Fleece Inn Wedding Photography || Hayley + David

The Fleece Inn Wedding Photographer

I do think I have the coolest job! Like get­ting to do Fleece Inn Wed­ding Pho­tog­ra­phy in the pret­ty Cotswold vil­lage of Bret­for­ton, near Eve­sham in Worces­ter­shire, because it’s an amaz­ing venue!

The Fleece Inn is some­what unusu­al because it’s a coun­try pub which is owned by the Nation­al Trust. Now I don’t know about you, but when I think about the Nation­al Trust I think state­ly homes, beau­ti­ful gar­dens and cream teas.

I don’t think pub landlords!

There’s an inter­est­ing sto­ry behind The Fleece though. Built in the 15th cen­tu­ry, as a long­house, by a local farmer called Byrd it lat­er became a pub. It stayed in the same fam­i­ly for the next 600 years with Lola Taplin being the last of the line to run it. She died at the age of 77 and had run The Fleece sin­gle-hand­ed­ly for the last 30 years of her life.

Lola left the Cotswold pub to the Nation­al Trust in her will and it’s be run under their stew­ard­ship ever since.

A Cotswolds Country Pub Wedding Venue

I’d say that The Fleece is about as quin­tes­sen­tial­ly an Eng­lish coun­try pub as you’re like to find.

Half-tim­bered walls, stone-flagged floor, hops hang­ing from the ceil­ing and real ales on tap. It just oozes his­to­ry and rur­al charm.

Along­side the pub is a gor­geous 15th cen­tu­ry barn where you can have your wed­ding cer­e­mo­ny and wed­ding break­fast afterwards. 

Now there are barns and there are barns. The barn at The Fleece Inn, Eve­sham is what you expect a barn to look and feel like. Wat­tle and daub between the wood­en beams, vis­i­ble rafters, a thatched roof also. 

Just glo­ri­ous.

As a Cotswold wed­ding pho­tog­ra­ph­er I’m always look­ing for the things that give a venue it’s char­ac­ter and per­son­al­i­ty. At The Fleece Inn I’m spoilt for choice!

Then, you’ve got the pub gar­den and how many pub gar­dens do you know that include an orchard?!! The gar­dens are huge (well, they’d need to be to have an orchard!), enough room for drinks, gar­den games and even a tug of war! (more on that later)

Fleece Inn Wedding Photography — The Day Begins

As a Fleece Inn wed­ding pho­tog­ra­ph­er I work in a doc­u­men­tary style, aim­ing to be there when­ev­er there are moments to capture. 

Pri­or to the cer­e­mo­ny there were friends help­ing to set up the venue, then the Groom helped the Page Boy to get ready. While the guests start­ed to arrive the final prepa­ra­tions were made for the cer­e­mo­ny in the 15th cen­tu­ry barn. 

It’s got to be worth men­tion­ing the cake, specif­i­cal­ly a cake made to look like giant French Fan­cies!! It’s the one and only time I’ve seen a cake like, sure­ly a cake to remember!

Then the Bride arrived, while the guests took their seats she was pulling up in a vin­tage car out­side The Fleece Inn. 

Wedding Ceremony at The Fleece Inn, Evesham

Then, it was time for the wed­ding cer­e­mo­ny to take place, and boy oh boy, a beau­ti­ful loca­tion for the wedding! 

After­wards every­one spilled out into the Cotswold sun­shine for drinks in the pub beer gar­den, skit­tles and a tug of war battle!

Cotswold Pub Wedding Reception

Fleece Inn Wedding Photography Tug of War

This was the first time I’d had a tug of war at a wed­ding and it cer­tain­ly was a great way to get the guests involved! The two teams were basi­cal­ly com­prised of the Grooms work col­leagues ver­sus his sport­ing bud­dies, although of course he had to choose which side to pull on! He went with the rug­by crew, which turned out to not be the win­ning side!

When you’ve got fun and games like this you can under­stand why I enjoy wed­ding pho­tog­ra­phy at The Fleece Inn so much! If you’re look­ing for ideas for wed­ding enter­tain­ment then I have a blog for you, with 70 cool and funky ideas!

Rea­sons to choose The Fleece Inn for your wed­ding venue:-

• 15th Cen­tu­ry his­to­ry all around
• Large beer gar­den for all your post-cer­e­mo­ny fun & games
• Set in a beau­ti­ful Cotswold village

OTHER BLOGS TO CHECK OUT

• Der­byshire Tipi Wedding
• Gor­cott Hall Wed­ding Photography
• Wethele Manor Wedding

If you’re look­ing for Fleece Inn Wed­ding Pho­tog­ra­phy, (or for any­where else), then please get in touch. I’d love to have a chat!