I absolutely loved photographing Beth and James’ Thicket priory Wedding. They had a gorgeous venue and great weather the whole day. Thicket Priory is a venue with a very interesting history. It is a Grade II listed Mansion dating back to 1840, situated close to York. It was built by Edward Blore who also was know for his work on Buckingham palace. Until recently this house was a Carmelite monastery inhabited by an order of nuns and sealed off from the outside world.
Today it is a stunning wedding venue, surrounded by a beautiful nature reserve. It has a private chapel and 18 acres of forest and gardens known for its variety of old trees. It also has a private lake with a boathouse and picturesque bridges.
Interestingly, the venue is know for having quite a few secrets and hidden mysteries. They have a Californian redwood in the gardens with a tiny house and tiny steps that hosts some small secretive residents. A beautiful old book case can be found down one of the winding corridors of the house, which opens to reveal a hidden stairwell. They also have an upcycled key project which is used to challenge any musical guests that come to the venue. This is certainly a unique building steeped in history and romantic stories. A lovely place to get married. The extra special fact about this venue is that you get it all to yourself for the day and it has enough bedrooms for 70 guests.
If you are planning a wedding at Thicket Priory check out some of my favourite images from Beth & James’ day below. For more information about my photography style please see the Approach page and the Portfolios page or feel free to get in touch below. I’d love to talk to you about your plans for your upcoming wedding day and see if I could be the photographer for you.
Thicket Priory Bridal Suite – Morning Preparations
I arrived at Thicket priory to the lovely bridal suite to meet Beth and her bridesmaids. Most importantly also to meet her gorgeous cockapoo Rory who she was enthusiastically cuddling! They were in the Buckingham suite which is a lovely light airy room overlooking the lake. I particularly liked the lengthy dressing table with two large round mirrors which was great for some unusual prep shots. All the girls were in fantastic spirits and excited for Beth and the day ahead. They had their makeup done by the lovely Montpelier Beauty Therapy.
During the morning Beth got a fabulous surprise of a beautiful gift from James. She couldn’t help shedding a few tears as she read his lovely note and opened her gift. She opened up quite a large box to reveal a gorgeous leather designer bag from Louis Vuitton. This groom had made an impressive start to the day!
Bridal Reveal
Beth wanted to do a bridal reveal to both the bridesmaids and her father. First the bridesmaids got to see her in her beautiful white flowing dress. They were suitably surprised and impressed and I loved the looks on their faces. Next Beth’s father walked in to see his daughter for the first time on her wedding day. He had such a brilliant reaction of shock and pride at seeing how stunning Beth looked. He gave her a huge hug whilst the bridesmaids all shed a tear. When they had all regained their composure I took the opportunity to take a portrait of all the girls together holding their beautiful bouquets. Beth’s flowers were a dusky pink and white arrangement designed by the talented The Blonde & The Blooms.
Groom Party Preparations
Meanwhile James was getting ready in a different room at the hotel with his father, grandfather and groomsmen. They were so organised. I loved how each pair of socks and braces was laid out so neatly and ready to be put on. James enjoyed reading a card from Beth with a lovely printed couple photo of them both on the front. The boys all got ready utilising a number of mirrors in the room to tie ties, put on jackets and don their top hats. I loved the dusky pink ties that matched their pink socks!
Once they were ready they headed out into the Thicket priory gardens to play a few lawn games, have a chat with the guests and throw their top hats in the air. This was a fabulous photo moment!
A Wedding Ceremony at Thicket Priory
Thicket Priory has an absolutely gorgeous and very unique on-site chapel. This lovely space has some glorious original stain glass windows and a high vaulted ceiling. I also love the fact that there are two entrances to the chapel, one on top of the other. The wedding guests filed in at floor level whilst the bridal party came in through the door above and made their way down the stairs to the bottom of the aisle. James looked relaxed chatting to his best man and father.
As the bridal party came into the chapel they made their way down the short aisle. The bridesmaids came in one by one with the little flower girl and the page boy. The pageboy had the very important role of carrying the rings. They were then followed by Beth and her father. Beth looked absolutely stunning as she walked the aisle in her flowing white dress and long veil. The couple looked so happy to see each other and James shed a tear as Beth approached him at the top of the aisle.
The ceremony went really smoothly with some lovely readings. After their first kiss, Beth and James then walked the aisle to much applause from their family and friends. There was a lot of love and support in the room.
