The wedding of a lifetime: Anthony & William in the Lake District, with Mark Battista Photography
This one’s for the ages. An epic wedding, planned from thousands of miles away, and brought to life with the help of amazing suppliers, especially Lakes and Cumbria wedding photographer Mark Battista.
I shared a handful of pics from Anthony and William’s proposal on English Wedding months ago, secretly hoping I’d be able to share their wedding – and this has made my year! The loveliest, kindest, handsomest couple, surrounded by their best people in the world, celebrating their love with pure delight. Fabulous reviews for favourite suppliers including Cragwood Country House, Johnny Ross Entertainment and The Rolling Keys, Lakes wedding florist Brackens of Bowness, live event illustrator Aaron Jacob Jones, and Michigan’s Express Alterations to follow!
Oh – and there were SO many images I adored from this beautiful wedding: too many to share on this blog, even! So I’ve saved a handful of my absolute favourites to share exclusively on instagram. Find them here: @englishweddingblog
Our wedding photography
Cragwood and Lake District wedding photographer Mark Battista
When we first met Mark in 2024 for our engagement session at Whorneyside Force in the Lake District, we knew almost immediately that he was someone special. Despite the rain and the trek to reach the waterfall, Mark never hesitated. His enthusiasm, professionalism, and willingness to go the extra mile—quite literally—told us everything we needed to know. By the end of that day, we knew he was the photographer we wanted to capture our wedding.
Fast forward to our wedding, and Mark exceeded every expectation we had. He has an incredible ability to make you feel completely at ease while seamlessly blending into the celebration, almost as if he’s part of the family. Before long, you forget there’s even a camera around. The result is a collection of photographs that don’t just document the day—they preserve every emotion. Looking through our gallery, we can relive the laughter, the happy tears, the quiet moments, and the overwhelming joy as if we were experiencing them all over again.
What truly sets Mark apart is how much he genuinely cares. He consistently goes above and beyond for his couples, whether that’s hiking to remote locations, finding the perfect light, or making sure every meaningful moment is captured. His passion for storytelling shines through in every single image, and his eye for capturing genuine, unscripted moments is second to none.
If you’re looking for someone who is not only an incredibly talented photographer but also a wonderful person to have by your side on one of the most important days of your life, we cannot recommend Mark highly enough. We feel incredibly fortunate that he was there to tell our story, and we will treasure these photographs for the rest of our lives. Thank you, Mark, for giving us the greatest gift of all: the ability to relive the best day of our lives, one photograph at a time.
Our wedding venue
Cragwood Country House on Lake Windermere was our wedding venue.
Planning a destination wedding from the United States without ever seeing the venue in person is a leap of faith. We booked Cragwood Country House having never stepped foot on the property, and if we’re being honest, there were moments where we wondered, “Is this place really as beautiful as it looks?” Looking back now, we laugh at that thought because the reality exceeded anything we could have imagined.
From the very beginning, Mathilda and Hannah made us feel completely at ease. Throughout the entire planning process, they were incredibly responsive, thoughtful, and reassuring. No question was ever too small, and no request ever felt like an inconvenience. They guided us through every detail with such professionalism and kindness that, despite being thousands of miles away, we always felt like we were in the best hands.
Then we arrived.
The moment we drove up the winding drive and saw Cragwood Country House for the first time, our breath was completely taken away. As stunning as the photos are, they simply don’t do it justice. The views across Windermere, the beautifully maintained grounds, and the warmth of the house itself are something that has to be experienced in person. It is, without question, one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever been.
What truly makes Cragwood special, however, is its people. Every member of the team welcomed us, our families, and our friends with genuine warmth and hospitality. By the end of the weekend, they no longer felt like the staff at our wedding venue—they felt like family. They anticipated every need before we even had to ask, allowing us to be completely present and enjoy every moment with the people we love.
Choosing Cragwood Country House was the best decision we could have made for our wedding. It wasn’t just a beautiful venue; it became our home for one of the most important weekends of our lives. To Mathilda, Hannah, and the entire Cragwood team, thank you for creating an experience that far exceeded our expectations. You gave us memories that will last a lifetime, and we will forever consider Cragwood a place that holds a very special piece of our hearts.
Our wedding outfits
If there’s one piece of wedding advice we can give, it’s this: find yourself an incredible tailor.
Billy and I had custom suits made through an online company months before our wedding in England. We thought we were doing everything right by ordering well in advance. Unfortunately, delays kept pushing our delivery back until just one week before we were scheduled to leave.
When the suits finally arrived, our hearts sank.
Despite being “custom made,” they weren’t even close. Both suits were at least ten sizes too big. We looked like little kids wearing our dads’ jackets. After months of planning, we genuinely thought we were going to have to start over days before our wedding.
Thankfully, we had one secret weapon: our tailor: Express Alterations, Michigan.
Without hesitation, Hassan rearranged his schedule and worked tirelessly to completely reconstruct both suits. In less than two days, he transformed them from something completely unwearable into suits that fit like they had been made specifically for us. As if that wasn’t enough, he even used the leftover fabric to create custom matching ties, adding a personal touch we hadn’t even imagined.
What could have been one of the most stressful moments leading up to our wedding became one of the biggest reminders that true craftsmanship still exists. His talent, attention to detail, and willingness to go above and beyond quite literally saved our wedding day.
We’ll never forget what he did for us, and every time we look at our wedding photos, we’re reminded that behind those perfectly fitted suits was someone whose incredible work made us feel our absolute best.
Our amazing suppliers
Three suppliers truly helped bring our wedding vision to life: Johnny Ross Entertainment and The Rolling Keys, Brackens of Bowness, and Aaron Jacob Jones.
The Rolling Keys absolutely stole the show. From the moment they started playing, they created an energy that carried throughout the entire evening. Their musicianship is simply out of this world, and they have an incredible ability to read the room and keep the dance floor packed.
We wanted our reception to feel elegant, lively, and unforgettable, and they delivered on every level. Our guests are still talking about how incredible the band was, and we couldn’t imagine our wedding without them.
We also want to give a huge thank you to Brackens of Bowness for bringing our floral vision to life. We intentionally kept our florals understated because we wanted to embrace the natural beauty and character of Cragwood Country House rather than compete with it. Brackens understood that vision perfectly.
Every arrangement felt effortless, elegant, and thoughtfully designed, enhancing the venue without ever overwhelming it. They found exactly the right balance and created a look that was everything we had hoped for.
Finally, we have to talk about our wedding illustrator: Aaron Jacob Jones. Aaron created the most breathtaking custom portrait of Billy and me, and it now hangs proudly in our living room as one of our favorite reminders of the day.
It’s more than just a piece of art—it’s something we’ll cherish for the rest of our lives.
As if that weren’t enough, Aaron also created live, hand-painted portraits for our guests throughout the evening. Watching people receive these beautiful keepsakes became an experience in itself. It wasn’t just another wedding favor; it was a truly special moment that guests could enjoy together, and everyone absolutely loved it. It added such a unique, personal touch to the celebration and is something our family and friends will remember for years to come.
Each of these suppliers brought something completely unique to our wedding, and together they helped create an experience that was every bit as magical as we had imagined. We couldn’t recommend them more highly.
We also want to give a special thank you to Mountain Goat Tours for handling transportation throughout our wedding weekend.
Coordinating travel for more than 50 guests flying in from the United States—many with plenty of luggage—is no small task, but their team handled every transfer with professionalism, efficiency, and care. Knowing our guests were in such capable hands allowed us to focus on enjoying the weekend instead of worrying about logistics, and for that we’re incredibly grateful.
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