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Enjoying the moment was always the most important thing to Sara and Chris on their wedding day; having fun with their friends and family was key. The couple didn’t originally book their day at Sneaton Castle, even so, when all went “Pete Tong” and their venue closed its’ doors, they then came across the Castle. From the moment they discovered it they couldn’t imagine doing their day anyway else. They told me how when they first visited Sneaton Castle they couldn’t believe how beautiful it was, another big plus factor was, it was bang in the middle for both of their families too. They loved the sleek, clean and quirky interior along with the picturesque gardens another winning pro was that they could do everything onsite, from Sara getting ready to saying their vows in the stunning chapel. The couple loved the rustic set up of the banquet hall and chose to use the wooden set up for the tables, just incase you’re wondering Sneaton Castle have tablewares to suit every genre. Last time I was there, it was all vintage tea-cups and saucers. Everything from the name places, to the plates were made of wood or to look like they were. The cake stands were particularly wonderful, with the stem being formed from a garden spade handle! Sara and Chris didn’t want anyone to be at a loose end, so with the help of Sara's Mum, they arranged for a show stopping performance from the Silver Service Singers. As usual their performance was a talking point after they burst in to song, having gone head-long across the dinning room floor, whilst carrying a tray of cutlery. Truly hilarious form my point of view (Because I knew it was a set up, not because I'm heartless.) and all part of the act! CREDITS TO SUPPLIERS Venue: Sneaton Castle | Photography: Anoif Photography | Hair: Kelly Grey Bridal Hair | Make up: Beth at Studio K | Dress: Joanne Kay, Bridal Boutique | Flowers: The Topiary Tree, Malton | Food: Sneaton Castle | Cake: The Bride’s Mam | Suits: The Wedding Room, Scarborough | Singing Waiters: Silver Service Singers | DJ: Ultimate Entertainment

Picture it: glorious sunshine, a vintage wedding dress- made by Lisa’s grandmother for her own mother! And the seaside views that the cliff tops of Scarborough’s South Bay offer. The Crown Spa Hotel, really is set in quite the location. Lisa and Josh wanted a small intermit wedding, they didn’t want hundreds of people, but they did want the day to be memorable, which is why they chose humanist celebrant Paul Blackett to conduct their personal ceremony. He told their story in the loveliest way. The room was lit up with smiles and chuckles as he spoke about their journey so far, he completed this with a traditional hand fasting, where they literally tied a knot. Both Lisa and Josh wrote their own vows, these were deep, meaningful and humours and as Josh looked confused at some of the things he was saying, Paul reminded him, he had in fact written them himself, which caused a chorus of laughter throughout the crowd. After the ceremony, we didn’t have loads of time, even-so, everyone enjoyed the glorious weather outside as they chatted and munched on the delicious canapés The Crown Spa Hotel had provided. We also managed to skip across the road to the beautiful, coastal gardens that lead down to the beach and although we didn’t go all the way to the beach we did enjoy wandering and the cool shade the trees offered us. With their wedding being a smaller gathering Lisa and Josh decided to capture only the main events of the day or what they felt was important to them both, so I left them as they sat down to their meal and I was told later they had the loveliest evening too. Credits to suppliers: Venue: The Crown Spa Hotel, Scarborough | Photos: Anoif Photography | Humanist: Paul Blackett | Food: Same as venue | Flowers: Bride herself | Hair: Chris Potter and Anna Halkon | MUA: Ellie Fenwick | Cake: Tracey Ireland

At last, after eighteen years together along with, twelve and a half living side by side, Mark finally, proposed to Amy at Christmas 2021 and she said YES, of course. After waiting so long, Amy couldn’t wait to get started! Choosing their venue and planning everything in 7 months, she/they did pretty well. It is lovely when you get to capture a friends wedding, especially when you met in pre-school and became close friends at secondary school, Amy and myself have spent quite some time together over the years, we’ve probably got a lot of secrets between us too. When Amy and Mark asked me to capture their day because they could imagine anyone else doing it I was really, very touched :) Bizarrely, with Amy moving down south in our early 20s and myself starting a family at 19 we lost touch and although, we’ve seen each other now and again, I’ve never actually met Mark in person. So on the morning of their wedding, it was great to finally put a face to the name and all the stories I’ve heard over the last eighteen years. Amy and Mark told me they looked at loads of venues but when it came to deciding the choice wasn’t difficult, with both country bumpkins (is this a word or have I made it up?) were drawn to the venue’s rustic and magical charm. When they described it to me, they told me how they had been dazzled by the magical fairy