically matter as typically by this time, the windows are shuttered. That does mean however that the candles are lit and it makes for a beautiful warm glow in the room.
There isn’t one bad spot to look at in this room, from portraits and mirrors hanging on the walls, to the exposed wooden floorboards. This is the room that your guests are going to remember and will continue to talk about.
It has high ceilings adorned with beautiful chandeliers and because of this, you can afford to go as minimalistic or as grand as you like with your table decor.
I’d always recommend having something however, just because you want to add your own personal twist to the day, but the room could absolutely take a very minimal amount of effort.
A word of advice when it comes to table decor. Those really high tall vases or blossom tress might look pretty but they can be a photographers worst nightmare. Sure, we can absolutely work around them but sometimes, when you’re scanning the room quickly and moving from guests to guest for reactions, they can get in the way. That would be my only gripe.
That said though, they’re also going to get in your way and your guests way. Whether you’re delivering your speech or just glancing up off the table and around the room, you want to be able to see all your guests faces and likewise, your guests want to see you.
I can absolutely see the appeal in having large decorations on the table, but equally there are downsides to it.
I guess whilst we’re on the subject of the Dining room, it would make sense to talk about the actual Wedding Breakfast itself, the important part… the food.
Now, I’ve been fortunate enough to have had a variety of meals at different venues over the past and Davenport House has always been the stand out meals. So much so, I had a vegetarian meal once and despite being a meat lover, I loved it. Yes, the catering may come at a price, but the service and the food are simply incredible. Just like everything in Davenport House, it is hand picked and selected just for you. You obviously do get to have taster days should you be booking your wedding there and you get to pick out your menu from that.
The wedding breakfast is great time to catch up with guests, at most weddings, once it’s over it gives you a little time to take a walk around the tables and catch up. Use this time.
Of course, it’s all table service at Davenport House, so you only really need to get up to go to the toilet and the good news is, it’s not far to walk.
Davenport House - The Back
If I was to describe the back of Davenport House, I guess I would say your fits impressions would the incredible view that greets you the moment you walk our the back door. Followed by the pond in the centre of the well kept lawn. You’ll then appreciate the symmetry of the paths that run around the back of the pond. As your eyes begin to wonder you’re going to notice more and more.
Perhaps you’ll notice the love swing to the left, hanging from the tree. Look a little further and you’ll notice a Tipi… Yes… set in the little woodland area you have to really look for it…
And I like that.
Somehow, Davenport House have managed to tuck a tipi away, one that serves some incredible kebabs in the evening, it’s beautiful inside, yet it’s hidden away. This is what I think keeps the charm.
To the right you may notice the secret garden, down here is where Davenport House plant a rose for every couple on their 12 month anniversary. I say, they plant the rose, actually, they invite you back to do it yourself. Now that is an incredibly nice touch.
Feel like you’re in your own space
But the really nice thing about the back of Davenport House is that you feel that you’re in your own space… a big one at that. But it’s private. With the house scaling behind you and flowered walls to the left and right… plus the blossom tree. There isn’t really anything bad to say about the back of the house.
The steps down to the garden from the house can be a little steep, but it’s nothing of worry, just something to note. Those in wheelchairs can be wheeled out the front and around the side.
Confetti and Group photos
The back steps are the typical go to place for the confetti photo and it also servers as a nice sun trap.
With the evening sun setting behind the house, after midday, the rear of the house really is bathed in sun and if you’re lucky enough to have a glorious day… you’ll love every minute of it.
If you are choosing to do confetti out the back, it’s also worth bearing in mind that if you’re wanting a group photo of all your guests, now is prime time.
You can either line your guests up on the steps, or have your photographer stand on the steps and have the garden and the views as your backdrop.
As a Wedding photographer, which would I recommend?
Honestly, it depends on the weather. If it’s really sun, it’s ideal to place your back to the sun, so you’ll be facing the steps looking up. Why? Because no one wants to face towards the sun as you’ll just end up squinting.
So listen to your photographer.
Look I get it, you picked the venue for the house and you’d love to feature it. If that’s the case, then I would highly suggest you have the group photographs outside the front instead.
Any photographer worth their salt will be able to advise you of this and if they don’t, well… I’m sorry. You’ve read it here though so hopefully it’s not too late.
The back of the house and on the lawn makes for some great lawn games, should you have the weather for it. There’s certainly the space.
Oh, also, you’ll find quite a few seats and tables for your guests, so you won’t all be standing around.
However, you’ll always find guests inside and outside. Some people just want to cool off in the shade, or stay close to the bar. The advantage is, they’re all in close walking distance… thinking of your feet!
If you have children at your wedding then the back lawn gives them plenty of space to run around and not so many places to get lost. There’s more than enough room for them to stay in sight so long as you simply tell them not to wander to far…
But I’m not here to tell you how to parent!
I’m here to photograph your wedding.
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