LilyNorth

A reet good Yorkshire down-to-earth top class wedding…

 

For me, Megan and Dave’s wedding day was exactly what a wedding should be. Happy, fun, down-to-earth, glorious weather, wild flowers, epic tunes, a mad dancefloor, gorgeous colours. Not forgetting just a proper in love couple.

Looking through the lens at these guys all day you can just see how much they adore each other. They’re not all mushy about it, you can just see it and it’s bloody lovely to capture.

Megan got ready on the morning of the wedding at her parents’ house in Ripon, whilst my fab second shooter Jo was capturing the boys and all their antics! We had SUCH a fun morning, although it was ever so slightly depressing learning that Megan didn’t have any make up on when she looked like an absolute goddess already. Give the rest of us a chance Megan!!!! You absolute beauty!!

Once the girls were ready in their dresses, we hopped in the cars and headed for Sawley village. Dave and Megan got married in the local church, and despite a hilarious laughing fit from Megan mid service, they said ‘I do’ and headed outside for lots of confetti! Dave’s ‘confetti face’ provided me with great amusement and giggles during my editing that’s for sure!

All the guests headed across the road for some welcome drinks and everyone was basking in the Yorkshire sunshine. After some photos of family and friends, as well as some couples pictures of Dave & Megan, we all headed inside for some cracking speeches.

It wasn’t long before the dancefloor got underway, and the newlyweds kicked things off in style with a first dance to the coolest Fleetwood Mac song. I listened to ‘Gypsy’ on repeat for about 90% of the time I was editing their wedding! Everyone absolutely went for it, throwing shapes left right and centre!

We were treated to the golden hour to end all golden hours, and headed outside for some final portraits before they danced the night away.

Thank you to Megan and Dave such a fun wedding for everyone involved. You guys smashed it!!!!

Photographer – Lily North Photography

Venue – Sawley Village Hall

Florist – Wild Bee Flower Farm

Hair – Victoria, Doll House

Make Up – Charlotte, Doll House

Dress – Harrogate Wedding Lounge

 

The Out Barn did not disappoint..

 

I’ve been sitting here trying to write this blog and trying to think of the right words to describe this wedding. All the usual ‘amazings’ and ‘incredibles’ just weren’t cutting it, so I’ve settled on this..

The most ‘didn’t-feel-like-work’ wedding ever.

To tell you the truth, on the morning of Phoebe & Kris’ wedding day I wasn’t in the best place. Every now and then us wedding photographers have a little wobble where we really doubt ourselves, and sometimes we just feel a bit down because hey, we’re only human. But I arrived at bridal prep that morning, Phoebe greeted me with the biggest cuddle, held my hands, and I instantly knew it was going to be the best day.

Phoebe was getting ready with her mum and bridesmaids, and when she was ready she genuinely looked a trillion million billion dollars. Phoebe is one of those people who just totally can’t see how incredibly beautiful she is. Annoyingly she’s also a midwife and is equally as gorgeous on the inside, which really just isn’t fair on the rest of us!

We hopped in the car, headed to the venue, the Out Barn, where Kris and his ushers were waiting at the end of the aisle. Phoebe’s gorgeous mum Judith walked her down the aisle, and there was a little tear in everyone’s eyes when Phoebe and Kris said their vows.

Now is when I must introduce the best wedding host and singer to walk this planet.. Wayne Farrow!! I honestly cannot sing his praises highly enough. He sang Phoebe and Kris back down the aisle as newlyweds, kept us all entertained throughout the drinks reception, and kicked off the party like there was no tomorrow for the rest of the wedding day. Honestly, what a guy. Absolutely cannot stress this enough – you NEED to book this guy for your wedding!

Everyone headed outside into the sunshine, chucked confetti, drank gin, then Phoebe, Kris and I had a wander down the lane to the Out Barn’s little fairy bridge! It is stunning and such a hidden little gem! We got some gorgeous photos of the two of them (no surprise with these two let’s be honest) then headed back to the venue to enjoy the speeches.