lights and ambient candle lit ceremony room at The Normans. They loved the idea or being able to do exactly what they wanted, so they actually got married the week before and got humanist, Cheryl Clements, who’s also a close friend, to conduct their beautifully personalised ceremony. Cheryl talked thoughtfully and humorously about how they’d met whilst working at The Ebor Caravan showroom on the A64, she also joked about how Amy had arranged with close friend Helen, a bridesmaid on the day, to go and “stalk” Mark when he was on a night out in York. Finally on Amy’s 18th birthday they came together with Mark telling Amy, he thought she was fit! Love’s young dream. They wanted their wedding to be memorable, relaxed and for it to have the best party ever! After their touching ceremony, they enjoyed photos, fizz and canapés in the sunshine whilst the Saxophone played funky notes in the courtyard, it was the best atmosphere. They then spread the speeches out in between courses, the food was great and I got to fully enjoy it all as I was seated with the guests and two of my school besties to enjoy it too! We had the most delicious share platers, which had been knocked together by the Hog and Apple. With a charcuterie starter, BBQ’d meats and salads for the main, plus a trio if desserts for pudding. What a feast! After the food, we managed to get some beautiful sunset photos and then the party really started, with their DJ being briefed to play all of their favourite songs from our teenaged years, it was like going back in time. I loved every minute Amy and Mark. Thank you!! Credits to suppliers Venue: The Normans | Photos: Anoif Photography | Food: The Hog and Apple | Flowers: Natasha Couston Floral Designs | Hair and MUA: Julie Mercer | Cake: Sweet Chic | Favours: Harri & Ed | Musicians: Jonny Ross Music

With ties to Scotland and North Yorkshire, Hayley and John wanted this to shine through on their wedding day. By choosing one of North Yorkshire’s most thought after venues and encouraging guests to wear kilts, including friends from different heritages, they did a wonderful job in doing so. These two have been together for 13 years having meet at work in London, where they instantly got on enjoying each other’s company as Hayley passed over clients to John on the job. Now here we are, with the pair tying the knot and recently (within the last few weeks) moving to Aberdeenshire to start a new life together, with their two dogs. The wedding seemed to be perfectly timed in the end, after being moved 3 times due to covid, over the last couple of years. I believe, it ended up being like the celebration of not only their years together so far, but perhaps a last last hurrah- not goodbye, for this exciting new chapter in they’ve begun. Being inspired by blues and whites from the kilts, they chose flowers to match not only in colour but in meaning too: Thistles, for the blue, due to their Scottish links and white roses to link back to the Yorkshire Rose. Hayley and John loved the venue, due to all it’s clever quirks and intermit, ambient atmosphere, which is why they chose Cross House Lodge, part of The Star Inn to get married and celebrate. They didn’t so much want the day to feel like a wedding, but more a relaxed meal with friends and family, Hayley was excited for her brother to meet their friends and for everyone they care about to come together at last. They didn’t have loads of family going, with just Hayley’s Mum, Dad, brother and sister-in-law, therefore this was significant to them both. They enjoyed a sophisticated menu of multiple courses at the Michelin Starred restaurant, placing a speech between each course to mix it up and make it feel a little less formal, it was more like their friends and family just got up and shared some really amazing memories with everyone. John is especially passionate about music, it was important to him to share this. Over his life, John has enjoyed being part of different bands and playing the guitar, along with singing, so after their meal himself a close friend Charlie picked up their guitars and did a set of music for everyone to enjoy. Credits to suppliers... Photos: Taken by Natalie Coultas, Edited by Anoif Photography | Hair & MUA: The Cutting Shed | Wedding Dress: Simply Koko | Flowers: Queens Flowers | Venue & Food: The Star Inn

Having instantly fallen in love with their venue’s grand but rugged charm, they looked nowhere else! Samantha and Guy loved the freedom Aldby Park gave them to plan their day with numerous settings and spaces they felt like they could enjoy each part of their day somewhere new and let the guests explore the grounds on their own. The couple told me how they both experienced the wow factor as they entered the gates to the drive and when they first saw the front of the small Georgian Mansion. I say small, I don’t think there’s anything small about the family owned property, which is set in acres and acres of it’s own grounds, just on the banks of the river Derwent, near Stamford Bridge. As they were shown around, they loved how the house oozed period character from the exterior and how the gardens were well kept with out being over the top and extravagant, they were just, them. Having booked the venue, they wanted to keep everything else as