top of page

A Childhood Dream Come True: Rachael & Luke’s North Yorkshire Wedding

  • Writer: Fiona Bielby
    Fiona Bielby
  • Jun 9
  • 3 min read

By a North Yorkshire Wedding Photographer who’s still smiling about it…

Bride and groom walk through wild Yorkshire grass with their dog in front of a decommissioned countryside church — captured by North Yorkshire Wedding Photographer.

Some weddings are just pure magic from start to finish, not because everything goes perfectly, but because the people involved make it perfect, rain or shine.


Rachael had a dream...Since she was a little girl walking those family fields, she’d always imagined herself saying "I will" in the old decommissioned church, just a stone’s throw from her childhood home. No roof. No pews. No windows. Just open skies and the sounds of nature as the soundtrack to her vows. So when it came time to actually plan her wedding to Luke, she knew exactly where she wanted to be.


Drone shot of decommissioned countryside church — captured by North Yorkshire Wedding Photographer

Drone shot, directly above, of decommissioned countryside church — captured by North Yorkshire Wedding Photographer

Swallow feeding it's young during a North Yorkshire Wedding
Can you see the Swallow, feeding its young, it flew in and out throughout the ceremony.

The vicar needed a little convincing to get on board with the setting. But Rachael and Luke stood firm, because this wasn’t just any wedding venue. It was the place. The doubts, the weather forecast, the seating, the logistics of getting guests there... none of it was a barrier. Just hurdles to overcome—and overcome them they did, perfectly.


Of course, the weather had its own ideas in the run-up to the big day (classic British forecast: 90% chance of rain right at ceremony o’clock). But just as that little church had chosen Rachael all those years ago, it didn’t let her down. The sun broke through at just the right moment, as if by magic. Throughout the ceremony, swallows dipped and soared above, and birdsong filled the air between hymns echoing off the stone walls. A ceremony unlike any I’ve witnessed.



Groom in a suit stands in a sunlit stone ruin, smiling. Guests in floral attire watch, creating a joyful wedding atmosphere at a North Yorkshire Wedding.

Woman in a bright pink dress and hat sits on hay, smiling. She's holding a black dog on a leash. Stone wall backdrop, outdoors. at a North Yorkshire Wedding.

Bride in a lace gown and her dad in a suit walk arm-in-arm, smiling, with flowers in hand to the North Yorkshire Wedding. Stone building background, joyous atmosphere.

Black dog on a leash lying on hay-covered ground, surrounded by seated people in formal attire. Floral arrangements create a festive atmosphere at the North Yorkshire Wedding.

Guests watch a wedding in a rustic stone venue with flower arrangements. The mood is joyous and celebratory as the couple is at the altar.

Bride and groom kneel beside a black dog during a wedding ceremony outdoors, with flowers and an archway in the rustic stone background.

Bride and groom exchange rings with a smiling officiant in a floral outdoor setting at their North Yorkshire Wedding. Bride in lace dress; groom in tweed suit.

Bride and groom with dog on leash at wedding, surrounded by guests and flowers, against a stone wall during their North Yorkshire Wedding. Bride holds bouquet, smiling. Black and white.

Bride and groom kiss in a rustic stone courtyard, surrounded by guests and floral arrangements, under an open sky, evoking joy at their North Yorkshire Wedding.

North Yorkshire Wedding with Bride and groom smiling, walking down the aisle outdoors. Guests applaud in a rustic stone setting. Bride holds pink bouquet. Festive mood.

Shall we rewind a little? Rachael arrived on a New Holland tractor with her dad, while guests were ferried down to the church by 4x4 pickups. Molly, their beloved dog, proudly waited with Luke at the top of the aisle, ring bearer duties ready to go.


The whole affair felt like something straight out of a countryside folk tale.


Several cars parked on a green field near an old stone building surrounded by trees and rolling hills under a cloudy sky. People stand nearby.

A tractor drives down a narrow, muddy forest path, surrounded by dense green foliage and trees, creating a serene, natural scene at a North Yorkshire Wedding.

Bride in a white gown sits inside a blue tractor, smiling with trees reflecting in the glass. A hand on the wheel hints at movement at a North Yorkshire Wedding.

A bride in a white dress steps off a blue tractor, aided by a man in a suit. The tractor has a large bow. Outdoors, lush greenery.

