EAST RIDDLESDEN HALL wedding 

JESS & DAN's colourful & musical wedding day in keighley

Jess and Dan met on a blind date that two of their friends set up. They ended up going sledging together and 'it was all downhill from there' - I can't really take credit for that joke seen as I heard it twice on their wedding day during the speeches, and also because I couldn't bring myself to even jokingly say one negative thing about these two!

We started the day at Jess & Dan's beautiful house in West Yorkshire which is an absolute dream. The decor is amazing and it was the perfect place for getting ready photographs. I always love it when Brides choose to get ready at home because I get to capture loads of little details about themselves and their lives. Jess and Dan's house is full of old vinyls, vintage furniture & art prints which definitely reflects their musical and creative-selves. They both love live music (a theme which carried on to their wedding reception) and Jess' bridesmaids all signed a Stevie Wonder record as a gift at her hen party. Oh, and they also have the cutest kitten, Trixie, who I may have photographed almost as much as Jess (kidding!) 

Jess and Dan's ceremony took place inside the barn at East Riddlesden Hall. I love this venue so, so much. It looks completely different somehow each time I photograph there! Straight after the ceremony, everyone headed up to the gardens behind the Hall where Jess and Dan's friend read a personal blessing and another of their friends played 'Is This Love' by Bob Marley on the guitar. I'm so glad they had nice enough weather to hold the outdoor blessing! After both ceremonies, we headed back to the barn which had been transformed for the evening reception. Jess & Dan had a colourful, DIY theme. Each table was named after a different album with records as centrepieces. 

I usually leave couples to chill out and enjoy their food with friends and family before whisking them away for twenty minutes or so for some group portraits. East Riddlesden Hall really has some fantastic spots for photographs and even though I've been here a few times, I always find new and interesting spots. Me, Jess and Dan had a little stroll round the gardens and took some relaxed portraits. I always try to give couples some simple prompts and instructions for their couple's portraits, but these photographs are less about posing and more about just simply spending some time together. After that we whizzed back on the golf buggy in time for speeches and then the evening-do kicked off with some live music and dancing!

Thanks for having me Jess & Dan. It was great to be a part of your colourful, musical, chilled out day. 

Wedding Team (written by Jess & Dan)

- Bride's Outfit Details - 
Bespoke duchess silk satin dress made by Rebecca Bluff at Tutti Bella Bridal, Clayton. Couture headpiece by my close friend Molly Bunce at Good Golly Miss Molly Hats. Shoes - Rupert Sanderson for Dune. My diamond necklace was a gift from Dan on the morning of the wedding.

- Groom's Outifit Details - 
Suit from Racing Green, watch and cufflinks were my wedding morning gifts to Dan. All the boys had matching tie and pocket square from ASOS. Dan's silver Louy Magroos cufflinks were engraved with the GPS co-ordinates of East Riddlesden Hall and I got his watch from Bradburys of Halifax (who also bespoke designed my engagement ring and supplied my wedding band). Dan's wedding ring is titanium inlaid with wood and we got it from Etsy.

- Bridesmaid's Dresses - Chi Chi London

- Hair & Makeup - We all did our own makeup. Hair was by Catherine Danby.

- Flowers & Buttonholes - Origami buttonholes were made from sheet music by Dan and his mum. Me, my mum and my sister made all 5 of the hand-tied bouquets using flowers and greenery from my mum and grandma's garden.

- Venue Dressing/Props - The paper pinwheels we made at home with craft supplies bought online, friends and family all helped make a few each if they visited us in the run up to the wedding! Gin bottles were collected from friends and our local pub. I made the seating plan using a mirror from home, ribbon bought online and Ikea paper bunting which was a gift from our friend Sophie, who also made all the lovely paper pom poms. We decorated the venue ourselves the day before the wedding. The 7" singles on the tables were all by musicians/bands we love. The flowers in the venue were a mix of supermarket bouquets and mum/grandma's garden. The card postbox was hired from Wedding Sparkle in Brighouse.

- Cake - We had a cheese tower provided by Eat Me Drink Me rather than a cake.

- Caterers - Eat Me Drink Me (who were excellent and so nice to work with). We wanted a very relaxed and informal meal so we chose a selection of BBQ sharing platters... steak, Moroccan chicken, delicious sausages...chips...it was excellent and I think our guests all enjoyed it!

- Band - Funkside, which is a band Dan and I were founder members of in 2013. They are all our mates and it was lovely to have them play at our wedding! They got everyone up dancing and as usual were really professional and fun!! Our close friend Richard Anderson (of Halifax Guitar School) played 'our song' during the blessing we had in the formal gardens after the official civil ceremony - this was one of the most special moments of the day for me & Dan.

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