Phoebe’s mum did a surprise speech, and had written the most beautiful poem. Kris brought everyone to tears and his two best men mashed it out the park. After the speeches, everyone tucked into some grub, and once everyone was suitably fed, Wayne got the party started at the Out Barn.

Everyone was up on their feet dancing pretty much from this moment until the end of the night. Wayne got all the hen do girls dancing to proud Mary. He got the stags to lift Kris in the air. He got everyone whacking their spoons on the table along to Mr Blue Sky. People were dancing on their chairs. He even got every single guest in a conga line across the field. Literally incredible. And that’s to say nothing of the absolute bangers he played!

The evening was just as wild and in every way the most fun I think I’ve ever had shooting a wedding. Phoebe and her friends ran across the field at one point, only for one of them to fall flat on her face, followed by a supportive Phoebe uncontrollably laughing her head off. They had sparklers, toasted marshmallows, a wedding cake that nearly fell on the floor. Then to finish things off, there was easily the best dancefloor I’ve ever seen at any wedding.

Phoebe and Kris did their first dance to Places by Martin Solveig, and it was soooooooooo nice to hear an upbeat first dance! It meant that everyone was straight on that dancefloor from the get-go. Wayne and Ryan the DJ absolutely killed it. Kris got lifted into the air during Mr Brightside. The boys did a strip tease to songs from the full monty. Wayne sang ‘Sex on Fire’ to Phoebe’s mum (literally my favourite moment of the year). There were ties on heads as far as the eye could see. And some guy did the worm.

Genuinely all the way through this wedding it felt too good to be true! It really didn’t feel fair that this was my job. To be invited to a day like this and literally be smiling from start to finish.

I don’t have the words to say how much I enjoyed this wedding, so Phoebe and Kris I am so, hugely grateful to you both. Thank you for being so vibrant, so fun, so kind, and so bloody gorgeous. Definitely going straight on the list of favourite weddings ever 🙂

Photographer – Lily North Photography

Venue – The Out Barn, Clitheroe

Wedding host – Wayne Farrow

Florist – The Flower Girls

Hair – Ribble Valley Hair

Make-up – Bec & Co

Dress – Ava Rose Hamilton

Shoes – Mischka Badgley

Bridesmaids dresses – THTH Bridesmaids

Stationery – Rose Signage Co

DJ – Ryan Smith

Venue – The Out Barn

Laura and Jordan are two of the loveliest people you could ever hope to meet. When I arrived at Wharfedale Grange on the morning of the wedding, Laura greeted me with the biggest smile, and just didn’t stop smiling all day long.

Laura was getting ready with her mum and bridesmaids, and Cat and Rachel were busy getting everyone’s hair and make-up looking dreamy. When I arrived, I spent a bit of time photographing all of Laura’s gorgeous accessories for the day ahead. I hung the dress on the upstairs balcony, and made the most of those stunning fairy lights that Wharfedale Grange has to offer!

We all had such a lovely, chilled out morning, and before we knew it, it was time for Laura to get into her dress. She looked absolutely incredible, and the bridal suite provided the perfect backdrop to get some photos of Laura once she was ready to go.

It was so lovely to capture Laura’s dad seeing her for the first time in her wedding dress. He was absolutely blown away! Laura’s maid of honour photographed her dad’s reaction on a polaroid camera, which she framed later that day as a gift to him. What an amazing idea for a present!

Once everyone was ready, we all made our way downstairs where Jordan was waiting with his groomsmen by his side. He was so happy seeing Laura for the first time as she walked down the aisle. Laura even got a bit emotional herself which was a really lovely moment.

Laura and Jordan walked back down the aisle as husband and wife, where the Hog and Apple were ready and waiting with the most heavenly canapés (as per usual, they are insane).

After we chucked some confetti over the newlyweds, we headed inside for some group photos as the weather started to get a little grumpy. As always, Wharfedale Grange is never short of beautiful backdrops, so we were able to capture Laura and Jordan’s friends and family with the beautiful South Barn behind them.