local as possible and used only suppliers they had heard good things about or had come across before. (Luckily for me, I’d met Samantha during an equine photo session with one of her close friends a couple of years ago, we got on very nicely, chatting about our shared love of the four legged animals.) Everyone involved had travelled no more than an hour to get there. Samantha was very passionate about this and believes that supporting local businesses is good for the community. Here's Howard who runs Ryedale Limousines; a popular and local business man from Malton who chauffeur drives many brides in the area. You’ve perhaps guessed that this local pair are very much in to the great outdoors; sharing a love of shooting and beating in the midst of the season, along with their two dogs Fern and Duke. These two (Fern and Duke) totally worship Guy, I mean one of them spent the whole church service crying for his attention, in the sweetest way possible. Because of their shared love of the shooting season there’s no prizes for guessing that their day would have been inspired by it, one way or another. Guy and the groomsmen wore a light green tweed suit and Guy had thoughtfully, asked the florist the use the bullet casings he’d shot, to house their button hole flowers. Samantha had unbeknown to Guy sent some of them away to be made in to cuff links as a gift for Guy on the day as well. Touches like these are incredible! The tables were also named after animals to do with the sport, from Spaniels and Labradors to Pheasants and Partridges. Guy and Samantha chose to get married in St Mary’s of Old Malton, due to its close connection to her family; having had both sets of grandparents once being married there along with her Mum and Dad too. I believe she might even have been Christened there! Take a look at their day, they definitely know how to plan a good party and how to enjoy it, even with the wet weather the end of July presented them with. I do love a wedding like Guy and Samantha's, so if you're planning one alike, please get in touch to see if I can help you capture yours. Credits to suppliers: Photos: Anoif Photography | Venue: Aldby Park, Louisiana Weddings and Bars | Hair: Steph from Luxe | Make up: Emma Wilford | Flowers: Clair Godfrey | Car: Howard Fletcher | Marquee: Floridia Marquees | Caterers: Baba Ganoush | Wedding Stationary: Skiltons Shoot Stationary | Dress: Brides of York | Shoes: Fairfax and Favour

On the farm, but not on the farm, Charlotte didn’t want her day to look like it was held on the family farm yard, she wanted glitz glamour and a marquee wedding where they could do things as they liked at their own pace. Choosing to say their I do’s at St Mary’s Church in Old Malton was easy, due to the churche's close connection to Charlotte’s family, it has been a place close in their hearts, having hosted many sentimental celebrations there over the years. Not the mention, the building and grounds are absolutely stunning too. After the ceremony they returned to Charlotte’s family farm, where they’d set everything up earlier in the week, they had a glamorous marquee, lit with purple up-lights and classic chandeliers. The tables had been elegantly decorated by Kymm Queen with burnt-orange, rustic roses and pampus grass floral displays that hovered majestically, above the tables, which were adorned with candle light and chocolate-heart favours. Remember I said the wedding was in a marquee? It was, nevertheless, you won’t spy any photos of a marquee in a field in this gallery... When getting married in summer and celebrating in a marquee, it goes without saying, it can get sticky and close when inside. Cleverly, the couple erected the marquee inside of one of the corn sheds on the farm, keeping it cool and comfortable for all their guests no matter what the weather. They knew they had the space, but as I mentioned earlier, Charlotte didn't want it to look like they were in a shed, so they disguised the corn shed by lining it with this marquee, honestly you would have never known. What a fabulous day, Charlotte got ready at The Talbot, a local hotel in Malton and Rob completed his finishing touches at The Wentworth Arms in Old Malton. It's safe to say there was very much a Leeds Football club theme to the groom and groomsmens' preparations, what with ties and cuff links, there was also a sentimental homemade banner they wanted to hold for a photo. When Charlotte was ready, she was chauffeur driven to the church in the most tasteful Rolls Royce, which later took them back to their marquee venue. Here they enjoyed canapés in the sunshine, although at times we did think there could have been a down pour as the rain started spotting, they totally got away with it…Take a look at how their day panned out. I love to capture unique days like Charlotte and Rob's, they took an idea and made it their own, I could see bits of their personalities everywhere I looked and that was the best bit. Don't ever be worried about owning your day and making it yours. I love seeing these ideas come to life, just weeks before their wedding this shed was full of the odd tractor or two and maybe a combine too, look what they achieved. Many hands make light work, well maybe not light but they can certainly bring a dream to life.

