Wedding photography at Holdsworth House, West Yorkshire
Emily and Tom’s gorgeous spring wedding at Holdsworth House was nothing short of perfect. I genuinely feel everything about it represented them in the most wonderful way, from the venue to the details. I absolutely loved Emily’s unique alternative wedding dress, adorned with delicate flower embroidery that beautifully echoed the vibrant spring flowers dotting the pretty gardens of Holdsworth House. Their shared love of books was elegantly showcased through creatively designed table centerpieces that reflected their personalities. They also incorporated delightful elements of fun with a talented portrait painter and playful heart-shaped glasses, which truly came in handy, with the brilliant sunshine bathing the Holdsworth House garden and courtyard all day long.
Emily & Tom’s beautiful wedding ceremony took place in the charming Abraham Brigg room, which truly enhanced the intimate atmosphere of the day. This lovely space comfortably accommodates between 40 to 80 wedding guests, creating a cozy setting for such a special occasion. Their ceremony was held in a separate room from the wedding breakfast and the wedding reception, which took place in the large Stuart Room, creating a flow to the day. The wonderful weather allowed guests to enjoy the natural beauty surrounding Holdsworth House. It made it possible to utilise the stunning gardens surrounding the venue for wedding photography.
(It’s worth mentioning that Holdsworth House offers the option for outdoor wedding ceremonies, featuring the breathtaking house as a picturesque backdrop)
Here are the highlight of Emily & Tom’s spring wedding at Holdworth House in Halifax
How did you meet? How long have you been together?
Emily: We're the stereotypical ‘friends-to-lovers’ book troupe, having met at University, where we were on the same course, along with our close group of friends. They were all thrilled when we finally became a couple, and six and a half years later, we’re still one-another’s best friend.
I have to ask about the dress
Emily: I wanted to be relaxed and comfortable when finding a dress, so rather than go to a dress shop, I ordered a bunch of wedding dresses to my parent’s house and had a session trying them all on with my Mum and Sister.
The dress is from Needle & Thread, and was one I saw and fell in love with really quickly. I knew I wanted something a little different, and the embroidered flowers on the dress caught my eye straight away. I was so glad that when I tried it on I felt just as good wearing it! It really was my dream wedding dress.
And the suit
Tom: Without giving away any details of the dress, Emily kept on reminding me that we were having a Spring wedding, and that I should ‘think about florals’. My Dad and I ended up picking tuxedos with pink floral details, which ended up matching the bridesmaids and Emily’s dress really well!
Tell us about the Christmas proposal
Tom: My family has a Christmas tradition of personal handmade stockings that hang on our bedroom door. It was Emily’s first Christmas Day spent with my family, and they had surprised her by making her one.
Emily: On Christmas Day morning Tom and I opened our stockings in bed, where I saw the engagement ring hidden inside. Tom’s proposal was very sweet and modest, sat in bed in our Christmas pyjamas alone, and I loved it.
Engagement Photos
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Tom: Both our families were in on the plan, and I could hear my poor Mum pacing around anxiously downstairs waiting for it to happen- but it made that Christmas Day an extra special one celebrating!
How did you allocate your budget?
Tom: Neither of us wanted an especially extravagant wedding, nor do we have really grand hen or stag dos. It helped a lot having a wedding package with our venue at Holdsworth House; we didn’t need to worry about finding a caterer or DJ or anything like that.
Emily: I was really keen to do a lot of the design and decorating work myself, which also helped a lot with our budget! I also bought a lot of our decorations second hand on Vinted and charity shops!
How did you feel as the bride, walking down the aisle and the groom waited for your bride?
Tom: I’m sure our pictures will prove it, but I had a good old cry when I saw Emily walk down the aisle. It was a nerve-wracking but exciting wait for her, so when the music started playing I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold it in.
Emily: I am usually a very anxious person, so it surprised even myself that on our wedding day I was nothing but relaxed. My own happy tears started the moment I saw Tom, but above all I couldn’t wait to get down the aisle and be married, I was so excited!
