Yorkshire is awesome hey?! You can’t deny it. I’m Leeds born + bred and am a pretty patriotic Yorkshireman – and while I’ve been flown as far a field as Thailand, India and all over Europe to photograph weddings, there’s no place like home!
Yorkshire is the largest county in the UK, spanning almost 3 million acres and is often split into three geographical areas; North, West or the East Riding. The North and East are more rural, and the West Riding is much more urbanised.
Because it’s so big, we’re positively spoilt for choice for wedding venues!
In over a decade shooting hundreds of weddings up and down this stunning county, I’ve photographed at ancient castles, outstanding gastro-pubs, smartly converted barns, in national trust ruins and at funky boutique hotels that make me smile. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to take a tour around the best wedding venues I’ve photographed around Yorkshire to provide some ideas and inspiration (plus any of the links in this post will also link to expanded posts specific to those venues too)
Might be best to grab a mug of Yorkshire tea to get you in the spirit of things too, ’cause this might take a while!
So there’s no better place to start than York – the historic capital of Yorkshire – overlooked by the Monster Minster and famous for the ramshackle 14th century street ‘The Shambles’ (small images above left and right). Within the giant stone walls circling the city are all kinds of interesting and ancient spots to host a wedding. The one I’ve photographed most at are weddings at The Merchant Adventurer’s Hall (main image above) – a medieval guildhall that was one of the most important buildings in the medieval city, but I’ve also photographed fab weddings at the ancient Bedern Hall, St William’s College – a listed stripy tudor building around a hidden quadrangle, originally build to provide accommodation for priests attached to chantry chapels at the nearby York Minster – the Hospitium – another ancient building in the grounds of the Museum Gardens by the ruined Abbey – and weddings at The Merchant Taylors Hall – another historic guild hall, for the less adventurous and those into fabrics. ;)
Meanwhile, in my hometown of Leeds there are plenty of fab 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 (above left and right), and often these affairs end up at interesting gastro-pubs such as The Foundry, the Midnight Bell or The Crossed Keys in Holbeck, or at the funky, alternative former-church-cum-arts-space LeftBank in Hyde Park.
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 (above left, looking misty) – a country house again not far out of Leeds on the way South to Gildersome – and the Hansel & Gretel looking stack of Holdsworth House out near Halifax (above right).
A new favourite of mine is the wedding venue Denton Hall (main image above), a country house on the river Wharfe between Otley and Ilkley, overlooking the Chevin. It’s a gem of the North Yorkshire countryside and a wonderful wedding venue whatever the season.
South of the city 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!
Then another of my favourites, heading out towards Harrogate and Knaresborough is Goldsborough Hall (main image above) – a 17th-century country mansion with royal connections, set in 12 acres of landscaped grounds (famous for their seas of snowdrops and daffodils). Clare who runs the place is also a star, and they’ve recently added a lovely conservatory to the wedding set-up they run there.
Heading away from Harrogate you’ve got the country house wedding venue Rudding Park (above left) a listed Regency building with a modern state of the art spa, stunning golf course and a 19th Century Chapel.
In the direction of Wetherby, you’ve possibly The best Yorkshire barn wedding venue Priory Cottages (above right) – in the Rawlings family’s working farm, and set around a courtyard, flanked by modern cottages and an ancient 12th century priory.
From Wetherby, just past the picturesque village of Linton, is another Spa & country house style venue Wood Hall (main image above) – with its pride and prejudice style sweeping drive down to it affording lovely views of rolling Yorkshire.
Heading North into Yorkshire between Leeds and York you pass the elegant Hazlewood Castle wedding venue (above left) – a pet friendly spa, with grand dining rooms and sneaky priest holes (as during the persecution of Catholics provided refuge for priests).
Following on from the Henry VIII priest drama, I’ve photographed at loads of Yorkshire’s Abbey ruins; my favourites being weddings at Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds and weddings at Fountains Abbey up near Ripon (main image above). I’m often amused by the poor attempts made to actually ‘dissolve’ these Cistercian abbeys, as Fountains is still in impressively good nick! Ceremonies are generally held in Fountains Hall, 5minutes from the ruins, which was built largely out of stone from the ruins.
Heading further into the Gods own playground of the Yorkshire Dales, I’ve shot weddings at Bolton Castle (main image above), in my favourite dale Wensleydale (the backwards named village of Castle Bolton!). Not a perfect venue for winter, but stunning banquet hall vibes as you explore the towers and turrets.
You’ve gotta love the rolling drama of the Dales – and another fave spot on the gateway into to the Dales is Swinton Park near Marsham. Even in bleak winter, the hills look fab – as seen in this view down into Askrigg in Wensleydale, before a wedding round the bend at the gorgeous boutique hotel wedding at Yorebridge House in Bainbridge
One of my favourite venues 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 slicken up over the years, and it’s always a pleasure to shoot at.
One thing I do love Yorkshire for are the high-end gastro-pubs that also host fab weddings, such as the Angel at Hetton – but two of my favourites are in fact in the same quaint village of Harome, near Helmsley – The Pheasant (main image above) and Michelin Starred wedding yorkshire venue The Star Inn. Both make for a delightful stay away as well as for smaller funky weddings, where a groom in a smart tweed suit wouldn’t go amiss in the Pheasant’s lounge (below left).
If you’re looking for something a bit different, sometimes it’s nice to married in a country home that’s still lived in and run by a family, and a wedding at Newburgh Priory is a great choice (above right) – with a ruined priory in the grounds for you to hide your marquee!
As far as I can tell, East Yorkshire is often a bit of a lesser known spot for weddings, but I’ve recently photographed stunning weddings at Saltmarshe Hall and Carlton Towers (above main image) both near Goole and both absolutely gorgeous!
There are a glut of wedding venues in Burnsall (above left) in Wharfdale – including The Red Lion and the Devonshire Fell in the pretty village itself, 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 park 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!
Finally, ending our Yorkshire tour coming back towards Harrogate, is the superb wedding venue Ripley Castle (above main image) – a Grade I listed 14th-century country house in the most picture perfect Yorkshire village with an ancient icecream shop, butchers and a pub called the Boars Head.
There are just so many great wedding venues in and around Yorkshire that I can’t name them all! Some venues I’ve been fortunate enough to shoot so often I consider them a home from home.
I hope this list of my best Yorksire wedding venues has given you some ideas and inspiration! Below are galleries specific only to Yorkshire venues, so go top up your brew and have a good browse through! And if you’re looking for a specific venue, please use the search bar and type in the venue you’re after to see if I’ve shot there!
Cheers for looking,
Barnaby x
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