Charlotte and Ben's day way absolutely drenched in sunshine, having taken place on the hottest weekend of 2022 so far, it couldn't have been far from perfect. They'd chosen Cockpit Farm as the location for their day, based in the quiet, idyllic little village of Cawton in North Yorkshire, the village where they both live, the setting was everything they'd dreamed of. When it came to choosing their venue after getting engaged, there was no other place they'd thought could work as well, so Ben asked local farmer and friend if they could borrow a field on his farm to host their day. After all, it would seem fields play a pretty significant part in their journey together so far, they got engaged in one whilst romantically harvesting at sunset, we did their pre wedding photos in a lovely grass field near Hovingham and they recently bought a little bit of land in the village too. Taking this in to consideration it definitely made sense for them to celebrate in one. After securing the field, Charlotte turned to her artistic side and love of traditional decor and craft, whilst Ben turned to organising his tractor line up and polishing them ready for the day. Charlotte, who works in event management loves to get creative and although weddings and tractor displays are not something she does in her line of work it's something she is passionate about for her own day. Everything looked incredible, she'd even taken the time to wax stamp everyone's place names to give a sophisticated and authentic look. They asked the ladies to wear a fancy frock with a fabulous hat and the gents to wear either a lounge or a morning suit, so everyone would look the part. The people coming to their day were local farming families, young farmer friends, family and close friends, they'd even noted skillsets of loved ones and asked for help on their day, with one of Charlotte's close friends and Bridesmaid, Alice Gill and her mother making the wedding cake itself. Alice made a selection of sponge cakes and Vanessa, Charlotte's mum used an old Lee family recipe for a traditional fruit cake which had been passed down through the generations from her mother to her. The couple both loved the idea of a traditional wedding church ceremony where they would be become Mr and Mrs and after that, the day was exciting mix of tradition and unique events. They left the church in one of Ben's John Deere tractors which they both jokingly refer to as, "The Mistress." The Mistress even made an appearance in their engagement session too. When arriving at Cockpit Farm, with the Mistress in tow, the events were a mix of fun and partying with hints of traditional. The quirks and details were exquisite from the walking table plan to the tractor line-up. They had a string quartet playing while everyone enjoyed pre drinks and canapés before the three course wedding breakfast followed by speeches, cake cutting and dancing. The dancing was said to have gone on it to the early hours with DJ Excalibur doing a superb job of keeping everyone on the dance floor. The couple wanted it to feel like a young farmers shindig after the formalities were done with and I think they did this extremely well. The moment I saw you Told a million angels I was walking on water They left heaven open So I walked through that door And then my heart sang Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah The moment I saw you my heart sang Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah The moment I saw you, my love I loved capturing exciting and fun days like Charlotte and Ben's. Their location was so them and totally stunning, these DIY Farm weddings are so much fun, if you're thinking about planning one I'd love to hear all about it. CREDITS TO SUPPLIERS Photos by Fiona @ Anoif Photography | Hair & MUA: The Park at Hovingham | Flowers: Kymm @ Queen of Flowers | Dress: Sassi Holford, The Harrogate Wedding Lounge | Bridesmaids Dresses: Joys Bella Bridesmaids | Suits: Cameron Ross from Humphrey and Tilly | Marquee: Wills Marquee | Bar: Fabulously Finished Events | Food: Kings Catering Company, Sweirs (Hog roast) and The Ramblin Cheesemonger (Cheese Boards) | Cake: Mum and Alice the Bridesmaid | String Quartet: Serenade Strings | DJ: DJ Excalibur | Stationary: Ruby & Bloom Paper Co