After some amazing speeches, everyone say down to tuck into some incredible food. After the meal saw the arrival of Laura & Jordan’s very own ice cream van! All of the guests (and yes, me included!) were absolutely spoilt rotten with as much ice cream as we wanted. And how could I resist asking Laura to climb INTO the ice cream van for some photos! It looked amazing!

Everyone was in such high spirits (let’s face it, mainly thanks to the prosecco tap in the women’s toilets..), and all of the guests joined Laura and Jordan on the dancefloor for their first dance. Laura’s brother and his band were in charge of music for the evening, and they absolutely smashed it.

For me this was a wedding of such personal and thoughtful little details, from the record player guestbook, to the polaroid wedding gifts, the kinder bueno ice creams, prosecco on tap, and everything in between. And what a properly lovely couple these guys are too. Laura & Jordan – thank you for letting me be a part of your day. And most importantly, thank you for climbing on the bar and into ice cream vans. You pair of absolute legends 🙂

A winter fairytale at Goldsborough Hall..

 

I’m probably right in saying that when most people picture the perfect winter wedding, it’s snowing. And for Kirsty & Danny’s big day, we didn’t just get a dusting. Oh no! It was a full-on blanket of thick snow, that arrived just an hour before the wedding ceremony!

I arrived on the morning of the wedding to a very green, unsnowy Goldsborough Hall! Kirsty was getting ready with her bridesmaids, her adorable daughter, her mum and mother-in-law. This was the first wedding I had photographed at Goldsborough, and I absolutely fell in love with the place! Whilst everyone was getting ready, I nabbed Kirsty’s dress and hung it up on one of Goldsborough’s beautiful staircases to show it off properly!

It was a lovely chilled out morning, and Pennie & Charlotte were busy making everyone’s hair and make-up look beautiful!

I’m sure most of you reading this will agree that planning a wedding can be pretty stressful at times. But what if you considered doing your own wedding flowers?! “No chance” I hear you cry! Well, you’re not as brave as our Kirsty then!!

Kirsty is an INCREDIBLE wedding florist. She is just amazing at what she does. There was no way anyone else was going to be doing her flowers, as she always said she had such a specific idea of what she wanted. So naturally, the day before the wedding was spent perfecting the bouquets, the table settings and all the other little details! The flowers were a beautiful mix of deep burgundy and pink and the perfect addition to any winter wedding.

Once Kirsty had finished in hair and make-up she was straight back into florist mode, tying the Silk & Purl ribbons onto the bouquets!

Throughout the morning it had started to snow, and because it had been so rainy the day before, none of us ever believed it would settle! But slowly and surely the grounds of Goldsborough started to turn white and it was absolutely magical. Not only was it the perfect winter wedding but the timing was also impeccable. All the guests had already arrived by the time the snow started so there were dramas about travelling in the bad weather!

Once everyone was ready we headed downstairs where Kirsty was picked up in her dad’s very own vintage car! A vintage wedding car driving through the snow.. talk about travelling in style!

Because the church was right next door, the bridesmaids and I all walked round the corner in the snow, umbrellas at the ready, where Danny was eagerly awaiting the arrival of his beautiful bride.

Kirsty walked down the aisle with her dad by her side, grinning from ear to ear! It was a lovely service, and it was certainly a surprise when the vicar referenced Kendrick Lamar in her sermon!! But Kirsty and Danny had chosen some banging hymns so it was all good.

After the ceremony, all the guests gathered outside (yes, in the thick snow!) to chuck some confetti at the newlyweds. We all walked back up to the venue where Kirsty & Danny were more than ready to hop in the snow for some portraits! I really don’t know how Kirsty’s toes didn’t actually fall off considering she was in peep-toe Jimmy Choos! What a trooper!

Once we headed inside all the guests were loving life enjoying their drinks and canapes. Before long it was time to head into the beautiful orangery where the dream team of suppliers had absolutely worked their magic. Kirsty had created some stunning floral centrepieces for the tables, and Where The Ribbon Ends had made the most incredible cake and sweet platter of doughnuts, cakes, brownies.. you name it! It looked like a wedding straight out of a Pinterest board and I was all for it!!

