A gorgeous, joyful and modern wedding from Leeds city centre. I adore this: Ben’s suit to brighten up a January morning, Claire’s stunning bridal look with glasses – she’s absolutely beautiful. The city-hopping flavour of the day, with post-wedding coffee and cake before moving onto an evening reception for a tasting menu – it’s all just wonderful. The images by English Wedding member and Yorkshire wedding photographer David Lindsley take in iconic sights of the city – capturing unforgettable memories of an epic, memorable, and personality-filled wedding.
Wedding photographer’s website
Yorkshire wedding photographer David Lindsley, https://lindsleyweddings.com/
Wedding photographer review
David was amazing from start to finish! He fitted seamlessly into the background of the day and somehow always managed to be exactly where we needed him to be. We loved his documentary style of photography and looking through the photos is really like reliving the joy of the day. We’d recommend him for sure!
Your best wedding moment or memory
Our favourite thing about the wedding day was seeing so many of our family and friends all together – we had a relatively small wedding so it felt a bit like a big dinner party where everyone we love got to chat to each other too. The day felt so full of love and joy, and we remember it so fondly.
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
We didn’t have a “traditional” wedding cake – we just got three cakes from Waitrose that matched in style, but it allowed us to have different flavours and stick to a low budget. They turned out really great on the day, and included homemade ceramic versions of our cats!
We got morning breakfast pastries from North Star which were phenomenal and kept us all on a sugar high for the day! They included some coffee beans to celebrate the big day which was such a nice touch.
We also had a slushie machine at the reception! It was self-serve so people could pull their own slushies. We loved the fun it added to the day.
Venue name + review
After getting married at Leeds Civic Hall, we had cocktails and cake at SALT Call’s Landing. We really liked the modern vibe and it was the perfect setting for cake and catching up with everyone. Our reception was held at Shear’s Yard in Leeds where we had a five course tasting menu. The venue has tall ceilings and beautiful lighting on a regular day, so we already loved the aesthetic before any extra decoration was added. We booked out the restaurant for the night and the food and staff were amazing. It was somewhere we’d been on dates before so it felt very special to hold our wedding day there.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Claire: I wore a Byron wedding dress from Wed2B that was pretty classic – although had been altered (by @amiesalterations) to remove some of the train length. We made pocket squares for the men out of the spare fabric! My sparkly shoes were just from Primark!
Ben: My pink suit was from Marks & Spencers! I wanted something that would be a bit different to the regular blacks and blues normally seen at weddings to brighten up our January wedding.
Florist name + review
The bouquet and the buttonholes were made by Hyde Park Flower Club by Dottie’s – we went for silk flowers in the end, and we love that we still have our wedding flowers out on the dining table! The flowers echoed the pink of Ben’s suit to tie us all together. The foliage at the venue was from Ingrid at Wow My Event Weddings, who totally elevated our venue.
Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?
We had custom coasters that had our names and the wedding date.
We also made cards for each of the guests, with photos of us and them together, and messages of appreciation inside. Watching everyone open their cards was really magical, and it was a nice way for us to really show our love for all of our guests.
Wedding readings?
We had two! The first was Don’t Hesitate by Mary Oliver, and the second was Union by Robert Fulghum. Both felt really authentic to us as a couple.
Hair + makeup name + review
The bridal hair and makeup was by Ellia at Hair and Makeup Collective. She fit right into the bridal party on the day and was really relaxed to have around, complete with enjoying our Busted/McFly heavy playlist!
The views from Maïlys and Tom’s Peak District wedding are breathtaking. Married at Dunscar Farm, this gorgeous pair had a relaxed day with a DIY vibe – and it’s stunning. Their Peak District wedding photographer John Mottershaw is a friend of English Wedding so we’re absolutely thrilled to see such a lovely review for him from the happy couple!
More gorgeous pics from this outdoor wedding on our Instagram – @englishweddingblog
Wedding photographer’s website
John Mottershaw https://www.johnmottershaw.com
Wedding photographer review
My husband and I were so happy with John as our wedding photographer. He was so professional and easy to work with, and he made us feel really comfortable in front of the camera. We loved that he took a lot of candid pictures, so we were able to capture the real emotions of the day. The end results were absolutely stunning, and we will cherish these photos forever.
