Yorkshire is the largest county in the UK and we are positively spoilt for choice for wedding venues – from ancient castles, gastro-pubs, smartly converted barns, national trust ruins and at funky boutique hotels!
I’m Barnaby Aldrick, a Leeds-based Yorkshire wedding photographer with a decade of experience capturing couples wedding stories. My journey in photography, enriched by a degree in Psychology, has found me shooting fabulous weddings up and down this stunning county, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to run through the best Yorkshire wedding venues with ideas, inspiration and links…
York is the historic capital of Yorkshire, overlooked by the huge Minster and famous for the ramshackle 14th century street ‘The Shambles’. Within its giant stone walls are all kinds of ancient gems to host a wedding. The one I’ve photographed most at are The Merchant Adventurer’s Hall (main image above) – a medieval guildhall that was one of the most important buildings in the medieval city. I’ve also photographed enjoyed shooting weddings at Bedern Hall – a stunning 700 year old hall – St William’s College – a stripy tudor building around a secret quadrangle, once a home for York Minster’s priests – the Hospitium – a stunning hall in the grounds of the Museum Gardens, between the Ouse and the ruined Abbey – and The Merchant Taylors Hall – an historic guild hall, for the less adventurous and those into fabrics. ;) You can’t go wrong at any of these lovely spots!
My home town of Leeds has plenty of exciting venues within easy reach of this bustling metropolitan Northern powerhouse. In the city centre I’ve papped civil ceremonies overlooked by the wise owls at Leeds Civic Hall and the Leeds Town Hall (top  left and right in the above images), and often these affairs end up at interesting gastro-pubs such as The Foundry, the Midnight Bell or The Crossed Keys, or at the funky, alternative former-church-cum-arts-space LeftBank in Hyde Park (where I actually had my wedding!).
Within a 15 minute drive of the centre, The Mansion at Roundhay Park (main image above) is an 1800’s Grade II listed building set in over 700 acres of gorgeous parkland, overlooking lakes and woodland.
Heading out of Leeds you’ve got Woodlands Hotel (top left above, looking misty) – a country house that’s added a brilliant orangery to it’s wedding space – and the Hansel & Gretel looking stack of Holdsworth House out near Halifax (above right). I also love shooting at Newburgh Priory – a country home that’s still lived in and run by the family, with beautiful ruins to celebrate in!
Denton Hall (main image above) – a grand stack overlooking Otley Chevin – was one of my faves, and closed its doors in 2022 to undergo a full makeover and I can’t wait for its return.
South of Leeds you’ve got Oulton Hall (above left) – an 18th century mansion, spa and 27 hole golf course – and Waterton Park (above right) – a spa with an old hall on its own island, accessible via a bridge!
Heading out towards Harrogate and Knaresborough are a plethora of wedding venue options, my favourite being Goldsborough Hall (main image above) – a 17th-century country mansion with royal connections, set in 12 acres of landscaped. There’s also a new garden centre Crimple Hall that’s worth a look for something funky!
Within the city are the Victorian super hotels of The Old Swan or the Sun Pavilion, but heading out of Harrogate, you’ll find Rudding Park (above left) a listed Regency building with a modern state of the art spa, stunning golf course and a stunning little 19th Century Chapel.
In the direction of Wetherby is my favourite wedding barn venue Priory Cottages (above right) – in the a working family working farm, with stunning cottages in a courtyard facing an ancient 12th century priory.
Not far away is another spa and country house venue Wood Hall (main image above) – with its pride and prejudice style sweeping drive down to it affording lovely views of rolling Yorkshire.
Heading into North Yorkshire you pass the elegant Hazlewood Castle wedding venue (top left above) – a pet friendly spa, with grand dining rooms and sneaky priest holes. And in the vein of Henry VIII’s priest drama, Yorkshire’s has stunning Abbey ruins; my favourites being Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds and Fountains Abbey up near Ripon (main image above).
Gods County shines brightest in the Yorkshire Dales, and one of my favourite castle venues there is Bolton Castle (main image above) – perhaps not perfect in winter, but stunning banquet hall vibes with towers and turrets and lovely views across Wensleydale.