These two kicked off their love affair with sunburnt knees, a lingering look and a trip to see some owls. Let me explain… Just over six years ago, Rebecca was greeted by a blond-haired, blue-eyed guy, who very helpfully made sure she was ready and fully prepared for the task she was about to endure. The main thing Rebecca remembers about this experience is the lingering look, the guy gave her and how it was somewhat distracting, just moments before she began her interview. Mike however, doesn’t remember a lingering look. After being told she had secured the job, Rebecca began her new placement, but it wasn’t until a work night out when they properly got the meet and chat informally. After consuming a few tequila shots they exchange numbers and arranged their first date. Mike being very thoughtful and attentive had already discovered Rebecca’s fascination of owls, so arrange a trip to a country fair where he knew they would be able to see some. It was here where their romance blossomed; realising they had much to discuss, the day drifted by so quickly they actually missed the owls they’d gone to see and Rebecca had been enjoying the weather so much, she had sunburnt her knees. Nevertheless, they’d had the loveliest of days and since have been pretty much inseparable. When it came to planning their wedding, after Mike unexpectedly proposed, last September they knew they wanted their day to be memorable, relaxed and fun. Although they live in Chesham, they decided to plan their wedding closer to Rebecca’s parents', and when they found White Syke Fields they both loved what it offered. It was a blank canvas for them to put their stamp on. They both liked the idea of a clean, rustic-palette of greens and whites that would mingle in well with the bare bricks and white-washed walls. Mike’s friends Katie and Dan helped to bring their vision to life with Katie creating country styled bouquets for Rebecca and her bridesmaids to carry down the aisle along with a stunning floral hoop, which was focal point in both the ceremony room and the function area. The rest of the table decor was kept to a minimum, using ivy and candles to create an ambient atmosphere in the dining area. The table names were named after their favourite authors of books they had enjoyed together, which they placed with the book itself at intervals on the trellis tables. The couple chose to have a humanist ceremony, lead by Rachael, they like that it would be much more personal to them both and that they could add their own choices of readings along with a hand fastening to seal the marriage. They wanted to have as many of their close friends and family involved in both of these events, but not just in the form of bridesmaids and ushers. Rebecca and Mike were able to choose close friend Ollie and Mike's sister, Kate to do the readings along with various family members and friends to help with the fasting. The ceremony was made extra special due to Rachel's meticulous planning and making time to get to know both Mike and Rebecca, she told their love story so far and talked about major milestones they have already undertaken and achieved together to date. Both Rebecca and Mike are vegetarian, so they chose to serve a veggie banquet for all of their guests, Baba Ganoush cooked the most delicious “chicken” and mushroom pie, served with fresh veg and mash, which seemed go down stunningly well. After the meal the cocktails were in full flow and they enjoyed more chat with their friends along with their extra guests that turned up for the evening too. When it came to the party, they’d put the most incredible playlist together for the DJ to get everyone going, I’ve not seen a dance floor like this for a while…. Credits to Suppliers: Photos: Anoif Photography | Venue: White Sykes Fields | Humanist Ceremony: Rachael Bowers | Flowers: KIDGE | Food: Baba Ganoush | Bar: The Yorkshire Bartender | Cake: Sarah, Rebecca’s clever sister.