Your best moment or memory
The outdoor ceremony was truly special, and the bridesmaids’ and best men’s speeches made it all the more emotional. It was a joy to celebrate with everyone on this special day.
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
We had our official wedding ceremony at the town hall on Thursday, so it didn’t make sense to exchange rings again on Saturday. Instead, we incorporated a knot tying ceremony into our celebration. Also because the wedding was part French part English we changed few things to fit both.
Venue name + review
Dunscar Farm
Our Peak District wedding venue was a field with a breathtaking view. Rachel, was ever so helpful and cheerful, serving as our wedding planner on the day. We are so grateful for her and her father’s kindness and hospitality. It was a pleasure to stay at their bed and breakfast.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Tom: light grey suit
Mailys: A boho wedding dress with a twist
Dress or suit shop name + review
Wed2b dress bought on stillwhite
Florist name + review
I picked flowers from my garden and was happy to have something I grew
Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?
There was a fair bit of DIY. I made the table decorations with painted tree branches and flowers. Every guest had a hand made reusable glass with their names on it.
Wedding readings?
We had our vows for each other and then the bridesmaids’ and best men’s speeches. We wanted to have all the speeches early so people could relax and enjoy the rest of the wedding.
First dance song? Playlist recommendations?
A waltz from Howl’s moving castle
An amazing party atmosphere for this stunning DIY wedding in a converted church in Leeds! We are in LOVE with Christina & Cathal’s day – and the gorgeous pics by Yorkshire wedding photographer Matt Sim. Head over to our instagram to see our favourites!
Wedding photographer’s website
Leeds wedding photographer Matt Sim
Wedding photographer review
Matt was absolutely amazing on the day! He made us feel comfortable and captured the day perfectly with lots of natural shots.
Your best moment or memory
Being surrounded by all our family and friends on the altar at Left Bank for our first dance. This was a really special moment after rearranging our wedding several times for covid.
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
The majority of the wedding was prepared by us and our family! From the decorations, flowers, cake and make up, we had a real DIY wedding.
Venue name + review
Left Bank, Leeds. This is a converted church with so much character found hidden in Headingley in Leeds. The venue was stunning in the day, with a real altar, a pulpit for the speeches, pillars and original stained glass. The staff were incredible and it was truly amazing to dance the night away on the altar.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
We had traditional wedding outfits. Although the wedding was in August, Christina wore the dress bought for the original wedding date that was supposed to be in December. Although slightly warm for a summer wedding, she loved it so much that she just had to wear it!
Dress or suit shop name + review
Dress- Wed2B Suit- Moss Bros
Florist name + review
Christina’s auntie Susan- all made the day before the wedding at home!
Cake maker name + review
Christina’s auntie Teresa- again completely homemade and totally stunning!
Stationery maker’s name + review
We made all the stationary ourselves.
Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?
All of the venue decorations were made by us- including floral hoops, table decor, a home made photobooth, table plans and sweetie table
Wedding readings?
These were done by Cathal’s sisters, Roisin and Triona, and Christina’s brother Patrick.
First dance song? Playlist recommendations?
Shut up and Dance with Me- Walk the Moon.
Hair + makeup name + review
Christina’s cousin Mary who has a natural flair for hair and make up and does these as a hobby.
A late blog this Friday, as I’m just back from a calligraphy workshop (it was ace!) I’m absolutely beaming at my screen seeing all the gorgeous pics from today’s wedding. The sunflowers are so happy and colourful, and Erina and Dave are the loveliest couple! This wedding just shines – it’s the perfect, joyful celebration to bring us into the weekend.