Swinton Park near Marsham is an opulent stunner up this way too, or for something more low key, there’s the gorgeous boutique gastro-hotel Yorebridge House in Bainbridge. There are also a glut of wedding venues around Burnsall (above left) in Wharfedale – including The Red Lion and the Devonshire Fell in the pretty village itself, The Tithe Barn at Bolton Abbey and the Priests house up the hill, and the Michelin-Starred Devonshire Arms, which has it’s own helepad in case you need somewhere to land your chopper!
If you’re looking for a bit of fun from a wedding venue, there’s nothing more unique than a wedding at the Crab & Lobster – a boutique hotel in the truest sense – a quirky, kooky hotel, decorated with whimsy and adorned with all manor of random trinkets! I mean, they’ve not only got an 7ft yeti who’s dressed in different outfits every time I visit, but there’s also a hidden beer tap that’s free for all those lucky enough to find it – what’s not to love!?
At the other end of the spectrum, there’s class, culture and spectacle with a wedding at the Bowes Museum up in Barnard Castle near Durham – where you can host your wedding in a French-style chateaux surrounded by a World-class art!
My favourite venue in the Dales though, on the edge of Richmond, is Middleton Lodge – an extensive Georgian Estate wedding venue, with no less than three wedding venues – a Georgian country house, a former coach house and now the Fig House. It’s been fab seeing this venue expand and improve over the years!
One thing I do love Yorkshire for are the high-end gastro-pubs that also host fab weddings, such as the gastro mecca of the Angel at Hetton or The Pheasant (main image above) and Michelin Starred wedding yorkshire venue The Star Inn – both in the same quaint village of Harome, near Helmsley.
East Yorkshire is often a bit overlooked for weddings, but venues such as Saltmarshe Hall and Carlton Towers (above main image and both near Goole) are absolutely gorgeous!
I’ve mentioned Hazlewood Castle, and Castle Bolton, but I’d say my fave castle wedding venue is the superb  Ripley Castle (above main image) – a Grade I listed 14th-century country house in a time warp of a village (with an amazing ice cream shop!)
We’ll as you can see, we’re spoiled for choice in Yorkshire, and the best venue is… the venue that’s best for a couple! And wherever is finally chosen, it’s my job and my pleasure to tell a candid, love-filled story of the day – championing all the fun and frolics, and while letting the day unfold naturally and not become dominated by the photography!
I hope this list of my best Yorkshire wedding venues has given you some ideas and inspiration.
If you like what you see hit the button below and I’ll send you an eBrochure Price Guide to explain everything, with no pressure to book:
It’s so important to me that my couples have a fab experience with me, and these reviews from real couples on Google and Facebook are great to read, straight from the horses mouth:
Below is a grid linking to all the weddings I’ve photographed in the Yorkshire area. Feel free to look through for ideas and inspiration!
Alternatively, search for your venue using the search bar below:
Yesterday I joined the lovely Vicky & Rob to photograph their big day at Priory Cottages in Syningthwaite, near Wetherby. I genuinely love shooting weddings here. Â The wedding reception (& civil services, if done here too) take ...
Yesterday I joined the very beautiful Sian & Mike to photograph their wedding at Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire. Man alive – I love this place!  There’s arguably not a more dramatic backdrop for a wedding in all the ...
On Friday I joined an old school pal, Amy & her fiancé Rom, to photograph their wedding at Rudding Park, near Harrogate. Wedding photography at Rudding Park is always lots of fun – and these guys threw a cracking party for ...
Yesterday I joined Laura & James to photograph their wedding at Woodlands Hotel in Leeds. Woodlands is such an ace place to photograph a wedding.  Laura & James & all their guests seemed to have a fantastic time. I hope you ...
Yesterday I joined these lovely guys, Katie & Neil, to photograph their wedding in Beverley! Their unique wedding involved the wonderful PapaKåta nordic teepees, set up in the lovely Broadgate Farm cottages in Beverley! I hope you ...
Yesterday I joined Katie & Nick to photograph their Barn wedding at the amazing Priory Cottages, Syningthwaite (near Wetherby). I love shooting at the Priory and it was great to be back on a a beautifully sunny spring day, with ...