Confetti & Congratulations
After the ceremony everyone piled out onto the terrace and formed a tunnel for the confetti throwing. Beth and James did a great job of walking the tunnel and navigating the Thicket Priory steps whilst being showered with confetti. As everyone was already in position in front of the venue we also took the opportunity to grab a big group shot. Then the couple tucked into some canapés and champagne whilst catching up on the latest with friends and family. Rory enjoyed greeting the guests in his doggy wedding outfit!
Wedding photos at Thicket priory
The grounds of Thicket Priory are very picturesque offering a variety of backdrops for some lovely natural wedding portraits. Beth and James took a few minutes to walk through the gardens hand in hand and chat about their day. I was able to capture some lovely natural photographs of them as they wandered around the lake, navigating along the forest paths and over the ornate bridges. The soft light filtering through the leaves created a warm and intimate atmosphere. They ended their walk with a quick go on the famous rope swing that its attached to one of the beautiful old oak trees next to the lake. I took some final romantic photographs of them inside the building on the beautiful wooden staircase and underneath some ornate chandeliers.
Lawn Games
Beth and James had done a fabulous job of organising some activities for their guests. From laser clay pigeon shooting, corn hole and crazy golf to skittles and a giant Connect 4. The wedding couple and their guests thoroughly enjoyed playing these games before dinner.
The Thicket Priory Ballroom
Before the guests were directed into the ballroom for the wedding breakfast, the couple took a few minutes to inspect the room. It looked absolutely stunning with dusky pink and white flowers and lots of green foliage. A gorgeous room with beautiful styling by Pearl Tree Lane Styling and flowers by The Blond and the Blooms.
Wedding Breakfast Entrance & Speeches
I love a great entrance! Beth and James entered the wedding breakfast room in style, raising their hands in the air in celebration and greeted by much applause from their guests. Everyone was thrilled to see the happy couple and Beth and James were both beaming! They took their seats at top table and the speeches began. Beth’s father, James and the best men gave speeches that were touching, funny, and heartfelt. I loved Beth’s father’s novel approach to his speech sharing anecdotes about Beth’s childhood through giant photo posters that were held up around the room. All the speeches went down really well with the guests, the love and support that everyone had for the newlyweds was very obvious. At the end of the speeches they had a fabulous magic performance. Andy Larmouth Magic really gave the guests some great entertainment.
Before the evening festivities Beth and James took the time to have a couple of extra photographs under the beautiful chandeliers and in the gardens. The sun had come out of the clouds and was starting to set so I managed to get a lovely shot of them in front of the lake in the golden light.
Evening Celebrations
The evening celebrations at this Thicket Priory wedding were an absolute blast. We started off with the cake cutting, watched from above by guests on the stairs. The couple held hands to cut into their amazing cake that was displayed in a fabulous antique footman carriage (Elite Cake stand Hire).
Afterwards the guests headed back to the ballroom and cheered the couple as they entered for their first dance. I absolutely loved this first dance. James whisked his bride around the dance floor whilst a confetti canon showered them with white confetti. I love a great photo moment and this was one of my favourites in the day. A few of the guests then joined the couple on the dance floor to rock the night away.
I absolutely loved photographing Beth and James’s Wedding day. Thicket Priory provided the perfect setting for this special occasion, and the attention to detail made it an unforgettable experience. It was a truly lovely wedding, and one that will be remembered fondly by all who were lucky enough to be a part of it. Thank you so much Beth and James for choosing me as your Thicket Priory Wedding Photographer and all the best for your future lives together.
Other Suppliers involved in the Wedding Day
Makeup: Montpelier Beauty Therapy
Flowers: the Blonde and the Blooms
Styling: Pearl Tree Lane Styling
Magician: Andy Larmouth Magic
Videographer: Luke Houghton Films
Cake Stand: Elite Cake Stand Hire
Thicket Priory Wedding – Photography
Do you need a Thicket Priory wedding photographer or a photographer for any other venue? I’d love to hear more about your day. I photograph all sorts of weddings from the most lavish events to intimate home weddings and would be very happy to offer you a no-obligation chat by phone or Zoom to talk about your requirements. I also arrange appointments to meet in person at my studio in Pudsey if you would like to look at sample albums. Please get in touch below if you’d like to be sent further information or arrange to have a chat about your day.
You can also email kirstyds@gmail.com or call 07564 953262.