Wedding photographer’s website
https://www.hannah-christine.com/
Wedding photographer review
It was a joy to work with Hannah, there were a few things that didn’t go to plan (like most weddings), and Hannah just stayed calm and rolled with it. We both have quite big families so there were a lot of people to organise for photos – Hannah was great at getting people together and making it work even when there were too many people in the photo. Many of our wedding guests/family let us know how impressed they were with Hannah. Hannah was calm, collected, and just seemed genuinely happy to be able to photograph our day. We are so glad to have Hannah as our photographer, and the photos are amazing! We have had so many compliments on our wedding photos. We are not great at taking photos ourselves, so it is great to have these wedding photos to look back on in our home. Hannah has great packages that are well worth the price – we love our wedding album and look forward to getting our USB box.
The service
Dave Lee led our service kindly and clearly, and made us feel really at ease in the wedding rehearsal/wedding day. Sam Stephenson gave a clear and concise talk on Jesus, which we were really grateful for.
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
We had a private cake cutting and then took all of our cake home! Too often the bride and groom don’t get to have any wedding cake, so we had a cake for our wedding guests so we could enjoy ours at home.
Venue name + review
St Andrew’s Wimbledon – We had our whole wedding at the church (ceremony + reception). It took a lot more planning than we thought, but everyone at St Andrew’s Wimbledon was very accommodating and helpful, and the church was really beautiful. They also had an outside area where guests could spend time together, and a second hall for a drinks reception.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Erina – I wore a simple satin A line dress from Wed2Be. It also had pockets! I got my shoes from the rainbow club selection at John Lewis. Dave – I wore a black 3 piece suit from Modigliani in Kingston.
Dress or suit shop name + review
Wed2be (Surbiton) – it was a bit of a roller coaster getting my dress form Wed2Be. However, they were really friendly, and it was all worth it in the end when I found my dress.
Modigliani (Kingston) – Rudy was a legend! He picked out my size as I came into the shop with one of my groomsmen, and let him try on suit jackets/trousers also. He was very knowledgeable and kind, which made the suit buying process simple and fun. I bought the first suit I tried on!
Your best moment or memory
We loved hearing the speeches from our close family and friends. As we mentioned, things didn’t going to plan and we weren’t going to have these photographed, but it’s wonderful to look back on those photos and remember all the lovely things people said. Also, the bride’s cousin stepped up for an impromptu performance which captured everyone and brought lots of joy and energy to the wedding.
Florist name + review
Sarah Hall (Belting Blooms) – Sarah. Was. Amazing! She asked us what we wanted, sent us a portfolio of her ideas, and then delivered more than we could have imagined. She communicated with us really well throughout the whole process, was transparent about what would work/what she could do with our budget, and genuinely went above and beyond throughout the whole day to make sure the flowers looked great. We are so thankful for her help leading up to the wedding, and on the day itself.
Cake maker name + review
Jodie’s Cupcakes – Jodie is a family friend that recently started her cake-making business. We weren’t too fussed with the style of the cake as we just wanted to eat tasty cake, but Jodie delivered a beautiful and tasty cake. We had a 3-tier sunflower cake with layers of red velvet, lemon drizzle and Victoria sponge. Once we told Jodie what we would like, she organised everything smoothly and liaised with our families well. We shared some with our church family the following day, and they loved it too!
Stationery maker’s name + review
Erina found a design on Etsy and we made most of our stationery through Printed.com Printed.com was simple to use and delivered quickly so it was easy to get our invites, service sheets and table numbers sorted.
Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?
A few friends made welcome signs, and activities for the table. On each table we had ‘time capsules’ – messages for us to open each year of our marriage written by our wedding guests. We look forward to reading these!
Wedding readings?
Philippians 2:5-11 –
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
First dance song? Playlist recommendations?
Our first dance song was Perfect by Ed Sheeran, performed by Michael. We would always recommend Candy and Jerusalema, which got a lot of our wedding guests on the dancefloor!
Wedding planner name + review
God! We planned a lot of it ourselves, and we only got through everything by trusting God and praying together.
Hair + makeup name + review
Rebecca (@bexfly on Instagram) – Rebecca listened to what Erina requested and delivered really well on the natural look that Erina wanted. It was fun doing make-up with Rebecca, who was very chill and easy to talk to.
