Selby Wedding Photographer: Carlton Towers

Beth and Chris got married earlier this year, at Carlton Towers, They had not one, but two gorgeous ceremonies. It’s fair to say that they are probably not the most traditional of couples. They definitely personalised the wedding to do things their way, which, I think, is why I enjoyed photographing this day so much.

We started off traditionally enough, with the bride and her bridesmaids getting ready in The Cottage at Brind Lane Village Farm. A beautiful rural location that was so peaceful, you could hear the excitement of the morning’s preparations from halfway down the lane. Chris started the day off well by treating his bride to be with a gift of her dream wedding shoes and then after that everyone found a bit of space in the cottage, set their mirrors up and started to get ready.

When you drive up to Carlton Towers, you just can’t help but be impressed by the place. It towers above the surrounding sleepy rural setting and is an amazing looking gothic stately home, owned by the Duke of Norfolk, whose brother and family still live there (In the ivy-covered bit on the end). Inside the Towers is just as impressive, with antique armour, sculptures, tapestries and just so much history to look at, everywhere.

Break With Tradition

Now when I said that Beth and Chris weren’t the most traditional of couples, this is where things deviated a bit from the traditional path. They had two ceremonies, the legal one inside in possibly one of the grandest rooms that I’ve ever been allowed in, the second one being a blessing out on the lawn, lead by a friend of the couple, that was a really personal, emotional affair, with readings by many of the guests, both family and friends alike. For the first ceremony, Beth & Chris met each other at the entrance and entered together, with Beth pausing on the way down the aisle to give her dad a kiss and exchange a few words.

The weather in the afternoon was perfect for lawn games and for the blessing ceremony and eventually, the proceedings moved inside for food, music, dancing, twirling, cake and cheese.

Surprisingly, this was the first time I’ve photographed a wedding where the Bride & Groom had a rehearsed first dance too.

Enjoy the wedding photographs. I certainly enjoyed taking them.