I love shooting at Rudding Park near Harrogate!  It’s an ace spot to host a wedding. So it was grand to be back there to join my old high-school buddy Amy & her fiancé Rom for their pre-wedding meet there. I’d suspected ...
I’m fortunate enough to be in a network of ace UK photographers & last Monday I joined a few of them at The Mansion in Roundhay Park for a flash day! Basically my pal Cris Matthews – AKA: ‘Flash’ Matthews ...
Yesterday I joined Lucy & Stewart to photograph their bonfire night wedding! It was at Swinton Park up in North Yorkshire and was a fab place to shoot a late Autumn wedding.  When we arrived it was drizzling, but it was great that ...
Yesterday I joined Rachael & Chris to photograph their wedding up in deepest North Yorkshire! They hosted their big day at Middleton Lodge, near Richmond – not far from Scotch corner. Not ideal weather for a wedding, ...
On Friday I joined Lucy & Rowan to photograph their cracking wedding at The Mansion in Roundhay Park, Leeds! This was always gonna be a fun wedding for me, as I went to school with these kids and have been good pals with Lucy for ...
On Friday I joined Emma & Ryan to photograph their ace wedding! After a church service at Holy Trinity Church in Idle, they hosted their wedding reception at Woodlands Hotel in Leeds. It’s an an ace place to photograph a ...
Earlier this week I joined these fine lookers for their pre-wedding shoot around their wedding venue The Mansion in Roundhay Park, Leeds. Lucy, Rowan & I go way back. We all went to school together and Lucy Lastic & I’ve ...
Yesterday we joined the lovely Jo & Joe to photograph their stunning Yorkshire wedding at The Priory at Syningthwaite, near Wetherby. Apart from a nosey round the grounds at their practice pre-wedding shoot (blog post here), it was ...
Yesterday I joined Emma & Nick to photograph their wedding at the amazing Left Bank in Leeds! It’s such an amazing place with a fascinating history. In short, it was a community funded church that was never quite finished ...
Yesterday I joined Jennifer & Simon to photograph their wedding at recently renovated Mansion in Roundhay Park, Leeds. I grew up in Roundhay and know the area well. The Mansion has undergone a massive refurb in recent years and has ...
A few weekends back I joined the lovely Jenni & Simon for their practice shoot at the newly refurbished Mansion in Roundhay Park, Leeds I grew up over the park from The Mansion, and knew it well.  As an underage but 17 year old, I ...
Last Friday I joined Nichola & Dave to photograph their wonderful wedding at Rudding Park, near Harrogate. At Nichola’s house there was a houseful of well wishing cards. And in their bedroom hung the beautiful dress! ...
A few Saturday’s back I joined Nichola & Dave for their pre-wedding practice photography at Rudding Park, outside Harrogate. It was great to catch up with them again and have a good gas about their plans and logistics over a ...
Yesterday I joined Ellen & Jonathan to photograph their wedding at recently renovated Mansion in Roundhay Park, Leeds. As I grew up over the park from The Mansion, I knew it well.  As a 16 year old, I spent many a night trying to ...
After last Friday’s wedding I spent Saturday & Sunday shuffling all over Yorkshire meeting 6 upcoming wedding couples for their pre-wedding meetings! The soonest to be wed were these happy bunnies, Ellen & Jonathan! ...
I’ve just realised it might be worth letting some of you know that I’m going to be at the Woodlands Hotel (above) Wedding Fair in Leeds this Sunday (tomorrow! The 17th April).  If any of you are heading along anyway or ...
Above are the lovely Lisa & Andrew. Â I did their wedding photography at Wentbridge House Hotel yesterday near Pontyfract. Although I’ve a silly packed year ahead of me, it was my first wedding of the season and I was excited ...
I joined these fine folks, Kevin & Dawn, for their wedding yesterday Kevin said that his ushers and he were suited and booted, tailed and top hatted, and I loved that he called that the ‘full mashings’ Here’s ...
Last week I joined the lovely Lisa & Toby to photograph their wedding at Hazlewood Castle, out near Wetherby between Leeds and York. I love shooting at Hazlewood, especially on a stunning sunny day like this. They were both cool in ...
