This was my first Swinton Park Wedding and oh my what a day this was! From first chatting with Nicola & Andrew I knew this was going to be an amazing celebration.
Swinton Park Estate Wedding Day
To be totally honest, I had never heard of Swinton Park Estate before chatting to Nicola and Andrew about their wedding plans. I live near a town called Swinton but had no idea there was a Swinton Park in North Yorkshire. A quick google got me pretty excited, to say the least. What an incredible venue for a wedding.
On the day of the wedding, I was blown away as I pulled up to the castle and saw the deer roaming on the field surrounding the estate.
Nicola was getting ready in one of the rooms with her bridesmaids. As Nicola and Andrew were getting ready at the same venue, it was pretty easy to go back and forth between them both in the morning during prep. Of course, we found Andy in the bar area! He soon made his way up to his room to get suited and booted just as Nicola was getting into her amazing wedding dress. On a par with her amazing dress were her flowers, her light-saber wedding flowers, absolutely incredible!
Tears Of Joy During The Ceremony
Guests gathered in The Library which is situated in the castle for the wedding ceremony. A tearful Andy greeted his wife-to-be at the end of the aisle as she walked down with her Dad. They had a short, intimate ceremony and were congratulated by friends and family as they walked back up the aisle together as husband and wife.
A Walk Around The Stunning Grounds Of Swinton Estate
After the ceremony, everyone made their way outside to greet the newlyweds. We did a handful of group shots before having a walk around the absolutely gorgeous grounds of Swinton park. We made our way to the gardens, passing the falconry display on the way. The gardens were stunning! It was a beautiful summer’s day and there was a warm haze in the air that made for lovely photographs of Nicola and Andrew together. I don’t like to keep couples away from their guests for too long. Just a 15-20 minute walk for some alone time before the party gets into full swing.
Speeches & Food In Samuel’s Restaurant
The wedding breakfast and speeches were held in the grand Samuels Restaurant. This room is spectacular, with its huge mantelpiece and high ceilings.
Nicola’s Dad started the proceedings with an absolutely hilarious speech about Nicola’s genius growing up. He had everybody in stitches. Andy told stories of how they both met and the best man didn’t hold any punches with his speech. Tears were streaming by this point as he pulled out different props that connected to Andy somehow. A cuddly teddy made itself in there somehow, not something you would associate with a pure heavy metal fan. He took it pretty well though, it has to be said.
Rock & Metal Wedding Reception
After the cutting of the most amazing Dr Who/Star Wars wedding cake I have ever seen, it was time to party. Like a lot of my couples do, Nicola & Andy booked my extended coverage add on so I could capture more of the party. I absolutely love this part of the wedding. Nobody gives a shit that I’m pointing a camera at them anymore ( I am very discreet anyway) and I can get stuck in there with all the guests as they rock out with each other.
The married couple had their first dance to Pulp’s-Something Changed before they were joined by everybody else on the dance floor.
The tempo of the music grew as guests celebrated with lots of drinks and great food as the sun started to go down.
It was such an amazing day/night with amazing people.
I have recently had the privilege of being awarded two Masters Of Wedding Photography awards from this wedding. Really thrilled to have my work recognised for such an amazing wedding.
Swinton Park Weddings
Swinton Park is located in Masham, Ripon in North Yorkshire. A luxury Grade II* castle set in beautiful parkland grounds at the centre of the Swinton Estate. It is owned by the Cunliffe-Lister family since the 1880s and is the ancestral seat of the Earl of Swinton.
Swinton Park is surrounded by breathtaking views of the Yorkshire Dales. The splendour of a historic building provides the backdrop with a friendly and professional team who provide bespoke organisation to ensure every detail is delivered together with the service to ensure that your wedding is unique and the event is truly incredible.
With views of deer that roam together and endless grounds to venture around, it is the perfect backdrop for a wedding.
The rooms at Swinton Park all have a distinctive charm. The Library has stunning views overlooking the deer park and the rolling hills at the front of Swinton Park. It is situated in such an idyllic part of the castle.
Samuels Restaurant is a spacious and airy room with lovely views over the gardens and home lake, the most distinctive features in Samuel’s are the ornate gold leaf ceiling and huge mantelpiece. A great room for the wedding breakfast. The Drawing Room is a grand room with a log fire for winter weddings and huge windows.
The Panelled room is perfect for intimate weddings for your nearest and dearest.
The Deer House is situated in the middle of the deer park, perfect for a unique and isolated wedding surrounded by deer and wildlife. Party under the stars with the castle as the backdrop. I would love to capture a wedding in this part of the estate.
Big Thanks To All The Suppliers
Venue: Swinton Park Estate
Dress: Bliss Bridal Bolton
Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Suits: Empire Outlet
Hair & Make-Up: Bridal Hair By Lauren
Flowers: Laurel Silk Florist
Cake: Sarah Besson – Hillgate Cakery
Music: Nicola & Andrew
Stationery: Etsy
Venue Decorator: Cheryl at Weddingdayz
Swinton Park Wedding Photographer
If you are planning your wedding at this spectacular venue and looking for a natural wedding photographer to capture your day, I would love to hear from you.
Please contact me to request a brochure.