Everyone enjoyed some delicious food, and we were treated to three fabulous speeches. Soon it was time to dive into that dessert platter and for the kids at the wedding it was like they were in heaven! Myself included!

Kirsty & Danny had their first dance and everyone piled onto the dancefloor to enjoy the rest of the evening.

This really was the most perfect winter wedding I could have ever imagined! The most amazing combination of suppliers, beautiful colours, a gorgeous and happy couple, and of course that blanket of snow covering Goldsborough Hall.

I already can’t wait to be back at this amazing venue, and I can’t thank Kirsty & Danny enough for allowing me to be part of such a magical day!

Huge shoutout to all the incredible suppliers from Kirsty & Danny’s wedding!

 

 

Venue – Goldsborough Hall

Florist – River and Rose

Hair – Pennie from Mirror Mirror

Make-up – Charlotte Wilson

Dress – Ava Rose Hamilton

Shoes – Jimmy Choo

Cake – Where The Ribbon Ends

Venue dressing – Sashes and Covers

Band – Event Music Co

The perfect wedding at Bolton Abbey..

 

I was trying to think of how to sum up this wedding day and I just couldn’t think of the right words! It was such a happy, sunny, beautiful day, and yet none of those words I feel do justice to how utterly perfect it was. Let me just say, that I don’t think I’ve ever had so many ‘favourite’ photos from a wedding!

On the lead-up to the wedding, I am being totally honest when I say I could not stop thinking about it! It was one of those weddings where I was just so excited for the photos I wanted to create. EVERY SINGLE aspect of the wedding was my idea of perfection. Let me explain…

One of my absolute favourite venues.
The fact that there were SEVEN bridesmaids and SEVEN groomsmen.. what a bridal party!
The BEST team of suppliers.
My first ever wedding at Bolton Abbey priory.
One of my favourite wedding dresses of all time.
Golden sunshine all day long and tonnes of happy guests.
The most amazing, and let’s face it, attractive-as-hell couple!

Having worked with lots of the suppliers beforehand, I would honestly struggle to have handpicked a better group myself. Please check out the credits below for this amazing team!

I arrived on the morning of the wedding at Eloise’s parents’ house in Ilkley. Eloise was getting ready with her family and all her many, many bridesmaids! Everyone was so lovely and we had such a fun morning. Emily, Eloise’s maid of honour, was particularly wonderful (and I know Lottie the hair wizard will agree with me on this!). I have never met a more dedicated bridesmaid in my career! She made sure everything was where it needed to be, kept track of what time the make-up was finishing so we had time for photos AND got Eloise into her dress. She was just amazing and a pleasure to have around on the day!

Eloise looked like an absolute goddess in her wedding dress. What a vision she was. Emily was crying, Lottie was crying, and I was crying. She looked unbelievably beautiful. Doing a big reveal to the bridesmaids was so much fun, and after some cards and presents, it was time to head to Bolton Abbey.

The boys had been getting ready in Ilkley, where my amazing second shooter Fern had been capturing all the excitement! Eloise arrived at the priory in style in a land rover covered in flowers, where James was waiting for his beautiful bride to be.

Eloise walked down the aisle with her dad by her side, and James shed a little tear upon seeing his bride. It was such a happy ceremony, and what a place to get married! I had always dreamed about photographing a wedding at Bolton Abbey and it was so special to finally be there!

We headed outside into the sunshine, where Eloise and James were greeted to a parade of bubbles! Since confetti isn’t allowed on the grounds, they came up with this wonderful way to capture the spirit of the traditional welcome without making any mess! Genius!

After some photos with family and the bridal party in amongst the ruins of the abbey, we headed up to the Tithe Barn where all the guests were waiting at the reception. This was the perfect time to capture some portraits, and for Eloise and James to have a quiet moment before the rest of the party!

