Black Sheep Wedding

Rachel and Alex’s Rustic Black Sheep Brewery Farm Wedding. Masham Wedding Photographer

Some weddings you just know from the outset that they’re going to be awesome. Rachel and Alex’s rustic farm wedding was one of those I knew instantly was going to be one of my favourites. First of all Alex’s family are the purveyors of the famous Black Sheep Brewery.. Oh the times I’ve uttered “I’ll have a pint of black Sheep”… but… for once, despite being surrounded by a Master Brewer and a free bar, I didn’t drink the Black Sheep. Shock Horror. Instead, I drank a very lovely pint of Can’t do Without Brew… Rachel and Alex’s wedding beer specially brewed for the occasion. I even went home with a couple of bottles. It was perfect summer beer….for a perfect summer wedding.

Firstly, Rachel spent the morning getting ready at her parents farm house and when it was time for the ceremony, walked next door to her Aunt’s house to get married under a sunflower arbour in the garden. There was a beautiful choir (including Rachel’s Dad), Rachel’s best friend was in charge of vows, Alex’s brother did an amazing rendition of Prof Cooper Clarke’s I Wanna Be Yours but with added personal bits – just genius, and a ring warming ceremony and hand fasting. All the stuff I love. Laid back, relaxed, fun filled and bursting with love and laughter.

Then it was over the fence to a Wills Marquees Sperry Tent for amazing beer and nibbles before the heavens opened. Of course, it wouldn’t have been proper had the wedding not featured beer bottles in one form or another so each and every table had a collection of lovely brown bottles stuffed with candles as a little nod to the family business. Rachel’s Mum had also been busy on the crafting front creating beautiful intricate straw stars that hung from the ceiling, whilst Alex’s love of all things analogue and geeky was present in a very cool table plan and papercraft calculators, typewriters and synths.

The speeches, as you can expect, were hilarious with Rachel’s dad getting everyone to join in a bit of a sing song, and the best man learning (sort of) the penny whistle – I think it’s fair to say everyone’s cheeks were tired from all the laughing.

Rachel’s beautiful couture gown was created by one of her close friends from a vintage pattern with some subtle additions including that amazing cape. I did my utmost to get it dirty whilst tramping her through the farm yard but somehow it remained untouched.

There was some excellent crazy Scandinavian traditions (Alex’s poor socks!), fantastic fiddle playing by one of their friends, some crazy egg man performance and a ceilidh where suddenly everyone got very aggressive – girls against boys! And then.. finally… pie…. Because quite frankly, nothing beats a pie and a pint. Happy flippin days.

Thanks so much to Rachel and Alex and all their wonderful friends and family for being so accommodating, so much fun and for brewing very very very excellent beer.

Here’s some of my favourite shots of the day.

Rustic Farm wedding photographer, Yorkshire by Toast of Leeds.  If  you’re getting married in the future in a barn or having an outside ceremony, get in touch by visiting my photography website at www.toastofleeds.co.uk or you can find me on Twitter, Facebook,  Instagram or Pinterest.  I photograph weddings across the UK in tipis, barns, country houses and iconic hotels. For more information and to check availability, contact me now.