Gorse Hill Hotel Wedding Photography

view of Gorse Hill Hotel from the garden

Are you looking for a local recommended Gorse Hill wedding photographer? I am a Surrey wedding photographer, based in nearby Bagshot, only 15 minutes from Gorse Hill.

 This romantic Edwardian Country House is just so pretty! It’s the perfect backdrop for your wedding day. Gorse Hill is set in 17 acres of peaceful grounds. Approached down a long drive, this archetypal English manor house oozes charm from a bygone era. Built in 1910 for John Ingram, a Lloyds underwriter. Ingram never actually lived in the house, because when The Titanic went down he lost all of his money. The house then had multiple different owners and fell into disrepair before becoming a hotel in 2005. Active Hospitality purchased Gorse Hill in 2017 and then reinstated it to its former glory and built the Garden Suite in the grounds. Today there are even more bedrooms, as well as a fabulous restaurant and bar. But the good news is that the hotel facade hasn’t changed in over a century. It’s an architectural gem, with columns both inside and outside, a rounded cast iron balcony above the large bay window and shutters. Inside the hotel is tastefully decorated in muted greys and black and white prints hang on the walls. Typical of their time the ceilings are high and the public rooms are spacious. It’s the perfect place for a party.

Great Location

If you want to get married outside London, not far from the Surrey countryside, this beautiful wedding venue could be perfect for you. Only a few minutes from the centre of Woking and close to both the M3 and M25 motorways. And for your international guests, Heathrow airport is only 40 minutes away. And there’s loads of free parking on site. With carefully manicured lawns, gorgeous original architecture and fabulous interiors, it’s a real gem.

Hello!

I’m Mercedes and I’m a local Surrey wedding photographer. If you are looking for relaxed, creative wedding photography, then look no further. I will provide you with lots of candid photographs that tell the story of your day. Your bride and groom portraits will be relaxed and stress-free. I won’t take you away for ages – this is your day and I know you want to be enjoying the party not spending the day “having photos”!

Get in touch with me for your Gorse Hill wedding photography.

Mercedes Evans Photographer

Gorse Hill Gallery

front view of Gorse Hill hotel
Gorse Hill Hotel room set for a wedding
Gorse Hill Hotel dining room ready for a wedding breakfast
the garden suite at Gorse Hill Hotel set up for a wedding ceremony
Gorse Hill Hotel bar
the wedding breakfast tables and chiavari chairs with yellow sashes are set ready in the Garden Suite at Gorse Hill Hotel
The Garden Suite at Gorse Hill set up for the evening party
the garden suite at Gorse Hill Hotel set up for a wedding ceremony

Helpful staff

The staff at Gorse Hill will help you to organise the day of your dreams. From the wedding co-ordinators guiding you in the planning to the on the day team making sure that it all runs smoothly. Of course you can have the whole day here, from getting ready to ceremony to wedding breakfast and then your evening party. This can take away concerns about the logistics of travelling between venues. But if you have always wanted to get married in church there is plenty of choice locally.

Exclusive Use

Civil ceremonies can be held from Monday to Friday in the Mansion House for up to 90 guests or the Garden Suite can be exclusively yours from midday to midnight for your wedding day on a Saturday or Sunday. The Garden Suite can cater for up to 150 guests and has a large bar and an outdoor covered space with seating.

Dry Hire

Have you fallen in love with the idea of getting married at Gorse Hill? But financially it’s just out of your budget? Then why not consider dry hiring their Garden Suite? This option is only available on a Sunday. Speak to the team at Gorse Hill for more details.

Accommodation

Not having accommodation can be a deal breaker for couples getting married. Gorse Hill has 67 bedrooms, everything to suit different budgets from a junior suite to a standard single. In addition the Honeymoon Suite is rather lovely with its own balcony that overlooks the gardens and the Garden Suite. So you can all have breakfast together in the morning or not!

pale pink tulle heels are balanced on a veil in front of a bouquet of pink and dark red flowers

The gardens

The hotel is set in 17 acres of grounds and backs on to Woking Golf Club. The gardens are beautifully manicured and there’s a lawn for garden games to keep guests amused. In addition there are several nice spots for photos to give lots of variety to your album. The pine trees that lead down to the Garden Suite are festooned with lights and make for great evening photos. There is loads of outdoor seating in the gardens and on the patio. And the flexitent outside the Garden Suite means that your guests can sit outside whatever the weather.

the bride and groom talk as they walk hand in hand down the wooden path through the trees
the bride and groom talk as they walk hand in hand down the wooden path through the trees
the bride and groom walk hand in hand, he holds her bouquet and she holds the train of her dress
the bride and groom stand facing each other and gazing into each others eyes, in the dark background the pine trees are light by festoon lights

Pyrotechnics

Gorse Hill allow you to use sparklers outside, and these are great for your photos especially with the festoon lights in the background. However fireworks are not allowed at the hotel.

the laughing newlyweds walk through a sparkler tunnel with their friends around them

Formal Group Photos

The gardens are south facing, which is great for enjoying the terrace and playing garden games. When the weather is overcast I think that the building makes a fantastic background for your formal group photos. On a bright sunny day I prefer the area of grass below the main steps. It’s a better solution to avoid everyone squinting at the camera. And in the spring the rhododendrons make a fantastic backdrop.

And the ideal spot for a whole group photo is on the grass facing the mansion house. Your photographer can nip up to the honeymoon suite and take it from there. If you’ve already done your couple photos and want to throw your bouquet, this is a fab camera viewpoint for that too.

the bride and groom pose for a group photo with the groomsmen
bride and groom stand in front of rhododendron bush, she hugs him from behind

Dog friendly venue

Gorse Hill is a dog friendly venue and I have photographed several weddings with couples including their dogs in the big day.

There are a few obvious rules about having your dog at the hotel. These include keeping your furry friend on a lead, cleaning up after any messes and not allowing them on the furniture. Dogs are permitted outside and in the bar but not in the restaurant. Please speak to the Gorse Hill team before making your plans. And I look forward to meeting you and your best friend!

the bride and groom hold their dog as they sit on the steps of the garden in front of Gorse Hill Hotel
the bride and groom crouch down and hold their dog

Gorse Hill Hotel Wedding Blogs

Click on the images to check out these blog links to see some real Gorse Hill weddings 

A Sample of Couple Wedding Photos in the elegant gardens of Gorse Hill Hotel

Wedding Photography Style

My wedding photography style is natural and focuses on creating photos that tell your wedding story in an authentic and timeless way. I love capturing lots of wedding guest and couple reactions with candid photography. Whether that’s tears of laughter at the best man’s speech or tears of joy and nervousness when you first see each other. You will get all the shots that will help you to remember the moments of your special day. I can be with you on your wedding day from bridal preparation right through to your first dance and the party.

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