The happy couple were greeted at the barn with real confetti this time, and soon the festivities began…

There were some brilliant speeches, including from Eloise herself. I wish more brides did speeches at weddings! Eloise’s dad surprised/ embarrassed her during his speech with her childhood toy – a doll in a dress.. called Keith! It was such a priceless moment, and everyone was in stitches!

After some divine food, the newlyweds cut their fondant fancy wedding cake, Eloise threw her bouquet, and it was caught by none other than her wonderful maid of honour Emily! What a moment!

Soon the dancefloor was full to the brim, and everyone partied the night away.

This wedding was a special one for me. A bit of a career highlight to be honest! Such a perfect day, such an amazing couple. I’m chuffed to bits with the photos and can only apologise for how many I’ve shared! Thank you SO much Eloise and James. It’s been an absolute pleasure.

Huge shoutout to all the incredible suppliers from the wedding!

 

Ceremony – Bolton Abbey Priory

Reception venue – The Tithe Barn

Florist – Beamsley Blooms

Hair – Lottie Haigh

Make-up – Emma Denton

Dress – The Aisle, Ilkley

Suits – Time and Time Again

Bridesmaids dresses – Maids to Measure

Cake – Betty’s

Band – Jonny Daniels

Such a FUN wedding at Ponden Mill!

…

Ell and Jack are such a chilled out, down-to-earth couple and I just love them! They love the outdoors. They love dogs. The gave me a chocolate cupcake when I first met them. So yeah, they’re pretty much just awesome humans.

Ell was getting ready on the morning of the wedding with her close family and bridesmaids. With their garden backing onto Baildon Moor, it was certainly the perfect backdrop for photos! Ell was ready nice and early which meant a) we had loads of time to get some cracking photos, b) no stress when it came to leaving the house, and c) I even had time to head to the church to see Jack and all the guests arriving!

Sadly Ell and Jack’s gorgeous spaniels weren’t invited to the wedding (I was gutted), but all the humans looked wonderful! Everyone gathered into Baildon church to watch Ell walk down the aisle with her dad by her side. After some brilliant readings, some banging hymns and the all-important vows, the pair were finally hitched!

Ell and Jack walked out of church with the biggest smiles on their faces. Jack’s cousin Sam was even playing the bagpipes for them which was incredible! Everyone chucked a whole load of confetti over them before climbing onto the big green bus taking everyone to Ponden Mill!

Ell and Jack weren’t going to be travelling with the rest of their guests though.. no way! They had their own Land Rover courtesy of the fantastic Yorkshire Vehicle Hire! I’ve worked with these guys on a few weddings now and they really are brilliant – can’t recommend them enough.

I love it when my couples are up for a bit of adventure, so when Ell suggested a trip up Baildon Moor for some photos I was absolutely buzzing! They popped their wellies on, hopped out of the land rover, and after a quick shot from Jack’s hip flask, we headed across the moor! Ell and Jack looked amaaaaaazing, and hey, the backdrop wasn’t half bad either!

After a quick sip of prosecco in the back of the land rover, we headed off to Ponden Mill.

This venue really is such a hidden gem! They haven’t been open very long, but set within the rolling hills of Haworth, it really is a stunning setting.

All the guests were gathered outside to welcome the newlyweds. The fizz and canapes were flowing, and there were some epic lawn games to keep everyone entertained! Ell’s dad had even built a giant connect4!

We all headed inside for the speeches, and thankfully the rain held off until everyone was safely indoors! The speeches were ace, and the food was SPECTACULAR! The Outside Kitchen oversaw catering, and they are just outstanding!

The evening was filled with dancing, beer pong, Jägerbombs, shots, and more Jägerbombs! Everyone was so ready for a party, so the first dance was never going to be a slow number for this wedding! When the Courteeners came on, the room erupted and it was such an EPIC first dance! The dancefloor went wild and I really was sad to leave!

This was such a FUN wedding, and in my opinion exactly how a wedding day should be! Thank you so much for having me guys – it was an absolute blast 🙂

Huge shoutout to all the incredible suppliers from Ell & Jack’s amazing wedding day!

