I’m super thrilled to be sharing this gorgeous wedding today. Michelle and Rakesh (Ricky) are stunning, their day was a whirlwind of creativity, colour, joy and love, with amazing moments and surprises thrown in! The attention to detail from this lovely couple makes for especially exciting reading, but it’s the photos of their day that won my heart. Everything was captured so beautifully by Yorkshire wedding photographer Fabio Photography, based in Leeds. (Fabio covers weddings throughout the UK.) The venue: Ilkley’s King’s Hall and Winter Garden

Wedding photographer’s website

https://www.fabiophotography.co.uk

Wedding photographer review

A fantastic photographer who truly listened to our wishes while also bringing in creative ideas from his experience. We trusted his vision, and the final photographs turned out stunning. He even stayed longer than planned to capture as much of our fusion wedding as possible, and so many of our guests commented on how brilliant he was.

Your best wedding moment or memory

At first, we both said the exchange of vows was the best moment. Then we thought about the speeches, the dinner, and later, we agreed the evening was incredible. Ultimately, what made it so special was being surrounded by the people we love and getting to share our joy with them. That, for us, is the best memory.

Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)

We incorporated several unique touches into our wedding:

• Our venue was a working theatre, so we designed official-looking tickets with our wedding date and times. These were stamped with a unique mark as a keepsake for our guests.
• Our little family members took on the role of “ring security”, which, while not entirely new, was a fun surprise for many of our guests.
• In the evening, we changed from our English wedding attire into traditional Punjabi clothing and made a grand entrance dancing to live dhol drummers.
• We played traditional Punjabi wedding games to determine who would “rule” the relationship—Michelle won!
• We included the Mangalsutra ceremony, where the groom gives the bride a traditional necklace as a symbol of their marriage.
• As a surprise, we announced and celebrated the birthdays of six guests, presenting them with cakes featuring their photos and singing “Happy Birthday” to them.
• Our evening reception had a mix of English and Indian cuisine, along with roulette tables, a caricaturist, a face painter, a selfie mirror, and a cocktail mixologist serving a custom menu of autumn-themed drinks we selected.

Videographer name + review

Martin at Valley Visual Films

Martin was brilliant—professional yet unobtrusive, giving us space while still capturing all the intimate moments. The film was delivered quickly but with incredible care and quality. We, along with our family and friends, continue to enjoy looking back on it with fond memories.

Venue name + review

Kings Hall and Winter Gardens, Ilkley

A beautiful venue rich in history, set in the charming village of Ilkley. The large, naturally lit Victorian ceremony room perfectly complemented our autumnal theme. With ample space for our 200+ guests, it was both grand and intimate. The theatre setting was spectacular for our wedding breakfast and evening celebration—truly a hidden gem in the Yorkshire Moors.

Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!

Michelle: For the ceremony, I wore a simple long white dress with long sleeves and a split detail, featuring a cowl back, tiara, and a long veil from Must Be Love Bridal in Nottinghamshire. My mid-heel shoes were from Irregular Choice. For traditions, I wore:

• Something old & borrowed: My grandad’s wedding ring
• Something new & blue: A necklace gifted by my mum
• I also had mehndi (henna) on both hands

In the evening, I changed into a burnt orange and antique gold Punjabi lehenga, with matching antique gold Punjabi bridal jewelry, designed by a bespoke wedding clothing designer at Bradford Plaza.

Ricky: For the ceremony, I wore a burgundy tweed suit, paired with a cream shirt and a burnt orange tie — the same tie was gifted to distinguished family members to wear, tying into our autumnal theme. In the evening, I changed into a traditional Shivani, a northern Indian wedding outfit, in orange, burgundy, with hints of blue and gold.

Dress or suit shop name + review

Groom’s ceremony attire – Suit, shirt, and tie from Slater Menswear, Nottingham.
Groom’s evening attire – Tailor-made and sent to Kashmir for a six-week turnaround, designed by a bespoke wedding clothing specialist at Bradford Plaza.

Florist name + review

Shindig Event Styling did a fantastic job dressing our ceremony and reception with beautiful autumnal trees, drapes, and florals, including a stunning floral archway and table arrangements.

Cake maker name + review

Our cake was made by Michelle’s sister Selina as our wedding gift, a three tiered cake decorated in our theme

Stationery maker’s name + review

Michelle’s Man of Honour and best friend created our place settings as a gift. All other stationery, signage, and imagery were handmade by Michelle, Ricky, and Ricky’s children, Erin and Bennett.

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

Our wedding was full of DIY elements, including:

• Handmade bouquets and buttonholes (Michelle & her mum). • Custom “ring security” accessories (Michelle & Ricky).
• Wedding favours & kids’ activity packs (Michelle, Ricky, family & friends).
• Fusion-themed activity packs for children, blending English and Indian games.
• Homemade confetti (Michelle & Emma).
• A unique guest book/well wishes activity, created by Michelle’s friend Emma, which we opened on our 1-year anniversary.
• A diamond art picture in our wedding colours, crafted by Michelle’s sister Alana, displayed alongside a memorial table for loved ones who had passed.

Wedding readings?

1. We had three readings, starting from long to short:
   “Love’s Eternal Dance” – An old Punjabi poem adapted to reflect the union of East and West, read by Lash Lal, a family relative of the groom, chosen for her fluency in Punjabi.
2. “Blessing of the Hands” – A reflection on the balance and tenderness of a relationship, read by Rekha Dulai.
3. “Here and Now” – A short, sweet reading by Michelle’s close friend, Emma Sinnet.

Wedding planner name + review

Emma at Embie Events was fantastic. She supported us throughout the planning process and ensured everything ran seamlessly on the day. She even came to where I was getting ready to steam my wedding dress! With a huge task ahead of her, she managed it all effortlessly while also serving as our MC for the day.

Hair + makeup name + review

Styled by Armani
Armani was brilliant—she listened to what I liked (and didn’t like!) and made me feel perfect on the day. She also did the hair and makeup for some of my bridesmaids, and they all looked stunning.

Live music

Ray’s Piano
Ray’s Piano played for us from the ceremony right through to the end of the wedding breakfast, and he was absolutely fabulous. We gave him some tricky songs to play, but he did them justice, and his performance added such a beautiful, elegant touch to the day. He was a joy to collaborate with, and we couldn’t have asked for a better musician to set the perfect atmosphere.