It's always nice photographing a wedding close to home, and Luke and Emily's wedding gave me one of those days where so much of it took place around places I've known and photographed for years. Their ceremony was at St Nicholas Church in Guisborough, followed by a little time with the two of them over at Gisborough Priory for their photographs, and a day that had plenty of laughter, family, friends and some brilliant moments to photograph along the way.

I've photographed weddings at St Nicholas Church before and it's a church I've always enjoyed working in. There's something about an old church that gives wedding photographs a completely different feel; the stone, the architecture and the sheer amount of history surrounding everybody creates an atmosphere that you simply don't get anywhere else.

“I hate having my photograph taken.” If I had a pound for every time somebody had said that to me during a wedding meeting, I could probably have retired from wedding photography by now. Sometimes it's both people, although quite often one half of the couple is perfectly happy about the whole thing while the other looks genuinely horrified at the thought of spending their wedding day in front of a camera. Then comes the usual explanation: “I'm really awkward in photographs,” “I never know what to do,” or one of my favourites, when somebody points at their partner and says, “You'll have your work cut out with this one.”

The funny thing is, after 18 years photographing weddings, I've realised that most people who tell me they're terrible in photographs aren't terrible in photographs at all. They're uncomfortable being photographed when they're thinking about being photographed, and those are two very different things.

I've been photographing weddings for 18 years now and, because I'm based in this part of the world, a huge number of those weddings have been across North Yorkshire. You get used to driving through the North York Moors on the way to work, heading towards the coast for a wedding in Whitby or Scarborough, or finding yourself halfway down a country lane looking for a wedding venue that you're absolutely certain didn't exist the last time you checked Google Maps.

Nearly every wedding photographer describes themselves as natural these days. It's become one of those words that's used so often that I'm not entirely sure anybody really knows what it's supposed to mean anymore.

Natural wedding photography, relaxed wedding photography, documentary wedding photography, candid wedding photography... you'll see all of them while you're looking for a photographer, usually accompanied by photographs of couples walking through fields looking suspiciously like somebody has just told them to walk through a field.

Being based where I am, there’s always something particularly nice about photographing a wedding close to home. I spend a lot of my year travelling around North Yorkshire and the North East for weddings, so when I get the opportunity to photograph a day in Guisborough, surrounded by places I’ve known for years, it feels that little bit different. Paul and Bernice’s wedding was exactly that, with their ceremony taking place at St Nicholas Church in Guisborough followed by photographs with their family in the historic surroundings of Guisborough Priory.

One of the nicest things about photographing weddings is that no two stories ever begin in exactly the same place. Some start in grand country houses, others in village churches that have stood for hundreds of years, while some begin with a much smaller ceremony surrounded by the people who matter most before the celebrations move somewhere completely different. Sam and Charlotte's wedding was one of those days, beginning with a lovely ceremony at Redcar Registry Office before everyone made their way to Fletcher's Farm for an afternoon and evening of celebrating.

I've photographed quite a few weddings here over the years and, no matter how many times I drive through the gates, it always feels like somewhere special. Tucked away just outside Saltburn-by-the-Sea on the North Yorkshire coast, it somehow manages to feel grand without ever losing that relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Every couple puts their own stamp on the venue, which is probably why no two weddings here have ever felt the same.

When couples first get in touch, the conversation usually starts with photographs. They'll tell me they've been looking through my portfolio, they'll mention a particular wedding they've seen on the website or they'll explain that they're looking for someone who captures the day naturally rather than filling it with awkward poses. It's exactly the conversation I'd expect, because photographs are ultimately the reason people book a wedding photographer.

What often surprises them, though, is something they haven't really considered.

There’s something wonderfully honest about a registry office wedding. Without the grandeur of a country house or the sweeping views of a castle, everything comes back to what a wedding is really about. Two people making a promise to one another, surrounded by the people who mean the most to them.

That was exactly the feeling throughout Andrea and Ste's wedding at Middlesbrough Town Hall Registry Office.

There's a sentence I hear at almost every wedding consultation, and after seventeen years as a wedding photographer, I can usually predict when it's coming.

"We're really awkward in front of the camera."

It almost always arrives with a nervous smile, usually followed by a glance between the two of them as if they're admitting some terrible secret. The funny thing is, they're convinced they're the only couple who feel that way, when in reality they're saying exactly what hundreds of couples before them have said.

There’s something I find myself doing almost without thinking these days. Whether I’m booking a hotel for a weekend away, ordering something online or looking for a new café to try, I always end up doing exactly the same thing before making a decision.

I read the reviews.

Not because I expect every business to be perfect, but because I want to know what it's really like once the sales pitch has finished. Photographs can look amazing, websites can be beautifully designed and social media is often full of highlight reels, but reviews are where real people tell real stories. They’re honest, they're personal and, more often than not, they answer the questions we didn't even realise we were asking.

If you're planning your wedding, you've probably already imagined the photographs you'll treasure forever. Perhaps it's walking back down the aisle as newlyweds, confetti filling the air around you, or that beautiful portrait together as the sun begins to disappear behind the trees. They're the photographs we all expect to love because they're the moments we see on social media, in wedding magazines and on venue websites.

They're important, of course, and I make sure every couple has those photographs. But after photographing weddings across North Yorkshire, the North East and beyond for more than seventeen years, I've realised something that genuinely surprised me.

There are some wedding days where you arrive at a venue for the first time and immediately start looking around, spotting photographs everywhere. Fred and Claire’s wedding at Aston Hall in Sheffield was definitely one of those days.

This was my first time photographing a wedding at Aston Hall, and with beautiful summer sunshine, plenty of outdoor space and a couple who clearly knew how to enjoy themselves, it turned into a cracking day to photograph.

One of the most common things couples say to me when they first get in touch is, “We’re not very photogenic” or “We hate being posed in photos.” And honestly? That’s completely normal.

Most people don’t spend their lives in front of a camera, and the thought of being photographed all day on your wedding can feel intimidating. The good news is that natural wedding photos don’t come from knowing how to pose — they come from feeling comfortable, relaxed, and present in the moment.

If you’re planning a wedding on the North Yorkshire coast and you want a venue that feels iconic, elegant, and full of atmosphere, Scarborough Spa is a brilliant choice. It’s one of Scarborough’s most recognisable venues and offers a unique setting for couples who want their wedding day to feel special, memorable, and a little bit different from the typical hotel wedding.

As a North Yorkshire wedding photographer, I’m always drawn to venues that give couples both beauty and variety in one place — and Scarborough Spa does exactly that. With its coastal location, classic architecture, and incredible scenery nearby, it’s a venue that suits relaxed, storytelling wedding photography perfectly.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of photographing weddings across North Yorkshire, Teesside and the North East — from elegant country house venues to relaxed coastal celebrations and intimate registry office ceremonies.

This page brings together a collection of real weddings I’ve photographed, organised by venue, location and wedding style. It’s designed to help couples explore genuine wedding days, see how different venues look in real conditions, and get a feel for how I document weddings as they naturally unfold.

There are wedding venues — and then there is Danby Castle Barn, a place that carries history in its stones and magic in its atmosphere.
The kind of magic you don’t need to force, pose or perform for. It exists on its own — all you have to do is step into it.

This photograph from a recent wedding is the kind that stays with you.
Not because it’s “perfect”, but because it’s real.