A Rudding Park and Almscliffe Crag Anniversary Shoot: Ten Years Married, Two Daughters and a Gritstone Sunset
Ten years after their wedding, Jacqueline was back in a white gown and a long veil, with one of her daughters holding it up as she walked. By sunset she and Mark were standing on top of a gritstone crag, the wind in her veil and Yorkshire laid out below them. Their anniversary shoot at Rudding Park and Almscliffe Crag was all about giving them the wedding photos they had always wanted.
Rudding Park and Almscliffe Crag: a Harrogate estate and a gritstone landmark
Rudding Park sits on the outskirts of Harrogate, beside the village of Follifoot. Its Grade I listed house was begun in 1805 and completed after 1824. The early 19th-century landscaped park, with gardens laid out in the mid-20th century by James Russell, is on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens. The Radcliffe family owned the estate until 1972, and the house was later converted into a hotel.
For the final location we chose Almscliffe Crag, a great bulk of coarse gritstone that dominates the northern skyline of Lower Wharfedale, near North Rigton. We always try to make our shoots as personal as possible, and this was a place that spoke to Mark’s background as a geologist and to their new venture.
Why an anniversary shoot?
Over the years, our proudest moments have always been the calls and emails from couples letting us know how much they love their wedding photos. We know first-hand how important those photos are, but we also know that not everyone is fortunate enough to love theirs. So we’ve done anniversary shoots for couples whose weddings we didn’t photograph, to give them the photos they always dreamed of.
Jacqueline and Mark got in touch ahead of their tenth wedding anniversary. Their wedding was an incredible day, but they just didn’t feel the photos did it justice. Life changes a lot in a decade, and for them that meant the birth of their two (super cute) daughters and, more recently, the start of a new business.
Staircases, stone alcoves and two daughters at Rudding Park
We started indoors, with Jacqueline’s veil trailing down a staircase and one of the girls lifting it high as her mum walked along a corridor. Out in the gardens, a stone alcove with a carved head above it made a perfect frame for the four of them. Then we walked together along a hedge-lined path towards the golden stone of the house. The girls ended up lying on the lawn in fits of giggles, while the breeze kept catching the veil.
Golden hour on Almscliffe Crag
Watching the sun set over the Yorkshire countryside from the top of the crag was the perfect finish, and we were spoiled for choice as the golden-hour light washed over the rocks. The wind swept Jacqueline’s veil and the long skirt of her gown across the gritstone, the fields stretched away below, and the clouds turned gold and grey as the sun went down.
Mark, in a dark suit, held her close at the edge of the rocks. As the last light faded, the two of them sat together with the veil spread out around them. We were reminded once again just how incredible Yorkshire is, and how lucky we are to provide more than just photographs. Really, how many jobs are there where you get to give people something they have been longing for for ten years?
Why we love an anniversary shoot in Yorkshire
If you don’t love your wedding photos, or simply want to mark a milestone, here’s our honest take:
- It’s never too late. An anniversary shoot can give you the photos you wish you’d had on the day, without any of the wedding-day rush.
- Bring the family. Jacqueline and Mark’s daughters were born after the wedding, but they’re a big part of the story now.
- Choose places that mean something. Almscliffe Crag spoke to Mark’s background as a geologist, which made the photos feel personal.
- Finish at golden hour. High ground as the sun goes down gives you warm light, long shadows and big skies.
Thinking about an anniversary shoot in Yorkshire?
Whether it’s your first anniversary or your twenty-fifth, we’d love to hear from you. Browse our Yorkshire wedding photography, or get in touch to talk through your ideas.
