Michael & Siobhan | Bartle Hall Wedding
- Aidan Blunt Cinematic Videography
- Jul 22
- 8 min read
There's something really special about being asked to film another wedding for the same family. We first met Michael and Siobhan when we were filming Michael's sister's wedding at Ashfield House. Whilst most people probably remember the ceremony or the evening party, Siobhan left an impression for a completely different reason. During the bouquet toss she produced what can only be described as world-class catching skills, plucking it out of the air like she'd been training for the moment her whole life. We joked afterwards that if they ever got married we'd love to be there, so it was brilliant when that day finally arrived.
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Bartle Hall is a venue we always enjoy returning to. Every time we visit we try to challenge ourselves to create something a little different. The venue has so many lovely features that it's easy to fall into filming the same shots, but we much prefer looking for fresh ideas every time. Sarah spotted the new covered entrance leading towards the Coaching Barn and immediately suggested hanging Siobhan's dress there instead of in the bridal suite. It was the perfect location. Using one of our smaller drones, we slowly flew towards the dress to create an opening shot we'd never captured before at Bartle Hall. It's those little creative ideas that help make every wedding film unique.
Morning Preparations at Bartle Hall
When we arrived, Siobhan was getting ready with her bridesmaids in the Lodge, while Michael was just finishing breakfast before heading into the Cocktail Room inside the main house to get ready with his groomsmen. One of the things I love about Bartle Hall is that everyone is close enough together to capture both mornings without spending half the day travelling between locations. While Sarah stayed with the girls, I wandered over to the lads, who were already in great spirits and putting the finishing touches to the morning.
Outside, some of the groomsmen were setting up lawn games ready for guests to enjoy after the ceremony. Amongst the usual giant games was a homemade pitch and put course which turned out to be surprisingly competitive throughout the afternoon. I should probably confess that while everyone was sitting down enjoying the wedding breakfast, I couldn't resist sneaking over for a quick attempt myself. Safe to say my golfing career isn't taking off any time soon, so I'll stick to filming instead.
Drone Footage and Creative Venue Shots
Whenever the weather allows I always like to capture aerial footage of the venue before guests arrive. Bartle Hall always looks fantastic from above with its sweeping driveway, beautiful gardens and surrounding countryside, and it's a brilliant way to establish the location at the start of a wedding film.
Since recently adding a new indoor drone to our kit, we're now able to capture even more creative footage inside venues as well. That's partly because its predecessor now lives permanently at the bottom of the lake next to Pooley Bridge after a slight misjudgement on my part earlier this year! Thankfully this replacement stayed well away from any water and gave us some lovely cinematic shots flying gently through both the ceremony room and the wedding breakfast room before guests arrived. Indoor drone footage adds another dimension to a wedding film, especially at venues like Bartle Hall where the rooms are full of character.
Incredible Flowers and a Cake Like No Other
One of the first things that caught our attention inside was the incredible floral design by Flower Design Events. The ceremony featured a stunning broken floral arch bursting with colour at the top of the aisle. It looked beautiful during the ceremony, but what made it even more impressive was discovering it wasn't just for show. After the ceremony the entire display was carefully dismantled and reused as centrepieces throughout the reception room.
We also learnt that after the wedding the flowers are turned into individual bouquets rather than being thrown away, giving guests the chance to take a little piece of the day home with them. It's such a thoughtful idea and one we'd love to see more often.
The colourful theme continued with one of the most unique wedding cakes we've seen this year. At first glance it looked like a traditional tiered cake decorated with vibrant flowers. Looking closer though, the lower section wasn't cake at all. Every flower was actually an individual cupcake, enough for every guest to enjoy. It was almost too good to eat... almost.
Thoughtful Gifts and Emotional First Looks
Before the ceremony there were so many lovely personal moments happening around the venue. Michael and Siobhan exchanged gifts and handwritten letters before seeing one another. Michael received a LEGO castle, while Siobhan opened a LEGO Eiffel Tower, a brilliant nod to the honeymoon they have planned in Paris. As huge LEGO fans ourselves, we definitely approved.
Back in the Lodge there were several emotional first looks. Siobhan revealed her dress to the bridesmaids before sharing a lovely moment with her dad on the landing. One of the most touching moments came when her grandad waited patiently downstairs because he wasn't able to climb the staircase. Rather than changing the plan, Siobhan simply came down to him. It was a beautiful reminder that sometimes the simplest moments become the most meaningful. We quietly captured everything without interrupting, allowing everyone to stay completely immersed in the moment.
One thing we always recommend to couples is leaving a little breathing room in the morning. Those ten or fifteen extra minutes often become the moments you'll treasure most. They allow time for letters, gifts, first looks and simply spending a few quiet moments with the people closest to you before the excitement of the ceremony begins.
