Yesterday I joined the beautiful Helen & Guy to photograph their wedding at Priory Cottages in Syningthwaite, between Wetherby & York.
I always love shooting at The Priory, and having been there a whole bunch of times recently, it’s become one of my fave wedding venues around.
They were amazingly lucky with the weather, especially considering it rained constantly in the run up to their big day, and after the ‘Wettest June since records began’, I felt their concern
As it forever changes, I rarely look at forecasts in the run up to a wedding, and generally take a peep the night before to see what’s on the cards.
Let’s just say it looks like they chose the right date eh?!
I hope you enjoy this story of a very special day!
So I joined Helen & the girls at her folk’s beautiful pad in Harrogate.
Here’s the lovely bride-to-be having her makeup applied!
Next door the bridesmaids had a brew while they had their hair fixed
Upstairs Helen’s beautiful gown lay in wait.
Some borrowed, blue, old & new – and generally all very sparkly!
Shoes sparkled to match
The ‘praline’ bridesmaids dresses & flower girls kit looked smashing. 
Here’s little Jasmine, being distracted by crisps while her hair’s curled!
The flowers were simply brilliant, right down to the ace boxes they came in!
Helen loved the ‘David Austin’ peach roses she had in her bouquet. Â They’re almost like peonies.
Inside it was time to crack open some celebratory bubbles!
Cheers!
Meanwhile, Clare joined Guy and the guys at Guys’
Helen had left a few instructions about!
The rings were ready and waiting.
Time to suit up!
I like this one of Clare’s – a nicely framed moment, with good lines and element placement.
Team Groom!
The Groom
The details!
Guy’s mate drove the chaps to the church in his monster Roller!
Via the Bay Horse for a few sneaky scoops.
The church in Kirk Deighton is a beauty indeed.
All their stationary and design looked stunning
As guests started to arrive…
…so did the official wedding transport!
A significantly earlier generation of Rolls Royces!  The driver told me it the blue one was a 1926 Rolls Royce 20 and the burgundy one a 1932 Rolls Royce 20/25.  The numbers stood for their horse power.  20 horses!
They’re a thing of beauty, but my Audi TT has 12 times that!
Inside, the bridesmaids looked stunning
And up in Helen’s parents beautifully airy room, Helen had a family friend & dress maker help her into her dress.
(She’d also apparently been a complete star by taking in the dress they’d been having problems with)
Love this one
One little flower girl, looking ace!
A few final touches
Super elegant, much?
One proud dad!
The sun was blazing as we arrived at the church. Â I love this image. Â There’s so much going on.
Picture perfect
A moment with Dad in the backlit doorway…
Before heading down the Aisle.
The kiss!
Unfortunately, the vicar was disappointingly strict about photography during the service, and although they allowed us to photograph from the back (which is far better than nothing), it’s always a shame not being able to stand at the front, quietly capturing a couples expressions as they don rings and say their vows. Â Some vicars lay out excuses for it being distracting for the couple, others distracting for the congregation, but I can’t see it and if anyone I think it’s them who find it distracting. Â If I asked every single couple I’ve photographed in a church if the shutter going off was ‘distracting’, I know what I’d hear.
I’m fully aware of how sacred church services are, and go out of my way to behave accordingly during a service (find a spot & stick to it, no flash, limited snaps, quiet shutter etc). Â I understand some vicars have been ‘burnt’ by over-zealous photographers, skipping around and not behaving properly, but I do wish they’d lay ground rules for the best possible pictures, rather than severely limiting us. Â Both the vicar & photographer are professionals doing a job, and it’s always a shame to have part of the story impeded for no good reason.
But at the end of the day, it’s their place of worship and we have to play by their rules.
[ Apologies for the rant – but there’s a chance vicars may see this and perhaps consider our working point of view ]
After registers were officially signed, I was allowed to take official photos
And down the aisle came a new man & wife!
A bit of a mingle in the sunshine
A blast of confetti at the gates
And over to Priory Cottages in the impressively hard to spell Syningthwaite! 
It almost ended up being too hot!
They couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather!
The classical gutarist playing mellow covers was a nice touch
There’s always plenty of room inside Priory to mingle too
I liked their card and gifts table, with some framed images of their parents wedding photos!
Times have certainly changed on the wedding photo front, eh?!
These guys looked stunning in front of the old Priory building
It’s a tad cheesy, but I like making a heart out of people’s hands!
We’d all met up to catch up and do a practice shoot in the drizzle at Harlow Carr Gardens a month of so back.
It definitely helped to loosen these guys up in front of the camera!  Check out the post here.
Aww
Before the groupshots, we did a quick shot of everyone from one of the cottage windows.
Here’s their ace table plan!
And unusually, the Priory put the wedding breakfast tables at the far end of the marquee, with windows looking out over the sunny fields.
I rather like it this way round.
The flora on the tables looked amazing, and tables were named after fancy watches!
I think Guy’s hand may have been in this one, if you’ll forgive the pun.
One happy couple being announced in as man & wife!
I liked the washing line to hang hats on!
Speeches were simply brilliant! Â Helen’s dad’s speech was arguably the best father of the bride speech I’ve ever seen. Â He’d shot a video of himself talking to camera in front of places Helen had grown up in, starting various ‘actors’ (read: relatives), dressed up as Helen and her mum etc. Â It was both hilarious and touching. Â Great work dad!
The cutting of the cake!
After dinner we did a few quick wedding party teamshots! Â Here’s the girls working some ‘sass’
And the chaps doing their best catalogue poses!
The boys were adamant about picking Helen up!
The Hens!
The Stags!
Warning: doing team shots after several hours of free bar is entertaining, but not advised!
The first dance was lovely…
and then the party really started!
So after a quick go on the ‘pizza pod’, we bid farewell!
Fun times all round eh?
Thank you Helen & Guy for asking us along to document your wonderful wedding at The Priory. Â Here’s to a happy life together and to a wicked honeymoon in Singapore & Bali!
x Barnaby & Clare x