Why did you choose Holdsworth House as your wedding venue?
Tom: Initially we had been looking at wedding venues around Lincoln, which was where we both met. It felt like the natural place to get married. But we found Holdsworth House near Halifax by chance and immediately fell in love.
Emily: When we visited Holdsworth House for a show-around, we were both taken aback by how homely it felt. We’d wanted a venue with history, character, and comfort: and Holdsworth House ticked all those boxes. It really is true that when you see the right wedding venue, you just know it.
To note, as the photographer, I always encourage guests to throw confetti up, not at couples faces, but the entrance here was very narrow. When this happens, it does make for some cracking photos.
Are there any wedding suppliers you’d like to give a shout out to?
Emily: We have to give a shout out to our wonderful florist, Wildbee Flower Farm, who went above and beyond to put together and set up the most gorgeous bouquets and displays! They were so helpful and communicative throughout the entire pre-wedding process, and the flowers were a real talking point of the day!
Was there anything you wish you’d known before?
Tom: The day itself goes by so fast, so enjoy every moment of it.
Often the aspect that makes a wedding original to the couple is the detail – tell us about the details of the day.
Emily: We both have an eclectic style, and knew we wanted that to feature in the day. The vibes we went for were very much Spring florals and Cottagecore, but we also wanted to include a few personal details too. We’re both big readers, so a lot of our decorations were book themed too; like naming each table after our favourite books. The wedding really felt like a celebration of ourselves- our personalities and our loves- which was just as fun to plan as it was to experience on the day.
How/ Why did you choose your photographer?
Emily: We were keen to find a photographer that was familiar with our venue, as we weren’t from the area ourselves. When researching, we found Gemma, and both immediately liked how natural her work was. Having authentic and fun photos was really important to us, and the moment we talked to Gemma, we knew we were going to be in splendid hands!
Tom: We both don’t really like having our photos taken, but Gemma made us feel really relaxed about it during our engagement shoot, which I think gave us a lot of confidence on our wedding day! It was especially nice to be able to just have a good time with it all too, and Gemma was brilliant at matching our energy by finding fun photo opportunities (like in front of Holdsworth House’s many bizarre portraits!)
What song did you choose for your first dance, and why?
Tom: We’re both really big fans of Hozier. We’ve seen him live together and listen to his music all the time. The first time I told Emily I love her, Hozier’s song Jackie and Wilson was playing on the stereo, and it became ‘our song’ after that. When it came to picking a first dance song it was a no-brainer.
What was the favourite investments?
Tom: We were so lucky with the sunny weather on our Wedding Day, it was gorgeous outside. All of our guests- even our grandparents- ended up wearing the sunglasses all day. They became a real statement of the day!
Emily: Rather unexpectedly, it turned out to be sunglasses! I had bought a bunch of cheap heart-shaped sunglasses at the last minute as a little bit of fun, thinking they might be used in the evening for a few pictures.
Do you have any advice for couples in the planning stages?
Tom: Do what you want to do as a couple, even if it is unconventional. It is your day, and your happiness is paramount.
Emily: And on the day itself, try not to worry about anything and just enjoy the moment! Things will all work out around you, so you just need to relax and have fun!
If you are looking for a wedding photographer or getting married at Holdsworth House, I would love to hear from you.
Holdsworth House wedding suppliers:
Wedding Venue - Holdsworth House
Wedding Photographer - Gemma Suckley Photography
Wedding Dress - Needle & Thread
Florist - Wild Bee Flower Farm
Hair - Hair by Hannah Eyles
Makeup - AGH Cosmetics
Bridesmaid Dress - Pretty Lavish
Portrait Artist - Molly Pukes Portraits
Wedding Cheese Cake - The Mouse Trap Cheese Shop
Thank you Emily and Tom. You guys were a joy to photograph!