If you like your wedding days with a pinch of history, a generous pour of Yorkshire charm, and a Leeds United reference (or two), Olivia & Daniel’s celebration at The Engine Shed, Wetherby was your sort of perfect. From a serene start at The Crown Inn in the postcard-pretty village of Roecliffe to a joyfully raucous confetti run and a sublime wedding breakfast, this was a day that hit all the right notes — and then some.

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing every smile, squeeze, and happy tear. Here’s the story.

The Calm Before “I Do”: Bridal Prep at The Crown Inn, Roecliffe

Some wedding mornings are full of fizzing nerves and flying curling tongs. Not this one. Olivia, Maid of Honour Emily, bridesmaid Erin, and Mum Vicky created a little bubble of calm at The Crown Inn in Roecliffe, a centuries-old country pub that oozes character from its low beams to its creaky floorboards. It’s a proper 16th Century Yorkshire coaching inn set on the village green — think warm stone, snug rooms, and the kind of welcome that makes you exhale.

While makeup brushes fluttered and hair was coaxed into place, the conversation drifted between boobs, music, and the vital business of Prosecco protocol (top up early, top up often). Roecliffe itself is tiny and charming — a village of just over two hundred souls, set by the River Ure, with a green that doubles as the school playing field. If you want wholesome village-storybook vibes, this is it.

A VIP Arrives (in Full Leeds United Tracksuit)

Just before 12:00, the door swung open and in toddled Margo, Olivia and Daniel’s daughter — and the undisputed star of pre-ceremony prep — head-to-toe in a Leeds United tracksuit. Gasps. Hands to hearts. The room did that soft, collective “awww” that only toddlers can conjure. And then, in a move that will forever make me smile, Margo calmly popped her dummy in and fired up her tablet, entirely unfazed by the adoring audience. The perfect icon of 2020s childhood meets Yorkshire football devotion.

The Dress Reveal with Dad

At 12:30, Dad Karl arrived for the dress reveal — and if there were dry eyes, I didn’t see them. The moment Karl entered the room, you could practically hear the heartbeat of the room pause. A hug, a breath, and the kind of smile only a father can give his daughter. Photographing that exchange — the pride, the love, the “how did we get here so fast?” — is why I do this job.

With bridal portraits finished on the Inns lawn, I packed the cameras and set off for Wetherby.

The Engine Shed: A Venue with Proper Railways DNA

The Engine Shed is a dream backdrop if you love industrial heritage repurposed with style. Built in 1847 as a railway goods shed on the Harrogate–Church Fenton line, it’s now a Grade II listed events venue with loads of character — brick, timber, height, and atmosphere for days. (A fun nerdy note: locals will tell you it’s technically not an actual “engine shed” but the name stuck — a little Wetherby in-joke that gives the place even more charm.)

Groom on Point: Parade Blues (with a Cheeky Leeds Layer)

When I arrived, Daniel was exactly where a groom should be: buzzing between guests, shaking hands, soaking it all in. He looked razor-sharp in his Army Parade Blues — immaculate — and yes, word got out that a Leeds United shirt was stealthily layered underneath. That’s dedication. Military top, Elland Road heart.

Family and friends were gathering fast, greetings were getting louder, and that delicious hum of “it’s happening” rolled around the venue.

The Blessing: Short, Beautiful, Perfect

Before long, the bridal party arrived and we went straight inside for a short but beautifully delivered wedding blessing. I love ceremonies like this — no flab, all feeling. Vows that land, smiles that spread, and that tiny wobble in the voice that says more than a Shakespeare sonnet ever could.

Husband and wife. The words hit, the room softened, and then…

CONFETTI. LOTS OF IT.

Doors open. Sunshine (and/or determined Yorkshire daylight) floods in. A confetti run with full throttle enthusiasm greets Olivia and Daniel. These are the frames you print big — colour everywhere, motion blur, faces exploding into joy. Somebody always goes rogue and throws a handful straight up like a football celebration. It’s perfect chaos.

Fast Formals, Maximum Fun

We cracked through the family groups with Formula 1 efficiency. My philosophy is simple: get the must-haves done swiftly so the couple can get back to their people and their party. We ticked off parents, siblings, wedding party, and a few “while you’re here…” combos — all nimble, all cheerful. Then I let everyone loose to do what they’d been itching to do since the first cork popped: celebrate.

The Engine Shed Looked the Business

Industrial bones, romantic finish. The Engine Shed does that warehouse-meets-wedding thing beautifully — high ceilings, warm textures, and room for a proper dance floor later. If you’re venue-shopping, it’s the kind of space that flexes: cosy for speeches, expansive for the evening do, and visually rich from every angle (brick, beams, big doors, yes please). Numbers nerds will appreciate the two-bar/two-dancefloor spec some listings mention; as a photographer I appreciate the layered light and the generous backdrop options.

