Emma + Mick — Danby Castle wedding

I love unusual wedding venues – they give the whole day a very off-beat rhythm that is quite unforgettable. In my years as a wedding photographer have seen a number of unorthodox places that break the mould of a typical wedding venue to a lesser or greater degree – some were more rustic, others more industrial etc., and for a while I thought I’ve seen it all… until Emma and Mick’s Danby Castle wedding happened.

Danby is a small, picturesque village in the Scarborough district of Yorkshire (cue in “Scarborough Fair” by Simon & Garfunkel). There are a few houses, a pub or two, a handful of farms, a small railway station and peace and quiet like you’ve never experienced it before. Danby Castle – a historical local landmark – fits this surroundings perfectly. You can spot it from the distance when driving by and it’s quite a sight. Half of it lies in ruins – a condition that only amplifies the overall surreal atmosphere as the sombre stone walls reach out high into the air gauging a jagged notch in the skyline. The other half of the castle consists of a few surviving historic buildings huddled together around a huge marquee to form a very unique construct. Inside there are lights, hand-crafted ornaments, old barrels and cart wheels, all reaching back to the days the castle’s most prominent inhabitant Henry VIII’s last wife, Catherine Parr.

Being there was an experience on its own, but Emma and Mick’s vision of Danby Castle wedding took it a step further. Everything – from the bride’s wedding wreath down to wedding rings – formed a perfect whole with the castle. Even the wedding cake – displayed on top of a few-hundred-year-old traditional wine barrel was literally radiant with a traditional, historic aura. The guests were housed in giant tents on a field on the premises – another interesting twist adding to the unique experience.

The wedding turned out to be a magnificent gala of grand proportions. Everyone, and I mean literally everyone, was either dancing, singing or both. As much as you tend to have an occasional group of quiet guests propped up against a wall on every wedding, Emma and Mick’s big day featured none such sights. I had a real difficulty when balancing out the selection of photos for the purpose of this blog entry, as a considerable majority of the bulk of RAW files came from the actual wedding party. There was simply too much going on not to click away – a good sign signifying that the guests were having a blast. A sore trigger finger the morning after says it all.

I’ve heard various stories of the venue before. Some people reportedly had a hard time getting there, as the location is quite remote; others were afraid of ghosts (one apparently lives somewhere on the premises). I don’t know about any of that. What I do know is that I can’t wait for my next visit there. Danby Castle wedding? Sign me up!