Ghyll Manor Hotel – a wedding photographer’s review

A photographic review of Ghyll Manor Hotel and Restaurant as a wedding venue, by professional wedding photographer Robert Hooper

Ghyll Manor describes itself as one of the most idyllic wedding venues in West Sussex, and I have to agree that the venue certainly does have some great features going for it.  Located just off the High Street in Rusper near Horsham the manor is within easy reach of the M23, Gatwick airport, London and the South Coast whilst still managing to keep just outside of the hustle and bustle that is city life. Originally a 16th century country house, the hotel sits nestled within 40 acres of private grounds including landscaped gardens and a lake – ideal for posing a bride and groom during summer weddings. The venue is fully licensed for civil cermonies so you can hold your complete wedding here or just book for the wedding reception if preferred. Indoor weddings can accommodate up to 120 guests and if you need further capacity you can opt for a marquee outside for up to 300 family and friends.

When it comes to your wedding breakfast, the Hunsdon Hall is a restored tithe barn with seating for up to 120 guests. Decoration is simple but effective with decorative lighting along the wooden beams of the barn roof.

Accommodation includes luxurious suites with wooden beams galore, four poster beds, and a host of attractive features, niches and hideaways that are perfect for a creative wedding photographer to produce some stunning photography on your wedding day. Plenty of warm ambient lighting adds to the atmosphere, and carefully balanced with some judicious use of either flash and/or video light, this gives your photographer ample opportunities to really go to town with his or her creative photography.

Here we see our newlywed bride and groom just leaving wedding ceremony in the Terraced room – a quite intimate room for a wedding ceremony, capable of seating up to 80 guests for the actual ceremony. Lighting tends to be on the warm and cosy side, so ensure that your photographer knows how to deal proficiently with low lighting.

Outside, assuming the weather is kind there is ample room for both formal and informal group portraits – with landscaped gardens, hard standing areas, ornamental features and of course the lawns and lake. Here we see a more formal group from our featured winter wedding, keeping dry on the patio area:

…and another picture taken outside from the back of the Manor house, complete with confetti for our happy couple before we head back inside for the wedding breakfast…

All in all, Ghyll Manor is a thoroughly pleasant venue for your wedding day. From a photographer’s point of view, there are a good selection of locations within the manor house itself and in the grounds which will lend themselves to some great wedding photography. Access is good, staff are friendly and there’s not much to scoff about really – definitely worth a visit if you’re looking for a relaxed wedding venue in the Sussex area.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our short review and the wedding photos included. If you’d like us to photograph your Sussex wedding at Ghyll Manor please contact us directly.

Rob.

Sussex wedding photography at Ghyll Manor in Rusper nr Horsham