4pm: Wedding Breakfast (Yorkshire for “Feast”)

At 4:00pm, plates arrived and the room went quiet in the way only great food can manage. Beautiful cuts of beef and gammon with all the trimmings — proper comfort elevated to celebration. Crisp roasties, veg done right, and the kind of gravy you remember later on the drive home. For me: quick camera clean, data check, a sip of water, and then a sacred photographer tradition — ten calm minutes to savour a plate and re-charge for the evening story.

Margo Watch (Again)

Between mouthfuls and murmurs of “this is incredible,” I clocked Margo making the rounds like a tiny dignitary — alternating between concentrating on her dummy and cuddles on demand. These are the little threads that stitch a family story together.

The Singing Waiters

A little surprise for everyone in the room was the appearance of the Singing Waiters. They got people on their feet dancing within seconds and kept people entertained for over 20 minutes.

Speeches with Substance

The speeches were exactly what you hope for: funny enough to make the tables wobble, tender enough to hush the room, and short enough for everyone to want one more. If the mic’s working and the stories land, you can feel the atmosphere lift another notch. From where I’m crouched (usually near a pillar with a long lens), it’s pure gold: tears, laughter, and those sideways exchanges between partners that say, “that bit was about you.”

Dance Floor Forecast: Lively with a Chance of Air-Guitar

After a swift Cutting of the Cake, it was onto the First Dance. Evenings at the Engine Shed tend to grow upwards — volume, laughter, dance-move ambition. That roomy floor and strong sound set-up mean the first track always lands with a shiver and a cheer. I’m a big fan of the post-first-dance surge where the wedding party swarms in like happy bees. It’s where you catch aunties unleashing their secret shapes, tiny kids inventing new ones, and the best man discovering that handbags are, in fact, his look.

Super Leeds, Marching on Together.

Before I left, the lads, led by Daniel, sang their song The Leeds United classic Marching On Together. It was a reet proper tearjerker.

By the Numbers (Because Weddings Are a Team Sport)

1 tiny Leeds United superfan (hi, Margo).
1 groom in Parade Blues with a covert LUFC layer.
2 sublime mains (beef & gammon) with every trimmings-based temptation.
10/10 on confetti enthusiasm.
100% dancefloor enthusiasm

Photographer’s Notes (for Future Couples)

1) Prep Locations Matter.
The Crown Inn’s snug rooms and historic textures made a beautiful, intimate backdrop — neutral tones, soft window light, and little corners for details (shoes, invites, jewellery). If your morning space feels calm, your photos will, too.

2) Fast Formal Photos = More Party.
We pre-planned the group list, gathered everyone quickly after the confetti, and moved with purpose. Result: minimal waiting, maximum celebrating. Ask your photographer (hello!) to help structure this — it’s an art form.

3) The Engine Shed Loves Colour.
Strong walls, warm brick, dark steel — all of it makes colours pop. Florals, ties, dresses, even confetti look cinematic here.

4) Tiny Humans Need Jobs.
Tablets, cuddles, bubbles, bold tracksuits — give toddlers something to do and they’ll reward you with natural, adorable moments all day. (Margo proved the point.)

5) Leeds Fans.
Was a hidden Leeds United shirt under Parade Blues necessary? Absolutely not. Was it excellent? 100%. Your personality should show up everywhere — even under your jacket.

Gratitude Roll

To Olivia (poise personified), Daniel (sharp as a bayonet, heart on sleeve), Emily and Erin (calm, capable, hilarious), Vicky (kindness in motion), Karl (the dress reveal we’ll all remember), and Margo (entertainment of the day): thank you. You made the day feel like the best kind of family — open-armed, big-hearted, and slightly obsessed with football. As it should be.

To the team at The Engine Shed: your space holds history and celebration in perfect balance. It photographs beautifully and it works — for ceremonies, for dinners, for dance-floor mayhem.

Final Frames

Every wedding leaves a feeling behind. This one — from the quiet grace of Roecliffe to the warm thunder of Wetherby — felt like home. A day that started in stillness, gathered speed with hugs and cheers, and then blasted through the doors in a shower of confetti and clapping.

Olivia & Daniel, you two made a promise in a building that once pulsed with journeys — goods loaded, trains scheduled, lives moving. There’s something beautiful about that: a promise set on a platform built for going places. Here’s to all the places you’ll go, the adventures you’ll stack, and the tiny Leeds kits you’ll keep buying as someone’s feet mysteriously keep growing.

I was honoured to tell your story. And if I ever need to smuggle a football shirt under a blazer, I know exactly who to call for tips.

If you’re planning something similar and want a photographer who’ll keep the formals fast, the candids honest, and the dance-floor shots gloriously unflattering (in the best way), I’m your man. Let’s make your story sing.