A very special Yorkshire wedding..
Photographing a wedding for a close family friend is so scary, but my goodness it’s also the most rewarding feeling in the world!
When Charlotte & Richard first asked me to photograph their wedding it was truly the biggest honour. Charlotte’s been my sister’s best friend for so many years and has been part of our family for about as long as I can remember. Her and Richard are made for each other, and I still keep pinching myself that I got to photograph this amazing wedding!
I arrived on the morning of the wedding at Tupgill Park. The most beautiful wedding venue right in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. I had a little explore of the grounds, and the views were just out of this world. It felt quite surreal arriving at bridal prep to my sister answering the door!
Charlotte was busy getting ready with all her beautiful bridesmaids when I arrived. Everyone was so excited for the day ahead. Dougal (the labradoodle!) was keeping everyone entertained and keeping the nerves at bay. He stole the show with his white bow tie, and was ready to go once Louise had cleaned those pearly white teeth of his!
Once Charlotte was in her dress, it was time for the big reveal and just about everyone was in tears. When Iain, Charlotte’s dad, saw her for the first time, it was so emotional. Such a special moment to capture and one I’ll certainly remember for a very long time.
Richard was ready with all his groomsmen in the ceremony room, eagerly waiting to see his beautiful bride. When Charlotte walked down the aisle with her dad, she lit up the room. She looked absolutely breathtaking.
The ceremony was beautiful. The room looked absolutely gorgeous, completely decked out with the most amazing flowers. My awesome sister read out a poem she had written especially for the wedding. Charlotte & Richard exchanged vows and rings, and before we knew it, the new Mr & Mrs Stevenson were walking back down the aisle!
All the guests headed out onto the front lawn, with the most amazing views over the Yorkshire Dales. The confetti photos were some of my favourites from the whole wedding. We were so lucky to have the most incredible backdrop and blessed with glorious weather too.
Everyone was in such high spirits, enjoying the sunshine and the champagne! After some canapés and drinks, we all headed inside to enjoy the speeches. Iain kicked things off, followed by Richard and his best man, Matt.
The meal was absolutely divine. Charlotte hadn’t spilled any food on her dress, so after dinner we headed up to the moors for some portraits! And I am so happy that we did!
Once the evening guests had arrived, the bride and groom cut their very lovely wedding cake, and headed onto the dancefloor. Charlotte & Richard had organised for Frankie’s Guys to perform their first dance as a surprise to everyone! They were absolutely amazing. They got everyone on their feet dancing, plus they even invited Richard onto the stage as a fifth member of the band!
I totally and utterly did not want this wedding to end. I kept thinking to myself throughout the wedding just what an amazing day it had been. It has been the biggest pleasure from start to finish to be Charlotte & Richard’s wedding photographer. From first meeting up with them in Harrogate to chat about the plans, to the engagement shoot in Hampsthwaite, to the wedding days itself, it’s all just been awesome. I now get to look forward to designing the wedding album so at least it’s not over yet!
