Aimee and Dan's Wedding at Howard Court, North Yorkshire
Quick answer: Aimee and Dan married on 1 September 2026 at Howard Court in North Yorkshire, with 88 guests. Their day was full of pastel colour, with homemade rhubarb vodka and gin favours, a roast dinner, an ice cream bike and a band in the evening. I photographed it in my documentary style.
Aimee and Dan wanted a day that was, in their words, "Fun, happy and colourful." Friends and family describe them as "Laid back, silly, spontaneous", and that's exactly how their wedding at Howard Court felt. It was one of those days where I barely had to think about where to be, because something good was always happening a few feet away.
From a student house to a punting boat
Their story starts in a friend's student flat in Southampton, before a Basshunter night out. That friend went on to be Aimee's maid of honour. They lived together in a shared house at uni for two years as friends, and it was five years later, after Dan had moved back up north, that they started dating.
The proposal came on a surprise weekend in Oxford that Dan planned for Aimee's birthday. He asked her on a punting boat. With that much history between them, it didn't surprise me how easy they were with each other all day.
Why Howard Court
Howard Court is very close to Dan's parents' house, where he grew up. "We wanted somewhere that showcased the beautiful country life in the area," they told me. They loved the courtyard, and knew straight away that it was where they wanted their first dance. The fields and scenery around it mattered to them too.
I've photographed around ten weddings at Howard Court, and I work from the side and the back of the barn rather than the aisle. With the barn, the courtyard and the fields all so close together, I could hang back and let the day happen without ever moving anyone far from their guests. Aimee and Dan put it better than I can: “It is a beautiful venue, staff extremely hard working, they created an amazing day for us from the start of planning to the end of the day.”
Pastels, rhubarb gin and a lot of making
Aimee described the colours as “lots of happy colour”, and she meant it. Her bridesmaids wore matching dresses, each in a different pastel, and she chose pastel flowers to go with them. She didn’t need to add much else: “The venue did most of the work, a style in itself!”
What they did add, they mostly made. Aimee painted the mirror welcome sign herself. The favours were rhubarb vodka and gin, made at home from rhubarb they'd grown in their own garden. They designed all the stationery together with help from Abi, one of the bridesmaids, who also built their wedding website. On each table was a set of wedding awards with a photo of their cat on, and on the back a "sip and solve" quiz about their relationship.
The napkins took the most effort of all. They wanted guests to swing them as they came in, and the ones they used were the third set Aimee ordered. They tied every one in a knot themselves at home. I photographed the tables before anyone sat down, because I knew how much of the two of them had gone into them.
A heart cake and a roast dinner
They didn't want a traditional cake, so they chose a "vintage" style heart cake, with one layer of raspberry and white chocolate and one of chocolate caramel. The wedding breakfast was a roast dinner, one of their favourites at home. There was an ice cream bike alongside the canapés too, because they "didn't want anyone going hungry throughout the day!”
Remembering Aimee’s dad
Aimee carried a bracelet with her dad’s ashes in it. Her florist tied it into the bouquet, and you can see it in some of the photographs. Later in the evening, the band gave a shout-out to him before playing Champagne Supernova. Oasis was one of his favourite bands. One of Aimee’s favourite photographs is of her and her Nan while that song was playing: “such a special moment to have on camera.” Moments like that I photograph quietly, from a distance, without asking anyone to do anything, so that it’s simply there for them afterwards.
The ceremony and a popped strap
The morning was “Very relaxed and chill”, although the girls had been up since 5am for hair and make-up, so it was a long one. I spent most of it in the corners of the room, catching the lacing of the dress, the bridesmaid T-shirt and the laughs in between, rather than setting anything up.
The ceremony was the most emotional part of the day. Aimee remembers not knowing where to look as she walked down the aisle, because everyone was crying. Then, right at the start of the ceremony, her dress strap popped off in front of everyone. She was relieved: it broke the tension. Dan’s memory is simpler: “Trying not to cry.” I stood where I could see Dan’s face as Aimee came down the aisle, because the groom’s reaction is often the part a couple never gets to see. Standing at the back of that barn during the vows, I found it hard not to be moved myself.
Later, the maid of honour’s speech made them both, and everyone else, very emotional. During speeches I watch the room rather than the microphone, because the reactions tell the story.
Dry skies and a sunset
They’d hoped for a sunnier day and an outdoor ceremony. Instead it stayed dry all day, and they got a brilliant sunset. I only took them away for a few minutes, to the bench and the fields, so they could get back to their guests, and the light was doing the work.
The band got everyone onto the dance floor in the evening, and that’s the part they’d most like to live again: “The best feeling to be having fun with all our favourite people.” By then I was mostly following the hugs and the dancing, and it was a lovely way to finish a day.
What other couples can take from it
Aimee’s favourite photographs are the ones from just after the ceremony, full of hugs and laughs, and the candid ones of the two of them holding hands. Her advice on photos is very close to how I work: “The candids are my favourite photos, don’t choose a long list of different groups you want photos with, just let Aaron capture the day as it happens.” Those hugs and laughs are exactly why I keep the group list short and step back, because they only happen when nobody’s being lined up.
Her advice for planning is just as simple: “Enjoy the planning and don’t stress if it doesn’t go to plan.”
If you’re looking at Howard Court, my Howard Court wedding photographer page has more on the venue, and you can see Lucy and Sam’s wedding at Howard Court. There’s more on how I photograph a day here.
FAQs
Where is Howard Court? Howard Court is a countryside wedding venue in North Yorkshire. Aimee and Dan held both their ceremony and reception there.
Can you have your first dance outside at Howard Court? Aimee and Dan had their first dance in the courtyard, which was their favourite part of the venue.
How many guests did Aimee and Dan have? They had 88 guests, with the ceremony, wedding breakfast and evening all at Howard Court.
How do you keep group photos short? Keep the list of groups short and let the rest of the day happen. Aimee’s favourite photos were the candid ones, not the posed groups.
How much does a full-day wedding photographer cost? My full-day collections are Willow at £2,295 and Oak at £1,695. Digital, at £1,295, covers half a day, and a £100 booking fee holds your date.
Suppliers
Venue: Howard Court
Stationery and wedding website: designed by the couple with their bridesmaid Abi
Welcome sign: hand-painted by Aimee
Favours: homemade by the couple
Ice cream bike: Icecycles Weddings
Flowers: sweet_peaflorists
Cake: cakes.bypoppyelcoate
Band: captain_atlantic_band
Dress: bridesofsouthampton1976
Hair: styleand.glow
Make-up: bridalmakeupartistdemi
Photography: Aaron Jeffels
If you’re planning your own wedding, you can see my wedding packages or get in touch. A £100 fee holds your date.
About me
I’m Aaron, a wedding photographer based in Guisborough. I photograph weddings across North Yorkshire, Teesside and the North East in a natural, documentary way: I tell the story of your day as it happens, so you can spend it with your people rather than posing. You can read more about me, or get in touch whenever you’re ready.