Chris & David’s Merchant Adventurers’ Hall Wedding, York

Arrival at Merchant Adventurers’ Hall

Arriving early has always mattered to me, even when the journey itself is short. On this August morning, it proved its worth. York was busy, and what should have been a simple approach to the city became a slow crawl, followed by a longer-than-expected wait to access a nearby car park. Having that buffer meant the day began calmly, without rushing — a quiet but important foundation for everything that followed.

Before I’d even started photographing, I encountered something I hadn’t experienced in over twenty years: a camera failure. It was brief, resolved quickly by switching to a backup, and in truth, completely unremarkable — which is exactly how it should be. Reliable backups exist for this reason, and once in hand, the day continued without interruption.

With rain lingering in the air, Chris and David had chosen to gather for a few portraits and group photographs before the ceremony. It turned out to be a thoughtful decision. The interiors of Merchant Adventurers’ Hall offered warmth and texture, and those early moments — unhurried and relaxed — set a gentle rhythm for the day ahead.

What appears here is their selection of photographs rather than mine. Alongside a storybook of around 250 images, they also chose a smaller Aspinal album with 162 photographs — something that always makes me quietly happy. It tells me the story mattered to them, not just the highlights.

Gallery Complete later today — Monday 20th April 2026