Katy and Martin got married at Whinstone View in Great Ayton on 18 August 2022, a warm and lovely summer's day, with an outdoor ceremony in the courtyard, portraits out in the grounds and a proper party in Wray's Barn. These are their photos, and the story of the day as I saw it. It's still one of the days I think of first when someone asks me about Whinstone View.
Planning your own? Read my Whinstone View wedding photographer guide for the practical side of the venue.
Getting ready in the Blue Lodge
The morning started in the Blue Lodge, one of the lodges on site, where Katy and her bridal party were getting ready. I spent a few hours with them there before heading down to the barn to catch up with Martin and his groomsmen.
I'd photographed Katy and Martin's engagement shoot a few years before, but because of COVID we hadn't seen each other in a while. Spending the morning with them, it felt like no time had passed at all. That's a big part of why I suggest an engagement shoot to my couples: by the wedding day, I'm a familiar face rather than a stranger with a camera. It meant I could stand in the corner of a busy lodge and nobody gave me a second look, which is exactly how I like a morning to feel.
Bridal prep never gets old for me. The lodges have good natural light, so I can stay out of the way and let hair, make-up and the last few buttons happen without setting anything up. The photo of the bridesmaid holding the baby while everyone else got on with things is one of my favourites from the morning, because nobody was performing for anyone.
A courtyard ceremony
Katy and Martin had their ceremony outside in the courtyard, under the wooden pergola, with their guests either side of the aisle. It was the first time I'd photographed an outdoor ceremony in the courtyard at Whinstone View. I was a bit nervous about the light beforehand, and then it turned out to be one of the easiest ceremonies I've photographed there.
During a ceremony I work from the side and the back rather than standing in the aisle, so most of these frames are of people reacting rather than people looking at me. Martin waiting under the pergola, the flower girl making her way down the aisle, Katy reaching the front, the rings and the laughs in between. The moment Martin laughed with Katy halfway through was the one I was hoping for, because it told you everything about the two of them.
Afterwards, everyone made their way out for confetti. Confetti is the one bit of the day where I'll ask guests to gather round, and then I just let it get messy.
Portraits around the grounds
Following the ceremony, we took a short break for portraits in the countryside around the venue: under the willow tree and out in the long grass of the fields. I try not to pose couples too much, because it can feel unnatural and doesn't reflect who they really are. I'd rather give a bit of gentle direction and then let them be themselves.
We also did one big group photo on the lawn in front of the willow, with everyone together. After that, Katy and Martin were free to get back to their guests, while I moved around the lawn photographing the drinks, the games and the friends they hadn't seen in a while. Katy and her bridesmaids throwing their arms in the air on the lawn wasn't planned by anyone, and it's one of the photos I'm happiest I didn't miss.
Wray's Barn: dinner, speeches and the evening
As the day went on, we moved inside Wray's Barn for the wedding breakfast, with the tables set under the beams and a wall of fairy lights behind the top table. I always photograph the room before guests sit down, because once the day is in full swing nobody sees it that way again.
Martin, his best man and Katy's dad all gave speeches, and they set the tone for the evening perfectly. During speeches I watch the room rather than the microphone, because the reactions tell the story. Seeing Katy and Martin laughing at the top table while the room laughed with them is the bit of the day I'd show any couple who asks what a relaxed wedding looks like.
The staff at Whinstone View turned the barn round quickly for the cake cutting and the first dance, and then Phil Davids & The Good Times Band got everyone onto the floor. I spent the rest of the night mingling and photographing whatever happened next. By the end of the night I was mostly following the dancing and the hugs, and it was a lovely way to finish.
What I'd tell couples marrying here
- Use the lodges for the morning. Getting ready on site means no travel, good light and a short walk to the ceremony.
- Think about an outdoor ceremony. The courtyard gave Katy and Martin a ceremony that felt open and relaxed, with the barn right there if the weather had turned.
- Keep portraits short. The willow tree and the fields are close by, so you can get lovely photos and be back with your guests quickly.
For capacity, the ceremony options and everything else you'll want to plan, have a look at my full venue guide. If you're comparing barns, my guide to Yorkshire's top barn wedding venues is a good place to start.
Suppliers
Venue: Whinstone View (@whinstoneview)
Flowers and styling: Meadows & Mulberry Weddings (@meadowsandmulberryweddings)
Hair: Hair by Brittany
Make-up: Laura Mac (@lauramacmakeup)
Band: Phil Davids & The Good Times Band
Photography: Aaron Jeffels Photography (@aaronjeffelsphot)
FAQs
Where is Whinstone View? Whinstone View is in Great Ayton, North Yorkshire (TS9 6QG). More on the location in my venue guide.
Can you get married outside at Whinstone View? Yes. Katy and Martin had their ceremony outside in the courtyard. The venue also lists ceremonies in Wray's Barn and under its illuminated willow tree (Whinstone View Weddings).
Where do couples get ready? In the lodges on site. Katy and her bridal party used the Blue Lodge.
How many guests can Whinstone View hold? The venue says Wray's Barn seats up to 150 guests for a ceremony and up to 120 for the wedding breakfast (Whinstone View Weddings). Check the latest numbers with the venue.
Have you photographed other weddings here? I've photographed lots of weddings at Whinstone View.
Check my date
If you're getting married at Whinstone View, tell me your date and that you're at Whinstone View, and I'll let you know if I'm free. You can see my wedding packages, read what couples say, or find out more about my wedding photography in Middlesbrough and Teesside and across North Yorkshire. When you're ready, get in touch.