Woodlands Leeds Wedding Photographer
A Victorian mansion hidden behind a long driveway, with gardens that feel deep in the Yorkshire countryside.
Photographing weddings at Woodlands
Woodlands is a Grade II listed Victorian mansion in Gildersome, on the edge of Leeds, built for George Webster, a local manufacturer and member of Leeds Town Council. Today it’s a boutique hotel with 22 bedrooms, a restaurant and landscaped gardens, and in 2026 Yorkshire Evening Post readers put it top of their list of Leeds wedding venues.
Hidden away behind a long driveway, once you’re inside the grounds you could easily mistake it for a wedding deep in the heart of Yorkshire. In fact it’s about a mile from junction 27 of the M62, with easy access to Leeds, and even Manchester and York. It suits couples who want a relaxed garden wedding with the city close by.
It’s an easy drive from my home in Wharfedale, and travel is included in every collection. For more weddings around the city, see my Leeds wedding photography.
About Woodlands
The house was designed by W. Hanstock of Batley. A magazine article in 1883 described the grounds as nearly finished, with Mr Webster already living in the house. More recently the hotel added two function suites, the Orangery and the Drawing Room, in an extension designed to sit comfortably alongside the old house.
The venue offers landscaped gardens and an outdoor ceremony area, and its three event spaces are used for ceremonies and receptions. The Orangery takes up to 250 guests for parties and receptions. Exclusive use is the venue’s speciality, so you can have the whole hotel and gardens to yourselves for the day.
From my Yorkshire weddings
I haven’t shared a wedding from Woodlands on the journal yet, so these are a few favourites from weddings elsewhere in Yorkshire.
A wedding day at Woodlands
With 22 bedrooms in the house, the wedding party can get ready under one roof, and the morning flows straight into the day. On a fine day the gardens give you space for a ceremony outside, then drinks with the mature trees as a backdrop.
For portraits, I like to slip away into the gardens for ten minutes when the light softens, then bring you back before anyone misses you. In the evening the Orangery gives the party room to grow, with the gardens just outside.
Why couples choose Woodlands
- Country feel, city access. A long driveway and mature grounds, yet only about a mile from the M62.
- Indoors or out. An outdoor ceremony area in the gardens, with three event spaces inside if the weather turns.
- Exclusive use. Hire the whole hotel and gardens, so your guests have the place to themselves.
- Pair it with a city ceremony. Marry at Leeds Cathedral and head out of town for the party, or compare it with Oakwell Hall, one of my favourite venues near Leeds.
Questions couples ask
Where is Woodlands in Leeds?
On Gelderd Road in Gildersome, on the edge of Leeds, about a mile from junction 27 of the M62.
Is Woodlands licensed for weddings?
Yes. It’s on Leeds City Council’s list of licensed ceremony venues, and it has an outdoor ceremony area in the gardens as well as event spaces inside. The Orangery takes up to 250 for receptions.
How much does a Woodlands wedding photographer cost?
My full-day photography collection is £1,750 and full-day film is £1,500, with travel and accommodation included. See prices for what’s included.
Do you film weddings at Woodlands?
Yes, on their own or alongside photography. See my Yorkshire wedding videography.
Nearby venues and areas
Planning a wedding elsewhere? See all my Yorkshire wedding photography or browse every venue I’ve photographed.