Their eyes met across a crowded pub, in Malton; they got chatting and realised instantly, just how much they had in common, from their love of travelling to playing a game of golf. It was just over 2 years ago when they got engaged, it was Stuart’s birthday when he decided to proposed to Karen, on a beach in Goa. Karen told me how she had no idea and had actually thought she would never marry again; nevertheless, when Stuart asked, she instantly knew her answer was, yes. Goa is probably their favourite place to go together, even before they got engaged there, because of this they really wanted their day to feel nice and relaxed, as if they were on the beach in Gao. The thing they were most excited about was bringing their friends and family together in the same place and just enjoying their presence without any pressures or stresses. Karen got ready at her Mum's house just down the road with her close family around her, she'd planned to drive herself to the registry office in Malton too, to keep things simple. Stuart, on-the-other-hand had a different idea, he'd arranged for a beautiful, white Bentley to collect Karen. He thought it would be a lovely surprise for her on the day, plus she would arrive in style. This she did. Sadly, both Karen and Stuart have suffered losses of close family members over the last couple of years, due to this Karen's sons Josh and Oliver stepped up to the honourable job of walking their Mum down the aisle to meet her husband to be. After the ceremony they chose to keep things simple and small before the rest of the party started later on, so they were chauffeur driven in to the little market town to the local Italian for a meal. They wanted good food that everyone would enjoy and who doesn't like Florios? I know, what a great idea! Once fed and watered, they headed back to the local Rugby Club to be greeted by all their friends. It was the perfect atmosphere, the sun was shining, it was relaxed and everyone was chilling out, just as they would if it were a Sunday afternoon after a game. Credits to suppliers: Photos: Anoif Photography | Venue: Malton Rugby Club | Hair Luxe, Keelie Marword | Flowers: Hand tied herself.

Once set up on a blind date, by friends, Rachel joked she thought she’s scared Gareth off, until he asked her on a second one. These two have now been together for ten and half years, they’ve built and renovated a home together and brought their son Isaac in to the world, who they are both clearly very proud of. In fact, it’s because of this young man that they became engaged. I love their story! Rachel told me how Gareth had collect herself and Isaac from York hospital to bring them home not long after he’d arrived, they’d stopped at Thompson’s Fish and Chip shop on the A64 for tea and Gareth had surprised her by asking her the marry him as they ate their take away fish and chips. Rachel got on to planning the wedding instantly; I remember her getting in touch to ask about the photos and her telling me how she had a six week old baby at the time. Planning was made easier, as they were pretty set on where they would host the wedding, after attending a charity ball at Deepdale Farm. After the ball, they’d both thought it would be a great place to host a wedding, so that’s what they did. Deepdale Farm is the coolest of venues, it’s a huge agricultural building, filled with fairy lights and cleverly decorated with draping, streams of white fabric hung from the rafters, as a base to start with, from this point the couples make it theirs. Because Rachel and Gareth live on a farm, it made sense to add touches of this in places throughout their day. They kept things rustic with a splash of colour. Vintage milk churns planted up by Gareth’s mum were dotted around the venue adding a country feel to the setting. Inside, the long, trellis tables were subtly embellished with sprays of fuchsia and navy balloons, along with strings of ivy, country flowers and little wooden place names, which made it feel relaxed, just as they had wanted. Rachel kept the floral decor low, on the recommendation of her Mum, Lynne and her friend Jennie, which meant everyone could see one another-making my job much easier during the speeches too. They added their personalities to the events of the day as well as the decor; Gareth had arranged for Rachel to be collected from the cabin, by a tractor and trailer with straw-bale seats. I know Rachel had her reservations when it came to this, but told me later she’s so pleased she did it, because it meant a lot to Gareth and turned out to be so much fun. Plus, she’s the first bride to make her entrance on the back of a tractor at the venue, we since found out. Not leaving it here; the couple ordered a bucking sheep to entertain everyone after the BBQ luncheon, this certainly added some humour to the evening and was very fitting with Gareth having sheep on the farm. They also had other fun games for the guests to engage in. I’ve told you how and when they got engaged, so does it surprise you to hear that they