Bride and groom walk near a stone wall in a lush, green setting with trees and a rustic building. She wears a white dress; he is in a suit.

After they walked back up the aisle as Mr & Mrs Clayden—cheered on by family and friends—we headed across the fields. I followed along in my 4x4, capturing them as they drove the tractor home (shhh, don’t tell anyone I was shooting through the windscreen 😅).


Blue tractor visible in car's side mirror, driving on a dirt road surrounded by greenery. Blurred foreground and clear reflection.

A blue tractor drives on a dirt path through a lush, green forest. Trees arch overhead, and distant hills are visible under a cloudy sky.

Blue tractor with two people drives through a grassy field, passing a person holding a gate. Trees surround the scene. License plate visible.

Bride and groom walk down a muddy farm path, surrounded by greenery and farm buildings. A tractor is parked nearby under a cloudy sky.

Before the reception, we stopped to honour a much-loved family tradition. There’s a railway line that runs past Rachael’s family farm, and for years they’ve taken photos there with the train in the background. Rachael told me she’d had her prom photos taken there, and I’d previously captured her brother and his wife in the very same spot. Safe to say, it was such a special moment to add Rachael and Luke to that family album.


Bride and groom in embrace on grassy railway trackside, surrounded by lush greenery and cloudy sky, exuding joy and love.

A bride and groom embrace, waving at a maroon train passing by. The bride wears a lace gown with floral hairpieces. Lush green setting North Yorkshire Wedding.

A couple kisses in wedding attire near a vintage maroon and yellow train. Green hills and a wooden fence complete the peaceful backdrop at a North Yorkshire Wedding.

From there, we made our way to the Blacksmiths Arms in Lastingham, where the afternoon unfolded exactly as Rachael and Luke had dreamed—relaxed, joyful, and full of heart. Pizza, prosecco, cake and conversation flowed freely in the garden. There were no seating plans, no formality—just laughter, love, and a first dance beneath the clouds. Rachael absolutely nailed her speech (speaking for both herself and Luke), it was truly heartfelt.


People sit on grass-covered furniture outside The Blacksmiths Arms pub, with stone walls, plants, and a small table, creating a quaint scene.

Bride in lace dress sits at a pub table, looking contemplative. A man in a suit leans on the bar. Black and white setting in a North Yorkshire Wedding.

Glasses of champagne on wooden shelves with green ivy and white flowers in the background, creating an elegant and festive mood.

People in formal attire sit and chat in a garden setting with patio furniture under a gazebo and tent. Flowers and lush greenery surround them.

A person serves a bowl of sausages topped with greens on a round wooden tray. The table has branded paper. A seated person is in the background.

Outdoor wedding reception with a woman in a white gown and a man listening to a speaker holding papers. Guests seated under a canopy.

People gather under a wooden pergola, chatting. A child in a white dress stands near adults. Warm sunlight casts soft shadows.

Bride and groom share an intimate embrace outdoors. She wears a lace dress; both smiling. Green garden backdrop creates a romantic mood.

A couple dances closely at an outdoor wedding, smiling. Guests watch near a wooden gazebo. The bride's dress has lace, creating a joyful scene.

People cheer and clap at an outdoor event, wearing formal attire. A woman with a floral dress is in focus, surrounded by joyful guests.

A woman in a dark green dress dances energetically outdoors with a man in a gray suit. Warm lights adorn wooden structures in the background.

People dance joyfully on a grassy area near a canopy in a garden setting. One woman wears a floral dress, others in formal attire.

Their day was wild and wonderful. And for Rachael, it was the childhood dream come true she had always hoped for, with the man who supported her every step of the way.



And as a North Yorkshire Wedding Photographer, it’s moments like these that make my job feel like the greatest privilege.



Planning your own wedding in the wilds of Yorkshire?


Whether you’re dreaming of a rustic church ruin, a family farm celebration, or something totally off the beaten track (tractor optional, but highly recommended 😉), I’d love to help you tell your story—your way.


Get in touch here or have a nosey through more real weddings right this way.



Because your memories deserve to be captured as beautifully as they feel. 💛



SHOUT OUT TO SUPPLIERS I'D RECOMMEND


Commentaires

bottom of page