A Summer Wedding at Harewood House, Leeds: A Lakeside Walk and a Dance by the Colonnade
Lisa and Neil walked hand in hand along the edge of the lake at Harewood House, big clouds rolling over the parkland and Lisa’s ball gown and long veil trailing across the grass behind her. Lisa grew up with family days out at Harewood and had always pictured it as the perfect place to get married. With a day like theirs, we’d say she was right.
Harewood House: a stately home wedding venue near Leeds
Harewood is one of the places that springs to mind the moment you think of weddings around Leeds. The house was designed by John Carr for Edwin Lascelles in 1759, with much of the interior by Robert Adam. Capability Brown laid out the parkland, and the lake was created to his design from 1775. It sits about seven miles from both Leeds and Harrogate, and in 2014 it hosted a ceremonial start for the opening stage of the Tour de France.
When we photographed Lisa and Neil’s day, Harewood was about to stop hosting weddings for a while. Happily, they’re back. Today the Harewood House Trust offers ceremonies in the Gallery inside the house, dinners in The Hovels and evening parties in the Courtyard. For photographs it has everything: the lake, old trees, a terrace and long views across the park.
A relaxed morning and a church ceremony
The morning was full of small details. Lisa’s glittering heels sat under her veil by the window, and Neil, in a waistcoat and pink tie, sat on the sofa opening a gift. Lisa smiled as she put in her earrings. Then she turned in front of a tall window with her veil spread wide, an old sign on the building outside reading “Established 1887”.
The ceremony took place in a church full of stone arches and tall windows. Neil waited at the front, Lisa arrived through the arched doorway with her bridesmaid, and a bridesmaid in blush pink stood at the front with them, following along in a booklet.
Willows, the lake and a dance by the colonnade
Back at Harewood we took the two of them out into the grounds. We framed them beneath a weeping willow, walked them down to the water’s edge, and caught the sun breaking through the leaves as they held each other on the lawn. None of it took long, and none of it needed complicated posing.
The speeches brought plenty of laughter, with Neil applauding and a big hug afterwards. Later they danced outside in the courtyard, in front of an old stone colonnade, while guests looked on from their tables.
A couple who found their match
We first met Lisa and Neil at Fountains Abbey for their engagement shoot earlier that year, and one thing that struck us was how comfortable they were together. It hadn’t always been that way. They met at work, and Lisa wasn’t too impressed with a ‘cocksure’ Neil at first (we won’t use Neil’s own phrasing for that part). Fortunately, it didn’t take her long to change her mind.
By then we’d spent four and a half years hearing how our couples met. We don’t really believe in fate as such, but after so many “I do”s we do believe everyone has a match out there somewhere. Narrowing down Lisa and Neil’s photos, we both felt they had found theirs.
Why we love a wedding at Harewood House
If you’re thinking about Harewood for your own wedding, here’s our honest take:
- The parkland does the work. The lake, the willows and the old trees give you very different portraits within a few minutes’ walk.
- There’s a space for every size. The State Dining Room seats up to 32, the Gallery takes up to 100 for a ceremony, and a marquee on the North Lawn holds up to 400.
- Plan where the party happens. Dancing isn’t allowed inside the house, so evening parties move to the Courtyard or The Hovels. Build that move into your timings.
- Leave time for the late light. The park glows at the end of the day, so keep ten minutes free for a last walk with your photographer.
Planning your own wedding at Harewood?
If you’re getting married at Harewood House, The Hovels or anywhere else on the estate, we’d love to hear from you. See more on the Harewood House weddings page, browse more Yorkshire wedding photography, or get in touch to check your date.