had a fish and chip supper later on in the day? Their day was a lot of fun from start to finish, take a look below and also hear what advice they have to offer… WORDS OF ADVICE FROM THE COUPLE. Rachel: “I love a spreadsheet and this helped with the budget, table plans and my to-do list. Book you essentials ASAP to get who you want.” These two even got a rainbow, I wonder where they ordered this? Credits to suppliers: Photos: Anoif Photography | Venue: Deepdale Farm, Nr Kirkbymoorside | Flowers: The Florist North Yorkshire | Make up: Emma Wilford | Hair Katy Rudd & Philippa Bentley (Based in Malton) | Venue Decor: Gillian & Sally (Gareth's Mum and Aunt) | Table flowers: Mum, Lynne and her friend Jennie | Balloons: The Little Ballon Company | Cake: Apple Charlotte | Food: Homegrown Hospitality and Fish and Chip Van

Both Beth and Tom work within the NHS and at times, described their jobs as being immensely stressful, so the thought of planning a big, fat wedding seemed overwhelming and unnecessary to them both. Instead of planning a wedding that potentially could stress them to high heavens, they decided to plan something smaller, something more intermit with their absolute nearest and dearest, an enjoyable day for them all. Because Tom’s Dad and Beth’s Mum are religious people they chose to get married in their local church, at Huntington, knowing how much this would mean to them both. There were only 13 people, including Beth and Tom on their day, but getting married in the church meant that some close friends and other family members could turn up and watch too. This really meant a lot to them. Beth couldn’t believe that friends and colleague from work had waited to watch her arrive and leave the church, I know this touched her massively, as she said afterwards, how lovely and unexpected it had been to see them. When it came to the colour palette, Beth and Tom kept things natural and simple, using lots of green foliage to fill out their decor and where necessary they added rustic, seasonal flowers, which complimented both the church and the venue afterwards. A great tip for savvy couples who would like to keep costs lower, whilst using what's available at the time. Using flowers to decorate the church and the transporting them to then venue later is a great idea too, not only does it save money, it's eco friendly too. After the service, the couple headed back to The Mill, at Stillington, a place they both describe as, ‘their little secret place.’ They discovered the mill post lockdown as things began to open back up. They loved the fact that only a few people knew of it's hidden location; also, they really liked how beautiful, peaceful and friendly the place is. They’d made some wonderful memories there already, enjoying afternoons and evenings together, before they were engaged. They told me how they'd often both commented what a wonderful place it would be to have a wedding as well. When Tom proposed to Beth in October 2021, whilst in Canada, at Lake Louise they knew right then where they would celebrate. They wanted to keep everything as local to them as possible, so people didn't need to stress and worry about getting from place to place. With this in mind, they got Kiki, a cook living nearby to come and cook to most incredible Mediterranean, veggie food for everyone to graze and enjoy. Both of them enjoy travelling, so representing this within their cuisine meant a lot to them. They wanted it to be an informal affair so opted for finger type foods, that people could enjoy as they chatted and listened to the band. The band another thoughtful addition was lead by one of Tom's friends, it added the most lovely feeling to the afternoon as their acoustic notes gently floated through the trees. Their day was just as they had wanted, they spent quality time with their immediate family, grazing on olives and almonds as they sipped gin and tonic in the idilic gardens of the Mill. Carefree and no stress at all. Maggie and Paul the owners, have a keen eye for details and they’d decorated the tables beautifully with assorts of nick-knacks, I’ve actually never seen anything like it, take a look and see what you think. WORDS OF ADVICE FROM THE COUPLE "Do it for you! Don’t do it for everyone else. This was made so simple by the fact that we were never worrying about what would be a crowd pleaser or who would sit next to who, how they would organise transport and potentially going down the route of creating a wedding website- so many couples do this now. By choosing to have only family, we knew they would be happy with whatever we chose to do; we knew they'd be happy, knowing we were happy, which meant nothing else mattered. Everything was local which again made the logistics easier for the day, for everyone involved." Credits to Suppliers Church: All Saints Church Huntington | Venue: The Mill, at Stillington | Photos: Anoif Photography | Cake: Nelson Bakery | Food: Kiki Burton, Cardamon and Dill | Dress: Bridal Rogue | Hair: | MUA: | Suits: | Flowers: | Band: Tom’s Friends