 

Venue – Ponden Mill, Haworth

Make-up – Sarah Schofield 

Hair – Hair by Ria

Bridesmaids dresses – Maya Deluxe

Catering – The Outside Kitchen

Transport – Yorkshire Vehicle Hire (car), Yesteryear (bus)

A very special wedding at Mitton Hall..

 

 

This is the final wedding I wanted to share before the end of the year, and it’s one that’s very close to my heart.

Beth and I have friends for almost 6 years. When she asked me to photograph her wedding it really was the biggest honour. Beth is an amazing photographer and so the pressure of getting some awesome pictures was definitely on!

I arrived at Mitton Hall on the morning of the wedding, and seeing Beth for the first time was really emotional. Seeing her so happy and excited for her wedding day was just amazing. It was such a pleasure to capture her getting ready for the day ahead.

Beth was getting ready with her mum and all of her bridesmaids who all looked beautiful. The girls were wearing stunning sage green dresses, and they had the most gorgeous bouquets courtesy of the amazing Felicity Farm Flowers. Everything about this wedding was just stunning!

Despite it being a mad morning at times (let’s not discuss being locked out of the bridal suite!), everyone was in such high spirits, and we had such a laugh. Beth looked unbelievable in her Orchid Designs dress. Truly breathtaking. After the big reveal to her bridesmaids, it was time to head downstairs to see Dave.

Watching Beth walk down the aisle was genuinely one of the most emotional moments I’ve witnessed as a wedding photographer. As Beth’s dad wasn’t able to walk her down the aisle, watching her brother pass her hand to her dad, then to Dave, was just so moving. It’s moments like this that make me really treasure my job.

You could tell that Dave was totally blown away seeing his beautiful bride for the first time. The ceremony was beautiful, and after the vows and a big old smooch, the new Mr & Mrs Robinson walked back down the aisle. Woohoo!

All of the guests gathered outside Mitton Hall to greet the newlyweds. Beth & Dave walked outside to a whole load of confetti. I have to say, these are genuinely some of my favourite confetti pictures EVER!

After lots of hugs and kisses, a few group photos and Beth showing us the sausage she buried the day before (don’t ask…), we headed inside for the speeches which were absolutely brilliant. All the guests were treated to some delicious food, and slowly the evening guests started arriving which is always a really exciting part of the wedding.

Once it was dark, we all headed outside for sparklers. It was the perfect introduction to the evening reception. Everyone partied the night away and it really was the most incredible day. I also must admit that I am absolutely obsessed with this wedding venue! Can’t wait for the next time I’m back at Mitton Hall!

Beth & Dave.. Mr & Mrs Robinson. What can I say? This will always be a very, very special wedding for me. It’s certainly one I’ll remember for a very long time. Can’t thank you enough for asking me to photograph your special day. Love you guys.

Huge shoutout to all the incredible suppliers who made this wedding so special..

 

Venue – Mitton Hall

Dress – Orchid Designs

Flowers – Felicity Farm Flowers

Videography – Charlotte White Weddings

Hair & Make-up – Nala & Knot

Bridesmaids dresses – Bridesmaid by JB

Cake – Patacake Celebration Cakes

Venue dressing – Creative Venue Styling

DJ – Exceed Events

 

 

 

 

 

Let me just start by saying… I BLOODY LOVED THIS WEDDING AT BEAMISH HALL! It was one of those weddings where the stars align, and everything comes together perfectly. The weather, the beautiful venue, the flowers, and of course the COLOURS of those bridesmaids’ dresses. This was one of those weddings that, if it were a dance on strictly, it would score a solid 40!

I met Emma and Scott over in Saltburn earlier in the week for their engagement shoot. You guys probably know by now that I LOVE a shoot at the beach, and this was no exception. Fast forward just a few days and it was finally the wedding day!

Me and my awesome second shooter Fern arrived at Beamish Hall and what a glorious day it was. We went up to see Emma and her awesome bridesmaids, and they were all absolutely loving life. We had the best morning with so much laughter, and I even filmed my first TikTok which was epic! I felt very down with the kids!