A Surprise Performance Before the Ceremony
Guests were then treated to something completely unexpected. Before walking down the aisle, Siobhan sang the song 'Speechless" from behind the ceremony door. Watching Michael's reaction was priceless. At first he seemed to be looking all around the room trying to work out who the singer was. Then the realisation hit. As Siobhan appeared at the top of the aisle the emotion completely took over.
Thanks to the discreet microphone hidden on Michael throughout the ceremony, we captured one of my favourite pieces of audio from the whole day as he quietly leaned over to his brother and said, "I'm going to ruin my makeup." It's little unscripted moments like that which make hidden microphones worth every second of preparation.
Confetti in the Bartle Hall Gardens
Following the ceremony everyone made their way into the gardens for confetti. Rather than standing outside the front entrance, we used the beautiful pathway running alongside the house towards the tall hedges. It creates a much more enclosed backdrop, meaning your guests fill the frame rather than disappearing into the distance. We filmed the confetti from two cameras whilst also sending the drone overhead, giving us three completely different perspectives of one of the happiest moments of the day.
Guests then enjoyed drinks and canapés while Michael and Siobhan took a private look around their beautifully dressed reception room before everyone else entered. We always love filming these room reveals because it's often the first chance couples get to pause and take everything in before the celebrations continue.
Golden Hour, Champagne Spray and Wedding Portraits
While guests found their seats for the wedding breakfast, we made the most of the quieter gardens. The afternoon light had softened beautifully and the festoon lights around the rear garden were beginning to glow. We wandered beneath the covered walkway, captured some relaxed footage together and later gathered the bridal party for a champagne spray.
Although, before we'd even started, one of the bottles decided it had plans of its own. As Sarah was helping loosen the cages ready for the countdown, one of the corks fired straight out and hit her in the neck. Thankfully she was absolutely fine and, after making sure she wasn't injured, everyone burst into laughter. It's certainly one of the more unusual things that's happened while filming a wedding and thankfully one we can all laugh about now.
The covered walkway is one of our favourite spots at Bartle Hall. It works beautifully in every season, offers shelter if the weather changes, and frames couples perfectly for both photos and video without taking them too far away from their guests.
The Lightsaber Speech Nobody Expected
The speeches were a brilliant mixture of emotion and comedy, but Michael definitely stole the show. While telling the story of how he and Siobhan first got together, he explained that she'd first become interested in his rather impressive lightsaber collection. Naturally she decided she wanted one herself.
Just as everyone thought the story was over, every member of the top table reached beneath the table and simultaneously held up their own lightsabers. The room erupted with laughter. It was one of those perfectly timed surprises that nobody saw coming and one we'll definitely remember for a long time.
It's exactly why we always encourage couples to make their speeches personal. You don't need to be the funniest person in the room. Sharing genuine stories, family jokes and little surprises nearly always creates the biggest laughs and the most memorable reactions. Hidden microphones also mean those moments become a huge part of your wedding film rather than getting lost amongst the background noise.
Sparklers to End the Perfect Day
As the evening continued, we headed back outside one last time. The same covered entrance that featured in the opening shots of the day became the perfect place for a sparkler tunnel before everyone returned inside for the cake cutting and first dance. It felt like the perfect way to bring the story full circle, ending the day exactly where it had begun that morning.
Tips for Your Bartle Hall Wedding
If you're planning confetti, the pathway beside the house creates a much better backdrop than the front entrance and gives plenty of room for photographers and videographers to capture different angles.
Don't skip a private room reveal before your guests go in. It's one of the few quiet moments you'll have together during the day and gives you chance to appreciate all the details you've spent months planning.
If the weather is kind, leave ten or fifteen minutes around golden hour for some relaxed portraits in the gardens. You don't need to disappear for ages. We usually have couples away from their guests for no more than ten minutes, but the soft evening light makes such a difference.
Finally, trust your suppliers. Some of our favourite shots from this wedding came from trying something different, whether that was hanging the dress beneath the new entrance, flying the indoor drone through the ceremony room or making use of the covered walkway for champagne spray and sparklers. Every wedding is different, and that's exactly how we like to keep it.
Congratulations again, Michael and Siobhan. Thank you for inviting us back to capture another wedding for your family. It was wonderful seeing so many familiar faces again, and we hope every time you watch your film you're reminded not only of how your day looked, but exactly how it felt. Have an amazing honeymoon in Paris, and enjoy building that LEGO Eiffel Tower before seeing the real thing.
Suppliers
Venue: Bartle Hall Hotel
Videography: Aidan Blunt Cinematic
Photography: Jules Fortune Photography @julesfortunephotography
Florist: Flower Design Events @flower_design_events_lancs
Dress: Willow & Sage Bridal
Cake: Cake Creations By Catherine
Hair: The Bridal Hair Stylist @_thebridalhairstylist
DJ: The DFC Experience @thedfcexperience
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