Everyone was ready nice and early which is just any wedding photographer’s dream. It meant we had chance to get some beautiful photos before we headed downstairs to the ceremony.

Scott was eagerly awaiting the arrival of his beautiful bride, with his brother by his side. Safe to say it was an emotional reunion at the end of the aisle, and there were tears from both the bride and groom. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful. Scott and Emma had two readings from two of their close friends, and there were more tears and more laughter. After the vows, a big old smooch and some photos, Emma and Scott walked back down the aisle as husband and wife. Fist pumping and smiling all the way!

We all headed outside for some confetti, and yep, the weather was still awesome. Everyone was having the best time out in the sunshine, and we got some really beautiful photos of all the guests enjoying themselves. To make things even better, Emma and Scott had treated their friends and family to a magician for the afternoon! Luke was absolutely incredible and super talented at his craft – he had everyone in stitches for the whole wedding reception! Emma and Scott were given a special show just for them, and it was just sensational.

All the guests were seated in the garden room for the speeches, and greeted the newlyweds with an almighty applause when they entered the room. The father of the bride, groom and best man all made some cracking speeches, which were of course followed by some delicious food.

After dinner we were blessed with a truly stunning golden hour over the grounds of Beamish Hall. We made the most of it with some portraits of Emma and Scott, as well as one more group photo of that gorgeous bridal party!

The band kicked off the evening reception with their first set and everyone was raring to go. The dancefloor was RAMMED and all the guests really went for it! Emma snuck off for an EPIC dress change, and returned to the dancefloor to a beaming Scott!

From all this action and all the beauty of this wedding, it comes as no surprise that this was the most photos I’ve ever delivered to a couple! Too many lovely moments to narrow down, and what a wedding this was. Emma and Scott – thank you for trusting me to capture such a special and magical day. You are such a n amazing couple and it’s a wedding I’ll be sharing for a long time to come!

Get in that tarn and look happy!

 

I first met the beautiful Lydia about 3 years ago when I did a photoshoot for her gorgeous family! Fast forward to her brother’s wedding a few weeks ago and not only was it amazing seeing Lydia again, but also a total pleasure meeting Joe for the first time! I’ve totally fallen in love with them both. I know from Lydia’s Instagram that they do a lot of hiking and wild swimming. This was a shoot waiting to happen…

I somehow managed to convince these guys to meet me one very quiet morning in the Lake District, swimwear at the ready. We met at the beautiful Blea Tarn at 8am. Even though there wasn’t the beautiful sunrise we’d hoped for, it did mean there was no one around! Bliss!

We started off with a few pictures on the road nearby, with breathtaking views over the Lake District hills. We started off running up and down the road to get us all warmed up – literally! It was such a chilly morning! They even offered to run in bare feet which just made the photos even more wild.

We headed over towards the tarn and got as many photos as we could before chucking them in the water! I knew how cold it was in there. Swimming HAD to be the final item on the list.

I can’t tell you how incredibly natural Lydia and Joe are – both with each other and in front of the camera. They were an absolute dream. I hardly even had to pose them! They literally did not need any guidance whatsoever. I’m just glad I got to photograph them before they realise they should be models, and start charging me hundreds of pounds for a shoot!!!!

Once we’d got all the photos we needed on land, they had no hesitation in getting in the tarn. THE WATER WAS SO COLD, and yet they still managed to look so happy in the photos. The absolute pros they are!

We smashed through the pictures in the water before they got chilly. After a quick swim, and a quick wee from Lydia (yup, there is a photo of this iconic moment), we piled all the layers on them to warm them up. We even plonked a straw hat on Lydia which definitely, definitely helped! It was a great look..

The shoot was just incredible. To top it all off, Lydia and Joe treated me to a gorgeous breakfast in Grasmere which was just divine.

Lydia and Joe – you guys went above and beyond for me on this shoot and I cannot thank you enough for humouring me with my crazy ideas! I’m sure plenty of people would tell me to bugger off if I asked them to jump in a tarn (myself included!). Thank you for allowing me to produce photos that I am SO proud of.

Same time next year?